The Trinity of Landscape Design Principles
There are three main categories of design principles to keep in mind when considering a landscape: Order, unity, and immediate interest. Although these principles are never completely separate from one another, this article will explore each of them individually in greater detail below.
An interesting thing to note is that, when designing a landscape we usually start from order and work our way down to immediate interest, whereas when we experience the landscape we generally start with immediate interest, and by paying attention to the landscape, we can come to understand unity and order. Below, we will explore these design principles as we notice them from the landscape:
An interesting thing to note is that, when designing a landscape we usually start from order and work our way down to immediate interest, whereas when we experience the landscape we generally start with immediate interest, and by paying attention to the landscape, we can come to understand unity and order. Below, we will explore these design principles as we notice them from the landscape:
Immediate Interest
This is best understood as how one experiences the landscape at a given time and space. Its primary concern is the individual plant and/or material choices and their rhythm—that is, the placement and arrangement of these objects in a captivating and pertinent fashion.
Individual plants and rhythmic placement creates immediate interest
Unity
Unity is concerned with maintaining a consistent style throughout the landscape and ensuring that the many parts of the landscape are in accord with one another. It verifies that the colors, shapes, sizes, textures and other features work together so that the property “feels right/makes sense”. It also involves grouping individual plants together, interconnecting these groups properly, and using repetition—that is, using the same plant groupings or other design features in various parts of the yard--in order to create a unified space.
Grouping plants together in a proper manner―an example of one of the key principles of unity
Order
Order refers to the overall structure of the landscape and its functionality. It focuses on the “big picture”―the highest level ideas and what the landscape is trying to accomplish. This includes the overall theme, balance, the main patterns and dominant features such as major focal points and how the main spaces will be used. It is best understood by taking a “view from above” by means of a concept plan and tends to be fairly low-resolution planning (i.e. not concerned with the individual plant selection nor the finer grouping details).
"View from above" of a basic concept plan identifying main areas
Don't forget, if you want to design a landscape properly, you usually have to work your way back these ideas.
Rhythm images via: joannegreen.com.au/post/la-louve-a-provence-garden-by-nicole-de-vesian, Unity images from Booth NK, Hiss JE. Residential landscape architecture: design process for the private residence. Prentice Hall; Concept plan: edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/EP375