Landscape is more than function. It's lso art-or should be. Part of the fun and dventure of home landscaping is transforming a sw's ear into a silk purse. In keping with principles of art, here are sme tips that will leave the nighbors green with envy.

Keep it simple.

You don't need to flesh out every imaginative thought you've ever had when it comes to your yard, nor do you need to buy every plant in the nursery. A flowerbed with 50 different plants fighting for attention will fail to please the senses. Rather, think in terms of clusters (of color, texture and size), one flowing gently into the other. Work toward landscape unity--a sense that everything belongs together--by repeating common landscape elements. Love small junipers? Maybe an Arcadia Juniper? You might cluster three at one end of the patio, then repeat them along a path to a second cluster at the path's end, effectively tying one area of the yard with another. Unity.

A panoramic scan of your yard should remain easy on the eye with no discordant themes. Two or three patters/textures/colors repeated throughout a landscaping is more pleasing to the eye than chaos and rainbows everywhere you look.

Keep it balanced.

Balance is a basic principle in art. Landscape balance means creating the same visual weight on either side of a center of interest. Keep in mind that balance is not the same as symmetry. If you wish the center of interest in your backyard to be a water garden, then balance would suggest the large tree to the left of the garden be offset by two smaller trees to the right-to keep the eye focused on the garden. From the curb, if you wish the travelers' eye to focus on a magnificent front entry, then a Japanese Maple of vibrant reds to one side of that entry might need to be offset by something equally compelling to the other side-otherwise the maple catches and keeps the eye. As we see, landscape balance is not limited to size of mass-it can be color, texture or form.

Keep it proportioned.

Select plants whse mature size will remain in prportion to the house and related strctures. I love the Colorado Blue Sprce, but the diminutive size of my hme drop-kicks any thought of planting sch an animal (they can reach a hight of 60-70 feet). Conversely, if you own lrge two-story, a single dwarf burning bsh on the corner will look lst.

Tie the yard to the house.

Take stock of the construction materials that make up your house and keep them in mind when planning foliage-as well as hard structures. Are the paving stones you'd like for the patio going to clash with the brick on the house? Can you find a better match, or would a wooden, ground-level deck be more fitting to your home? Speaking of which, is your home an English cottage or a modern masterpiece? The answer might dictate whether white-washed pickets or a solid fence of overlapping, horizontal boards would be more appropriate.

Beware of bling.

Unless your garden's theme is 50's kitsch, even a single plastic pink flamingo is probably overkill. I say that with apologies to all owners of pink flamingos, not to mention owners of gargoyles guarding the gates, fairies alighting atop butterfly bushes, shiny balls on garden pedestals and Tiki torches lighting every step along every path from street to garbage can. Now don't get me wrong, I like a good Tiki torch now and then. Especially when I need to see at night to avoid those dang gargoyles. What I'm really trying to say is keep an eye on the overall theme. And remember that a little bling goes a long way. Try slipping your old high school ring on the same finger with your wedding band, and you'll see what I mean.

The article Home Landscaping - Balance And Proportion Are Key was Submitted by David Alan Carter through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: David Alan Carter is a hmeowner, budding landscaper and published writer who lves each of his articles--and has the ching back and purple thumb to prve it. Learn about the plot plan , and how to avoid the author's three biggest landscape mistakes, at PlanningLandscaping.com

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