Landscapes
Carefree. Manicured gardens are not for everyone. The magic of a wild garden appeals to all ages and echoes a more relaxed personal style — this style can also be more forgiving with regard to maintenance too. A wildflower meadow with plants that can hold their own, such as acanthus (the tall, purple spires seen here), can be an easy-care option. The background and foreground hedges veer toward the natural — not too clipped and controlled.
Whimsical. The human hand is everywhere in this garden, from the clipped boxwood balls to the perfect espaliers that form the backdrop. Yet its lack of symmetry means that it has a lot of movement and interest. The space is neat and controlled, and yet, due to the apparent whimsical placement of the boxwood spheres and their subtle variation in size, it is also soft and relaxing. A good advertisement for embracing asymmetry, this garden offers a modern take on the more rigid formal style.
Tropical. By choosing plants with large leaves and bold textures, you can achieve a lush, exuberant, tropical look. Bamboo, coarse grasses, even banana plants if you have a mild climate, can give the effect. Other plants that would contribute well to the look are rhododendrons, scheffleras and, of course, all kinds of ferns.
Mediterranean. If your garden is very dry, then you might consider taking inspiration from a dry region of the world. Certain plants instantly evoke warm, dry climes — like lavender, thyme, rosemary and other gray-leaved drought-loving plants. Team these with some warm-toned gravel, stone and terra-cotta pots to achieve the kind of Mediterranean look seen here. Many drought-tolerant plants also are high in aromatic oils, so you’ll get the bonus of scent.
Natural. Planting styles, like any other style, can fall in and out of fashion. One of the strongest and most fashionable movements in planting right now is perennials combined with ornamental grasses, planted in large swaths akin to a meadow. Inspired by the flowers of natural prairies, it is a look full of movement, light and color. Good perennials to combine with grasses include Rudbeckia ‘Goldsturm’, knautias, alliums, poppies and kniphofias. Though generally used in larger gardens, the idea can also be adapted to smaller gardens — try ditching a conventional lawn for a perennial meadow instead. Or if your space is very limited, use a simple palette of shorter grasses such as Briza media or Stipa tenuissima, along with smaller perennials — Dianthus carthusianorum, sedum, dicentras and astrantias — and spring bulbs.
Breezy. Ornamental grasses are infinite in their subtle textures, colors and outlines. They work well when set against clean, modern lines and are generally low-maintenance too, making them an ideal choice in many urban gardens. Their wonderfully translucent flower heads catch low morning or evening light, and this, coupled with their ability to move in the slightest breeze, adds life and welcome movement to any outdoor space.
Formal. A very formal garden can be the ideal style choice for a traditional home and the space it defines, particularly if the space is symmetrical. Low-clipped hedging can create myriad interesting patterns on the ground. Manicured and controlled, this style of garden looks good all year round, with small seasonal variations in the background planting. The seasons can also be celebrated with pots full of spring bulbs or summer annuals.
The interior style of your home reflects your character and taste, and choosing the right look is something you probably devote a lot of time to. When it comes to the garden, a lot of thought is usually given to external materials and structures, but how much consideration do you give to your planting style? Inspiration can come from the surrounding landscape or the desire to create a particular look for your garden, and also your preferred decorating style — do you favor a minimalist, modern interior, or are you a fan of bold color and pattern? Here are some tips for extending your personal style choices out into the garden. Craftsman Landscape by Acres Wild Acres Wild Romantic. If your chosen style is soft and vintage-inspired, consider something like the garden seen here. The pale pink roses and blowsy blue catmint, combined with other delicate perennials, create a wistful, romantic style that feels old-fashioned and nostalgic. Choose old roses that are richly scented, and edge your paths with aromatic foliage, such as lavender or catmint, which will release their perfume when you brush against them.
Working With a Professional While a landscape architect or designer can help guide the process of refining your design style (and point out what’s feasible for your site), doing some prep work ahead of time will give you a clearer idea of where you’d like to steer your landscape. Plus, you’ll come into the first meeting well prepared, saving both you and the pro time (which could cut down on design fees). Contemporary Landscape by Solus Decor UK Ltd
Design Clarification Phase Once you have narrowed down your photos to create a more cohesive general style, it’s time to identify what you specifically like about each photo. Perhaps it’s the architectural quality of a row of plants silhouetted against a wall, a color palette of a meadow garden or the graceful curve of a deck. You can add a note below the photo in your Houzz ideabook to call out the design idea you like in that particular image. This will be helpful information to communicate with a design professional. When you look at your edited collection of inspiration images, can you tell if you’ve saved images with similar design principles and elements? For example, have you saved more images that show symmetrical design, or do you prefer asymmetrical layouts? Do you see a lot of straight lines or curves? Identifying design principles that you’re drawn to can help guide the decision process for certain elements — such as hardscape design, plant selection and material choice — to result in a combination that works well and is aesthetically pleasing. Ultimately, refining your landscape style is a process that will continue to change and evolve — much like gardens themse...
Modern Pool Modern Pool Editing Phase Once you’ve collected a broad range of inspirational photos, start to review your saved images with a more critical eye. Home in on the garden styles you saved most, keeping in mind your site and climate. (It’s tough to pull off a water-intensive cottage garden in the desert, for example.) You don’t have to stick to one landscape design style — a simple modern design can pair with traditional-style floral borders, for instance. In general, plan to pare your inspiration photos down to one or two general garden styles to have a clear vision of what you’d like your landscape to look like. The more specific you can be about what you like and don’t like in different garden styles, the better. A landscape design professional can help identify elements that can bridge those styles and can also tailor designs to your region and site.
Consider your home’s architecture and style. If your home has a clean, modern aesthetic, for example, you may want to let its design vocabulary help guide style choices in the landscape. While your landscape design style doesn’t have to match that of your home, it’s useful to pay attention to the lines, materials and scale of your house to create a site that looks cohesive as a whole. Assess the challenges of your site. Does your yard feature a steep slope or lack privacy from nearby homes? When saving photos, look for ones that feature design solutions to similar or relevant challenges. Inside Houzz tip: In addition to browsing all outdoor photos or searching for specific garden elements, you can refine your Houzz search even more. Use the facet filters (located in drop-down menus at the top of the photo page) to limit your results by location, size, style, budget and more.
Inspiration Phase Cast a wide net. Start a Houzz ideabook to save images of outdoor spaces that you like. Don’t worry about sticking to a particular style — save any image that appeals to you. When gathering inspiration, consider how you’d like to use your new landscape — to relax, entertain or eat outdoors, say — and which features you’d like to include, such as a shade structure, fire pit or swimming pool or an outdoor kitchen. Inside Houzz tip: Share your Houzz ideabook with your designer to communicate your style and to collaborate on your project’s design direction.
https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/116644447?utm_source=Houzz&utm_campaign=u9867&utm_medium=email&utm_content=gallery4_4&newsletterId=9867 One of the first steps you’ll want to take when planning a landscape redesign is to identify — or clarify — your landscape design style. There are many styles to choose from, and you’ll want to choose what appeals to you and also suits your site and climate. To get started, browse and save landscape ideas you like and then — this part’s crucial – pare them down. The result will be a much clearer vision of what you’d like your landscape to be and, ultimately, a much more cohesive-looking garden. We’ve divided the process of refining landscape style into three phases: inspiration, editing and design clarification.
Mailbox Plants Don't forget to see your mailbox as a potential buyer will see it. If it's a plain Jane, dress it up with a mix of plants. Try evergreens like compact inkberry hollies, graceful ornamental grasses and other perennials and colorful annuals like coleus and lantanas. Be sure to choose plants that like the same basic growing conditions. Tip: avoid plants that need frequent waterings, unless you have a faucet nearby.
This one
love the wood planks as a walkway
Potted Hostas
Gargage pots with ferns
Right side of the front of house
take front sidewalk to the street??
what is this purple plant?!
Grasses for slope
love this plant mixture
Under Deck
Under Deck Stairs
THE window boxes!!
Minimalist. For this space’s very pared-down look, all of the focus is on one tree. Its multistemmed trunk is very sculptural, and its crown acts as the roof and frame of the space. Living walls and hedges create a subtle green backdrop. Green is one of the calmest colors and, teamed with the gray paving and simple but beautiful furniture, which both echo the lines of the house, the whole space is in harmony.
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