One of the things we love about landscape design is that no two yards are the same. Just take a stroll through your own neighborhood and you will see an abundance of diversity and creativity. You will also notice that some yards, no matter how lush or minimalist, are more pleasing to the eye. Are they better maintained? Maybe, but more likely, they have various elements that are simply more interesting to look at.
What makes one yard more interesting than another? Focal points and special features that draw you in and give your eyes a place to linger. Just like a fine painting or a photograph, yards, gardens and sweeping landscapes all benefit from good composition. And good composition – in art and landscaping – includes focal points. Without focal points, the viewer is either left with a chaos of too much to see and therefore nothing is seen, or a scene without purpose, rhyme or reason that is all too forgettable.
So, do you need an advanced degree in fine art to create an interesting landscape? Of course, not! You just need to add a few elements – unusual plants, sitting areas, statues or water features all make great focal points – and follow a few basic rules of thumb, the simplest of which is the old adage “less is more”. To help you out, here are a few of our favorite ways to create focal points and add interest to your yard.
