A Mini Landscaping Lesson
By Heather Colman
Landscaping has often been likened to the painting of a picture. Your art-work teacher has doubtless told you that a good picture should have a point of chief interest, and the rest of the points simply go to make more beautiful the central idea, or to form a fine setting for it. So in there must be in the gardener's mind a picture of what he desires the whole to be when he completes his project.

Should you include lots of bare open lawn in your theme? A large extent of open lusious green lawn space is always beautiful. It is restful.

This type of open adds a feeling of space to even small grounds. If you cover your lawn space with many trees, with little flower beds here and there, the general effect is choppy and fussy. A bit like an over-dressed person. Not the most visual appealing result from your efforts.

When landscaping, a single tree or a small group is not a bad arrangement on the lawn. Do not centre the tree or trees. Let them drop a bit into the background. Make a pleasing side feature of them. In choosing trees for your project, keep in mind a number of things. You should not choose an overpowering tree. The tree should have a good shape, with something interesting about its bark, leaves, flowers or fruit.

For the beauty of landscaping, the catalpa is quite lovely by itself. Its leaves are broad, its flowers attractive, the seed pods which cling to the tree until way into the winter, add a bit of picturesqueness. The bright berries of the ash, the brilliant foliage of the sugar maple, the blossoms of the tulip tree, the bark of the



white birch, and the leaves of the copper beech all these are beauty points to consider when planning your overall arrangement.

Landscaping may follow along very formal lines or along informal lines. The first would have straight paths, straight rows in stiff beds, everything, as the name tells, perfectly formal. The other method is, of course, the exact opposite. You should consider the advantages and danger points in each.

In conclusion, plan for open lawn spaces in your overall design and keep a visually appealing tree to blend in the background. Think balance and you will come up with a beautiful design for your yard.

This article is Copyright © 2006, Heather Colman. Permission is granted to reprint this article provided the links stay live, and this entire resource box is included. Find more landscaping resources at ebookpalace.com.

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