By Jeff Floyd
Certified horticulturist and arborist
When designing a landscape, the are several key attributes of plants that should be considered. The ultimate size, shape, texture, and color are important qualities that will either add to the beauty of your landscape or detract from it. Understanding a few of the broader characteristics of plants will also aid in a successful landscape design.
Some plant features can add to the value of your landscape in functional ways. For example, a large deciduous tree such as a Chinese pistache or Western soapberry planted near the South or West facing exterior of your home can help reduce utility expenses by providing shade in the summer and allowing the sunlight to reach your home during winter. Trees and shrubs with dense foliage are useful as noise barriers against nearby street traffic. Evergreen trees with low branches can help keep windblown debris from finding its way onto your property. A line of large ornamental grasses such as Ravenna or Pampas grass can be used to block the unsightly view of a neighboring utility area.
Your landscape can be balanced by the proper placement of plants. A large semi-evergreen live oak growing on one side of your home may cause your landscape to appear heavily weighted on that side. This could be offset by installing a couple of medium-sized shrubs on the opposite side of your home.
The way light strikes a plant can cause it to have a unique texture. A small-leaved large shrub with smooth bark such as a “Pride-of-Houston” yaupon will have a finer appearance than the less tidy growth form and rougher bark of mountain laurel. Loose textured plants have a more open feel and create the illusion of space which can be useful in small landscapes.
Similarly, plant colors can cause a space to feel smaller or larger. Bright red and yellow plants placed in the background of a large property will create the impression of a smaller space by drawing the eyes to them. Darker colors can be used to achieve the feel of a much larger landscape. In our next installment, we’ll go over the sequencing and repetition of plants in the landscape. We’ll also discuss how to manage the viewers’ attention by creating focal points in the landscape.
