Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Focal Points in the Landscape

In your garden, below, your home is a big focal point. Your home says who you are, whether you think so or not. Consider: views into windows, paint color, shutters, vines/espalier shrubs on house walls, light fixtures, door hardward, roofing choices. All are focal points.

Peak of season hydrangeas, below, are the focal point. Winter? The table & ginger jar are focal points.

Choosing a color theme for furnishings in the garden is a focal point.

Paths, below, are always a focal point. Here, saturated with gate & peak of season blooms. Can you hear the crunch, below, of gravel?



When you buy a focal point ask yourself, "Is this so wonderful it will be fought over at my estate sale?"


Leave no aspect unconsidered in your landscape. An innocuous corner, above, at a garage with garden jewelry: vine, round downspout, dovecote.
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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara
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Notes: 1 focal point/area, hence subsidiary focal points tucked into bushes. Balance plants for focal points vs. things for focal points.
Garden Designers Round Table !!!!!!!!!
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Today the incredible landscape designers, below, are each blogging on Focal Points.
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Enjoy.
Carolyn Choi : Sweet Home and Garden Chicago : Chicago, IL »
Debbie Roberts : A Garden of Possibilities : Stamford, CT »
Laura Livengood Schaub : Interleafings : San Jose, CA »
Lesley Hegarty & Robert Webber : Hegarty Webber Partnership : Bristol, UK »
Pam Penick : Digging : Austin, TX »
Rebecca Sweet : Gossip In the Garden : Los Altos, CA »
Susan Cohan : Miss Rumphius’ Rules : Chatham, NJ »
Susan Morrison : Blue Planet Garden Blog : East Bay, CA »
Susan Schlenger : Landscape Design Advice : Hampton, NJ »

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm loving all that gracious living!
How cool and elegant.
Thanks so much
best Wishes
Robert

the gardener's cottage said...

Hi Tara,

I have adopted that fighting over heirlooms theory into my house too. It must be THAT special to get a place in my home or garden. Thanks for the inspiration. It really helps define MY style.

~janet

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

I am so intoxicated by all the Chinese Snowballs in bloom at the moment! I simply must add one to my garden!

Brenda Pruitt said...

I feel sort of guilty about my front and west side yard. I spend all my time in the east side yard I post photos of all the time. You've given me something to ponder...
Brenda

Susan aka Miss. R said...

I'm confused. Are these vignettes or focal points? I get the idea of exploring the variety and making things special but think the translation of the topic is oversimplified. Love all the blue though.

Annelie said...

Focal points, never really thought about it for my garden. Not sure why.

Sweet Home and Garden Carolina said...

I wholly agree with you on the home being a main focal point and that it says a lot about its owner.

Love your illustrations, Tara.

Susan said...

I love your photo of the blue Hydrangea at the gate. I definitely need one (or a few) of those! Very nice focal point examples.

Alfred Albert said...

Just wanted to say that I read your blog quite often and am always amazed at some of the stuff people post here. But keep up the good work, it is always interesting.
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