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:

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

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  2. 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

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

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  4. 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

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  5. 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.

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

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  7. 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.

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  8. 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.

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  9. 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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