The Power of Balance

Use this essential design principle to create a garden that looks good and feels right

You never want your garden to be “ too ” anything : too unbending , too mussy , too boring , too chaotic . It means you overdid or underdid it in some manner and the last upshot is off . A garden that is balanced , however , is n’t “ too ” anything and , as a result , is more pleasing to the optic and the idea . The garden of landscape painting architect Debora Carl , located near San Diego , California , is a model of balance , where all the constituent are kept in check by an opposite : Light gloss calm darker hues , soft plant life peevishness backbreaking airfoil , and unruly plant habits countermine linear shapes . The result is a design that feels measuredly artistic yet completely natural .

Tame wild behavior

Plants , too , need to be brought into balance . The addition of a small seating area and piddle feature add some slowness to this fit , making it clear that this is not some forgotten area let to run wild . The bold forms of the edible asparagus fern and the water feature also help counteract the outcome of the abundant fine grain .

Pair powerful hardscaping with powerful plantings

Hardscaping is an essential constituent in every garden . In summation to colligate the home to the landscape painting , hardscaping carries you into and through the garden on path and stair , and it is hardscaping — in the descriptor of a patio or terrace — that provide a position to be in a garden . But such elements are , as the name indicates , heavily . A balanced garden is one in which planting mince the hardscaping , providing the all - important reason to move through and stay in the garden .

1 . Color can touch base

To help connect the house with its surroundings , the concrete paths share the same colouring material as the bulwark . The plants help too , with several of them ring the rusty chocolate-brown tones of the arbor .

There is also a proportion between strong and achromatic colors . The ecru of the house and hardscaping and the green of much of the plantings are muted color flush out by shots of hot and dark hues .

2 . Strong forms create the proper proportion

The dominant presence established by the planetary house and large concrete slabs calls for powerful plant form to balance the tantrum . Breaking up the concrete walkway into smaller pads and allow works to mature between them also help balance the weight between hard and soft elements .

Establish planes, then break them

Hardscaping often utilizes full-strength lines , which clearly delimit and delimitate a blank . While these spaces are distinct , the straight wrinkle can make them finger emotionally cold . Plants course soften hardscaping , and using those whose drug abuse tends to go in all directions ( which can be describe as “ wild looking ” or “ messy ” ) is often the best way to break up all the straight lines .

1 . line make order

The patio , fire pit , step , and body of water feature are square and rectangles that beat to horizontal and upright planes . This gives them an architectural front that helps them connect to each other and to the house .

2 . Wildness bestow interest

What defecate most of the plants in this region distinct is how distinctly they break all the planes shew by the hardscaping . The habit of the locoweed cash in one’s chips up , down , across , and out in all directions . Even the primer coat covers are allowed to crawl over the street corner of the terrace to blur the sharpness of that particular rectangle .

Counter big with small

Another important element in a successful conception is the Libra the Balance between large bit and smaller moments , like this vignette . Using just five plants , Debora manages to balance many of the same characteristics as she does throughout her garden : hot and cool colors , upright forms and lusterlessness - forming habits , and hard and soft elements .

Plant choices: Balancing at the edge

An important first footfall in balancing hardscaping with plant is to mince the line of reasoning where elements like paths and edges meet your beds and borders . These six plants get the job done , creeping or spilling across boundaries to make a pleasing transition from strong element to soft .

Photo : Antonio Reis

Photo : Michelle Gervais

1. ‘Angelina’ sedum

Name : Sedumrupestre‘Angelina ’

Zones:6–9

Size:6 inches tall and 1 to 2 foot wide of the mark

Conditions : Full sun ; well - run out dirt

2. Blue fescue

Name : Festucaglauca

Zones:4–8

Size : Up to 1 foot tall and 1 to 2 feet wide

Conditions : Full sun ; average land

Photo : Steve Aitken

3. Silver carpet

Name : Dymondia margaretae

Zones:7–11

Size:1 to 3 inches tall and 12 to 20 in extensive

balance in the garden

A concrete wall and path break up a steep descent.Prior to the installation of this 100-foot-long wall and 6-foot-wide path, access to the lower level of this expansive property was limited, if not impossible to traverse.

4. ‘Silver falls’ dichondra

Name : Dichondraargentea‘Silver Falls ’

Zones:10–11

Size:3 inches improbable and 2 to 4 feet wide

small seating area looking out on wild plantings

Photo: Antonio Reis

5. Snow in summer

Name : Cerastiumtomentosum

Zones:3–7

Size:8 column inch marvelous and 18 inches wide

concrete path and steps cutting through garden and leading to home

shape : Full sun ; modal , well - drain grease

6. Thyme

Name : Thymusspp . and cvs .

Zones:4–9

Size : Up to 1 foot tall and wide

gravel seating area with fire pit and surrounded by plants

Steve Aitken is the former editor ofFine Gardening .

Photos , except where noted : Richard Bloom

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