3.02 The Elements of Planting Design The Visual Characteristics of Plants

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3.02The Elements of Planting Design The Visual
Characteristics of Plants
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AccentAn accent is a visual break in a sequence
or pattern of plant materials. For accents to
be effective, they must be eye-catching.
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Whenever possible, accents should be visually
framed. This can be accomplished by placing
the feature of emphasis in a proper position to
be viewed through a visual window or natural
opening. Accents in a composition may also be
created with texture. If the dominant plant
pattern tends to have a fine texture, another
plant with a medium or coarse texture will stand
out as an accent feature.
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A change in form will create accent if one plant
form is used predominantly throughout the design
but relieved by the introduction of a contrasting
form.
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A contrast in the spacing of plants within a
composition will also serve as a point of accent.

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The most vivid impact upon our senses is made by
an accent of color. Line can capture the eye
and demand its attention. Accent may be
accomplished by grouping objects within a design
composition.
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ScaleScale, or proportion, concerns the
relationship of a plant to other plants and to
the planted space as a whole.First, scale is
relative to the perception of the viewer.
Second, because scale is relative to perception,
it can be manipulated psychologically within the
space.
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The following methods may be used to alter scale
within the planted space The size of the total
space will offer certain limitations or
advantages.  A designer can cause certain
planes to appear either close or far through the
selection of textures. Darker colors seems to
recede and to be more distant, while lighter
colors appear to be near.
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SequenceSequence is characterized by continuity
and connection from one element to another.
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The proper sequence of color or texture will
allow a viewers eye to move along or within the
space in an orderly fashion and heighten the
visual experience. A fine-textured tree, shrub,
or groundcover should blend into a
medium-textured plant, which in turn should blend
into a coarse-textured - - or the reverse.
Color supports design harmony when there is a
blending of colors from dark to medium to light,
or light to medium to dark. Spacing, which is
relative to a plants ultimate growing capacity,
should also have transitional order.
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BalanceBalance is the state of equipoise between
planting design elements. In planting design, we
consider two basic types of balance formal or
symmetrical, which is the repletion of features
on each side of the central axis.