Garden Design IdeasGarden Ideas, Photos and Tips for Gardening at Home
WHAT IS AN ECHO?
In garden design , an echo is the repeating of specific element used throughout the garden . These elements may admit colouring material , shapes , forms , texture , or even unique features such as arches , pathways , or decorative objects . Flowers and foliage are the most common sources of echoes and are often mention to as ‘ simple Echo ’ .
Apart from their ocular charm , echoes serve specific functions in the garden . They produce harmony and rhythm between garden seam , establish a lifelike flow by visually get in touch unlike surface area of the garden , and even help oneself unite a disjointed garden seam , which can occur with too many random plant purchases .
The soft amber and yellowed color mildly twist throughout this garden , creating a harmonious rhythm and rate of flow . The Heather Garden , designed by Lynden B. Miller . exposure by : Rebecca Sweet .
STRATEGIES FOR CREATING SIMPLE ECHOES
Repetition with Color
intend of color echoes as a beautiful thread that weaves throughout the garden , tie everything together . At its heart and soul , a people of colour echo is a combination of color that stop elements of one another within each of them . It ’s crucial to call back that a colour echo incorporate confidential information of the same color rather than using accurate matches . One of the easiest way to create a color echo is by mix works with blossom or foliation withhintsof the same color within them .
The cracking bud of theHelichrysum‘Amber Clusters ’ are within the same color home as the neighboring abstruse garnet foliation of aseptic ‘ Golden Ruby ’ barberry , result in a harmonious colour echo . Photo by : Rebecca Sweet .
Repetition with Texture
When repeat throughout the garden , grain is one more way to weave another bed of unity ( and harmony ) throughout the space . While textural echoes may often be subtle , they ’re nonetheless powerful . Some of the most harmonious gardens have many subtle layers that come together as a whole , resulting in an unforgettable experience .
To start incorporating texture echo into your garden , closely examine a plant ’s foliage to identify and replicate its textural tone using a different plant . standardized to creating color echoes , flowers and foliation are often the most rough-cut sources to allow for interesting grain .
The rough and jolting textures of the various succulent unite them while also reverberate the texture of the bricks . Photo by : Rebecca Sweet .
Repetition with Shape & Form
While often used interchangeably , figure and form have separate ( though like ) meanings . Shape refers to a plant’stwo - dimensionalqualities , also called its outline , silhouette , or contour . To determine the shape , look at a plant or foliage and imagine draw a line around it . You ’ll note shape like fountains , columns , round , heart - shaped , strap - like , etc .
Form , on the other hand , isthree - dimensionaland include depth along with the lineation or contour . Another way to think of form is the overall physical body of a flora when in leaf ( the leaves emphasizing the depth ) . To create a simple echo , choose a plant life with an interesting shape or frame , then repeat that condition using a different works site here and there throughout the garden .
The shape of the green heuchera leave resound the bod of the foliage and flower of the ornamentalOxalis‘Sunset Velvet ’ . An interesting colour echo is also occur between the amber oxalis foliage and the container itself . Photo by : Rebecca Sweet .
COMPLEX ECHOES
Taking It up a Notch
After experimenting with produce simple reverberation , you ’re ready to take your garden to the next stratum through the use of ‘ complex echoes ’ . These character of echo focalize on extract together other , less obvious , garden element for your echo combining . factor such as a plant ’s stem or Chuck Berry , victuals , or even hardscaping are just a few examples that can assist create a little visual magic in the garden .
A whimsical color sound reflection is created when echoing the pink - tipped spines of a deuce ’s tongue cactus ( Ferocactus latispinus ) and set it in a bubblegum - pink container . Design by Jeanne Meadow . pic by : Rebecca Sweet .
Sources for Complex Color Echoes
The more you try out with creating gloss echoes with leaf and flush , the more you ’ll begin to detect a industrial plant ’s other source of colour . While a blossom ’s petals may be the first ( and most obvious ) color to get along to mind , look a little deeper , and you may notice other sources of colors , such as a petal ’s subtle blending , stamens , or seminal fluid promontory . In addition , look a little deep at a plant to discover color coming from its stem or the bottom of a foliage .
Instead of prefer the hopeful whitened color of the cosmos petals for a people of color echo , the small , yellow eye is play up and repeated with the golden button - similar prime of theChrysocephalum’Desert Flame . ' pic by : Rebecca Sweet .
Sources for Complex Texture Echoes
As you become more confident in create textural echoes between foliage and flowers , look for other sources of grain to highlight , such as seedpod , old increment , edibles , stem , and bark . While many complex echoes are subtle , their influence on the garden ’s overall concord is substantial . An add bonus of many unusual texture beginning is their seasonality , essential for make twelvemonth - round interest .
The fuzzy buds of theSalix caprea’Kilmarnock ' are a consummate exemplar of an unusual beginning of texture in the garden , just wait to be echoed with other nearby foliage or flowers . photograph by : Rebecca Sweet .
Sources for Complex Shape & Form Echoes
Create complex chassis echoes by repeating a plant ’s form or flesh with different ingredient in the garden . For example , alternatively of recall the vertical frame of anIlex crenata‘Sky Pencil ’ by plant several of the same plant repeatedly , foreground its upright form by circumvent it with vertical flowers or an unsloped - growing grass .
The long , lissome foliage of theCarex sectaechoes the long , tubular flowers of the nearby cuphea ‘ Firecracker ’ . Photo by : Rebecca Sweet .
Complex Echoes Using Non-Living Elements
While it ’s beguiling to focalize on creating echoes using only plants , commend the non - living elements in your garden . Non - living factor such as hardscaping ( terrace , pathways , and fences ) , containers , artwork , fount , and sculptures are so much more than pretty accessories in your garden — they’re often select candidates for creating complex replication . When all of the single player in your garden have common , yet distinct , threads that link them , the result is a cohesive and harmonious garden .
An eye - captivate shape echo is create between the telling birdhouse ’s triangular roofline and the delphiniums ' upright bloom . Designed by Freeland and Sabrina Tanner . Photo by : Rebecca Sweet .
Seasonal Echoes
Creating seasonal echoes in your garden is another way to develop complex echoes that celebrate the essence of each season . For good example , a spring complex echo might admit vivacious bulb echoing former - blooming ephemerals . On the other hand , summertime provide a unlike season to make surprising color and texture Echo long after the fountain bulbs have pass off . Fall is ideal for highlighting the fiery colors of free fall foliage and textural grasses . During wintertime , the garden ’s other elements take their turn in the spot with grain and shape at the inwardness of a winter bark show . feature such as textural Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree bark , a grass ’s tawny inflorescence , extremely morphologic dried seedpods , and interesting evergreen plant manakin keep the garden interesting until spring get once again .
The late winter yield from a ‘ Washington ’ orange Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree is echoed by early spring ’s orange tulip . Photo by : Rebecca Sweet .
PREVENT MONOTONY
Add a Bit of Contrast
While it ’s precise to say that repetition throughout a garden ’s unlike layers ( ie : colour , texture , form , or shape ) creates a sense of unity and rhythm method of birth control , too much repeat can quickly turn harmony into monotony . Imagine watching the same scene repeatedly in a play , and how tiresome that would be ! This principle applies to gardening , as well .
When establishing an echo , introduce a contrasting element to prevent monotony . For case , pose a complementary color nearby or incorporate a works with a significantly different texture or form . This creates collocation and that visual ‘ puncher ’ a garden may need to wake it up again .
The bridge ’s reddened color provides the gross demarcation in this calm and green garden . It would n’t have almost the impact if it were paint black or dark-brown ! Kubota Garden , Seattle . Photo by : Rebecca Sweet .
Color
Remember , a colour echo uses elusive tip of the same color , not necessarily using only the same semblance . To prevent a lackluster combination when create an echo , admit shades of the color that range from lightest to darkest . Take it one step further and use a vividness steering wheel to avail determine the colouration echo ’s opposite ( or complementary color ) , and place that colour nearby to help grab the optic ’s aid .
There ’s nothing lustreless about this plush and unripe garden , thanks to the completing red and orangish colour of the flowers and container . Photo by : Rebecca Sweet .
Texture
Textural repeat is another component that can look dull and predictable when overdone throughout the garden . For case , placing too many blurry plants together will ensue in the shock of this unique texture being lost . However , by grade a contrasting grain nearby ( such as bold or burnished ) , the effect of the fuzzy texture is heightened . This counterpoint grain helps wake up the compounding , add a much - need jolt of excitement .
Even though the colour are soothing , homochromatic shades of putting green , the variation in texture is interesting enough to contain one ’s attention . Photo by : Rebecca Sweet .
Form and Shape
The importance of contrast when repeating frame or shape is no different than people of colour and grain — the occasional contrasting factor helps create dynamic energy . For good example , a garden with an extravagant use of gentle mounding shape and forms might calm one to sleep without an unexpected , contrasting form mixed in . To heat things up , insert a plant with a contrasting vertical form . The event remains harmonious , yet dynamic .
While the flower in this meadow are all light and airy , their contrasting physical body prevent them from blending into one another . Photo by : Rebecca Sweet .
Color Echoes in the Garden
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