Focal Points May Be What's Missing in Your Landscape Design

What brings this landscape design to the professional level?  What is the first thing you see, what draws your eye?  The fountain in the lake is your focal point - without it your eye would pass over the photo quickly and find nothing to stand out in your mind.

Focal points are a key aspect of a successful landscaping plan.  In fact, focal points are an important element in all types of design because they create a sense of emphasis or point of view.  So a beautifully decorated room or amazing piece of art will have a focal point too.

A focal point with its strong visual impact is a timeless designer's tool and if not utilized to some degree, landscaping will seem ordinary or even haphazard. This is because the principle of emphasis gives the important focus and flow that good design must have.

An eye engaging element uses light, direction, height, position, color, or a combination of any of these characteristics.  Examples of focal points for landscape designers in Ormond Beach, St. Augustine, or Palm Coast may include:

Water features - as evidenced by the dramatic fountain in the photo above, water is very expressive.

Statues - including modern shapes, figurative pieces, and unique planters that stand out from the crowd.

Trees - palm trees are obvious focal points, but so are other various species of trees and large plants.

Fire pits - often built as works of art in themselves, a fire pit or fire bowl adds the enticement of warmth.

Outdoor lighting - used in conjunction with any of the above, your focal point comes alive at night as well.

🦚Article by Connie Helena, author of The Green Orchid 🦚

Sturdy Pavers Create Smooth Hardscape Design

If pavers are installed properly, they are more durable and low maintenance than just about any other hardscape material.  Pavers are used to build smooth surfaces for patios, walkways, driveways, pool decks, fire pits, and even retaining walls and other landscape design features.

Pavers give a property a much more upscale look than typical concrete and elevate the entire landscape design in the process.  To have a successful installation of pavers, you must have a perfectly flat prepared area to lay them and they must be then compacted and the cracks filled so that weeds cannot grow between them.

For pavers in Ormond Beach, Palm Coast, or St. Augustine, we use a variety of stone types including bluestone, fieldstone, flagstone, or slate.  Each one has its own characteristics and cost - we are happy to provide all the information you may need to make your decision when choosing which pavers to have installed.

We recommend that you look around for ideas in landscaping magazines or on the internet on sites like Pinterest or Houzz, so that we can design and build something that fits your style as well as your budget.  Pavers are incredibly strong and durable and if installed properly, they will be very low maintenance as well as attractive.

If you would like to find out more about having pavers as part of your property's landscape design in Palm Coast, St. Augustine, or Ormond Beach contact a landscaper for more information or we will gladly answer any additional questions you may have.  

🦚Article by Connie Helena, author of The Green Orchid 🦚





   

Most Popular Stones for Hardscaping Design

A landscaper implements hardscaping into its professionally designed landscape plans using a variety of stone. Natural stone is categorized into two categories based on how it is cut: "fully dressed" stone is cut into very precise shapes and "semi-dressed" stone is loosely shaped with a uniform thickness.

Look for these stone types in professional hardscaping design:

Bluestone - is a specific type of sandstone that stands out because of its bluish-grey color. Bluestone is often the focal point of a rock garden, or can be used to create stone stairs, walls, or patios.

Fieldstone - this is a perfect stone for decorative walls or raised garden beds. Similar to flagstone except rounder and useful for freestanding hardscaped elements. It comes in a variety of colors and can add a level of whimsy to a landscape design.

Flagstone - an easily-installed, slab-like, durable stone made of sedimentary rock such as limestone or sandstone, and ideal for many areas of landscape design. Flagstone makes beautiful, elegant pavers but should always be tested to see how slippery they get when wet.

Slate - these rocks started out as shale that gradually metamorphosed over time. It comes in grey, green, or blue color. Slate cracks into thin slabs of rock, making it ideal for pavers and tiles. Because it is naturally water resistant it is often used with water features.

🦚Article by Connie Helena, author of The Green Orchid 🦚

Fire Pits Add Cozy Heat to Florida Evenings

A professionally designed landscape for your home will incorporate hardscaping elements such as natural stone, pavers, walls, or stone paths and beds. This aspect of design offsets the soft organic plants and flowing edges of trees so that the eye moves pleasingly through the composition.

Seamless hardscape design in Florida is also of paramount importance when pools, hot tubs, and decorative water features are integrated into the landscape plan. These additions should never look like a sloppy afterthought or the whole design suffers. Outdoor living can be taken to the next level by having a professional landscape designer build a fire pit and enhance its appearance with stone or brick.

As the temperatures fall during our mild Florida winter, the appeal of sitting around a bonfire becomes stronger. The options available for fueling the fire pit make it possible to build a wood burning fire, or simply hit a switch and enjoy the convenience of gas powered flames. There is also the possibility of popping a grate on top when you would like to grill food right over the fire pit!

A fire pit can be the focal point of your entire patio design - contact a landscaper to discuss your ideas for a warm, inviting fire pit built permanently by our licensed, insured professionals. Then surround it with comfortable seating of your choice, either custom made of a similar hardscape material or other outdoor furniture, and invite your guests outside to enjoy a beautiful star-filled Florida night around the fire.

🦚Article by Connie Helena, author of The Green Orchid 🦚