Rhythm is the visual equivalent to musical notes and phrases. It occurs in the placement of forms, colors, textures, lines, and spaces.

Just as you establish a rhythm as you go down a flight of stairs that are well spaced, equally spaced objects in landscape gardening can establish …

… a visual beat.

Repetition Creates Rhythm

Repetition is the key here. Containers spaced evenly on a patio move your eye from one end to the other and can give you a sense of calmness and order.

The same mood can be established by evenly:

• grouping plants
• spacing a row of trees
• dotting a planting bed with intense splashes of color or rough texture

You’ll need at least three objects to establish a rhythm.

Rhythm Creates Mood

For our clients that want their landscape design idea to present a calm mood, we’ll space objects farther apart. For an active mood, we space things closer together.

The mind enjoys rhythm. You can view a garden for hours without feeling a loss of energy when this design principle is used well. However, we’ll caution you again, not to over do a good thing.

Too much rhythm can be boring.

Next, you’ll learn about the heart of the garden...

read more landscape design principles...