Technology Makes Landscaping Easier Than Ever
Anchor Point Ideas For Your Landscape
Jose Wheeler
A well-trimmed lawn and perfectly groomed border beds are attractive in any landscape, but they can seem a bit bland and boring overall. This is because they aren't designed to catch the eye. What your landscape is missing is a visual anchor point that draws the eye and makes the overall look more attractive. The following are a few anchor point ideas for different areas of the lawn.
The Grand Entrance
In the front lawn, your home's entrance may be the key focal point you want to play up. There are several ways to do this using your landscaping. The easiest is to plant a tree or shrub, trimmed to a pleasing geometric design, on either side of the entry. These can grow in the ground or in large pots. For a more cottage-like feel, swap the trees out for flowering bushes or flowering vines trained over an archway placed in front of the entrance. Then, line either side of the walkway with a border bed planted with either flowers or lush greenery.
Water Features
A water feature provides an almost instant anchor point in both back and front lawns. The front of homes tends to be more formal in design. A birdbath, water bubbler pot, or tiered fountain is an attractive choice here. Smaller options, like birdbaths and bubblers, can be placed in island flower beds and then surrounded with annual flowers or pretty greenery, such as a variegated hosta. In the backyard you can get more creative, incorporating waterfalls and other custom features into a more pond-like design. Add koi fish and floating water plants like lilies to truly make it an eye-catching display.
Height Structures
One of the main things that leads to a boring landscape is the lack of height. There are several ways to add height. The most common method is with a pretty tree, such as an ornamental cherry, planted in a small island bed. You can also use garden statuary to add height and act as an anchor point. Growth structures, like trellises, obelisks, plant towers, and arbors, also provide an excellent option as long as plants are trained to grow up and over them. Height structures shouldn't just be placed in the center of a yard though; they need to look like they belong. Create a defined garden bed around them, including a mixture of perennial plants and annual flowers so that the base of the structure is well camouflaged.
For more help with adding interest to your lawn, talk with a landscaper in your area.
Share
When I was young, I loved helping my mother in the garden. Our yard was filled with plants and flowers that she kept in immaculate condition. Once I was an adult and bought my first home, I learned that there was much more to landscaping a yard than I ever imagined! After a little trial and error planting a few flowers in my yard that died quickly, I realized the technology that is available to aspiring gardeners makes trial and error a thing of the past. After I found out what my "hardiness zone" was, I realized I was planting flowers made for much cooler climates, and I played around with software that let me design my yard very easily! I learned a lot throughout the experience, so I thought I would share my tips with everyone who needs them. Come back often to check out my new tips!