20 THINGS TO THINK ABOUT WHEN DESIGNING YOUR LANDSCAPE

1.Color - Complementary and contrasting colors. Tints, hues and tones. Primaries and pastels. They're all part of the color equation. Jazz it up or stick with soothing tones. In the end, it's all a matter of personal taste.

2.Texture - Smooth, rough, soft, prickly, glossy, or fuzzy. Go for contrast-mixing the delicate with the bold, the soft with the rough. Foliage, flowers, bark, and hardscaping materials all have texture. 3.Scent - What could be better than the sweet scent of a jasmine, daphne, rose, rosemary, or lilac? Plant something fragrant near your window and outdoor seating areas. And grow something fragrant for every season.

4.Sound - The trickling of a stream, the splash of a fountain, the chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves, or the soft melody of chimes can soothe the soul and drown out distractions.

5.Touch - From the fuzzy foliage of lamb's ears to the ticklish fronds of ornamental grasses, plants are meant to be touched, even caressed. Don't forget the feel of aged wood, polished pebbles, and other nonplant materials.

6.Function - How should your space be used? For a child's play area? To grow vegetables? For meditation? Or outdoor entertaining? Design areas with a purpose. Don't forget practical matters, like the trash and compost pile.

7.Light -Take note of the patterns of light and shadow in your garden. Backlight translucent flowers and let grassy plumes shimmer in the evening light. Build an arbor to create a shady spot for hot summer days.

8.Pattern - Knot gardens, boxwood partners, brick paving, picket fences-they all create pattern in the garden. Take your time and strive for perfection. Minor details make or break patterns.

9.Form - Think three-dimensional, and go for variety. Plants may be rounded, columnar, spreading, upright, billowing, or fountainlike. Hardscaping materials and garden ornaments have form too.

10.Contrast - Contrast attracts attention and pleases the eye . Just a bit of contrast is soothing. A lot of contrast is stimulating. You can contrast color, texture, form, and light.

11.Perspective - How will you view your garden? From a deck, through a window, at ground level? Will you see the garden all at once or discover small sections as you move about? Perspective changes the way a garden is experienced.

12.Motion - Water running through a stream bed. Butterflies dancing over flower heads. Tall grasses swaying in the wind. Birds flitting from tree to tree. Motion gives life to a garden.

13.Movement - How will you move through the garden? Will you meander along curving paths, or get where you're going in a more businesslike fashion with straight paths? This is a situation where from follows function.

14.Change - Trees grow tall, creating shade where there once was sun. Perennials spread to outgrow their spaces. Soft morning light changes to harsh noonday sun. Flowers turn to seedheads. Welcome change to your garden. Plan for it.

15.Aspect - Dust off your compass and find true north.. How will you position your house and gardens? Remember that what's shady in one season may be bright and sunny in another.

16.Personal Style - Old-fashion flowers. Whirly-gigs and gazing globes. A formal Italian folly. Architectural antiques. Or soothing garden sculptures. What has special meaning to you? Let people know this is your garden.

17.Focal Points - Whether it's a waterfall at the end of a path, a Japanese maple in a mixed border, or a nicely planted pot at your door, create a special place for the eye to rest. Use focal points judiciously-too many will just create confusion.

18. Ecology - Invite wildlife to your garden. Grow some native plants. Opt for sustainably harvested and recycled materials when possible, and use only as much hardscaping as you really need.

19.Sense of Place - Let your garden echo the vernacular landscape. Mix in some native plants or local stone. Weave in colloquial expression. And add your own personality, creating a garden that is uniquely yours.

20.Architecture - Echo your home's architecture in the garden. Repeat motifs, shapes, colors, patterns, and building materials. Bring architecture to the garden-through patios, decks, arbors, gazebos, fences, and more.