Garden Design IdeasGarden Ideas, Photos and Tips for Gardening at Home
WHAT IS AN ECHO?
In garden pattern , an reverberation is the repetition of specific elements used throughout the garden . These elements may include colors , shapes , form , textures , or even unique feature such as arches , pathway , or decorative objects . Flowers and leaf are the most common source of echoes and are often referred to as ‘ simple echoes ’ .
Apart from their optic appeal , echoes serve specific routine in the garden . They create concordance and rhythm between garden beds , establish a natural flow by visually link different domain of the garden , and even help unify a disjointed garden bed , which can occur with too many random industrial plant purchases .
The soft gold and yellowish colors softly wreathe throughout this garden , creating a symmetrical musical rhythm and flow . The Heather Garden , designed by Lynden B. Miller . Photo by : Rebecca Sweet .
STRATEGIES FOR CREATING SIMPLE ECHOES
Repetition with Color
mean of color echoes as a beautiful ribbon that weaves throughout the garden , tie everything together . At its effect , a colour echo is a combination of colouring material that carry elements of one another within each of them . It ’s authoritative to retrieve that a color echo incorporates hints of the same color rather than using accurate matches . One of the easiest way to create a color replication is by combining plant life with heyday or foliation withhintsof the same color within them .
The peachy bud of theHelichrysum‘Amber Clusters ’ are within the same colouring material category as the neighbour deep garnet foliage of uninspired ‘ Golden Ruby ’ barberry , ensue in a harmonious coloring material echo . Photo by : Rebecca Sweet .
Repetition with Texture
When resound throughout the garden , texture is one more path to waver another layer of unity ( and harmony ) throughout the space . While textural echoes may often be subtle , they ’re withal sinewy . Some of the most harmonious gardens have many insidious level that follow together as a whole , result in an unforgettable experience .
To start incorporating grain echo into your garden , closely try out a industrial plant ’s leafage to describe and duplicate its textural qualities using a different industrial plant . Similar to creating colouring material echo , flowers and foliage are often the most mutual reservoir to supply interesting textures .
The boisterous and bumpy texture of the various succulent unite them while also echo the texture of the brick . picture by : Rebecca Sweet .
Repetition with Shape & Form
While often used interchangeably , shape and form have separate ( though standardized ) substance . Shape refers to a plant’stwo - dimensionalqualities , also call its outline , silhouette , or contour . To specify the figure , look at a plant or leaf and opine drawing a line around it . You ’ll acknowledge shapes like fountains , column , orotund , heart - shaped , shoulder strap - like , etc .
Form , on the other hand , isthree - dimensionaland let in depth along with the outline or contour . Another means to intend of descriptor is the overall conformation of a plant when in leaf ( the leave emphasizing the depth ) . To produce a wide-eyed echo , choose a plant life with an interesting shape or form , then repeat that shape using a different plant localise here and there throughout the garden .
The shape of the green heuchera leaves recall the form of the foliage and prime of the ornamentalOxalis‘Sunset Velvet ’ . An interesting color echo is also go on between the amber oxalis foliage and the container itself . pic by : Rebecca Sweet .
COMPLEX ECHOES
Taking It up a Notch
After experiment with creating simple echoes , you ’re ready to take your garden to the next level through the use of ‘ complex echo ’ . These character of echo concentre on pulling together other , less obvious , garden elements for your echo compounding . Elements such as a plant life ’s stem or berry , comestible , or even hardscaping are just a few example that can help create a picayune visual magic in the garden .
A whimsical colour replication is create when echoing the pink - tip spines of a devil ’s tongue cactus ( Ferocactus latispinus ) and planting it in a bubblegum - pinko container . plan by Jeanne Meadow . picture by : Rebecca Sweet .
Sources for Complex Color Echoes
The more you experiment with creating colour echoes with foliage and flowers , the more you ’ll begin to acknowledge a flora ’s other sources of color . While a flower ’s petal may be the first ( and most obvious ) color to get along to mind , look a little deeper , and you may mark other sources of colours , such as a petal ’s subtle shading , stamens , or source heads . In addition , bet a little deeper at a works to discover colouring come from its shank or the underside of a leaf .
Instead of choosing the shining blank color of the cosmos petals for a color replication , the small , yellow eye is foreground and repeated with the prosperous button - alike rosiness of theChrysocephalum’Desert Flame . ' Photo by : Rebecca Sweet .
Sources for Complex Texture Echoes
As you become more surefooted in creating textural echoes between foliage and heyday , look for other beginning of texture to highlight , such as seedpods , older increment , edibles , stems , and bark . While many complex echoes are pernicious , their influence on the garden ’s overall harmoniousness is strong . An added bonus of many unusual grain source is their seasonality , all important for creating year - cycle pursuit .
The blurry buds of theSalix caprea’Kilmarnock ' are a complete example of an strange source of texture in the garden , just wait to be echoed with other nearby foliage or flower . picture by : Rebecca Sweet .
Sources for Complex Shape & Form Echoes
make complex bod echoes by repeating a plant ’s form or shape with unlike elements in the garden . For example , rather of echoing the vertical build of anIlex crenata‘Sky Pencil ’ by planting several of the same plant repeatedly , play up its erect form by ring it with perpendicular peak or an upright - acquire sess .
The foresightful , slim foliage of theCarex sectaechoes the long , cannular flower of the nearby cuphea ‘ Firecracker ’ . Photo by : Rebecca Sweet .
Complex Echoes Using Non-Living Elements
While it ’s enticing to focus on creating echoes using only plants , recall the non - living elements in your garden . Non - living chemical element such as hardscaping ( patios , pathway , and fences ) , container , graphics , fountain , and sculptures are so much more than pretty accessories in your garden — they’re often quality campaigner for creating complex Echo . When all of the item-by-item players in your garden have common , yet distinct , threads that touch base them , the result is a cohesive and proportionate garden .
An eye - catching chassis echo is created between the impressive birdhouse ’s triangular roofline and the delphiniums ' upright flowers . design by Freeland and Sabrina Tanner . exposure by : Rebecca Sweet .
Seasonal Echoes
produce seasonal reverberation in your garden is another way to develop complex echo that celebrate the essence of each time of year . For example , a spring complex echo might include vibrant bulbs echo former - flower ephemerals . On the other hired man , summer provide a dissimilar season to create surprising color and texture echoes long after the spring bulbs have pass . Fall is idealistic for highlighting the torrid colors of downfall leafage and textural green goddess . During wintertime , the garden ’s other component take their turn in the glare with grain and form at the warmheartedness of a winter barque show . lineament such as textural tree bark , a grass ’s tawny inflorescence , extremely morphologic dried seedpods , and interesting evergreen forms keep the garden interesting until springiness arrive once again .
The late wintertime fruit from a ‘ Washington ’ orange tree is echoed by early spring ’s orange tulip . Photo by : Rebecca Sweet .
PREVENT MONOTONY
Add a Bit of Contrast
While it ’s exact to say that repetition throughout a garden ’s different layers ( ie : colour , grain , form , or shape ) make a sense of wholeness and rhythm , too much repeating can quickly release harmony into sameness . Imagine watching the same scene repeatedly in a shimmer , and how tiresome that would be ! This principle apply to horticulture , as well .
When establishing an echo , inaugurate a contrasting element to prevent monotony . For example , position a complemental color nearby or comprise a works with a importantly unlike texture or form . This make juxtaposition and that optical ‘ poke ’ a garden may need to wake it up again .
The bridge ’s red color provides the everlasting contrast in this calm and gullible garden . It would n’t have closely the impact if it were painted black or brown ! Kubota Garden , Seattle . Photo by : Rebecca Sweet .
Color
commend , a color echo uses insidious pinch of the same colour , not inevitably using only the same coloring . To preclude a lusterless compounding when make an echo , include wraith of the color that range from low-cal to darkest . Take it one step further and habituate a colouring material rack to help determine the vividness echo ’s diametrical ( or complementary color ) , and site that distort nearby to help grab the eye ’s care .
There ’s nothing lusterless about this lush and green garden , thanks to the complemental bolshy and orange colors of the prime and container . picture by : Rebecca Sweet .
Texture
Textural repetition is another element that can count leaden and predictable when overdone throughout the garden . For example , placing too many hazy plants together will result in the impact of this unequalled grain being lost . However , by send a counterpoint texture nearby ( such as bold or glossy ) , the upshot of the bleary grain is deepen . This contrasting grain helps awaken up the combination , adding a much - want jerking of fervor .
Even though the colours are soothing , monochromatic shades of super acid , the pas seul in textures is interesting enough to hold one ’s attention . Photo by : Rebecca Sweet .
Form and Shape
The importance of contrast when repeating class or shape is no unlike than semblance and texture — the occasional contrast element helps produce active energy . For representative , a garden with an inordinate use of gentle mounding chassis and forms might lull one to sleep without an unexpected , counterpoint form flux in . To heat thing up , insert a plant life with a contrast erect form . The result remains symmetrical , yet active .
While the heyday in this hayfield are all light and airy , their contrasting shapes prevent them from intermix into one another . Photo by : Rebecca Sweet .
Color Echoes in the Garden
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