Creating a Focal Point in Your Landscape Design
Just like any space where life happens and memories are made, there is something about a great focal point that captures the eye’s attention. From there, we get to gravitate into the space and become a part of it. Without a focal point, we miss the invitation to understand the space, both what it’s purpose is and what atmosphere it has.
When it comes to your backyard, it’s important to have a focal point that helps communicate to you and your guests what this landscape is for. Living in San Diego where the weather is almost always idyllic, the greenspaces of your home are usually for relaxing, barbequing, hosting parties and gatherings, and pretending you’re on vacation, even if it’s actually just the end of an average weekday.
Creating a focal point in your landscape design to help create the space you want can be the key to maximizing the area, no matter whether its small or large.
What is a focal point?
A focal point in a landscape is a feature that captures someone’s attention immediately. From there, the eyes are led around the space. It helps those enjoying the space to not get lost in the features and design, but rather see the landscape as one fluid concept. This can help identify the role of the space, and how it fits you and your needs perfectly.
A focal point can be visual or auditory, capturing your attention in various ways. Focal points can be nearly anything in a landscape, taking the shape of a boulder, a large tree or a bench to a statue, pathway or water feature.
There can also be more than one focal point, depending on your design and the size of the space. With a concept grappling multiple focal points, you want to make sure they don’t overwhelm the landscape but rather complement and build on one another.
What should my focal point be?
A focal point can be a new feature in your landscape or build off of the design and foliage you already have. You should first decide on the style you want your landscape to have.
Taking into consideration the size of your space can help you determine how big you want your focal point to be, as well as how many focal points you want to have. Larger spaces tend to have more than one focal point, combining features like bridges, benches and well designed foliage. With multiple focal points, you want to make sure there is a mix of major and minor features so that your eyes don’t become overwhelmed with design features. Rather, a balanced mix of minor and major focal points should help your eyes flow from one area of the yard to another.
There are natural paths of sight in your landscapes. Using these when upgrading your landscaping can help you in placing your focal point. Three major lines of sight are the pathway to the front door, the pathway from the house to the yard, and the view from the windows to the backyard. The end of these natural pathways provide promising spaces for placing a major focal point, as well as minor focal points along the pathway leading to the main feature.
These focal points can come in a variety of forms. A tall tree, boulder or shrub can be new additions in your yard, or may already be growing in your landscape. Using them as your focal point, using the pathways leading up to them and designing the space around them can help to make them pop and appear inviting to anyone who enters the outdoor space. This could mean growing flowers and plants around the biggest tree in your backyard that captures your attention immediately. Benches, water features like fountains or babbling bird baths, or a statue can be features added to your landscape that may not already be there.
These new additions can be the attention grabbing pieces that can be complemented by whimsical decor and fresh flowers. Focal points can feature vibrant colors, a group of plants rather than just one, even a single white flower, or an unusual and unique plant. However, if you decide to use a living feature as your focal point, make sure it is sturdy, strong and healthy, and complements all seasons.
Maintaining a variety in the sizes, colors, and textures of the foliage of your landscape is also important in making the details of your space feel integrated, and for them to flow well.
What should my focal point not be?
Choosing the right focal point, or focal points, is a difficult design concept that takes strategizing and an ability to read the space. You want to make sure you find the right fit for your landscape to optimize the space you have, and the features you want to include, from growing the right plants to including the best seating.
You don’t want to overwhelm the landscape by adding too many features, or failing to diversify the sizes and colors of the focal points you choose to incorporate. Rather than focusing their attention, visitors may find themselves distracted or overwhelmed by the uncentered design.
You also want to make sure the focal point you choose to incorporate into your space has a long peak period, or is versatile among the different seasons. This is because you want to make sure your new landscape is able to carry its ambiance for an extended period of time.
Taking into consideration the average distance between you and the focal point is important in determining what the size of the feature could or should be. If you are going to be sitting on a bench near the feature frequently, be sure it is not overwhelmingly large. However, if you expect to be farther away from the feature more often, where it is more frequently viewed from a distant window, larger may be better so the focal point is actually a visible feature and not lost in the landscape.
How can I make this happen?
The focal point is important to help create flow in your landscape. You want to make sure the surroundings of your focal point, and all the fixings of your entire space compliment one another, and accommodate for different seasons so that your landscape is there for you to enjoy no matter the weather.
We are here to help make your landscape pop, and bring you the joy and excitement we always turn to the outdoors for. Contact us for more information on our services that can get you the dream landscape you’ve been hoping for.