PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN
By C Kohn, Agricultural Sciences
Waterford, WI
PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN
Repetition
Variety
Balance
Emphasis
Scale
Sequence
“R.V.
BESS”
REPETITION
Similar use of colors,
plants or shapes
within an area or
entire landscape.
 Repetition can be
overdone
 Avoid becoming
monotonous and
predictable

REPETITION
Repetition involves
repeating or using an
element more than once
throughout a design.
 It helps establish and add
order and unity to a design.
 Repetition provides a
common feature throughout
the design that pulls the
design together.

Repetition: Similar use of colors,
plants or shapes
Repetition: Similar use of colors,
plants or shapes
VARIETY
Variety = Lack of monotony
Variety = Lack of monotony
VARIETY V. REPETITION

It may seem like variety and repetition are
opposites that cannot co-exist
Repetition = repeated use of design elements
 Variety = lack of repetition


Repetition and Variety must each exist in a
balance
Too much repetition and the design becomes
monotonous
 Too much variety and the design becomes
overwhelming.


Proper Design incorporates a balance of
Repetition and Variety.
BALANCE
“Visual Weighting”
 This doesn’t mean
that design
elements have to
be mirror-imaged
 Balance should
consider the
“fulcrum effect”

BALANCE




Balance is a design
principle defined in terms
of weight.
It is the equalization of
visual weight from one
side of a landscape to
another.
In balance, the focal point
is the fulcrum.
Two distinctly different
types of balance exist in
landscape design:
symmetrical and
asymmetrical.
SYMMETRICAL BALANCE
In symmetrical balance, one side of the
landscape is visually identical to the other.
 The same components are repeated on both sides
of the composition.
 If a line were drawn through
the middle of the form or
space, each side would be
identical.
 The visual and actual
weight is equally
distributed on each side.

ASYMMETRICAL BALANCE
Asymmetrical balance is an informal balance.
 One side is different but equivalent to the other
side – i.e. while they are not identical, they have
similar visual weight and components
 If one side of a landscape does not equally offset
the other, an imbalance results.

This is undesirable in landscaping
 The viewer should feel a sense of
stability

Balance – a focal point draws the eye
and serves as a fulcrum to the rest of
the landscape
Balance – a focal point draws the eye
and serves as a fulcrum to the rest of
the landscape. Visual weight on the
left of the FP should be equal to the
weight on the right side.
EMPHASIS
EMPHASIS
Emphasis is the special attention or prominence
given to something
 In landscape design, it is the level to which your
focal point stands out

Emphasis: Major landscape components
are highlighted more than less important
ones.
Framing, plant numbers, or creating an
unusual focal point are examples of
creating emphasis in the landscape.
EMPHASIS
EMPHASIS

Notice the use of a) color, b) texture, c) line, d)
balance, e) variety, and f) repetition to draw your
eye to the center bush.
SCALE
Scale – plantings are relative to the size
of their surroundings (e.g. bushes are
below the windows in all cases)
Scale – plantings are relative to the size
of their surroundings (the house seems
appropriately sized compared to the
trees and bushes).
SCALE
This house is dwarfed
and “sucked up” by
the plants around it.
Scale – We use trees and shrubs to frame
a house, not to conceal it or draw
attention away from it.
Scale – plantings should be relative to
the size of their surroundings
Scale – these bushes are too small,
making the house seem imposing and
awkward
Scale – these plantings seem out of place,
like they’re in the middle of an empty
expanse.
Sequence – proper arrangement on the
basis of size
SEQUENCE
Sequence – proper arrangement on the
basis of size
SEQUENCE
Sequence – proper arrangement on the
basis of size
In addition to arrangement by size, sequence
should be used to soften transitions from
horizontal to vertical.
 For example, proportionate plants should be used
to help a house “merge” into its landscape.

SEQUENCE SOFTENS VERTICAL TRANSITIONS
CONCLUSION

RVBESS is necessary for any
kind of landscape design and
for all components of that design, living and
nonliving.
E.g. the colors in your plants should complement the
colors in your hardscaping and structures
 Your lines are a mixture of all the substances in your
landscape


Be sure that each component is interconnected –
your entire landscape should not be a
combination of unrelated components but should
flow together as one harmonious design.