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Step 1
Create a sense of balance by dividing the various design elements equally, using a scale drawing. This doesn't mean you will create mirror images on both sides of your drawing, but it does mean that you will weigh the visual properties of one element and use other items to lend a feeling of equality to the design. When creating balance, take into consideration the materials, their textures and a combination of straight or curved lines. A large tree on 1 side of the drawing might balance a long-curved flowerbed on the opposite side.
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Step 2
Allow 1 element to visually flow into the next. Think of water that follows the natural path of the land, flowing from high to low smoothly. Create your element transitions in the same manner. Plan for the viewer's gaze to travel from 1 element in the landscape to the next smoothly. Sharp, abrupt transitions between unrelated elements leave the viewer with a sense of disarray.
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Step 3
Use the basic principles of proportion when placing your elements. The eye must gracefully move from one place to another, viewing all in an orderly fashion. Use dimensions that accentuate their surroundings. A tiny birdbath would be lost in a grove of tall evergreen trees, but what a pleasant surprise to find it nestled among low-growing pansies.
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Step 4
Develop the use of repetition as a basic principle of landscape design. This goes hand in hand with creating an overall theme. Understand that similar items reinforce the impact you are trying to make. A few red pergolas in different parts of a Chinese garden create a sense of unity that is absent when using only a single pergola, a bronze horse statue and a picnic table.
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Step 5
Study the color wheel to understand the effect of hue and tone. Warm colors can highlight an important feature, drawing the eye. Cool colors can tone down loud or obnoxious elements. If you want to attract attention to a bubbling fountain, surround it with red and yellow flowers. To hide it, plant green foliage instead.
