Every landscape consists of living and non-living components.

Examples of non-living components are rocks, paths, walls and garden accessories.

The plants are the living components of the landscape (and perhaps the animals that inhabit it).

A landscape is made attractive or otherwise by the way in which these components are selected and arranged together.

General Principles

The basic principles of landscape design are those things that influence the way in which the components are used. For instance, the overriding principle in Oriental gardens is unity - between rocks, plants and water.

For Le Notre, a famous 17th century French designer, a very important principle was that of symmetry, while Capability Brown, an influential 18th century English landscaper, believed the most important principle was for landscapes to be natural in appearance.

Structures and plants, ground form all need to be organized into a pleasing composition of spaces to satisfy the principles chosen by the designer. Learn the principles, which can be used, and are described below:

Unity:

Unity is achieved by grouping, placing or arranging in such a way that several individual components appear to have a sense of oneness.

- A desirable appearance needs to be achieved from all points of view.
- A repetitive pattern can be used to create unity. For instance, if you are placing rocks in the garden, use the same type of rock throughout the garden, rather than an assortment of different rocks with varying colors, textures and shapes.