By Gregory M. Pierceall
Professor of Landscape Architecture
Purdue University/HLA

(Photos courtesy of Greg Pierceall)

To recap, this three-part series is meant to bring you a view of residential landscape design in "three easy pieces."

These three pieces (circulation, as indicated in Part 1 of this series, open space and bed mass), aka, the macro aspects of landscape design, are the building blocks for landscape designers. Always define the large pieces within a design before incorporating the smaller aspects such as plant layers, the canopy, understory and ground plane.

We will continue to illustrate our point with our case study example; the site is a 50-year-old ranch and drive. The existing street access was straight drive up the garage and a direct side walks to the entry. In the redesign of the entry circulation, the area was developed into an entry space with an inviting and integrated drive, turn around and guest parking with a walk.

Give people their 'space'

Now that the circulation and use areas have been well-defined and the needs of the people and vehicles carefully addressed, we have the "room to move" for outlining the plantings and lawn areas.

Sheet One illustrates the basic needs of the entry and any proposed circulation that would be functional, while Sheet Two conveys the design and details of the drive, guest parking and court space that doubles as an entertaining space. Note the grade change of the slope in front and landform edges to consider in future beds and plantings.

Sheet Three defines the existing plants to be kept in the eventual designed landscape. At this stage of design, we must both decide and define what has to stay and what can be moved and/or changed.

Sheets Four through Eight illustrate design options for both planting beds and open space; as part of our "tool box," we, as designers, include the options as visual tools to help simplify the design process. In the following examples, selected design approaches are used to define the bed shapes and resulting open space, the lawn/turf areas.

Too often, designers develop the planting beds and edges first, but then treat the resulting open space as a "left over." In reality, the opposite needs to occur, as this appealing garden path and walkway space demonstrates.

Sheet Four is a rectangular approach that retains existing landscape features and defines a rectangular open space.

Sheet Five utilizes a diagonal approach, basically the rectangular option shifted at a 45 degree angle, which serves to break up the traditional rectangular shape of the house and property.

Curves ahead

Sheet Six uses a curvilinear approach. In landscape design, if curved forms are used, they need to be rendered in a bold fashion in order for the edges to "read" well, not appear too "wiggly," and to address the issues of mowing and maintenance.

Sheets Seven and Eight provide design options that utilize curves, as these were the options the client felt more comfortable with.

All of the options presented address the basic outline of the circulation, beds and resulting open space. See how they are different and yet address the flow and balance of the open space against the negative element of the designed space as the primary issue. Too often, designers develop the beds and edges and treat the resulting open space as a "left over." In reality, the opposite needs to occur.

As seen in this detail, flow and balance of the open space against the negative element of the designed space is key to a successful -- and inviting design.

In our final portion of this three-part series, coming shortly, we will address the area that members of the general public (who have not read these articles) might consider the "kit and caboodle" of landscape design: the beds and plant layers within the beds and landscape.

Editor's note: How does he do it? We don't know but LandsscapeNetwork.com is proud to point out that Greg Pierceall was recently given the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association's award for outstanding service -- and he lives in Indiana! Greg can be reached at pierceal@purdue.edu.

Click here to read Part 1

Click here to read Part 3