Landscaping Tucson: Types, Principles & Design

What are the Types of Landscaping Design Styles?

The 11 major types of landscaping serve a unique purpose, catering to different environments and needs.

1. Formal
2. Informal
3. Tropical
4. Desert
5. Residential
6. Commercial
7. Mediterranean
8. Japanese
9. English
10. Sustainable
11. Xeriscaping

Every type of landscaping adds beauty to the outdoor spaces and is different from each other. Each consists of various characteristics, elements, and patterns that give your boring landscape a fresh and trendy look. 

Formal

Formal landscaping characterizes order, geometry, and symmetry. Based on design philosophy, formal landscaping is mostly utilized in Royal and Upper-Courtesy settings. This style originated with the ancient Greeks, who were fascinated with geometry and mathematics. The main characteristics are defined/depicted in symmetrical Plantings, structured topiary, and defined pathways with repetitive patterns. Every Element follows well-defined and recognizable shapes. The design is materialized by Stone and brick, metal (iron/wrought iron), wood (timber), concrete and marble, and topiary and shrubs (hedges). 

Water features further add a sense of tranquility, sound, and visual interest to the landscape. Fountains, pools, and reflecting ponds are common water features in formal landscapes. The formal landscape color scheme includes monochromatic and neutral schemes, analogous schemes, and complementary schemes, which feature Tranquility and Flow, Visual Depth, Focal Points, and balanced vibrancy.

Informal

Informal landscaping focuses on a more natural appearance and uses a free-flowing style that appears less structured. It features asymmetry, curving lines, and a more casual aesthetic. The main characteristics are asymmetrical design, naturalistic features, and minimal structure with less intensive care than formal landscaping. One key feature of informal landscaping is the use of curved lines helps to create a meandering feel as it contains harmonizing, earthy tones and seasonal blossoms that reflect a natural charm.

Informal gardens are more forgiving because plants adapt over time, and the design evolves to accommodate natural processes. They often include native plants, wildflowers, and natural elements such as rock, wood, or water, creating a unique and harmonious look. This philosophical style aims to blend seamlessly with the environment, combining soft grasses, rugged bark, and colorful flowers to enhance visual interest.

Tropical 

Tropical landscaping transforms your outdoor space into a lush, serene paradise. It includes elements found in tropical regions like lively flowers and a warm climate atmosphere that draws inspiration from tropical rainforests, beaches, and island environments. The key characteristics of tropical landscapes include dense foliage, exotic plants, and water features that help to create a sense of tranquility. It consists of a layered design with tall trees or palms at the back, shrubs and plants in the middle, and ground cover or grasses at the front. 

Tropical plants bloom in hot, humid climates and are recognized for their vibrant colors, dramatic shapes, and lush greenery, and Southern California’s climate is ideal for many species. Tropical landscaping is an art that combines luxury and sustainability with comfortable seating areas, and plenty of space for outdoor living and relaxation.

Desert

Desert landscaping is designed to withstand the dry, arid climate with minimum water usage. Their distinctive colors and natural plants offer a climate-specific visual experience that pays homage to the tranquil beauty of their surroundings. This style includes minimal irrigation, effective water usage, and hardscaping elements like pathways, patios, or stones to reduce water reliance. Desert landscaping is popular in limited rainfall regions like the Southwestern United States, the Middle East, and parts of Australia. The main characteristics are drought-tolerant plants, rocks, gravel, and their unique texture. 

Desert landscaping makes your yard appear beautiful and appealing without wasting water. It includes plants and materials that withstand intense heat like yucca, agave, and aloe vera. It blends functionality with natural beauty, requires low maintenance, and mimics the natural look of a desert environment. 

Residential

Residential landscaping focuses on creating outdoor spaces for homes and surrounding private residences including lawns, gardens, trees, and bushes, increasing their beauty and functionality. Based on functional purpose, it combines design elements, plant selection, hardscaping, and maintenance to create a beautiful and livable outdoor environment. The residential landscape design uses sustainable landscaping approaches, such as native plant utilization and water saving, while reflecting the homeowner’s style and preferences. It helps to increase the curb appeal and value of your property because of its characteristics like aesthetic appeal, personalization, and environmental considerations.  

Residential landscaping requires proper maintenance for your garden’s long-term health and beauty as it consists of various plants like trees, shrubs, flowers, and grasses that bloom in different seasons. The design is materialized by stones, concrete, or pavers which intensify the beauty of your garden area.

Commercial

Commercial landscape design creates outdoor environments for business facilities such as office buildings, shopping malls, hotels, and restaurants. It consists of planting trees, shrubs, and flowers, installing walkways, lighting, and irrigation systems, and maintaining lawns and gardens. The style of this landscaping perfectly aligns with the organization’s brand identity and accommodates heavy human traffic. Commercial landscaping supports the local ecosystem by including pollinator-friendly plants and minimizing chemical fertilizers.

This style helps to increase the look of your property with ornamental plants, trees, hardscapes, and efficient lighting. Commercial landscape elements include a well-designed entrance, reduced heat build-up around parking areas, and clear paths, signs, and landmarks to guide visitors through the property. It is a powerful horticultural expansion that improves the overall appearance and functionality of a commercial property.

Mediterranean

Mediterranean landscapes inspired by coastal areas of Spain, Italy, and France combine relaxed materials and plants with formal accents and designs. This style combines functionality with natural beauty and emphasizes a harmonious balance between lush greenery, rustic material, and open spaces. It includes olive trees, lavender, rosemary, succulents, and ornamental grasses which bloom in sunny and dry climates. Mediterranean landscapes are characterized by shady retreats to escape the burning summer sun, cooling water features, outdoor dining areas, drought-tolerant plants, and gravel to replace water-stressed lawns.

Mediterranean gardens are lavish and traditional, or austere and contemporary. It creates Al fresco dining spaces with wrought iron and wooden furniture, which adds a classy look to your garden. Water is an important component of Mediterranean gardens, providing a cooling alternative to the sun-baked landscape, and soft, warm lights highlighting pathways enhance the atmosphere in the evening. 

Japanese

Japanese landscapes highlight harmony, simplicity, and a deep connection between humans and nature. Rooted in Japanese culture, it features simplicity, natural beauty, and arrangements of elements to create a tranquil and meditative environment. This garden style consists of four essential elements: water, plants, rocks, and ornaments. These elements are arranged to enjoy the harmonious mix of man-made and natural elements.

These landscapes use ranked patterns to symbolize water or waves and include bridges, lanterns, and tea houses. Japanese Landscape is based on the cultural influence that promotes spiritual haven within closed spaces. The gardens reflect and celebrate the changing seasons by including spring blooms, summer greenery, autumn colors, and spring textures plants.  Its asymmetric approach highlights the irregular and vital beauty of the natural world. 

English

The English landscape style, which originated in 18th-century Georgian Britain, is regarded as one of the country’s most important contributions to the visual arts. It is the best style consisting of a natural, less formal style than the French and Renaissance gardens full of flowers in all colors, shapes, and textures. It focuses on combining informal arrangements of plants, rolling lawns, water features, and architectural elements. English landscape characteristics include seasonal planting, natural design, architectural elements, and picturesque aesthetics inspired by classic English countryside scenes. 

An English country garden consists of various garden sections connected by paths. Each garden section features nicely kept gardens or natural-looking landscapes. English landscapes include small lakes, ponds, and flowing streams to intensify the natural look and add elegance. It adds harmony and a touch of nature’s artistry to every outdoor space.

Sustainable

Sustainable landscaping is an eco-friendly approach to design and maintain outdoor spaces and contributes to the development of sustainable communities. It follows a natural, flowing, organic design and captures carbon, cleans the air and water, improves energy efficiency, restores habitats, and generates value by providing considerable economic, social, and environmental advantages. The most important characteristic of a sustainable landscape is that it exists in harmony with its local ecology, following the cycles of the larger natural environment and enhancing soil fertility through organic mulching. 

Sustainable landscaping converts organic waste into compost, which enriches soil naturally. Sustainable landscape features permeable surfaces like gravel or pavers to promote water infiltration and reuse bricks, stones, or wood for hardscaping. It supports biodiversity, conserves resources, and creates a resilient garden. Sustainable landscapes create attractive, functional, and environment-friendly spaces that match with principles of conservation and resilience.

Xeriscaping

Xeriscape landscaping is designed for susceptible to drought places, or for properties that practice water conservation, derived from the word “Xeros” meaning dry. It is based on an eco-friendly approach popular in arid and non-arid regions. The key characteristics include drought-tolerant plants, minimal lawn areas, and efficient irrigation to optimize water delivery to plants. Though it is practiced in hot and arid areas, xeriscaping has evolved to become beneficial in various climates that require the protection of valuable water sources.

Xeriscape landscaping improves soil quality and includes rock, gravel, and pavers reducing water use while adding visual interest. It is one of the best methods in decreasing water bills and offers versatile designs to make your outdoor space look beautiful and worth seeing. 

What are the Basic Principles of Landscape Design?

There are 8 basic principles of Landscape design as identified in June 1961 research by Dewayne L. Ingram at the University of Florida.

1. Unity
2. Balance
3. Proportion
4. Rhythm
5. Transition
6. Focus
7. Repetition
8. Simplicity

Understanding the principles of design is essential for creating an attractive landscape and navigating the design process effectively. These eight principles serve as fundamental guidelines to ensure that landscape designs are visually appealing, functional, and harmonious. 

Unity

Unity ensures all elements in the outdoor space work together to design a sense of wholeness or harmony in the landscape. It is emphasized by repetition and consistency in an organized and pleasing way.  Colors, shapes, sizes, textures, and other features work together to create a unified space, and a defined theme such as modern, tropical, or rustic is followed.

The repetitive curves, straight lines, or specific shapes in pathways and garden beds create a pleasing flow that promotes a natural feeling within the entire landscape. It focuses on smooth transitions between the selection of landscapes to avoid abrupt changes. Unity is fully achieved when the other 7 elements perfectly blend.

Balance

Balance in design refers to the equilibrium or equality of visual attractions, according to research by the University of Florida. It creates a sense of order, making the outdoor space feel spacious and aesthetically pleasant. It is a blend of symmetrical and asymmetrical types. Symmetrical is achieved when one side of the landscape is a mirror image of the opposite side. Whereas Asymmetrical differs from one side to the other. Balance is achieved when size, color, texture, and placements are used in careful consideration.

Balance is established by the repetition of the same size, shape, and color plants that are evenly distributed over a landscape or garden. Your outdoor composition should be balanced vertically, horizontally, diagonally, or between background and foreground to have that perfect garden. The curved or straight lines also contribute to creating a sense of equilibrium and reduce chaos by ensuring all elements are thoroughly placed. 

Proportion

Proportion focuses on the size and scale of elements concerning each other. It ensures that all components like plants, trees, pathways, structures, and open areas are equally sized and balanced to create a cohesive and appealing design. It helps to balance large and small features and create harmony, natural flow, and fit the size of the surrounding space.

Plant material, garden buildings, and ornaments are all assessed according to human scale. Other key relative proportions include the house’s size, yard, and planting area. When all these elements align, then you can achieve the best outdoor garden that appeals to audiences. 

Rhythm

Rhythm refers to the repetition of elements at regular intervals, creating a sense of pace, unity, and flow that guides the viewer through the outdoor space.  Using alternate patterns also helps to create rhythm. An excellent place to begin is to look for opposites, such as size, color, and hard landscape components. These components include huge and little, light and dark, and spaced at regular intervals. The goal is to produce an identifiable pattern that draws the viewer’s attention throughout the environment. 

The elements of rhythm include curves and straight lines that encourage movement, strategic use of lights,and consistent use of design elements like arches, pergolas to maintain flow. Since temperature is a major element in landscaping, rhythm can be achieved by repeating boxwood hedges interspersed with blooming shrubs.

Transition

Dewayne L. Ingram in 1991 defines transition as a gradual change in design achieved by the arrangements of objects with varying textures, foams, or sizes in a logical sequential order. It involves creating a sense of flow or continuity between elements, spaces, and features. Transition is a three-dimensional concept guiding the viewer’s eye to naturally foam one feature to another, increasing the overall experience of the landscape. 

It focuses on blending materials, plant species, or architectural features creating a natural and harmonious progression. Transition creates an illusion in the landscape, making the garden seem larger than it really is. The transition from higher to shorter plants and textural changes along focal lines highlight the attractiveness of a lake view. It enhances the aesthetic appeal by adding depth, texture, and dimension to the space. 

Focus

Focus is the key principle, directing the viewer’s attention to a single focal point without making it appear startling, creating visual interest and a sense of order. A well-designed focus serves as a centerpiece of the garden, adding drama, elegance, and tranquility to the space. Focalization is used to direct traffic in the garden area by implementing bold colors or striking textures in plants to create a focal point that draws the eye and adds interest. 

It guides commercial, artistic, or cultural elements that can draw the attention of those who are not aware of them. The focus principle in the landscape helps create a sense of order, highlight key features, and provide direction to viewers. Vibrant colors, complex or distinctive shapes, sculptures, and other aspects are among the most common features that draw people’s attention.

Repetition

Repetition involves the repeated use of elements within a landscape to create a sense of unity, rhythm, and consistency. The goal of repetition is to establish predictable and recognizable patterns and sequences in the landscape. Repetition unites many aspects of a landscape, resulting in a cohesive and visually appealing design. It catches the viewer’s attention and forms a pattern that guides movement, improving the overall flow and harmony of the space. 

Repetition lends unity and flow to any landscape design, for example, repetitive materials such as stone, wood, or metal create a cohesive and consistent look. Add circular bushes hugging your patio that create repetition in an elegant and balanced way.

Simplicity

Simplicity goes hand-in-hand with repetition, achieved by eliminating unnecessary details using a limited number of plants, materials, and design features to create a neat, clean, cohesive, and functional outdoor space. It focuses on minimal elements to avoid visual clutter while maintaining a pleasing and elegant look of the outdoor spaces. The characteristics of simplicity include consistency, functionality, and beauty without overpowering the space. With simplicity, you can have a focal point to attract the viewer’s eyes with a well-defined shape in hardscaping like paths, ratios, or garden beds. 

Simplicity ensures each feature contributes to the purpose of the space by adding repeating patterns, colors, and materials across the design. It focuses on important elements to foster harmony, ease of use, and low maintenance.

How to design a landscape using elements?

There are 5 key elements to design a landscape, as per the research conducted at the University of Florida by Dewayne L. Ingram in June 1991. 

1. Line
2. Form & Shape
3. Texture
4. Scale
5. Color

These 5 elements are the building blocks to success in landscape design. They harmonize function and beauty, creating landscapes that are practical and inspiring. 

Line

The line is connected to eye movement and flow, creating a sense of dimension such as length, width, and height. The arrangement of beds and how they fit together creates a line. It also accentuates a design element such as a pond, pool, or fire pit. Lines create visual appeal because they take different shapes, including straight, curved, horizontal, and diagonal.  

Straight lines are stronger, more substantial, and more stable than curving lines, directing the attention to a point more quickly. Curved lines are smooth, graceful, or delicate, creating a peaceful, progressive, and natural sense. Lines direct how people move through the space and lead the eye forward to the focal point of your garden area. It is the fundamental element that helps in crafting cohesive, visually appealing, and navigable landscapes.

Form & Shape

Shape and form, like lines, help to define the garden’s style, create the mood, and convey the message. The shape of the structures, plant beds, and garden accessories also influences the general form theme of the garden. Using neatly trimmed, geometric patterns such as circles, squares, and polygons in both hardscape and plant materials formalizes the area, whereas irregular, flowing shapes and forms appear informal. It creates the framework of a landscape, influencing its style, flow, and spatial perception. 

Form is the general three-dimensional structure or contour of an object, whereas shape is two-dimensional and it’s a flat outline. It promotes balance, adds creativity, and creates a dramatic and modern look. Form and shape give a broader idea to landscape designers and help create visually striking, functional, and emotionally engaging landscapes. 

Texture

Dewayne L. Ingram describes texture as the surface quality of an object that can be seen or felt. It is built by plants, hardscaping materials, and the elements contributing to the depth, contrast, and overall sensory experience of the landscape. The coarseness or fineness of a leaf, the texture of the bark, or even the heaviness of the foliage all contribute to the overall appearance of the design. Plants have different textures, including leaves, twigs, branches, bark, and flowers. Contrasting textures enhance and play a vital role in landscape design. 

Texture characteristics include visual, tactile, size, and scale that broadly affect leaves, flowers, or material grain size. The repeated texture creates a cohesive design and promotes simplicity, elegance, and a natural flow. 

Scale

Scale relates to the size relationship between garden items and their surroundings. In a garden, placing a huge tree next to a fragile ground cover creates a size difference. This principle guides the harmonious arrangement of elements in a landscape, resulting in a visually balanced and aesthetically beautiful composition. Scale includes 3 major characteristics: proportional relationship, visual hierarchy, and human perspective to suit human interaction and comfort. 

Scale promotes unity, balance, variety, and adaptability over time as plants grow and spaces evolve. Proper attention to scale transforms your outdoor areas into a balanced and inviting environment, keeping size and distance in mind, and providing functional and spatial configurations.

Color

Color is a powerful design element that adds vibrancy, depth, and visual interest to the garden, creating mood, highlighting features, and enhancing the overall aesthetics. Bright hues, such as orange, make an object appear closer to you. Cool hues, such as blue, appear to move away from you, making an object appear farther away. Gray, black, and white are neutral hues that work well in the background with vivid colors in the foreground. Dark hues enhance family enjoyment during daylight hours.

Color helps to create a good scheme in landscaping like monochromatic, complementary, and analogous to create a sense of harmony, balance, and unity in the outside area. When selecting a hardscape material such as stone or wood, color is a key design factor to consider as a tool for manipulating your design principles.

How to Choose Landscaping Design/Style for Your Project?

To choose a landscaping design, Legacy Landscaping and Design recommends using the P.L.A.N.T technique. It is formulated after comprehensive research backed by proven results and feedback from previous clients. Legacy Landscaping and Design found this technique to be applicable to all landscaping projects. 

This technique focuses on essential factors that ensure a sustainable landscape design. 

The P.L.A.N.T technique stands for:

1. Purpose
2. Location
3. Aesthetic
4. Need
5. Timeframe & budget.

Purpose

The first step includes defining the purpose of outdoor space. Why do you want to design an outdoor space? Your options include Kid-friendly spaces, pet-friendly outdoors, family activities, exercising and relaxing areas, entertainment, etc. Additionally, in Tucson or the desert region, what plants are ideal due to the water shortage issues, and how to manage your landscape in such conditions. Customization is the best way to ensure your landscape meets your needs and is made rightly, improving its beauty and functionality.

Location

Location plays a vital role when choosing a landscape design style as it defines the climate, soil, environment, wind exposure, seasonal changes, and other natural resource availability. The factors affecting based on location are plants, pools, environment, lighting, wind direction, etc. Local plants used are long-lasting, resistant to diseases and pests, and contribute to the ecosystem.

Aesthetic

Every landscape design adds curb appeal to your property as it is relevant to your neighborhood, culture, style, shape, color, and material that suits the design of your landscape and reflects your taste. Design style selection makes the design free-flowing, harmonized, and comprehensive to the real outdoor plan.

Need

The landscape is designed to fulfill your needs. Decide how you are going to use your outdoor space, do you want to add walkways for navigating around, spaces to sit down, and kid’s play areas, or need some additional barriers such as hedges or screens, etc.? Maintenance is another important factor to look for and don’t forget to evaluate additional features and needs like lighting or irrigation systems.

Timeframe & Budget

The timeframe defines the working schedule of both the client and the landscaping company. When to start the project, and when to complete it? The budget ensures you choose plants and materials that fit within your budget while considering longevity and long-term care. Low-maintenance landscaping is ideal if you don’t have time to prune regularly. Always consider the tools, labor, and materials when writing down the overall budget for your landscaping design. This helps you to have an efficient and well-balanced beauty for the landscape.

Example

In a Tuscon environment, a P.L.A.N.T. process motivates a homeowner to choose desert landscaping including sustainable and xeriscaping techniques (Purpose). Using plants such as cacti (Location), incorporating natural elements such as sand and natural stones as themes (Aesthetic), installing windbreakers and shades for the comfort of the occupants (Needs), and using recycled building materials to capture and reuse rainwater in accordance to their limited budget and time (Time and Budget)