Aside from the colors and plant species, the focal point is another key element in the garden you should seriously consider. The principle of emphasis should be well reflected in your outdoor space, especially because there are a lot of things in the area that can grab the viewers’ attention. If you’re not intentional, that attention-grabbing element may just be the unsightly view of your neighbor’s trash can or your AC equipment. Hence, how exactly do you make this emphasis or focal point principle alive in your garden? Here’s how:
Use eye-catching objects or plants
Some homeowners use objects such as statues, garden antiques, or fountains for stone gardens as focal points. You can get them from trustworthy suppliers such as Authentic Provence. The important thing here is that the object you’ll choose should: one, be of visual interest, and two, be of appropriate size relative to your garden area. The latter basically means that if you have a smaller garden, you don’t want to overwhelm the space with an extremely huge, towering statue. At the same time, if you have a large yard, you don’t want to pick a tiny water fountain that will rather be unnoticeable in the space. Your focal point can also be plant species. When using blooms or greenery, your center point should be different from the rest of the plants you use throughout the space. They should also look great all throughout the year, regardless of the season.
Consider Functional Focal Points
When creating focal points in the garden, you should consider making them functional. Having water fountains or nice plants is a great option, but there are a lot of great focal points that help you get more utility out of the garden too. For example, if you have a large outdoor space, you could consider installing a pool. Look for a pool building company with local locations and get them to take a look at your garden. They can advise you about the best placement for a pool and give you an idea of how much it will cost etc.
Seating areas are another great functional focal point for your outdoor space. Creating a decking or patio area in the center of the garden and adding some nice outdoor furniture gives you a great place to relax while also acting as a good focal point to the garden together. You could even build a pergola or gazebo to give some shade and act as a striking feature.You don’t necessarily have to make all of your focal points functional, but it’s a good way to get more utility from your outdoor space.
Follow sight lines for strategic position
The eyes go after natural sight lines, so you should place the focal points where lines in your garden meet, like those at the beginning or end of a trail. If your focal point, however, is an exterior element, such as a view of the sunrise or sunset, then your pathways are the elements that should be adjusted. They have to guide viewers’ eyes to that particular focal point. Avoid positioning the focal point in the middle of the space. It’s more aesthetically pleasing to keep it off center as it looks more natural and not staged. If you have a tiny, circular garden though, put your fountain or statue at the end of the viewing deck, so as not to make it too overwhelming for viewing. Try to see the garden as well in different key positions—from the patio door or from the street in front of the house—so you will know where to best place focal points.
Put more than one focal point if needed
In general, you need only one focal point. Besides, you want just one particular statement piece to grab the attention of people; otherwise, too many focal points would look like visual clutter. But in some instances, you will need to place more than one point of emphasis, especially if you have a large space. You will naturally divide the garden into sections. Hence, for every section a viewer surveys, there must be an interesting piece to look at. Go back to the first principle: choosing plants or objects when choosing focal points.
Again, focal points are a crucial element in your outdoor space. Without it, your garden would lose some aesthetic potential. Keep in mind the strategies mentioned to pull off a better-looking yard.
