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Your Homes Architecture and Your Landscaping Selection

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When you design your ideal landscape many times for the best results, you need to consider the property’s architecture. For many, they first think about their favorite plants and trees, and they disregard if they’ll look good on the property. While it’s ok to choose your favorite plants, you may have to consider changing the architecture of your property to make sure your plants look home on your property.

Today we’ll review some of the critical components you should consider about your home’s architecture when selecting your landscape design.

Lines Matter

Your home’s architectural lines must be considered to produce a desirable result. While we’re not saying to rebuild your home to match your landscape design, we are saying to view your home’s lines to accent your landscape design. As an example, if your home has many straight lines. Straight lines give a sense of order and symmetry but can also be considered stiff and boring. You can either select long straight plants to maintain balance and order, or you can choose lightweight plants to soften the edges of the lines by adding texture and movement. Lines can also be used to produce a  more naturalistic effect. As we know, in nature, lines are rarely straight, and by adding wandering lines and plants with organic bends, you can create a design that contrasts the straight lines and unnatural angles of your home to tone down the appearance.

Lines in the landscape design are not just limited to plants and homes. You can incorporate this design scheme into the rest of the landscape. Pathways, planters, and other hardscapes can amplify the concept you choose based on the theme of your landscape design.

Materials and texture

While not necessary to match the materials exactly from home to landscape, you should always keep it in mind when designing your landscape. The material you choose can make a massive difference in your landscape. Common materials include wood, bricks, and stone. You may also need to keep in mind any outdoor furniture as well.  Like all other design choices, keeping similarities from the home to the landscape can make the property feel whole. For example, if your home uses red brick walls, consider using more red brick on garden beds or walkways. 

Textures are more challenging to incorporate but not impossible. The surface can stay the same in a home, but in a landscape, textures can change depending on the weather and season. Ideally, you want to match a similar consistency of the house to the plants you have selected. For example, a smooth white finish on the home can look great with peace lilies, although they bloom more often during late spring or early summer.

Colors and Lighting

Color can tie together a landscape to the home in many different ways. The hardscape’s color should complement the home and vice-versa. Try to avoid contrasting colors, as they can create unpleasant scenes. Colors combinations like greens and oranges or purples and yellows, although they stand out, don’t look good to the eyes. Something many people fail to consider is lighting. While you have natural light during the day, it can create shadows that change how some colors are viewed. At night, the moon’s natural light can change the shade of some dyes. If you decide to use outdoor lighting for the evenings, you must understand that artificial light has its shades of colors. For example, daylight bulbs, typically labeled “daylight” or 50,000k, will mimic the color of light produced by the sun and can be jarring to look at, at night. Softer colors, such as 35,000k or 40,000k, produce a warmer light, often called yellow. This can be easier on the eyes but can change how other colors are perceived.

How would you feel with a designed yard to fit your unique home and personality?

Our staff is dedicated to delivering unique landscapes that 100% fit the needs of homeowners. Each yard is designed in-house by our landscape designer. Our expertise and experience in Long Beach, Lakewood, Seal Beach, Rossmoor & surrounding communities allow us to custom design the perfect landscape for you.

Our team of experts carefully manages your project. Fill out our Landscape Design request for your landscape to fit your aesthetic. Call us at (562) 225-9460 or get a free quote for your project.

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What is Landscape Design?

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When re-imagining your landscape, you want to have a plan. After all, your landscape will grow and change as the years go by. This is where landscape design comes in. 

But what exactly is landscape design?

In short, landscape design is similar to architectural design for homes and buildings. Join me as we go over the seven elements of landscape design and how including them in your design can result in a stunning landscape you’ll enjoy for years.

Scale

When designing a landscape, scale refers to the relative sizes and distances of the plants and other features. While water features such as fountains, ponds, and pools remain the same size. Plants, on the other hand, will grow with time. How a plant grows in the garden can significantly affect how the items around it look. For example, a small bed of flowers can make a neighboring tree look much larger. Remember the growth rate of some plants and trees and their location.

Unity

In landscape design, unity is the overall design theme. Giving your landscape a sense of consistency and unity. Having too many different kinds of plants can make your landscape design seem cluttered or messy. This goes for different features and hardscapes too. As an example, if your landscape theme is meant to be modern, a rustic-style patio furniture set will look out of place.

Balance

Balance in landscaping is the idea of even distribution throughout your design. Balance can have a different outcome for every person. However, it’s typically achieved with some form of symmetry or asymmetry using the rule of thirds. Symmetrical designs are more straightforward, and both sides of a landscape should mirror each other. The rule of thirds in landscape design is similar to photography. Choose a point of view, and separate the design into different sections using rows and columns to form an imaginary grid. Typically important design aspects will take up more space.

Simplicity

Following the less is more concept, simplicity aims to remove elements that either don’t improve the design or impact it meaningfully. All items in the design should be looked over to establish what is needed for the design to resemble a clean, uncluttered, and defined theme.

Variety

Although you want to keep things simple, you’ll still want a variety of elements in your landscape design. Growing odd numbers of the same or similar plants can create mass in your landscape design. Combining different textures, colors, and shapes gives you an interesting landscape while staying within your theme.

Emphasis

In landscaping, emphasis refers to that point of focus—the location or element to which the observer’s eyes are drawn to when first looking at an environment. In the front yard, this can be the main entrance or the porch itself. While in the back, it can be some artwork, a water feature such as a fountain, pond, or hero plant.

Sequence 

In landscape design, sequences refer to how elements of the design shift and change. You can gradually change one component to another using different plant sizes, textures, and lines. This smooth transition appeals to the eyes and feels like a natural progression. One large tree between two flower beds will usually look out of place.

How would you feel with a yard expressly designed to fit your unique home and personality?

Our staff is dedicated to delivering unique landscapes that 100% fit the needs of homeowners. Each yard is designed in-house by our landscape designer. Our expertise and experience in Long Beach, Lakewood, Seal Beach, Rossmoor & surrounding communities allow us to custom design the perfect landscape for you.

Our team of experts carefully manages your project. Fill out our Landscape Design request for your landscape to fit your aesthetic. Call us at (562) 225-9460 or get a free quote for your project.

Nicely placed outdoor furniture

Outdoor Furniture as Part of Your Overall Landscape Design Goals

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With spring right around the corner, people are going to have more outdoor gatherings.

Why not incorporate outdoor furniture when designing your landscape?

Outdoor furniture allows for you to essentially have another room, just outdoors. Just imagine a living room where the walls are outdoors, the roof is the sky, and the light is the sun. Then when the sun sets, a fire pit can be your chimney.

Today we’ll go over how to set up the ideal outdoor living space when designing your landscape.

Eating Areas

When selecting chairs and tables for eating areas you’ll need to select the appropriate material. The reason being is when furniture is outdoors it is subjected to the sun damage, wind, and potential rain. Unless the materials are designed to be outdoors, they won’t last very long. Some of the most common types of materials are aluminum, plastic, wicker and a variety of woods.

Aluminum and plastic furniture will typically last longer than organic materials. Aluminum is an incredibly durable material which does not rust or rot. It’s a light material that is easy to maintain, and when taken care of can look amazing and last for years. However with so many upsides it can be fairly expensive though many consider it well worth it.

If the look and feel of organic materials is preferable, wood is still viable. Though not as durable as aluminum there are some woods that can endure the outdoors. The preferred woods will have one of two properties. Either a soft wood such as cypress, redwood or cedar which have natural moisture-wicking properties allowing them to withstand the rotting from humidity. Alternatively hardwoods such as ipe, mahogany and teak are strong and long lasting due to their density and natural oils. 

For an inexpensive solution, there is also plastic. Though not the first choice for many, the variety, versatility and longevity of plastic cannot be understated.

Fire Pit

Fire pits are an amazing gathering place for late nights under the stars. In addition, a fire pit can be designed to be used as a cooking grill. However, each city and county has different ordinances for building fire pits. Be sure to keep them in mind when designing your landscape.

Cast iron fire pits are some of the most common and affordable fire pits on the market. They often use wood or charcoal as fuel and make a great feature for gathering. Though if you want to avoid the smoke associated with burning wood, you can have a fire pit designed with a natural gas line so you never run out of fuel. Other options for fuel include propane and gel which burn cleaner than wood but need to be refilled when the fuel runs out.

Gathering Areas

Depending on the size of your yard you might incorporate an area for relaxing within your overall landscape such as incorporating adirondack chairs, patio swings or a hammock. If your property is lucky enough to have a good view, take advantage of it and create a space where you can enjoy the surroundings. The idea is to have an area where you or your guests can get away from the noise of the city to sit and relax. Or if you prefer, simply enjoy a drink while reading a good book.

How would you feel with a yard expressly designed to fit your unique home and personality?

Our staff is dedicated to delivering unique landscapes that 100% fit the needs of homeowners. Each yard is designed in-house by our landscape designer. Our expertise and experience in Long Beach, Lakewood, Seal Beach, Rossmoor & surrounding communities allow us to custom design the perfect landscape for you.

Our team of experts carefully manages your project. Fill out our Landscape Design request for your landscape to fit your aesthetic. Call us at (562) 225-9460 or get a free quote for your project.

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Using an Online Yard Design Tool for Inspiration

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When designing your ideal landscape, there are many resources to help you develop ideas. Looking at other designs for inspiration can help you develop ideas. They aren’t your home, but some people need a little more.

Others can find it challenging to visualize a finalized design, whether it’s the proportions of the hardscape or how much space a patio will take up in your home. Bringing your ideas into a digital space that can be sized to your property is a helpful tool to help visualize how your landscape will flow and how much space you’ll have to enjoy.

Today we’ll go over the online tools you can use to help bring your design to life and why these tools can help you save time and money.

Online Yard Design Tools

Although there is nothing wrong with drawing your design on a sheet of graphing paper, it’s difficult to create a beautiful design by looking at a sheet of paper. Some online yard design tools can result in 3D renders and make your ideas come to life. You can benefit greatly by sharing your design with landscaping companies.  

There are plenty of great design tools online. Yardzen has various design packages you can purchase, which include a design revision and fully custom design by their team. 

Alternatively, if you wish to save some money, there are free, albeit more simple, tools, such as Smartdraw landscape design software. 

A digital landscape design allows you to visualize the entire landscape before any actual work has taken place. 

Changing your mind about some of your landscaping elements while work is being done can speed up progress. Some companies can end up charging significantly more simply because it’s now considered a change order and is outside the job description’s scope. For this reason, having a completed design can help keep workflow consistent.

MC Landscaping offers one-on-one discussions to help design your ideal landscape if you prefer working with a designer in person. Every landscaping project needs a design. Whether a doodle on the back of a napkin or a high-end 3d render, we’ll work with the homeowner to develop a beautiful design that will suit their needs and desires.

You’re Done Designing your Landscape. Now What?

Investing in a digital landscape design can save you time and money in the long run. Having a design in hand that you are satisfied with can speed up the process of beginning the work. Companies such as MC Landscaping can consider the specifics of your property, such as the property’s dimensions and specific design elements’ locations.

Having a design is also helpful after the work is complete. Knowing where everything is located can make maintenance more accessible, whether you decide to take care of your landscape or hire a company to do regular maintenance. It’ll be easier to come up with costs for labor, how frequent maintenance is required, and more.

How would you feel with a yard expressly designed to fit your unique home and personality?

Our staff is dedicated to delivering unique landscapes that 100% fit the needs of homeowners. Each yard is designed in-house by our landscape designer. Our expertise and experience in Long Beach, Lakewood, Seal Beach, Rossmoor & surrounding communities allow us to custom design the perfect landscape for you.

Our team of experts carefully manages your project. Fill out our Landscape Design request for your landscape to fit your aesthetic. Call us at (562) 225-9460 or get a free quote for your project.

backyard pond

Pros and Cons of a Pond as Part of Your Landscaping Design

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Featuring a pond in your landscaping brings an amazing calmness to your home that you can enjoy year round. Especially in Southern California where you don’t need to worry about water freezing. Ponds aren’t for everybody but if you have the space for it, love the sounds and visuals appeal it can bring, you should consider installing one. A pond can take advantage of otherwise empty space in your yard or garden. 

Like many things in this world there are some pros and cons of having a pond in your landscaping design.Today we’re going to go through some of them with the hopes that by the end of it you can decide if a pond is the right choice for you. 

Pros

A major positive for a pond is it’s a power design element that draws immediate attention. The visual appeal of a pond can be the single most aesthetically pleasing feature you can add to your landscape. In some areas a pond can also increase your property’s value.

With a pond you can incorporate Koi, Goldfish, turtles and other aquatic animals to your yard. Incorporating a pond can be both lively and calming, because you have a little bit of nature in your own backyard.

When you design a pond for your property, you have creative freedom to add as much or as little as you’d like. You can decide on a minimalist approach with just a body of water, a quiet internal filter, a few plants and goldfish to give you a simple yet beautiful addition to your garden. Or you can get all the bells and whistles; waterfalls, plants, koi, and hardscape. Outside of a budget, the only limit to a pond design is your imagination.

A well maintained pond can give you that luxury of relaxing in nature without leaving your home.  

Cons

Unfortunately any man made body of water will require some level of maintenance. For a backyard pond this means cleaning filters, testing water conditions, feeding fish, trimming plants and making sure the water level doesn’t get too low due to evaporation. Although this can seem like too much work for those with busy schedules, many people enjoy maintaining their ponds as a hobby. If you choose to have your pond maintained professionally the costs of maintaining a pond can be a deal breaker for some. As you need to include the cost of water, food and professional care.

When designing a pond you need to be aware of your local wildlife, although a pond can bring in beautiful wild birds to drink and bathe in the water. Bodies of water also attract mosquitos which can be a nuisance. You can stock your pond with fish to eat the pests but stocking your pond with fish can attract unwanted animals like birds of prey, racoons, stray cats and other animals that see the fish in your pond as a potential meal.

How would you feel with a yard expressly designed to fit your unique home and personality?

Our staff is dedicated to delivering unique landscapes that 100% fit the needs of homeowners. Each yard is designed in-house by our landscape designer. Our expertise and experience in the cities of Long Beach, Lakewood, Seal Beach, Rossmoor & surrounding communities allows us to custom design the perfect landscape for you.

Your project is carefully managed by our team of experts. Whether you are looking to turn your front yard into a showpiece or creating the backyard of your dreams we are here to help. Fill out our Landscape Design request for landscape to fit your aesthetic today. Feel free to call us at (562) 225-9460 or get a free quote for the project you have in mind.

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