Hello Lisa.

Welcome back to another edition of THE PENCIL CASE! As always, each issue focuses on a theme to encourage a fresh look at garden design and graphics. This week, let's explore Form + Texture + Color and how these design elements can enhance your planting design. ♥︎

The photo above and below were taken at Proven Winners in Michigan.

THE ELEMENTS OF PLANTING DESIGN

Planting design is a science and an art. The science takes into consideration what your plants need to thrive, while the art is about aesthetic composition. The latter can be challenging as there are thousands of plant combinations for every situation.

The good news is that there are three elements of planting design to help guide us when arranging plants in our gardens. These include FORM, TEXTURE and COLOR. These should be considered in that order...form first, texture, then finally color. Form is the most consistent, while color is the most fleeting.

WHAT IS FORM + TEXTURE + COLOR?

FORM

Form is the overall plant shape that includes its height, width and depth. Typical plant forms include oval, round, columnar, spreading, pyramidal, weeping, vase-shaped, plus many others. Form is the most consistent design element, establishing the overall structure of your planting. Learn more about form here.

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TEXTURE

In the simplest sense, great texture is combining a variety of different leaf sizes. Good texture can also be a collection of different leaf forms or even the density of a plant (tight branching vs open). Texture adds depth and dimension to the landscape, creating visual variety. Learn more about texture here.

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COLOR

Form and texture provide the overall framework (or structure) for your planting arrangement, while color provides a dynamic unity. Color comes and goes, but if focused and choreographed well it adds a layer of movement and excitement to your composition. Learn more about color here.

The photo below was taken at Walter's Gardens in Michigan.

Let's do this!

Learn more about using FORM + TEXTURE + COLOR in the fabulous book, PROFESSIONAL PLANTING DESIGN by Scott Scarfone. Please note this is an affiliate link.

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This May we'll be offering a PLANTING DESIGN 101 MASTERCLASS. It will cover the elements of planting design in a 90-minute session. More information on that soon.

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We've discussed not only FORM + TEXTURE + COLOR, but also DESIGNING WITH PLANT FORM in THE GARDEN DESIGN COLLECTIVE. This is our monthly design membership. We'd love to have you join us when enrollment opens again late March. You can join our WAITING LIST here.

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If you want to start learning about design now, join our 10x10 GARDEN DESIGN TIPS email journey for only $10.

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If you know someone that needs design inspiration, please feel free to share this newsletter. Anyone can subscribe right here. I also keep a VAULT of past issues in this secret location.

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Happy garden dreaming,

Lisa 

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PAPER GARDEN WORKSHOP

Thank you to Mandy Orgler for designing the lovely graphics in all these newsletters.