Repetition is an important element to consider when designing a landscape. Every time I consider repetition, I think about a project in Washington. I was brought in to make improvements to a property that the homeowners built two decades earlier. Nothing stood out as I drove up but when I was brought to the backyard, my jaw must have dropped to the floor. The entire developed landscape was close to the back of the house. A pool anchored the backyard. The space was fenced in to the corners of the house with just a small patch of lawn. In this small space, there were 8 different hardscape materials. Marble pool edging, bluestone patio, clay brick riser, concrete paver patio, Pennsylvania wall stone steps and wall leading into the space, a fieldstone wall supporting the space and two types of granite garden edging. Wow!!!Repetition is the act of repeating materials, shapes, textures and plants to create a cohesive look and feel. Exactly the opposite of what I was seeing at this Washington property. When I’m developing a property, I start by looking for cues that will direct future design decisions. What currently exists in the landscape? What materials were used in the construction of the house? Prior development should always dictate future design decisions. The more we repeat prior design decisions, the more a project will feel like it was planned. The more repetition that occurs in the landscape, the more the landscape will feel like the overall property and landscape are working together effectively as a unified whole. That should be the goal with any landscape design. At the end of two decades and many phases, the landscape should look like it was completed in one phase.
In the picture below, we repeated similar groundcovers down this walk. As each plant flowers, it creates a similar look and feel. First, it’s Phlox, then Aubrieta, then geranium and finally a dwarf, flowering Stachys. This design principle helps draw your eye down the walk during multiple seasons and helps give the space a unified look.
In your next landscape design or during your next garden installation, think about using repetition as a design principle. I think you our your clients will appreciate the results.
