The Most Eye-Catching Garden Focal Points & Placement Tips
Focal points in garden design refer to specific features that draw attention. These elements have specifically been chosen and placed to attract attention, garner interest and add structure to the garden design – and there are many options out there.
If you are looking to enhance your outdoor space, focal points are a great solution. They can be used to complement any garden design or landscape shape, as they are designed to be personalised. From sculptures to structural planting, there are plenty of garden focal points for you to consider if you are looking to renovate your outdoor space.
As premier garden designers, TM Landscapes has plenty of experience creating outdoor spaces that wow and understands the role focal points play in this. In this post, we are sharing some of the best garden focal points for you to consider and how they can be used to enhance your garden design.
What Makes A Garden Focal Point? Understanding Design And Structure
Garden focal points do not have to be grand or large to make an impact – they just need to be thoughtfully considered. Focal points are designed to attract attention, and this can be for many reasons, whether it’s a pop of colour, an artistic display or something unexpected.
For this to have maximum impact, you need to not only carefully consider the focal points you use within your garden design, but also their placement and the overall layout of the landscape.
There are three main features of any successful garden focal point:
1) Contrast
Good garden focal points stand out from their surroundings, which is why contrast is a major consideration to make ahead of changing your garden design. Contrast can come from various factors, such as colour, shape, or texture, as it refers to anything that makes garden focal points visually stand out from their surroundings.
This is important because it draws the eyes to the focal point, giving this structure or plant the attention it deserves. It can complement the background, such as complementary colours or materials, but needs to stand out to have the right effect. You do not want your garden focal points to fade into the background and become just another element of design; they need to make an impact.
2) Scale
The size of garden focal points should be proportionate to your landscape to avoid overwhelming or cluttering the space. While you want your focal point to stand out, this still needs to complement the rest of your garden design to have the best effect and going to extremes with size will have the opposite effect.
For example, a small ornament or plant is likely to get lost in a large, busy garden, whereas a large sculpture in a compact courtyard may overwhelm the space and make it appear poorly designed. The size of garden focal points needs to be proportionate to your landscape and suitable for the specific area you want to place it, such as in flower beds or along the deck.
This is essential for balance and ensures garden focal points stand out for the right reasons.
3) Placement
Finally, where you put your garden focal points can play a large role in how effective they are and whether they enhance your garden design or hinder it. While garden focal points need to be placed in areas where they can be seen and appreciated, they also need to complement the surrounding landscape and enhance the flow of design.
Placing focal points, such as structural plants or trees, or even ornaments, in areas such as at the end of garden paths, in the middle of the lawn, or framed by plants and archways, will give them the attention they deserve while keeping your garden accessible.
You do not want to interrupt access and pathways throughout your garden by placing focal points in the way. Instead, you want to make sure they can be appreciated from all angles and guide the eyes to the best areas of your garden design.
By considering these key elements, you can ensure that all garden focal points have the right impact on garden design and can be appreciated for the visual appeal they offer.
Garden Focal Points To Try: Ideas For All Kinds Of Outdoor Spaces
Now you understand the benefits garden focal points can provide and how they can impact garden design, it is time to make changes to your own landscape.
There are various kinds of garden focal points available, ensuring you can find something to complement your lifestyle, garden design, and landscape shape, such as:
Natural Centrepieces: Trees And Structural Plants As Focal Points
Plants and trees can be excellent garden focal points, allowing you to rely on natural beauty to emphasise your garden design. Considering trees for colour, structure, or unique foliage is a great way to highlight specific areas within your landscape and draw attention for the right reasons.
You can create excellent garden focal points from trees such as:
- Japanese Maple, with its vivid red foliage
- Silver Birch, with its unique bark colour and year-round appeal
- Bay Trees with their thick, glossy evergreen leaves that survive the seasons
Used to offer shade and colour to seated areas, near patios or even in pots as the entrance to your garden, trees can be excellent focal points for all kinds of outdoor spaces. Choosing evergreen species, such as Bay Trees, means your garden will maintain its greenery and structure all year round. Alternatively, deciduous trees change with the seasons to allow for unique appeal throughout the year.
Tranquillity and Light: Water Features For All Outdoor Spaces
Water features can make excellent garden focal points because they offer layered appeal. Not only are water features visually attractive, but they also offer ambient sound, especially in the case of running water features, as well as attract sunlight and capture movement.
Incorporating water features into your garden design can give the landscape an elegant, luxurious feel, no matter the size or shape. They also offer benefits to local wildlife by providing habitats and hydration to a range of creatures, including birds, insects and frogs.
With options from wall-mounted fountains, for smaller or contemporary gardens, to elegant water bowls or natural ponds, there are various ways you can use water as your garden’s focal point.
Garden Art: Personalised And Creative Sculptures, Images, And Decor
Art is a great way to demonstrate your personality and interests, and it can be used to adorn your garden, too. Sculptures and decorative features are obvious garden focal points, but their main appeal lies in their placement and how this works against the surroundings.
Art and sculptures can come in many forms, whether you buy off-the-shelf art or design something bespoke. It can be a great way to show off your interests and unique style, and customised to suit your garden design. By choosing the material and design of garden art, you can complement all forms of outdoor spaces. Common garden art materials include:
- Stone
- Metal
- Glass
- Timber
For example, contemporary garden designs can benefit from geometrical metal or glass sculptures in corten steel or reflective silver. These can be placed alongside flowers near planters, on patios or in flower beds, or alongside pathways and lawns.
Framing The View: Arches, Pergolas, And Seating
To enhance the flow of your garden design and create a cohesive outdoor space, follow the organic path of hardscaping areas. Pathways, for example, can be used to lead people to your focal points, where trees or sculptures are used to break up the space, offering interest and style in key areas of the garden.
Similarly, arches and pergolas can be used to draw the eyes upwards or to frame specific areas of the garden. These can be adorned with climbing plants or flowers for additional colour, and frame seating areas, pathways or patios. These not only look great, but can offer shade, making your garden more attractive and functional.
With all of the effort and care put into creating an attractive garden and choosing the best garden focal points, you want to make sure it can be appreciated.
This is why seating can be used to frame focal points or key areas of the garden, such as benches, outdoor bistro sets, or lounge chairs. Placing garden focal points near seating allows you to enjoy your art, trees, or water features and appreciate the benefits of a well-designed garden.
Conclusion
Garden focal points can be a great way to adorn your outdoor space and create an environment that is attractive, interesting and reflects you well. There are various examples of garden focal points which can be customised to suit your specific interests or garden design, such as trees, sculptures, water features, and bespoke art.
As part of our garden design service, we can recommend and supply focal points to bring your landscape together and create an environment you’ll love. We can also recommend the best placement, layout, and overall theme for your landscape to ensure it aligns with your home.
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