How To Create a Focal Point In Your Landscape

In all forms, quality landscape design takes various elements to create a harmonious outdoor space. Using focal point landscaping to direct the viewer’s attention to a specific area impacts the perspective of design. Adding a variety of flowers, bushes, trees, and other decorations, can be a little underwhelming if there is no intention of enhancing the space visually.

Focal point landscaping draws the eye to a specific part of your garden or yard. Additionally, focal points work to define an area by distinctly isolating it from its surroundings. It ranges from physical structures such as a pathway to an extravagant waterfall. When used properly, focal points add visual interest to the landscape.

When used improperly, it can give your outdoor oasis a sense of chaos and haphazardness.

In this guide, we’ll share some landscaping focal point ideas you can use to give the space the eye-catching appeal you’re looking for. Whether you’re about to start a landscaping project or you just want to enhance your current aesthetic, keep reading for some great tips.

Types of Landscape Focal Point

Depending on your space, style, and preferences, focal points include flower beds, fountains, statues, trellises, and places to sit. Typically anything that catches the viewer’s eye or distinguishes one area from another.

Flower Gardens

A vibrant flower bed is almost always a great choice because with the right color choices and placement, viewers are instinctively drawn to it and you can surround it with contrasting bushes or shrubs to make it stand out even more.

Making use of elements in your yard, trees are one of the simplest ways to create a natural focal point in your yard. Adding shrubbery or blooming flowers surrounding a tree enhances the area. For large areas, an extremely large tree easily becomes the center of attention. Some examples include Flowering Dogwood, Hybrid Poplar, and Northern Red Oak.

Firepits or Fireplaces

Another great choice is adding a firepit as the focal point of your outdoor space. With its unique and various styles, they can be stationary or portable. In general, firepits create a natural gathering area for groups. As both a decorative and functional element, they draw your attention, especially at night with a beautifully lit fire. Adding a seating area around the perimeter of the firepit adds to the functionality of the focal point.

Pools Patios

Depending on the size of your yard, pools of all sizes can bring an element of beauty and tranquility to your backyard. For a more functional patio, incorporating a pool is one of the easiest ways to bring focus and organization to your landscape.

The area surrounding the pool is equally as important as the structure itself. The design of the area around the pool designates areas to sit or place outdoor appliances.

Landscape Elements Leading to Focal Points

Sometimes, focal points do not have to always be structures placed in the center of a yard or garden. Certain elements can lead your eye to a focal point either physically, visually, or both.

Walkways

Walkways are not just used as a designated path to walk, but they create a line to a final destination. Curved paths add an organic flow to a landscape leading you to discover what is at the end whether it is an entrance, exit, or sitting area.

There are endless styles for walkways depending on your personal design choice. From paverstone to pebbles, walkways ultimately enhance the overall landscape design by creating organic direction.

Stairs

For sloped areas, adding stairs for easy accessibility to a location makes for a stronger visual impact. Stairs in a garden or connected to a deck invoke movement physically and visually. In backyards, natural stone steps with plantings alongside the path create a beautiful execution of mixed material to add to aesthetics.

Outdoor Lighting

At night, using light can highlight a focal point on your property making for breathtaking curb appeal and enhancing appearance. Various kinds of outdoor lighting serve different functions depending on what you want to emphasize. However, you need to identify the number of focal points you want to highlight before selecting the type of light fixture.

For backyard patios or pools, outdoor lighting beautifies the focal points by creating a captivating environment. This could be with shadows and highlights of the terrain or certain structures in the area. Either way, your eyes are drawn to the cohesiveness of each element leading to the main focal point.

The art of illuminating your outdoor space serves as a way to create a cozy ambiance and functionality all in one.

Focal Point Placement

Creating a focal point can be done anywhere you want to draw attention and while it’s totally up to you, there are some common places to use them.

A fountain at the end of a stone path can be eye-popping while a flower bed near the front door can be inviting and inspirational. Other areas that may be perfect for your landscape design are the center of the lawn or garden, where two points intersect, at the entrance or end of the area, or anywhere there is contrast.

However, don’t crowd the area and while you can use multiple focal points to grab attention, don’t overuse this technique because when it comes to gardens and front yards, sometimes less is more.

You can also use focal point landscaping to emphasize the unique features of your home. This could be a trellis with Morning Glories near your ornate front door or lighting to enhance the cobblestone path around the garden. The only limit is your imagination and keeping the space and surroundings in mind.

Conclusion

When it comes to a focal point landscape design, it boils down to space and style, too much can be off-putting, and not enough can be underwhelming. Additionally, a space that doesn’t fit your style seems completely out of place and amateur.

Whether you’re designing a front yard to increase curb appeal or a magazine-ready backyard oasis, keep these landscaping design tips in mind. If you’re looking to increase the aesthetics and functionality of your outdoor space, look no further!

Benson Enterprises values the importance of meeting the goals of the client with excellent customer service and project execution. Contact Benson Enterprises for a landscape design consultation!

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