You can create a garden theme that will unlock a magical world that is full of potential. Depending upon the backdrop of your garden setting, if it is near the mountains, an ocean, above a small town, or even right in the middle of suburbia, there are many things you can do that will enhance your garden setting, creating a pleasing and effective view!
You can bring a fountain into your theme, as they work really well against particular backdrops. For example, if your property has a backdrop of a lake, add a fountain that is soothing as the lake is. For a mountain backdrop a more abstract fountain adds character.
If the outside view is to be the theme, then this becomes the central object, and everything else is subordinate to that object. Your goal should increase and enhance the overall appearance, trying to take beauty away from this will destroy the overall theme. Trying to draw attention away from the main object results in the theme looking ridiculous. It is important to study the exterior views before deciding any landscaping plan. The goal is to enhance the overall look, not detract from it.
Leaving open vistas along well-chosen lines is an important design tool. You should create a plan or drawing of the design scheme, and put these vitas on it, this will also help to make sure all obstructions are kept off of them. It is important to make sure everything else is away from the lines as well. The idea of theme, motive, and subject are all basically the same thing, resulting in the art work has one common idea. The subject matter is the most important part of the work, just as it is in an essay.
When a student writes an essay, it is focused to one topic, with all irrelevant materials being excluded. The topic of an essay can be about anything, but it needs to stick to that particular topic, and not include anything carrying from it. A musician will use theme in much the same matter. A musician may call the theme a motive or even the subject. With a composition, this refers to one recognizable figure that can be recognized throughout the whole piece. The development of this figure is the concern of the composer. Themes are an important part of creating art, of any form.
So how exactly does theme work for landscape architecture?
In a park setting, for instance, where white pine is the dominant growth, good landscaping may suggest that this should become the immediate chief feature. Making this the center of development means, weeding out all the other trees and bushes that obscure the pines. Te next step is choosing a favorite tree, and centering the motive around it. To make the most of the motive, it will need to be further developed.
In one area, preserve and develop a single specimen of old pine, while another area should be left for a group of normal mature trees. In another section, you could plant a group of young trees that feature soft and silky foliage. At some point in the park there should also be a dense grouping of large trees that drop their needles creating a carpet below them. This creates a stunning picture. Another example would be an estate where a babbling little brook runs through it. This is a feature that if one is fortunate to have, creates a graceful and beautiful setting.
For this theme, the brook is the focal point, and creating a walk along it will add appeal. The walk will need to be completely parallel, but at times should approach the brook, giving the onlooker the best possible view of the stream. At one point the book should be still and in shadow, while in another it will be illuminated with the light and glistening beautifully. Other vantage points may be where it tumbles over some rocks, or where it gathers in a clear and deep pool.
The idea behind landscape themes is to create unity with the feature that is dominant. These examples rely on specific features in a landscape, so what you can do will depend upon the circumstances present in your landscape. Study the landscape to create the most beautiful picture possible!