When deciding the composition of the garden, try to create harmony, but not using masses of symmetry. Any artificial accent, like patio statuary, should always blend with the look of the garden setting.
A pyramid form, when using a garden house, is useful in giving certain punctuation to the skyline. It can be decorated with a weathervane, creating a lovely and useful garden picture. The garden house should not stand in the area alone, creating a desolate look. It needs to be associated with trees and shrubs. Uniformity in height in these artificial structures is not desirable; the skyline should have staggering heights. If arches or a pergola are used, they should be shorter than the height of the weather vane or garden house to look appropriate.
Trees are a great way to give the desired height for a garden picture. Trees need to be carefully placed, as their shadows should not cast shadows upon the flower borders. It is best if a symmetrical patter is not used for tree placement. No two trees should be at the same distance from your standpoint, the trees should be selected of different kinds and at different sizes. It is normally the best breactice to goup the trees, rather than creating rows.
Carefully considering these points and having a plan, will make it much easier to create a composition that will have a pleasing result. It is a good idea to jot down on the plan where you think an arch, tree, or pergola will be of value as well, and you are basically ready to go. Lastly, such smaller accessories as sundials, vases, and rockwork should be indicated on the plan as well.
The one aspect not considered yet is the vegetable plot. This should be set away from the flower gardens.
In some settings it is best to treat the vegetable garden as its own entity, and keep it concealed. If the setting is so small, you cannot afford to. If this is the care, see how you can use it to increase the apparent space at your disposal. One idea is to arrange the flower border, or borders, continue from the flower garden into and through the vegetable plot, thereby extending the garden vista to the extreme limit of the ground.
Sometimes it is best, for the overall effect of the landscape, to create a division between the kitchen and flower garden which is not a straight line. This may be a bold curve or a cranked line.
The division can be marked by a fence or hedge, or a simple water feature, that creates a visual focal point or less obviously indicated by an informal line of shrubs. The other factors factor into the design and the gardener's views as to the desirability or not of allowing the vegetable productions to grab attention.
A kitchen garden can be seen as unsightly, but on the contrary, its bold masses of green can make a valuable background, and are by no means ugly by themselves. However, there are times when the vegetable plot is not very attractive, for instance, when Brussels sprouts tower lankily skyward and peas are yellowing and sinking into disorder.
For plots that are larger than the example just mentioned incorporates the same general principles. Yet, the details and style of treatment may be different. Scale must be considered. Although you have more space available, and may want to incorporate artificial items like statuary, this can also complicate the design.
Even in larger landscapes, the gardener must consider aspect, and creating a picture in three dimensions. If the setting features some irregularities in the outline, it can create some extra planning and though it in the beginning stages, but can be incorporated into a pleasing treatment. These unusually shaped treatments can also create a unique and picturesque effect for the landscape.