Unity is an important quality of art, and is indispensable in landscaping. In order to create harmony in your outdoor setting, much thought and consideration must be done. By creating a careful analysis of your setting, you will be able to create a better result in the end.
The idea behind create a unified landscape, it to create a unified motif or theme. For example, if a small plot if left for the use of a rose garden, it should contain only roses, and not sunflowers, or pansies, etc. These other flowers will detract from the beauty of the roses as well as from the unity of the garden.
Create an analogy between gardening and rhetoric, remembering that all language composition the unity of subject matter is important. When writing a composition on a subject, you stick to that particular subject only. Any other subjects are reserved for a different composition.
When landscaping, follow the same principles. This idea is not as understood when it comes to gardening, so we find settings that incorporate everything possible, creating confusion and disunity.
The idea behind unity of purpose it what saves many compositions. For example, when school grounds are being built, each aspect will contribute specifically to the school uses, whether it be the sidewalk, trees, pumps, fences, creating a unified look. However, if aspects like a bowknot flowerbed are added, the purpose is not understood, creating a disruption to the unity. A single style must be followed in every aspect of the landscaping to achieve a unified look. Mixing styles can create disastrous results, it is best to keep different styles pure of one another.
Character, in landscape gardening, refers to the personal qualities that contribute to the work by the gardener. One man may lay out a park or estate, and then is superseded by a superintendent or another architect.
The second man may have other ideas and decide to alter the plans. Then a third man may get involved and creates more changes to the previous two plans that have been jumbled together.
This is a common occurrence in America and Europe, but the end result of all the compromises is always a detriment to the overall picture. The unification of ideas and character is what creates a beautiful picture.
The idea behind landscaping architecture is design. An architect is seeking out ways to bring all the materials together to create order. Often, he is trying to create unity out of diversity, while still trying to retain a certain level of diversity as well. Land is normally dived into areas different sizes and shapes, where he builds enclosures, plant borders, lays out walls, and creates patterns of all kinds.
The success of a design lies in the building of a structure of such strength and unity, that all the parts of the design are held firmly together!
Color is another important element of unity. Your color schemes should also tend towards unity and harmony. It is better to have hues of one color, than to have a mess of all colors. For example, it is much better to have soft yellow day-lilies harmonizing with pale blue larkspurs than to have pink roses making faces at the magenta blossoms.
Unity of form is just as important of unity in color. The idea should be to plant trees with common elements, not trees that have nothing to with one another. There should be a common trend in form, and create harmony when planted together. The similarities and differences in plantings should be carefully observed In order to secure unity.
