Accents what are they? We know in decorating they are the final touches sometimes or the one wall painted a different color that captures our attention. It’s the same way in the outside world!
Plantings as accents do one thing really well, they grab the attention. They direct traffic and can very subtly direct our thoughts about what we’re seeing there. A plant becomes an accent when it offers something unique. It’s color, form, texture, and size makes it stand out. If you use the same plant over and over something interesting happens. It ceases to have the same impact and it loses its edge as an accent.
A perennial bed with bright red flowers is a sharp contrast to a bed of white blooms. But if you put this mixture in the midst of dark pink blooms, it starts to fade in contrast and the accent is diminished. Looking at shrubs, take a group of round shrubs and put a conical shaped shrub in the middle and it becomes an accent. But if you put in a whole line of conical shaped shrubs they start to blend together.
Less is more, using accent plants to create focal points for outside rooms, you need to consider that there will be an indoor view and an outdoor view depending on where you are when you view the plants. So you want to place them next to things you want to show off or draw attention to.
How do you decide where to start? Look at your landscape plan where do you have spots you’d like to accent? Your outside room will have a welcoming touch if you focus on what the plants showy characteristics are that you are considering. What are the flowers, bark, leaves, berries, or shapes?
Our MN landscape designers and landscape architects can help find the plants that will accent your landscape. Call us on 952-292-7717.
