What is your landscape design style?
The real question is… did you know there was such a thing as a landscape design style?!
Just like your interior decorating style, personal fashion, and food preferences, there are many types of landscape styles. The organic nature of a naturalistic landscape brings peace and tranquility for some while the structure of manicured hedges brings order and organization for others. There is no wrong answer! A good place to start would be to have your landscape design reflect the architectural style of your home. An Old Florida Bungalow might look really nice with a naturalistic and native landscape. A Tuscan style home could look really nice with a formal tropical style but also a southern traditional style! The options are endless but it really comes down to what you like, after all it is your yard! We are going to touch on just a few of the common landscape design styles in Central Florida (USDA Hardiness Zones 8b-10a) for your front and backyard.
Naturalistic Landscape Design Style
A naturalistic landscape design style incorporates mostly native but at least Florida Friendly plants such as Dwarf Walter’s Viburnum, Fakahatchee Grass, Silver Saw Palmetto, Beautyberry, and Blanketflower just to name a few. The plants are organized in a way that looks and feels organic, as you might find them in nature, hence the name! A naturalistic design really focuses on the mature size of the plant so nothing looks overcrowded. It also utilizes more low maintenance and drought tolerant plants than other designs styles might. More naturally designed yards tend to attract more pollinators as well! You might also find more natural hardscaping materials such as native limestone boulders, coquina or shellstone pavers, and oolite walls. Below is a great example of a fully native yard, however keep in mind it does not have to be as dramatic as this one!
Image source HERE
Tropical Landscape Design Style
As you may guess, the tropical style is very common and popular here in our sub-tropical climate. Many people find the big leaves, bright colors, and vibrant greens very attractive in their front and back yards. The tropical landscape style can complement a variety of architectural styles but our favorite is with a modern bungalow. This style is kind of the chameleon of all the styles and blends well with touches from other styles. Used properly, tropical plants can take on a very modern feel but if used differently will take on a naturalistic aesthetic. Bird of Paradise, Foxtail Fern, Plumbago, and Maui Ixora are among favorites for this style. With the tropical style, Right Plant Right Place principles are particularly important as most tropical plants require full, full sun.
Image source HERE
Traditional Landscape Design Style
A traditional landscape design style is very common especially in neighborhoods that have a Home Owner’s Association. A traditional landscape generally includes foundation hedges along the home facade, layered small to medium shrubs and grasses, and a few accent plants or understory trees in key architectural locations. This style complements almost any type of architectural style and can be any where from very low maintenance to very high maintenance. The more hedges that need trimming, naturally the more maintenance you will have. However, high maintenance doesn’t necessarily mean countless hours in the yard, it just means you will need to put some effort in to keep those clean organized lines. We are lucky in Florida that everything likes to grow fast and strong here!
Image source HERE
Modern Landscape Design Style
Modern landscape design is all about clean, strong lines and generally relies on texture, foliage color, and structural plants to create visual interest. It can, but doesn’t have to, have a minimal feel to it. The organization will be strong and impactful while complementing (not competing!) with the architecture of the home. Some of our favorite plants for a modern landscape design are Agave, Gulf Muhly Grass, Saw Palmetto, and Asian Jasmine. Agave and Saw Palmetto are strong statement plants that contrast nicely with the soft texture of the Gulf Muhly Grass. Asian Jasmine is a resilient groundcover that is easy to maintain with clean lines. A modern landscape design does not necessarily have to be associated with a modern looking home, it looks great with all types of architecture! The use of natural materials in the landscape such as limestone boulders or square coquina pavers brings warmth to the design. Hardscaping often has a large impact on a modern design as well. Modern and tropical landscape designs often overlap.
Image source HERE
Still don’t know your style? Maybe you like them all!
While these “style buckets” do exist, you might not fit into just one bucket. We can knock those buckets over and let them all mix! We would love to help you find your landscape design style and put it to use in your front or backyard design.