ENH1172

Landscape Design:
Aesthetic Characteristics of Plants1
Gail Hansen and Erin Alvarez2

T
e x t u r e , f o r m , s i z e , and color are the physical Each plant must be considered individually when selecting
characteristics of plants that provide interest, variety, plants for a composition, but the entire composition
and aesthetic appeal to a landscape. Besides being takes on greater importance than the individual plants.
essential to life on our planet, plants add beauty and charm For this reason, it is important to think about how the
with their unique forms and color. Physical characteristics characteristics of each plant will relate to the plant or
give each plant a distinct look and personality. Some plants hardscape next to it.
are extroverts—loud, boisterous, and energetic attention-
getters—while other plants are introverts—quiet, calm,
and content to be in the background. A good mix of plant
Form
personalities creates an interesting and appealing garden. Form is the three-dimensional shape of a plant or a plant
mass. Overall form is more or less relevant depending on
Some plants may have more value as a visual element in the viewing perspective; for example, the form of a tree can
the landscape based on their physical characteristics. The appear quite different when the viewer is standing under
visual value describes the energy or impact of the plant in the canopy than it does when the viewer is standing in an
relation to its surroundings. Some characteristics are more open field. Plant forms can be divided into three groups—
visually dominant and have a higher visual value, some are trees, shrubs, and groundcover. Trees are distinguished by
more functionally dominant, and some dominate simply their large size, their trunks, and their canopy. Shrubs are
by size. Upright forms, bright colors, and coarse textures typically medium sized and are characterized by a mass of
are dramatic and have high visual impact. Low or prostrate foliage covering the branches. Groundcover is the smallest
forms, dull colors, and fine textures are calm and have low in size and varies greatly in form, but the distinguishing
visual impact. The visual value of all plants is dependent characteristic is the way the plants are used—to cover the
on the distance from which they are viewed, the time of ground—hence the term “groundcover.”
year, the quality of light, the adjacent plants, and the plants’
health.
Tree Forms
Although color usually attracts the most attention, Tree forms are often dominant in the garden because of
form and texture are more enduring, and they are the their size. Trees are also the most functional plants in the
characteristics used most often to identify and classify landscape, providing shade and blocking views, so when
plants. Common plant forms are well established and choosing a tree form, consider function first. Creating a
standardized; most people first recognize a plant by shady area in the garden requires a round or oval tree, while
its form. Plant groups with distinctive forms include a screen usually requires a more columnar or pyramidal
trees, shrubs, grasses, vines, and palms. Texture is also form, and a weeping tree form makes a good focal point. It
an enduring characteristic of plants, but it can change is also important to ensure the tree will not outgrow the
temporarily with the seasons, particularly if the plant sheds space and require severe pruning. Choose the tree for its
its foliage in the winter since foliage provides much of the mature size and shape in relation to the space. Common
texture. tree forms include vase, columnar, round, weeping, and
pyramidal (Figure 1).

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This document is ENH1172, one of a series of the Environmental Horticulture Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date September 2010. Reviewed
September 2019. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

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Gail Hansen, assistant professor, and Erin Alvarez, assistant-in, Environmental Horticulture Department, UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611.
 forms include clumping, matting, sprawling, short spikes,
and spreading (Figure 3). Matting, spreading, or sprawling
plants are used to form a solid, low cover over large areas.
Plants that grow in clumps or short spikes can be used in
smaller masses and work well in planters or enclosed areas.

F i g u r e 1 . Common tree forms (Credit: Gail Hansen)

Shrub Forms
F i g u r e 3 . Common groundcover forms (Credit: Gail Hansen)
Shrubs have a variety of forms, so it is important to
consider how shrubs will look when massed together.
Mounding and spreading shrubs look best in a mass, Properties of Form
while cascading and spiky forms work well for individual • Forms that have high visual weight include columnar and
specimen plants. Shrub forms include arching, irregular, weeping. Round and vase shapes have medium weight.
cascading, upright, spiky, rounded, mounding, and vase Horizontal forms, such as spreading and sprawling, have
shaped (Figure 2). The form of the shrub determines its low visual weight.
most suitable function. Upright, vase, mounded, and round
forms work best as taller screens and buffers; irregular and • Tall, vertical forms draw the eye upward and add height
spreading forms work well as groundcovers; and arching, to a space; low, horizontal forms pull the eye along the
cascading, pyramidal, and spiky forms work best as focal horizon and add width to a space.
points.
• Plant forms can also create and define the open spaces
between the plants. For example, high arching tree
branches typically create an open space under the
branches for a roomlike feel. A round canopy with low
branches fills the space under the tree and closes the
space.

• Vertical forms tend to be dominant; therefore, several

vertical forms clustered together must be balanced by
a greater quantity of horizontal forms, which act as the
link to tie the vertical forms together.

Strategies for Using Form

Following are several strategies for using form effectively in
the landscape:

F i g u r e 2 . Common shrub forms (Credit: Gail Hansen) 1. Choose the form that best fits the space where the plant
will be located. Form is also closely related to size. A tall,
Groundcover Forms narrow plant should be used in a narrow space, and a
Groundcover or bedding plants tend to have the most wide, spreading plant can be used to cover a large space.
complex forms, but they typically look better in masses
because they are often small and have little impact as 2. Choose form based on the function of the plant. A tree
individual plants. Masses of groundcover plants usually lose needed for shade should have a vase shape with a wide,
individual form and look like one plant, so it’s important spreading canopy (Figure 4), and a shrub needed as a
to consider how plants will look as a mass. Groundcover screen should have a dense, upright form.

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 7. Remember that vertical forms can block views, and low,
horizontal forms can open views.

8. Emphasize form in a simple color scheme.

9. Establish the bulk of the composition using natural

plant forms, rather than overtrimmed forms.

A simple form study (Figure 6) can be used to determine

how different combinations of forms create balance and
fill spaces. Plants are drawn in a simple outline to focus
on shape and arrangement. Form studies are also useful
when locating forms for functions, such as blocking views
or creating shade. For example, to determine if the form is
adequate to block the view from a window, draw the plant,
to scale, in front of a scale drawing of the wall and windows.

F i g u r e 4 . Vase-shaped branching and wide canopy (Credit: Center for

Landscape Conservation and Ecology)

3. Consider the form of adjacent plants. For variety, choose

plants that contrast with strikingly different forms; for
example, place a spiky form next to a soft, mounding
form. Figure 5 shows a container with a combination of
shrub and groundcover forms, including arching, spiky,
cascading, sprawling, and clumping plants.

F i g u r e 6 . Form studies show how plants will look when massed

together. (Credit: Gail Hansen)

Texture
Texture refers to how coarse or fine the overall surface and
individual leaves of the plant feel or look (perceived visual
texture). Like form, a variety of textures provides interest
and contrast in the landscape. Texture can be found in
the foliage, flowers, blades, and bark of the plant, as well
as in the plant’s overall branching pattern. The size and
shape of the leaves most often determines the perceived
texture of the plant. A plant can generally be described as
having a coarse, medium, or fine texture (Figure 7). Coarse
F i g u r e 5 . A variety of plant forms in a container (Credit: Center for texture is more dominant than fine and tends to stand out
Landscape Conservation and Ecology) individually, while fine texture is more subordinate and
tends to unify compositions.
4. Repeat a few forms in the landscape to create a unified
design. Too many forms create a disorganized look that
lacks cohesion. Coarse Texture
Plant characteristics that create coarse texture include thick
5. Keep in mind that too many complex forms tend to look twigs and branches; leaves and twigs with spines or thorns;
chaotic, and too many simple forms can be boring. large leaves; leaves with very irregular edges and/or bold,
deep veins; variegated colors; and bold or irregular forms
6. Choose one or two strikingly different forms for contrast (Figure 8). With their high contrast, coarse-textured plants
as a focal point; the rest of the forms should be neutral attract the eye and tend to hold it because the light and dark
to blend well. contrasts of the shadows provide more interest. Each leaf
of a coarse-textured plant breaks up the outline, giving the

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plant a looser form. Examples of plants with coarse texture to link and unify the coarse- and fine-textured plants.
include philodendron, agave, bromeliad, holly, palm, and Plants with medium texture include agapanthus, camellia,
hydrangea. euonymus, pittosporum, and viburnum.

F i g u r e 7. Coarse, medium, and fine textures in foliage, branching, and

blades (Credit: Gail Hansen) F i g u r e 9. Simple leaf shape, smooth edges, and average-sized stems
create a medium texture. (Credit: Center for Landscape Conservation and
Ecology)

Fine Texture
Characteristics that create fine texture include small,
delicate foliage; thin, strappy leaves (grasses); tall, thin
stems; small, fragile twigs with many branches; narrow
trunks; long stems (vines); and small, delicate flowers. They
are often described as wispy and light or with a sprawling,
vining form. Fine-textured plants can sometimes have
a stronger form because the small individual leaves are
densely packed (e.g., boxwoods) to create a solid form.
Plants with a fine texture include grasses, ferns (Figure 10),
Japanese maples, vines, and junipers with fine needles.

F i g u r e 8 . Coarse texture shows in the irregular edges, spiny foliage, and

bold branching pattern. (Credit: Center for Landscape Conservation and
Ecology)

Medium Texture
Medium-textured plants have foliage and branches that
are neither overly large nor small and delicate; most plants
fall in this category. They are characterized by medium-
sized leaves with simple shapes and smooth edges (Figure
9). The average-sized branches are not densely spaced nor
widely spaced, and the overall form is typically rounded or F i g u r e 1 0 . Small, delicate foliage and thin stems give ferns a fine
mounding. Medium-textured plants act as a background texture. (Credit: Center for Landscape Conservation and Ecology)

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Properties of Texture • The perceived texture of plants can also change with the
• Coarse textures have high visual weight, and fine distance from the plant. Plants that are coarse close up
textures have low visual weight. Figures 11 and 12 show can look fine textured from a distance.
the contrast between a visually dominant landscape with
all coarse texture and a less visually strong landscape • Bold colors increase the contrast and make any texture
with all fine texture. appear coarser, while muted colors can flatten texture.

• Hardscape with a coarse texture—such as very rough

rocks and bold, large timbers—tends to make all plant
material appear more medium in texture by contrast.

• Plant texture is less important and tends to blend if the

texture of other garden elements is more prominent.

• Texture affects the perception of distance and scale. To

make a space feel larger, locate plants so that the fine
textures are along the outer perimeter, the medium
textures are in the middle, and the coarse textures are
closest to the viewer (Figure 13). The small size of the fine
texture recedes in the landscape and is perceived as being
farther away.

F i g u r e 1 1 . A visually dominant landscape with coarse textures (Credit: • To make a space feel smaller, place the coarse textures
Center for Landscape Conservation and Ecology) along the outer perimeter and the fine textures closest
to the viewer (Figure 14). The detail of the coarse texture
makes the plants appear to be closer, and the space feels
smaller.

F i g u r e 1 2 . A fine-textured landscape with less visual strength (Credit: F i g u r e 1 3 . A space feels larger with fine textures on the perimeter.
Center for Landscape Conservation and Ecology) (Credit: Gail Hansen)

• High color contrast can highlight texture contrast and

make plants appear to have coarser texture.

• The texture of a plant can depend on its surroundings.

A medium-textured plant can look coarse when
surrounded by fine-textured plants or fine when
surrounded by coarse-textured plants.

• Texture changes with the seasons when plants lose their

foliage or produce large fruit or flowers.

• Texture can vary with the size of the plant, the form, and F i g u r e 1 4 . A space feels smaller with coarse textures on the perimeter.
the density of the foliage. (Credit: Gail Hansen)

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Designers often develop a texture study (Figure 15) on
paper to help decide the arrangement of plant materials.
The drawing mimics texture by using different line weights
and spacing to represent fine, medium, and coarse textures.

F i g u r e 1 5 . Texture study (Credit: Gail Hansen)

F i g u r e 1 6 . Use plants that stay small and compact next to a walkway.
(Credit: Center for Landscape Conservation and Ecology)
Strategies for Using Texture
Following are several strategies for using texture effectively Properties of Size
in the landscape: • Size can affect spatial feeling. Large plants can make a
space feel larger.
1. Mix textures for a balance of all three—coarse, medium,
and fine. • Large plants tend to be dominant features.

2. Use all of the same texture (monotexture) if you want to • Plant size determines function. Trees are used for
emphasize the form or color of the plants. overhead shade, shrubs for screens, and groundcover for
large ground areas.
3. Choose one texture as the dominant texture; add just
a few plants of the other texture for specimen plants • Size is the most effective characteristic of plants that are
and contrast. Use the dominant texture throughout the used to create spatial organization in the garden.
composition.

4. Use texture and color together to emphasize plants. Strategies for Using Size
Following are several strategies for using size effectively in
the landscape:
Size
Size refers to the overall height and width of the plant and 1. Choose the size that best fits the location (Figure 17).
its relative size or scale when compared to other plants,
structures, and spaces in the yard. Plants are most often 2. Choose the size that best fits the space.
sized by height. Large plants are trees and shrubs that
grow 4–6 ft. or higher at mature size. Medium plants, 3. Use a tall, narrow plant in a narrow space and a wide,
typically shrubs, range from 2–4 ft. in height. Small plants, spreading plant in a large space. Size is closely related to
typically groundcover and bedding plants, are 2 ft. tall or form.
shorter. Plant size is closely related to form. Columnar,
pyramidal, and upright plants are narrow and occupy less 4. Choose size based on the function of the plant. A tree
horizontal space, while sprawling, arching, and mounding that is needed for shade should have a wide, spreading
plants tend to use less vertical space. Locations that canopy, and a shrub that is needed for privacy should be
require consideration of size include overhead utility lines, tall and wide.
underground water and electrical (no large trees), building
height, windows and doors, and architectural features, 5. Keep the plants proportional to the house, the lot, and
such as arbors and archways. Spaces that require size the other plants.
consideration include planters, plant beds, and containers,
particularly next to the walkway (Figure 16) and house. 6. Interconnect and overlap plant heights, but avoid
obvious layers of low, medium, and high plants.

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7. Vary the sizes of plants, particularly the height, for more Properties of Color
complexity and interest. • The changing conditions of outdoor light change the
appearance of color. Colors appear more saturated in
8. Give plants room to grow. Remember the mature size of summer sun and more subdued in winter light. Colors
the plant and space plants for that size. are also brighter in morning sun and deeper in evening
light.
9. Leave a gap (about 2 ft.) between the house and plant
material for air circulation and maintenance. Locate • Colors affect emotions. Some are considered warm (red,
foundation plants to maintain the gap at the mature size. orange, and yellow) and high energy, or cool (blue, green,
and violet) and calming and soothing.
10. Keep in mind that even though larger plants are
typically more expensive, they cover more area and fill • Adding black or white to a color changes the value, which
in a space more quickly than smaller plants. is the lightness or darkness of the color.

11. Keep in mind that even though smaller plants tend to be • Bright, pure pigments have a high intensity or saturation.
less expensive, filling a space with them requires more Mixed pigments have a lower saturation or intensity.
plants and more time than larger plants. Colors with weak intensity have low visual impact, and
colors with high intensity have high visual impact.
12. Remember that very large plants can make a medium-
sized plant look small by comparison, and small plants • Surrounding colors affect intensity. Grouping many
will be hardly noticeable. high-intensity colors reduces the intensity of each color
because the colors compete.

Strategies for Using Color

Following are several strategies for using color effectively in
the landscape:

1. Consider the amount of color in each plant. Some plants

have large, showy flowers or big, dramatic leaves with
color. Other plants have tiny flowers but might make up
for size by having masses of blooms.

2. Consider the length of bloom for the flowers. Annuals

may bloom all season, while perennials could vary from
several months to one or two short weeks.
F i g u r e 1 7. Choose the right size for planters and walkways. (Credit: Gail
Hansen) 3. Consider the seasonal timing of the color. Plan for a
sequence of flowering color throughout the year for
year-round color.
Color
Color is the characteristic that most people notice first 4. Use a color theme to guide color selection. A simple
in a landscape, and it is also the characteristic by which theme uses only two or three colors.
most people select plants. However, designs based on color
often fail because color is fleeting. Choosing a color theme 5. Use large drifts of color rather than random spots of
requires an understanding of the properties of color and color.
the basics of color theory. To learn more about choosing a
color theme for the landscape, see Color in the Landscape: 6. Use fruit, foliage, and branches as a source of color
Finding Inspiration for a Color Theme (http://edis.ifas.ufl. (Figure 18). Flowers may give more color in the spring
edu/ep425). A color theme is the overall color pattern of the and summer, but fruit and foliage often provide fall
entire landscape. For example, an analogous theme is made color.
up of colors adjacent to each other on the color wheel and
might include the colors from yellow to red. This means 7. Look for foliage with variegated stripes and mottling to
there are many considerations when choosing individual add color.
plants to stay true to the red to yellow palette. This is true
for all the various color themes used in the landscape.

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8. Keep in mind that bright color makes small plants look When choosing plants for the composition, consider form
bigger and coarser in texture. and size first, then texture, and finally color. Consider
the space where the plant will be located and note
9. Use the least amount of the brightest color and balance the following: size of the space, color of the walls and
with a larger amount of more subdued colors. For hardscape, texture of the hardscape, and surrounding
example, bright yellow is a very intense color, so use a views. Always remember to consider the size of the plants at
small amount with a larger amount of darker purple for maturity and provide ample space for growth.
balance.

10. Use a neutral color to link other colors. Neutral colors

References
are more subdued and typically created by adding white, Austin, R. 2002. Elements of planting design. New York:
gray, or black. Light pink is an example of a neutral color John Wiley & Sons.
that links saturated red and red-orange.
Bertauski, T. 2005. Designing the landscape: An
introductory guide for the landscape designer. Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Thomas, H., and S. Wooster. 2008. The complete planting

design course: Plans and styles for every garden. London:
Octopus Publishing Group.

Scarfone, S. 2007. Professional planting design: An

architectural and horticultural approach for creating mixed
bed plantings. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

F i g u r e 1 8 . Many tropical plants have color in the foliage and flower.

(Credit: Center for Landscape Conservation and Ecology)

Choosing Plant Combinations

Before choosing plants, consider your design theme and
the types of plants that are characteristic of the theme.
The theme will help identify the feel that you want in the
space. For example, a tropical theme might have more
extroverts—bold, coarse, and energetic plants—while a
contemplation garden might have many more introverts—
quiet, calm plants. A composition of plant material works
the same way a painting composition works. Features are
arranged to create a dominant area that is the focal point,
and the rest of the composition serves as the background.

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