Principles of Design - Dominance

my Japanese inspired pond but this link felt a bit forced. By the time that I decided to expand my garden into a large garden at least three times the size of my original garden, I was very aware of the design flaws of my original garden and one of the most glaring was that my garden was like a canvas on which I was doing two different paintings. To a certain extant, the original part of my garden still feels that way. I have softened that feeling by allowing my pond garden to have a more natural feel than most Japanese gardens. It is now a woodland pool with a few Japanese touches. When I expanded my garden I decided on a theme of parterre, water and woodland because this is the basic theme of classical French gardens, which were closely related to Dutch gardens. My expanded garden is dominated by simple geometric patterns. This geometry is softened by the woodland to the north. In fact, my garden is surrounded my native forest. I live in a large clearing in this forest. I suppose that the forest is really the dominant element, but because it is a natural forest which coveres a huge area, the geometric design stands out more than the surrounding trees.

By letting the formal European tradition be dominant, I solved a basic design problem - lack of dominance. The more natural woodland areas have allowed me to have a varied collection of trees and shrubs, but they are playing a supportive role. My bamboo groves support the Japanese influences in my original garden, but they are merged with the woodland garden. The feeling is much more European than Japanese. My garden is becoming a single painting on a large canvas because I decided what should be dominant and was careful that all of the other elements be supportive.

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