Landscaping 101

Lesson 4: As the Design Starts Coming Together

How to Draw a Bubble Diagram

Bubble diagrams are free flowing concepts to help you start getting ideas for your landscaping. Keeping in mind the various design concepts and basic rules that were discussed previously, it is time to put pencil to paper and actually start planning your landscape design. Begin by taking your base map and laying your tracing paper over the top of it. Keep your site inventory and any notes and photographs you’ve taken handy as you may want to reference them throughout the process.

To start designing you begin with a “bubble diagram”. This bubble diagram defines spaces within the landscape. Later on, these spaces will be further developed to include specific hardscaping features or plants. Start by sketching various shapes and sizes of bubbles. These bubbles represent areas within the landscape. But by using this freehand type drawing you are free to be creative and not confined to any specific elements. This is the time to have fun with the design process.

Bubbles can represent play areas, patios, garden areas, lawn areas and any other amenities you would like to have in your landscape. This diagram will provide a general organizational structure for a design. It is similar in effect to what an outline is for a written report. Remember, you are not concerned about specifics at this time, but rather overall design concepts. This is a creative function; don’t over think the process; just put your pencil to paper and start drawing circles, ovals, etc. and get some ideas flowing.

These diagrams are very critical to the overall design process. The reasoning behind doing several bubble diagrams is that they encourage you as a designer to explore various design solutions. This is an excellent time to experiment with overall shapes and decide things such as whether you want the design to be formal or informal. One common mistake people make is to get too specific while drawing the “bubble” diagrams. Getting too specific too soon makes you forget that there are other design possibilities available for the design.

As you are playing with your design, label your “bubble areas”. You might have shapes for a dog kennel, vegetable garden, perennial garden, rv or boat parking, shade gardens, etc. If you like, use colored pencils to distinguish your different areas. Compare the various sizes of your “bubbles” to make sure your areas are proportional. It is important to keep the appropriate scale of features and areas as you will transfer these ideas over to your final drawing.

Remember, several of the types of spaces to incorporate into your bubble diagram area as follows:
1) Private areas such as patios, verandas, gazebos, screened porches and decks.
2) Active areas for children such as play structures, play meadows (open areas) and athletic features.
3) Decorative landscape features and plantings.
4) Areas for lawn.
5) Areas to screen your view from neighbors and unwanted activities.
6) Areas to mitigate noise.
7) Areas to attract wildlife.
8) Acknowledge linkages/pathways.
9) Other entertainment type areas or gardens that you desire to incorporate into your landscaping.


To get ideas on how to create your own bubble diagram, take a look at this sample landscape plan.(This is once again a pdf file. If you need Acrobat Reader, go to www.adobe.com. It is a free program.) Feel free to download this plan and keep it to give you ideas on how to create your own diagram.

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