Using Structures to Your Advantage

Using structures to your advantage is perhaps one of the trickiest aspects of landscape design. The reason for this is that, typically, people do not stop to think about where a specific structure should go when they install it. Often times, these structures will simply be placed where they are convenient. Convenience, while an important factor, should not be the sole deciding factor of where you place any structure or addition to a landscape. Instead, keep in mind these helpful ideas.

• Location. When choosing the location for your structures, you need to look at a such things the purpose of the structure, how it will interact with the rest of the yard, the design, and so on. For example, if you are thinking of having a strictly utilitarian storage shed, then you do not want to have it right next to your home. The storage shed will clash horribly with the home, and thus detract from the overall look you want in your landscape.
• Material. Choose a material for your structure that will somehow enhance the look of your home and landscape. Typically natural materials will look the best, and most often work with most styles of homes. When choosing the material, you also need to keep in mind the design as well, since the one definitely will affect the other.
• Design. Just as with the material that you use, the design of your structures will have a huge impact on whether you are using them to your advantage. As usual, when deciding on a design, you need to make sure that the design will interact well with your home, and the landscape design itself. Do not choose something that is too much of one or the other, but rather a blending of the two.
• Ease of use. Each structure that you place into your garden and landscape needs to be as easy to use as possible. This will usually entail an interior layout that makes sense, and doesn't require any extra work on your part to use to its fullest. For example, if you are going to be working in a green house then you really should have everything as close to being within arms reach as possible.
• Multipurpose. To truly be able to get the most out of your structures, you need to make them multipurpose when and where possible. One of the best examples of this is with a greenhouse. Greenhouses can serve not only as a greenhouse, but as a storage shed, or even a playhouse if it is designed and laid out properly.