Small Garden Focal Points
Your Small Garden Focal Points and Aesthetics
"Welcome to Small Garden Focal Points , I hope you enjoy this article as much as I liked writing it. "
When legendary artists such as Claude Monet or Vincent Van Gogh decided they’d paint a garden scene, it's likely they didn’t just pop over a nearby fence, sit down and begin applying oils to canvas. They would have, in all probability, have meandered around until they found what they regarded as the ‘right setting’ – the perfect spot for the focus on what they wanted to portray. Possibly there might be quite a number of ‘good settings. ’ But one would stand out. It would be the best , as far as they were concerned.
In their artists’ eye, it would be as if the scene they selected were enclosed within a frame – the frame of the picture they are as yet to create. The best spot from which the garden could be viewed to capture the aesthetic feelings they wished to convey. Every garden, indeed every location has such a spot. It is a subjective spot, of course. It is personal. To you , it might seem the best spot; to another person, a different spot could be regarded as the best. This is how we are.
"Welcome to Small Garden Focal Points , I hope you enjoy this article as much as I liked writing it. "
When legendary artists such as Claude Monet or Vincent Van Gogh decided they’d paint a garden scene, it's likely they didn’t just pop over a nearby fence, sit down and begin applying oils to canvas. They would have, in all probability, have meandered around until they found what they regarded as the ‘right setting’ – the perfect spot for the focus on what they wanted to portray. Possibly there might be quite a number of ‘good settings. ’ But one would stand out. It would be the best , as far as they were concerned.
In their artists’ eye, it would be as if the scene they selected were enclosed within a frame – the frame of the picture they are as yet to create. The best spot from which the garden could be viewed to capture the aesthetic feelings they wished to convey. Every garden, indeed every location has such a spot. It is a subjective spot, of course. It is personal. To you , it might seem the best spot; to another person, a different spot could be regarded as the best. This is how we are.
Small Garden Focal Points an Experienced Artist Does
What is being said here, is that the aesthetics of your garden should be, if practicable, set up so that you can enjoy them as much as possible. That is, from where you live most of the time . As you sit with your guests, say, around your table on the balcony, you want to know that both your and their senses are being drawn by the ‘best’ - or a least one of the ‘better’ - aspects of your masterpiece – your small garden.
"From where you are sitting, you want your family and your guests' senses to be aroused, in a pleasant way; drawn towards the shape, balance, and general layout. You desire them to see the colour, the contrasts, sense the textures. You want their" – and your senses – stimulated, but stimulated in particular ways: - the most pleasant ways, The words : tranquility, serenity, and awe, spring to mind. To do this, you need your small garden focal point to automatically arouse these pleasant emotions, both conscious and unconscious, in the viewer.
Also In order to do this, you need to do what an experienced artist does. Find what you want to “put in the frame.” You design your garden so that it is framed in your mind’s eye like a painting which is to hang in a gallery. Study any good artist’s picture, contemplate our top outdoor-photographer’ work, and you will find it has a certain focal point and that everything leads one’s eye towards that point.
Incidentally, the point is never right at the centre of the picture. It is generally off, slightly to one side or the other. But I won’t go further into that here. You can follow that up on any basic book on the visual arts.
"From where you are sitting, you want your family and your guests' senses to be aroused, in a pleasant way; drawn towards the shape, balance, and general layout. You desire them to see the colour, the contrasts, sense the textures. You want their" – and your senses – stimulated, but stimulated in particular ways: - the most pleasant ways, The words : tranquility, serenity, and awe, spring to mind. To do this, you need your small garden focal point to automatically arouse these pleasant emotions, both conscious and unconscious, in the viewer.
Also In order to do this, you need to do what an experienced artist does. Find what you want to “put in the frame.” You design your garden so that it is framed in your mind’s eye like a painting which is to hang in a gallery. Study any good artist’s picture, contemplate our top outdoor-photographer’ work, and you will find it has a certain focal point and that everything leads one’s eye towards that point.
Incidentally, the point is never right at the centre of the picture. It is generally off, slightly to one side or the other. But I won’t go further into that here. You can follow that up on any basic book on the visual arts.
So what has this to do with the small garden owner?
What has this got to do with you?
Everything!
Let’s assume you have a small garden, a modest plot that you want to be able to view at its best. You surely don’t want to have to get out of your chair, walk down to the far corner of that yard to see your small garden from it best aspect. No, you want to be able to see the ‘best aspect’ the ‘right setting’ from where you spend most of your time.
You might want your kitchen window, or your lounge-room window, or the chair on which you sit on your back veranda a lot of the time, to overlook this best aspect, to look through the frame. You desire to see your small garden focal point, your major attraction, from that position. After all, you’ll be in that location a lot of the time.
Guests come around. They gasp with unexpected pleasure at the garden which is framed before them as they come from inside your house to the back door and look outside – right! You want them to see the garden from where they’re looking to be the very best view.
Of course. You don’t want to have to say to them “Well, it looks a lot better if you walk around behind the shed and look back this way.” or “ That big flower pot’s a great focal point when the New Guinea Impatiens are in full bloom, but they’re mostly dead now. ” “Yeah, well you’re not actually seeing it at its best this time of year.” These sorts of remarks don’t cut much ice, as they say.
Everything!
Let’s assume you have a small garden, a modest plot that you want to be able to view at its best. You surely don’t want to have to get out of your chair, walk down to the far corner of that yard to see your small garden from it best aspect. No, you want to be able to see the ‘best aspect’ the ‘right setting’ from where you spend most of your time.
You might want your kitchen window, or your lounge-room window, or the chair on which you sit on your back veranda a lot of the time, to overlook this best aspect, to look through the frame. You desire to see your small garden focal point, your major attraction, from that position. After all, you’ll be in that location a lot of the time.
Guests come around. They gasp with unexpected pleasure at the garden which is framed before them as they come from inside your house to the back door and look outside – right! You want them to see the garden from where they’re looking to be the very best view.
Of course. You don’t want to have to say to them “Well, it looks a lot better if you walk around behind the shed and look back this way.” or “ That big flower pot’s a great focal point when the New Guinea Impatiens are in full bloom, but they’re mostly dead now. ” “Yeah, well you’re not actually seeing it at its best this time of year.” These sorts of remarks don’t cut much ice, as they say.
Small Garden Focal Points Attract The Viewers Gaze
So your small garden focal point attracts the viewer’s gaze. That big colourful pot, if it is to be the focal point, needs to have it flowers regularly changed. Or the pot might be changed for another which contains bright, colourful flowers in bloom, for example. There’s not much point in calling a certain plant, shrub, pot or bed of flowers, a focal point if it doesn’t do the job.
You might say, “Well, my fish pond is actually my garden’s focal point.” Yeah! And you can’t see it unless you get up close to it. Can’t even see the water’s surface from where you live most of the time, let alone the gold fish! A mini-waterfall might be the focal point. A small, trickle-fountain might be a focal point. But if there’s no water flowing, it becomes somewhat lesser; it loses its impact.
What is being said here is, if is at all possible, endeavour to “frame a mental picture” of just what you want to achieve – given the restrictions of your small garden or yard – then place in it, the various elements that will create the ambience you desire.
Do that from where you are likely to spend most of your hours overlooking your creation. Pick out a really interesting small garden focal point, and keep both your own and others interest in it by keeping it looking its best for as much of the time as you can.
Some readers will know these things already: some will not. For those who find the ideas provided here new, or novel, give it a go. Be daring. Be innovative. And let your creativity shine. You may well find yourself liking the results.
I hope you enjoyed Small Garden Focal Points. If you are looking for more great rescources just scroll down below and visit the pages.
Happy Gardening!
Marty Ware
You might say, “Well, my fish pond is actually my garden’s focal point.” Yeah! And you can’t see it unless you get up close to it. Can’t even see the water’s surface from where you live most of the time, let alone the gold fish! A mini-waterfall might be the focal point. A small, trickle-fountain might be a focal point. But if there’s no water flowing, it becomes somewhat lesser; it loses its impact.
What is being said here is, if is at all possible, endeavour to “frame a mental picture” of just what you want to achieve – given the restrictions of your small garden or yard – then place in it, the various elements that will create the ambience you desire.
Do that from where you are likely to spend most of your hours overlooking your creation. Pick out a really interesting small garden focal point, and keep both your own and others interest in it by keeping it looking its best for as much of the time as you can.
Some readers will know these things already: some will not. For those who find the ideas provided here new, or novel, give it a go. Be daring. Be innovative. And let your creativity shine. You may well find yourself liking the results.
I hope you enjoyed Small Garden Focal Points. If you are looking for more great rescources just scroll down below and visit the pages.
Happy Gardening!
Marty Ware
Small Garden Focal Points Article Resource Links
More information here just click on the links and discover different methods to make your gardening experience a success!
Small Garden Focal Points Video Resource Links
Check these video links for more information and tips for a greater gardening experience.
- Tips for Gardening in Small Spaces
- Containers in Small Garden Spaces
- Fabulous Food from Every Small Garden
- Small Garden Ideas Picture Gallery
- Small Garden Space
Horticulturist Marty Ware
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Small Garden Focal Points
Small Garden Focal Points
- Gardening Australia - Fact Sheet: Focal Point Design
Sophie discusses how to incorporate focal points in garden design
