Page 3 - Landscape Design, Construction, & Maintenance

66 • Designing the Landscape

THE PUBLIC AREA

Before work with the pencil and paper begins, it helps to
have a good understanding of landscape areas to be
designed. The good residential landscape design has three
main areas: the public area, the outdoor living area, and
the service area. Understanding the purpose of each area
aids the designer in creating a landscape plan that will
meet the needs of the customer. Different functions or
activities are designated to occur in each of these areas.

THE PUBLIC AREA

The public area is the portion of the property that is
in full view of the public. It includes the area between the
house and the road. It provides people their first impres-
sion of the house. For that reason, the public area is
designed with the appearance of the house in mind. In the
cinema, you often see one or two star actors. The stars are
surrounded by a supporting cast of many other actors. In a
similar way, the house is the star of the public area, sur-
rounded by a supporting cast of landscape elements (trees,
4-2. The home landscape has three main areas. shrubs, etc.). In the movies, the sup-
porting cast never outshines the star. In
the landscape, the house should out-
shine all landscape elements.

Design landscapes to improve
the appearance of the house and
TIP:
to focus attention on the front
door.

Design the public area so people
passing by look at and appreciate the
house. A well-designed landscape
improves the appearance of the house
and focuses attention on the front
4-3. A little color helps draw the viewer’s attention to the focal
point of the landscape, the front door. door. The front door is the most impor-