This document discusses principles of garden design including unity, balance, rhythm, scale, proportion, color, texture, and form. It describes how formal gardens use symmetry and repetition to achieve balance and rhythm, while informal gardens do so through balancing volumes on opposing sides without strict lines. Texture refers to visual and tactile surfaces. Formal gardens have strict lines and symmetry while informal gardens are more casual with loose planting and quirky features. The document aims to teach garden planning and design styles.

1. RHS Level 2 Certificate Year 1 Week 27 – Garden Planning. Principles of Design

7. An example of rhythm in a formal design

13. Formal and informal gardens It may not, at first glance, look deliberately ‘designed’ at all. Structure of design is clear and apparent e.g. knot gardens. Private and personal spaces. Often public or semi-public spaces Planting is loose and features are quirky or casual. Strong shapes in planting and formal features – topiary and monumental sculpture Not necessarily symmetrical at all – though balance is still important Follows a strict symmetry Informal garden Formal Garden

14. Formal and informal garden features Wildlife ponds or streams Straight stone lined water features, formal fountains Wild or native hedging ( Cratageus monogyna ) Box ( Buxus sempervirens ) or other clipped hedges Abstract statutes or use of feature stones etc, rustic fences or arches Representational statutes; dressed stone walls, clean lines Informal garden features Formal garden features

15. Formal Garden in Italianate Style