Focal points are used to draw and direct the eye so that a landscape design becomes more than a swath of plants and pavers. Although a sense of continuous flow can be pleasant, a landscape can be quickly overlooked when the eye has no place to land. Focal features pinpoint your concentration and allow it to branch out from there so that the landscape is gradually unveiled rather than glanced over. Consider some of these focal features to enhance your landscape design.

Best Focal Features for your Landscape Design

A Striking Plant

An unexpected or unusual plant can serve as an excellent focal feature. Consider planting an unusually shaped specimen tree with characterful contorted branches in a spot where it can be clearly displayed, or plant a brightly colored flowering plant in a heavily hardscaped area to create a powerful contrast in both color and texture. When using plants as focal points, ensure that you choose proven performers that will thrive in your climate.

A Tall Feature

A tall structure can create a focal feature in the vertical dimension, making the overall silhouette of your landscape more captivating. A solitary tree, a towering fireplace, or a few regal pillars can serve as phenomenal vertical focal points.

Fire and Water

The elements never fail to capture one’s attention. They are dynamic, vibrant, and ever-changing. You may choose to harness flowing water in a stream or waterfall, or showcase dancing flames in your outdoor fireplace or fire pit. Surround your fireplace with an arrangement of comfortable outdoor furniture to make full use of its warmth and light on chilly evenings in the fall. Feel free to tuck a cozy bench beside your water feature, too, so that you have a serene spot for enjoying the sound of trickling water and relaxing.

A Manicured Lawn

The stunning, vibrant color packed within a lush lawn is guaranteed to draw the eye. Enhance its visual impact by keeping it manicured, with sharp and angled edges that cut into the rest of the landscape. Several square feet of lawn can serve as an outdoor rug in the center of your hardscape, softening and offsetting the man-made materials surrounding it. Lawns also serve as enticing places to smooth out a picnic blanket and enjoy a summer’s day.

Also Read: Landscape Basics: 5 Foolproof Ways to Beautify your Front Yard

A Central Patio

When properly designed and installed, a central patio can assume its rightful place as the focal point of your landscape. Part of its ability to capture your attention can be attributed to the fact that you visit it more often than other parts of the landscape. When guests arrive, they will most likely see this part of the landscape packed with people, and it will draw their attention right away. Consider opting for a circular shape, so that the rest of the landscape can be viewed as ripples emanating outward, in all directions, from a single point. The resulting visual effect is often very visually satisfying.

If pulling off some of these focal features seems daunting, consider hiring a landscape designer to guide you through the process of planning and executing focal points that best suit your existing landscape.