Seven Tips for Landscape Design for Beginners - Idea 6

Focus on scale and pacing. It's the trickiest principle in landscape design for beginners, but scale and pacing give your yard a pulled-together look. There will be variations in size, shape, and color, with tall plants against a building or in the back of a flowerbed, and paths that lead people through the space. "You'll want to repeat some elements, whether it's a certain plant, a common color, or even a shape, so there's a sense of cohesion," Lipanovich says. "But you also don't want it to be monotonous, so try adding an occasional element that's different from the landscape and will stand out."