When designing a garden, the issue of perspective is often overlooked. Yet, it is one of the most powerful tools for transforming a small space into a place that appears vast, harmonious, and structured. So, how can you use perspective to give more depth to your garden?
1. Why is perspective so important?
Our eye does not solely perceive the actual size of a space; it is influenced by vanishing lines, contrasts, and geometric shapes. In landscaping, perspective allows:
- to visually enlarge a small garden,
- to create a focal point that draws the eye,
- to harmonise the proportions between the plants, the paths and the structures.
2. Extend a depth
To create the impression of a longer garden, landscapers use a simple trick: gradually narrowing the widths of paths, lawns, or flowerbeds as one moves away from the viewpoint. This way, the eye perceives an increased depth, as if the garden extends into the distance.
3. Shortening a perspective
Conversely, one may wish to visually bring a space closer together. This is achieved by widening the lines and spaces as they recede. This technique is useful in large gardens to avoid a monotonous length effect.
4. Create perfect circles
The basins, junctions of paths, or circular flowerbeds are rarely perceived as true circles by the human eye. To correct this distortion, landscape designers actually draw elongated ovals. Viewed from a specific point, this illusion creates the impression of a perfect circle.
5. Play with heights and colours
The perspective does not only depend on the layout:
- variable heights of vegetation enhance the effect of depth,
- the contrasts of colours (light at the front, dark at the back) amplify the impression of distance,
- A focal point (statue, notable tree, trellis) draws the eye and structures the space.
6. Famous examples
- The gardens of Versailles: masterful use of straight lines and converging paths.
- The gardens of Kyoto: mastery of miniature perspectives in restricted spaces.
- The contemporary gardens of Luciano Giubbilei: a blend of minimalism and optical illusions.
Conclusion
The perspective is a secret weapon of landscape architects. When used well, it can transform a small garden into a grand setting, or conversely, create a more intimate atmosphere in a large space.