—STYLES—
When working through the design process of a particular landscape, something must drive the process of where and how things are arranged. Keeping in mind that form follows function, how a site is used by its inhabitants is always an important element in the development of a design. However, once the function is satisfied in a design, many choices must be made on how something will appear upon installation that may have nothing to do with the function. These choices must have something driving them to help make a landscape cohesive, dramatic, and stimulating. This “driving force” behind the landscape is oftentimes the architectural style of the house. It could be the lifestyle of the homeowner that manifests itself in the landscape.
The site or location of the home may also provide that driving force behind the design. A house on a wooded lot next to a small stream may work to blend existing with nature to provide a seamless transition between the constructed and existing landscape. In most cases, all of these design elements come into play in the process, although their influence may vary dramatically. However, everything in a landscape must have a reason for its existence and location, or a landscape will become very disjointed, and hapless, and oftentimes interfere with the function of the site.
