More Words

Here are a few more Words We Use.

From Robin Templar Williams, respected garden designer from England and Managing Director of the Garden Design School:

"Positive Line"
"Positive Space"
"Clear Direction"
"Clear Intent"
"Ease of Passage"
"Uninterrupted Flow"
"Seamless Transition"

Rob notes that these phrases are not unique, and he's correct. But they show how an experienced designer thinks. Every single one of these shows intent. Intent is active design. Many designers get hung up on decoration and use terms that reflect that. You often hear things like "This ____ is placed here to provide some 'interest' or 'variety.'" Or "I chose this plant because I really like it." Those are "decorating" terms, not "design" terms. If you can't see the difference, then let me know and I'll try to make it more clear. The point is, Rob is an excellent designer. Good designers place elements in the landscape with a purpose, a defensible purpose. The terms we use to describe this purpose are real indicators of how well we understand what we are doing.