Gardening Landscaping Landscape Basics 14 Easy Landscaping Ideas to Create Lots of Visual Variety Try our tips and design suggestions to get maximum impact in your garden. By Viveka Neveln Viveka Neveln Viveka Neveln is the Garden Editor at BHG and a degreed horticulturist with broad gardening expertise earned over 3+ decades of practice and study. She has more than 20 years of experience writing and editing for both print and digital media. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on January 15, 2024 Trending Videos Close this video player When you need inspiration for using plants in your garden for maximum impact, try a few of these easy landscaping ideas. They'll help you to use basic design concepts to create a gorgeous outdoor space you can enjoy when relaxing in your backyard, sitting on your front porch, or driving up to your house after a busy day. Master the Art of Garden Colors 01 of 14 Create Swaths of Color Brian Gomsak. Brian Gomsak One easy landscape idea that's simple to implement is to grow big swaths of the same plant for bold interest. Here, for example, this planting bed offers a bold burst of chartreuse from a mass of golden creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea'). It's contrasted (in color and texture) by a planting of blue fescue (Festuca 'Elijah Blue'). 19 Rock Garden Ideas to Add Visual Interest to Your Landscape 02 of 14 Repeat Colors and Textures Brian Gomsak. Brian Gomsak Planting one of everything gives your garden a hodgepodge look. Avoid that by reusing the same colors, shapes, or plant varieties all around your landscape. Here's a perfect example: To the left of the deck, golden creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea') echoes the color of golden sweet flag (Acorus gramineus 'Ogon'). The sweet flag amplifies the texture of the blue fescue (Festuca 'Elijah Blue'), which plays off the silvery-blue color of a potted false cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Baby Blue'). The shape of the false cypress, in turn, is a repeat of the Japanese maple next to the deck. 03 of 14 Make Plants Do Double Duty Laurie Black Photography. Laurie Black Photography If your yard has limited space, it's important to make the most of it! One easy landscape idea that makes the best use of plants is to take advantage of those that serve more than one purpose. This espaliered apple tree, for example, offers privacy from the neighbor on the other side, provides an attractive backdrop for the curve in a path, and, in autumn, gives a harvest of delicious apples. 04 of 14 Contrast Bold Colors Laurie Black Photography One of the most basic, easy landscaping ideas is to create contrasts. Also, consider color; when you pair rich burgundy-purple with chartreuse, the gold hues become brighter, and the purple tones become richer and darker. Together, the colors are much more effective than when used alone. Complementary Flower Combos in Purple and Yellow 05 of 14 Add a Few Whimsical Plants Brian Gomsak. Brian Gomsak Enhance what plants do naturally. Espalier is a perfect example of this. Here, for example, a simple climbing rose goes from ordinary to extraordinary with careful training and pruning. Don't worry: It's easier than it looks (it just takes some pruning once or twice a year) and makes a big impact. 06 of 14 Mix Materials Jon Jensen Photography. Jon Jensen Photography You can easily add a level of interest to your yard by incorporating a variety of plants and hardscape materials. Here, the natural feel of lawn and cut flagstones makes an eye-catching contrast against smooth Mexican beach pebbles and gravel. The color of the flagstone mimics the beach pebbles and ties the two together; it's an easy landscaping idea and a good example of using repetition. 07 of 14 Play with Geometry Ginny Weiler. Ginny Weiler Take advantage of lines, shapes, and angles when reviewing your gardening ideas and laying out your yard to add drama and impact. Here, a square patch of lush green groundcover stands out when lined with palm trees and edged in smooth beach pebbles. This is an easy landscaping idea for the front of the house, too; just run a walkway between the trees up to the front door. 08 of 14 Frame Your Garden with Hedges and Fences Richard Felber. Richard Felber Add interest to your yard with structures. For example, use low fences or hedges to divide spaces and give each space or room its unique identity. Plus, the structures add interest all year long. In this playful example, curvaceous boxwood hedges draw the eye into the garden and look attractive every day of the year. 21 of the Prettiest Flowering Shrubs for Hedges 09 of 14 Make the Most of Trees and Shrubs Jon Jensen Photography. Jon Jensen Photography Trees and shrubs are some of the most critical players in a well-designed landscape. It's easy to use them to make an impact, especially if you select varieties that have colorful foliage. Go a step further with some creative pruning. Here, for example, sheared golden false cypress and columnar holly make for a delightful contrast against sheared purple barberry. 10 of 14 Place Garden Beds In Your Lawn Edmund Barr Photography. Edmund Barr Photography It's easy to plant all your beds and borders along the perimeter of your property, but adding an island bed that floats in your lawn is an easy landscaping idea for a good-looking yard. Make island beds extra effective by adding height to the center. Plus, you need to walk around the planting to see what's behind it, so it adds a bit of mystery. An Island Flower Bed That Looks Gorgeous from Every Angle 11 of 14 Freshen Up Planting Beds With Containers Peter Krumhardt. Peter Krumhardt If you have container gardens, chances are they're on your porch, entryway, deck, patio, or balcony. Too few gardeners consider mixing containers into their beds and borders. Large, colorful glazed or plastic containers add a bright splash, even without blooms. You can move them around to highlight different parts of your yard, plus it's easy to change out container gardens each season to liven up a tired look. 12 of 14 Mix and Match Plant Textures Jon Jensen Photography. Jon Jensen Photography Our eyes are attracted to color, and many gardeners stop there. But an easy landscaping idea is to add another layer of interest to your garden by incorporating texture. This landscaping idea features tidy mounds of blue fescue punctuated by an upright pyramid of Colorado blue spruce and dwarf black pine. A potted variegated yucca repeats the texture of the grass and adds a new color. 13 of 14 Break Up Monotony With Boldly Shaped Plants Jon Jensen Photography. Jon Jensen Photography Embrace plant shapes and use them in your landscape. Tuck in a few tall, upright plants to draw the eye up and break up the monotony of repeated mounding shrubs and perennials. Design yards with weeping plants, too: They add excitement, visual energy, and a unique, graceful shape to your yard. 14 of 14 Plant Shades of Green David McDonald Using a variety of shades of green helps add depth to your plantings. Bright chartreuse greens (seen in these 'Frisia' honey locust trees) catch the eye and stand out in the landscape, especially compared to the darker, richer tones often found in evergreens. Blue-greens add a softness and almost always harmonize well with other shades. 8 Garden Trends That Will Be Everywhere in 2024 Front Yard Landscaping for a Warm Welcome How to Landscape Front Yards and Entryways to Maximize Curb Appeal Front Yard Flower Bed Ideas for a Colorful and Bright Entryway 23 Ways to Add Curb Appeal for the Best Front Yard on the Block How to Build a Simple Entry Arbor for a Charming Front Yard 8 Small Front Yard Landscaping Ideas to Make the Most of Your Space Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit