Create Harmony with Transition Zones in Your Landscape

When homeowners call us after trying their hand at a major landscape design overhaul themselves, they often tell us their struggle with making their desired landscape “flow.” This is a challenge our team of landscape architects embraces – it’s what we do best! We have over 30 years of experience helping homeowners marry various design elements in a well-thought-out plan that stands out beautifully.

Whether you live on a waterfront property, have a sloped yard or simply want to incorporate several different outdoor elements, these transition areas look best when they are gradual rather than abrupt. Here are a few example scenarios to learn where we can help you with your home:

Waterfront Properties

If you own waterfront property you know that along with amazing views and recreational convenience comes the headache of additional maintenance and planning. Ponds, streams, lakes and rivers benefit when there is a transition zone, often of native plants, between the water’s edge and the yard. Waterfront properties also naturally slope downward toward the water. While it is easy to deem this space unusable, a skilled landscape architect firm, such as Dreamscape Designers, can transform sloped areas with shrubs, flower beds, hardscapes, multi-leveled decks or patios, steps or paver walkways so you can make the most of your entire property.

Sloping or Split-Level Yards

Your landscaping should provide a smooth transition from upper and lower levels on a sloped yard, but the logistics of this can be tricky for many homeowners to do themselves. Landscape steps or stairs can provide a comfortable transition from the driveway to your patio or front walkway. Maybe an archway is the ticket for a gradual transition from higher to lower levels in your yard. Or consider installing a retaining wall to better define the space, in addition to minimizing erosion between these gradients.

Merging Different Elements

Your lush, green lawn and carefully planned beds of flowers and shrubs don’t have to stand apart from each other. A beautiful yard incorporates elements that blend the areas where different materials meet – from patio to grass, water to lawn, flowers to hardscapes, and more.

Garden edging, whether with rocks, bricks, natural stone or cobble, creates a pleasant link between planted beds and surrounding patios or grass. An apron of bricks or a different stone can help break up the start of a walkway against a driveway or other hardscape. Create visual flow with areas of neutral elements that serve to soften the transition between these spaces.

Creating harmony in your yard means looking at the big picture as well as the individual parts. Dreamscape Designers has been working with Hampton Roads homeowners for over thirty years create yards that are stunning (and functional!) works of art.

When you’re ready to resolve the challenges of transitional design in your yard, give us a call at (757) 412-1265 for a free, no-obligation estimate!