The Landscape Architect's Toolkit: Rhythm

The path’s curves and the spacing of its stones slow the visitor’s pace through this Palo Alto landscape, while the repetition of silver and purple foliage creates a soothing visual rhythm. Photo ©Jude Parkinson-Morgan.

Just as a great composer understands many different instruments to create an inspiring masterpiece, the best landscape architects draw from a deep knowledge of design principles to craft beautiful outdoor spaces that reflect the homeowner’s personal style and enhance their enjoyment of their property. We wrote earlier about contrast; another of our favorite elements to use in creating our designs is rhythm.

Rhythm in landscape design refers to the repetition of elements throughout a space to create a sense of pace, unity, and flow. This can be achieved with plants, hardscape materials, amenities, and more.

Of course plants are foremost in any garden design, and repeating the same plant species throughout a space is an obvious way to achieve a rhythm. Spacing those plants an equal distance apart creates a regular pace, like the beat of a drum, but the spacing can also be increased or decreased to slow or quicken the effect. Landscape architects use this technique to subtly move people through a garden by guiding their eyes, and it works with groupings of plants as well as individual specimens.

Hardscape features such as walkways, patios, and walls can also be used to create rhythm in the landscape. Placing stepping stones closer or farther apart influences how quickly or slowly a person moves through a landscape; a continuous walkway allows them to find their own rhythm, but if the path winds or bends those variations can create a rhythm. On a hillside property, the landscape architect designs stairs and landings to orchestrate the experience in a vertical dimension.

Another way to create rhythm, whether with plants or hardscaping, is by repeating color schemes—for instance, a specific palette of flowers or foliage, or specific hues of stone or concrete. Across a larger estate, repeating the same stone on different patios creates a sense of unity and flow among outdoor rooms. Even designing with plants’ seasonal colors in mind creates a rhythm, as the garden evolves predictably over the months and years.

Repeating the same shape at different sizes enhances the mood-lifting effect of these frames planted with succulents. Photo ©Jude Parkinson-Morgan.

Other landscape elements, such as containers, benches, water features, sculptures, and lighting, can also be used to create rhythm in the landscape. Repeating elements throughout the space creates a sense of harmony and makes the space feel cohesive.

It’s important to note that rhythm doesn’t always mean repeating identical elements—it can mean repetition of similar elements, or a variation on a theme. For example, a large fountain can be a focal point in a front yard, with the theme of water repeated elsewhere on the property in the form of smaller water features, plants whose forms evoke water, or even simply the color blue.

By skillfully applying the design principle of rhythm, the landscape architect can create a cohesive and visually appealing outdoor space. Whether subtle or obvious, rhythm “controls the narrative” and helps the user find maximum enjoyment in the landscape.