The Art of Man-Made and Landscape Design

To state the obvious, a landscape is a visible element comprised of land and landforms that are integrated with both man-made and natural features. It will include everything from a geophysical perspective, in the larger sense such as mountains water bodies such as rivers, lakes, oceans, ponds, and similar land components like vegetation, grass, plants, transitory components, and buildings. All of these get affected by one main thing, the weather. This one aspect shapes the identity of any land and its included particles.

It helps to differentiate one region from the next and indirectly in many ways it also brings meaning to the identity of the population that lives in those certain parts of the world. It is almost like a basis of people’s lives. By this we mean for instance, if one is surrounded by fertile soil on which they create a farm, this would be farmland, perhaps the landscape is wilder and more filled with wildlife or mountains and valleys. Whatever the case our identity is in many ways characterized by our surrounding areas. Are you with us so far? It gets less complicated moving forward, we promise.

So, why are we taking this angle? Keep reading to find out.

Landscaping and The Act Thereof

As mentioned above the character of the land, helps develop history and gives us an idea of the kind of people that live in it. The self-image to a certain extent defines the habitation of people and because the world is filled with a vast range of different landscapes from arid deserts to rich fertile vegetation that harbors tropical rainforests, it is the act of modifying this plane that is often referred to as “landscaping”.

There are two types of landscapes, namely man-made and natural. Only one of the two can be changed and has been done so for decades to produce exquisite back yards, corporate grounds, and man-made parks and recreational areas. Can you guess which one is it? We shall investigate both briefly below.

The Natural Landscape

When the earth’s crust changes over time and as a result there are variations in the top layer, it leads to an assortment of things such as new wild vegetation, bigger rocks formations, cracks in the ground, waterfalls emerge, trees disappear and new ones appear, mountains and valleys emerge. You get the picture.

This is a land that is untouched by the human hand and can be an aesthetic marvel at times. Take for example the untouched natural landscape of Wales, Snowdonia. It is filled with valley, mountains, and hilltops of some of the most amazing and some of the most remarkable sceneries available to man. You can find more about Snowdonia here. This is just one of the thousands of examples.

As hard as it may be seen to imagine, some natural places are even more beautiful than the man-made ones. Look at some of the famous landscape art the likes of Vincent Van Gogh and Claude Monet painted.  

Man-Made Landscape

As the name implies, this ground has been altered by man. This can be done by either adding or removing trees, flowers, soil, water features, structures, and any additions or removals that can enhance the look and feel of the place. Mainly done on recreational lands such as homes, offices, and natural parks. There are also the additions of “Green buildings” in recent decades that not only enhance the environment but also make a building look beautifully adorned with green foliage, helping the oxygen and carbon dioxide exchanges to increase by ten-fold, which is ultimately good for the environment.

You might not know it, but there are epic manmade landscapes that can be found in Nevada. Even most of the houses with backyards and front lawns have landscape design in Carson City to showcase every homeowners sense of creativity. Not only does it give a property appeal, but it also raises the value of one immensely. And the money that you spend getting unique features, trees, and plants added to space, will account for the sale value in the end and who knows, you may just make an exorbitant profit too!

If this is your thing and you would rather work with professionals in creating something exquisite out of nothing, there are tons of things one can do with both small and large spaces. Below we have incorporated some visual and other ideas to incorporate into your space that will guarantee this happens.

Ideas for Man-Made Landscaping Your Back Yard/Front Yard

1. Add Some Stone. That’s right, use natural materials to enhance the natural space. Take for example a natural path made of stone. Are you getting the idea yet? Not only is this an aesthetic idea, but it is also a pragmatic one. They are beautiful, easy to layout, and serve the purpose of leading visitors on a path to your front door, as opposed to people walking all over your lawn.

2. Add Some Garden Furniture. If you have never had garden furniture, this will open a world of possibilities for you and your home. Adding a bench or chairs in the lawn helps add some additional space for you or anyone else in the family to enjoy the outdoors, get a bit of sunshine, and perhaps even dine alfresco while you’re at it. It could be a place for you to do your reading, thinking, and meditating. Don’t forget to add a base to the ground first, something like pebbles or stone will help, onto which you can add the furniture.

3. Can Anyone Say “Fire”? Ever wondered what adding a fire pit could do to your back lawn? During summer, this can be one of the best hang our places for you, your family, and your friends to have a nice evening shin-dig. Not only will you be the envy of the neighborhood but it will save you going out and rather having your whole family and friends in one place without having to dress up and book a restaurant. Get some marshmallows going and enjoy a good story by the fire.

4. Get That English Country-Home Vibe. Ever walked through an English country home to see how scenic ad beautiful the cottages are? With hanging English Ivy on the front porch or patio roses adorning the exterior walls, you could turn something simple into something elegant in no time. Perhaps add some elongated topiaries to the mix as well.

Roses are some of the loveliest additions to any home, and when hanging down from the roof, make an even better statement. Talking about flowers, lining the front staircase, or ay staircase outside looks incredible with a path or roses here too or any flowering plant. It gives the warmest welcome to guests and family alike.

5. Natural Garden Flower Beds. The ideal way to separate sections of your yard is to use flower beds. Place some Infront of the parking lot where you park your car or create wooden garden beds with an array of flowering plants and lavender to create an exquisite contrast, surrounded by stone.

We hope these ideas have sparked some interest in you to get your hands dirty this summer. Happy landscaping!