Incorporating More Texture Into Your Landscape Design in Madison, WI

Being at home during these turbulent times can mean an opportunity to plan and install a landscape you’ll enjoy now as well as for many, many years to come. One way to add interest is to incorporate more texture into your landscape design in Madison, WI. In this article, we’ll show you some great ways to do that.

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Hardscape Textures

Start with the area you’re going to use the most: your patio. Underfoot, you can add texture by choosing natural stone such as bluestone or flagstone. Both of these stones feature a variety of textures, from completely smooth to higly textured. Or, if you prefer a more uniformly textured surface, choose concrete pavers that are designed to be barefoot-friendly while still maintaining their textural appeal.

Remember that texture is both tactile and visual. You can clearly feel textures, but even a relatively smooth element like a brick, has some inherent texture; and when laid side-by-side in a herringbone pattern, dozens and dozens of bricks create a highly textured visual thanks to the joint lines zig-zagging back and forth.

Mix and match textures on the patio floor for even more visual interest. You could surround the main field with a more- or less-textured counterpart. For example, use brick as a border to a bluestone patio; or use charcoal-colored, polished cobblestones to contrast buff colored, textured flagstone.

Moving vertically, retaining walls and seat walls are a great way to add texture. Whether you love the look of stacked flagstone, the hefty look of granite blocks, or a mixture of sleek wall tiles and textured stone accents, walls are a designer’s dream! “Hand-hewn” rustic textures are typically associated with relaxed spaces and sleek, smooth textures are typically associated with elegant and modern spaces, don’t feel too constrained by these “rules.” For example, pairing a traditional brick patio in a herringbone pattern looks stunning next to a minimalist white home!

Whether you like complementary textures or you want to go for a bold look with dramatic contrasts, textures make your outdoor living space much more interesting!

Softscape Textures

Moving outward from your patio, you are surrounded by vegetation. A layered landscape will provide the most textural interest. To create a layered landscape, start from the outside and work your way toward you. In the back you have tall, dense, and dark evergreens, tall deciduous trees, and dense shrubs. Contrast the textures of the backdrop plants with medium-height shrubs, annuals, and perennials that run the gamut of colors, shapes, and textures. For example, soft billowing ornamental grasses look amazing next to tall flowers such as Black Eyed Susans, coneflowers (echinacea), or daisies. Or, you can fill the intermediate space with broad-leafed hostas or delicate ferns. The soft textures of these plants offer a stark textural contrast to thorny rose bushes, or spiky holly. In the foreground, mosses and succulent ground covers as well as turf grasses create a wonderfully soft transition from hardscape to landscape. 

Pay particular attention to bark and foliage when selecting plants with textural interest, especially when you consider how plants will look in various seasons. A dogwood shrub, for example, looks beautiful when covered in foliage, but its reddish bark is an absolute delight to see in the middle of a grey winter’s day! While a rose bush is a delightful combination of soft flowers, spiky leaves and thorny stems, only the thorny stems will grace your landscape in the dead of winter. It’s a stark, yet beautiful look!

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