The Cone of Vision

The cone of vision is a concept I learned about in an illustration class.  Understanding it helps the artist create realistic scenes because it captures approximately what your eye can see without moving your head.  (Imagine drawing  a fifteen degree line from your eye to both the right and left of your eye - that is about what your cone of vision will be.) You can use it to design gardens that are unified and pleasing.

If you have a garden that is open to the street and not obscured by trees, buildings, and hills,and if the garden is first seen from far away, the cone of vision is large.  That is, more can be seen even though the angle does not change. A garden seen from far away should have a unified theme, feeling, or color scheme.  This garden will probably also be seen at an intermediate and close distance.  Use variety in color, foliage, and bloom time to make the garden interesting from these distances as well.

People who plan municipal gardens along streets use the cone of vision to design gardens that will make a big impact when people drive by in cars.  Most people are going to get a very quick view of the garden, and usually from specific angles.  A garden might first be viewed as a curve is rounded - perhaps shrubs will be placed so as not to be parallel to the street - but at an angle to it - giving the best view. The municipal gardener does not need to invest in a big assortment of plants - just the opposite.  Too much variety will confuse the viewer's eye and create an unpleasant experience.

Small gardens, such as those found in urban townhomes have a limited cone of vision.  Here, variety is important.  Too much of the same plant is boring and depressing.  Different  foliage types, plant shapes (tall, rounded, pendulous,,,), foliage color, and bloom time should be used.  Just make sure that you help the eye move through and around the garden.

A third type is where the garden is seen  up-close and  intermediate distances.  I have included pictures  from one of my borders to help illustrate how I have used cone of vision.

The first picture shows part of the garden as you approach it.  A rhododendron obscures the rest of the border.

 
This view includes some pretty irises - but you have to keep moving to see more.  This area is a tease. It should encourage people to look for more garden.

This next picture shows what you see as you proceed around the bend.

There is more to see, and it is quite pleasing.

As you continue to walk, you can look at one section of the garden from fairly close.

This part of the border has a pleasant color scheme and good foliage variety.  Notice the dwarf Alberta spruce to the left of the picture. It is an important design element, as can be seen in the next and final photo.

That same Alberta spruce can be seen in the distance now.  It helps break up the border into "rooms".  The first "room", all the way to the left, will soon have lots of hot colors - bright oranges, yellows, and yellow oranges.  The second "room", the one that you see in the above two photos, has a calmer, pastel palate.  The third "room", created by the placement of another Alberta spruce, is one with shade loving plants.  All three "rooms" have a different feel.  It would have looked funny to have "hot" colors next to pastels next to muted shade lovers.  Separating the areas with shrubs lets you look at the entire border and find it satisfying, rather than jarring.

Next time, how to use color to create balance in a border.