There is no shortage of inspirational photos and landscape design ideas aimed at catching our attention on social media, TV, and in digital and traditional magazines. But when that one layout has you scrolling back for a second look or glued to a five-minute segment, it’s usually because it’s the perfect plan for your own backyard. And you can see it. The outdoor kitchen goes here; the pool would go there. But it’s the rare individual who sees the layout and asks, “What about line, form, color, texture, and scale?” In professional landscape design, these are the fundamental elements of a successful plan.
Since 2009, we’ve been transforming properties across Nashville, Franklin, Brentwood, Belle Meade, and surrounding Middle Tennessee neighborhoods so that they do more than emulate a magazine feature. At Landscape Solutions, we tailor every design to the land, the home’s architecture, and how you want to live outdoors. Our in-house design department, supported by a team of more than 25 design-build experts, creates custom design plans that begin with a homeowner’s vision and carry through to hand-drawn renderings, 3D modeling, construction, and the finished landscape.
What Are the Five Elements of Landscape Design?
The five elements of landscape design are line, form, texture, color, and scale. Line guides movement through a property, form gives plants and structures their shape, texture adds contrast and depth, color sets the mood from season to season, and scale keeps every feature in proportion to the home and your lot.
Here’s what that means in practice:
Line: Walkways, garden bed edging, and retaining walls guide the eye and foot traffic. For homes in Franklin and College Grove, where many properties feature slopes and rolling terrain, line has to follow the grade, so paths and walls work with the land, not against it.
Form: The layered branching of a redbud or dogwood combined with rounded oakleaf hydrangeas and columnar evergreens gives a property a pleasing structure that feels natural.
Texture: Pairing Tennessee’s native fieldstone and limestone with fine ornamental grasses and evergreen foliage is what creates contrast and visual excitement.
Color: Influences mood, directs the eye, and creates seasonal rhythm. A well-planned garden layers monochromatic, analogous, or complementary palettes so one gives way to another throughout the seasons.
Scale: The size of a feature relative to the home and the space around it. Scale determines whether outdoor areas are welcoming rather than overwhelming or cramped. (No one wants to feel like a giant in a tiny courtyard or get lost in massive but barren acreage.)
What Goes Into a Landscape Design Plan?
Studies suggest that fine residential landscaping can add roughly 12–15% to your home’s value, and it all begins with a landscape design plan that considers site analysis and regional soil conditions, high-quality hardscaping and outdoor living zones, plant selection and horticulture, and year-round interest. Home renovation expert Bob Vila points out that one of the biggest mistakes homeowners make is landscaping piecemeal, adding plants and features without an overall plan until the property looks like a “hodgepodge.” A professionally prepared design keeps the result cohesive and the budget in check.
At Landscape Solutions, the same team conceptualizes and builds the plan. Our founder, Cliff Jones, studied landscape architecture and landscape contracting and management at Mississippi State and spent the early part of his career in land planning and engineering. That skill set, from soil and slope to how water moves across a property, shapes our good-enough-is-not-enough approach to design, construction, and maintenance.
Brad, a Nashville native with more than 20 years of design experience and a plant sciences degree from the University of Tennessee, leads planting and horticulture. His planting plans favor native species wherever they fit, and his work on several Cheekwood Estate and Gardens projects, most recently the Blevins Japanese Garden renovation and restoration, reflects the horticultural detail he brings to private properties. He also introduced 3D modeling into our workflow, so homeowners can see how a finished space will look before we break ground.
Once a design is installed, Property Care Manager Ethan Swiggart helps keep it thriving. His background in horticulture and plant science, including published research on plant disease and plant-microbe interactions, forms the basis for comprehensive maintenance, from seasonal pruning to catching problems early.
What does that look like on paper? It starts with a survey and site analysis that map your property’s slopes, soil, sun and shade, and existing trees. A master plan then lays out the whole property at once, including circulation, outdoor living areas, views, and future additions. Designer Daniel, who trained in sustainable landscape design and interned as a Rosarian at the Biltmore Estate, walks homeowners through this plan early so they can picture what their backyard can become. A planting plan and phased budget follow.
What You’re Paying For When You Request a Professional Landscape Design
Much of a design’s value is in how it works with your property above ground and below. Detailed grading moves water away from your house, and on Middle Tennessee’s heavy clay soil and sloped lots, drainage such as swales, French drains, and catch basins keeps patios from settling and garden beds from washing out.
Custom lighting adds safety and ambiance, illuminating pathways and bringing out trees and stonework. We lay out wiring before the hardscape goes in, which keeps the schedule on track and avoids conflicts with other elements. Materials are specified by type, quantity, and source, whether Tennessee fieldstone, limestone, or porcelain pavers, so the finished space suits how you want to spend time outdoors with friends and family.
How Much Does Landscape Design Cost?
An outdoor space tailored to your property and terrain is an investment, so the numbers should be clear from the start. Every project is different, but most fall within a few ranges: small-scale improvements run $5,000 to $15,000, mid-sized outdoor projects $15,000 to $50,000, and full outdoor living projects and luxury environments $50,000 to $150,000 or more. Most come in between $25,000 and $100,000, which allows for thoughtful design, quality materials, and smooth, phased construction.
Final pricing depends on project size and scope, material and labor costs, and the level of customization. Our Pricing page breaks down our landscape design services by project size and by individual service, including outdoor living plans, pool and spa designs, and native plant design.
Approvals such as grading, stormwater, tree protection, and HOA review vary by municipality, so we plan for them before construction starts.
Ready For Your Custom Landscape Design Plan?
Whether you’re picturing a resort-style backyard or a refined estate update, our landscape designers are ready to make your plans a reality. Work with the pros in Middle Tennessee. Schedule a consultation and a custom estimate today.