Garden design is a science with a lot of different techniques to make your landscape into something that not only grows well, but functions practically and looks great. But there are many tricks to the trade. One element that can help any space accommodate a more scenic garden is to use space – to sculpt what exists and use illusion where it doesn’t. There are many ways to make your garden appear much more than it is. You can build illusion into your landscape to punch up the assets or to disguise any short-comings on your property. Here are some tips on how to build illusion into your landscape.

* Small trees will give the illusion of distance. To make a garden look larger, plant small trees in the furthest spaces. You can build illusion into a landscape to make a small garden look larger by using perspective. For example, a large tree will make the general area look even smaller. A small tree in a short distance will read as a larger tree viewed more distantly
* Large trees will dwarf a garden unless the space is so small that the canopy has the effect of a roof and the trunk is like a wall in which case the tree won’t register much as a tree from a perspective view anyway. But it can create a natural outdoor room.
* You can create a rolling effect without having to move a lot of soil by planting gardens or areas of the ground cover plants that grow at different heights.
* Create ‘windows’ to look through to define special spaces or punch up a focal point. ‘Windows’ can be in the form of shrubbery or walls that have spaces to look through, actual windows hung from patio overhangs or cut in walls, or the spaces between objects or structures. Creating window views adds an illusion of complexity.
* Distract the eye from something you want to down-play by refocusing attention elsewhere. Creating a focal point will help move the attention to where you prefer someone to be looking.
* Disguise ugly features by growing vines over them or surrounding them with decorative panels.
* Paint objects a bright color, grab attention with showy décor or plant hot colored flowers in reds, yellows and oranges to make an area stand out. Conversely, blend in areas you want to down-play with dull colors or masking walls, vines or facades.
* Elongate short spaces by building a winding path that draws out the look of distance. This works especially well when landscaping hills and slopes.
* Break up long spaces by dividing them with fences, structures, patios, hedges or other items to partition off space and create rooms. You can create intrigue by inviting someone from one outdoor ‘room’ to the next with an archway or decorative gate.
* Disguise utility areas with decorative fencing or handsome planter areas that will hide eye-sores.
* Paint murals behind narrow garden areas on walls or fences to add the illusion of depth.
* Hide smaller pipes and utilities under fake rocks or grow shrubs around them to disguise them.

Other things you can do are to use the overall effect of your landscape area to play with illusion. For example, lighting can transform the whole feel of your property. Use lighting at night to pick out features that will make your garden glow. You can spotlight only the areas you want creating the illusion of a whole new and different garden from the daytime view. Or you can be more subtle by simply highlighting certain gardens, your front door, a seating area or a single focal point in the garden.

You can divide space up by light or by passageways. Create pathways that meander to break apart areas. If your space is shallow, make the path start wide and narrow as it continues to form an illusion that it is stretching much further away.

These are just some ways you can use illusion to change the shape and effect of your garden. With some tricks of space and color you can make any garden look better.