Hello Lisa.

Welcome back to another edition of THE PENCIL CASE! As always, each issue focuses on a theme to encourage a fresh look at garden design and graphics. This week let's explore lines of force...a magical tool to help you define garden rooms.

WHAT ARE LINES OF FORCE?

The lines of force concept is based on the idea of extending a series of lines from the existing architecture that can be used to define your proposed outdoor spaces. These lines create a grid as a guide, unify your design, plus provide purposeful placement of elements (like patios, planting beds and paths), rather than randomly dropping things throughout a site. 

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Lines of force is a powerful way to define the very important building block of landscape design: the garden room. The lines of force grid helps establish the floor plane of an outdoor area, then once the floor is defined, we can build up the walls and ceiling to capture the entire three-dimensional space.

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Lines of force is also an important step in the design process. Use this tool to define the conceptual spaces in a functional diagram (see image above), then use this grid to create details for specific areas like lawns, patios and planting beds.

STEP-BY-STEP

1. Place tracing paper over your basemap, then draw a 90 degree grid that extends lines vertically and horizontally from the edges of the house, garage, plus any other structure that will remain on the site.

2. Draw a 45 degree grid from all the same elements as you did in step 1. 

3. Place a new piece of tracing paper over your grid and start exploring shapes for your garden rooms which might include patios, lawn areas, bed lines, paths and structure placement (like sheds).

4. Add details like paving, plants, and furniture.

LINES OF FORCE INSPIRATION

Here is a post I wrote on HOW TO UNIFY YOUR LANDSCAPE using the lines of force process.

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A great book that discusses the lines of force concept is RESIDENTIAL LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE by Noman Booth and James Hiss.

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Lines of force is one of the first steps in defining an outdoor room. To learn more about creating a three dimensional space you're welcome to join us this month for my free GARDEN ROOM MASTERCLASS.

LET'S DO THIS! 

Print out your property map on Google maps, place tracing paper over it, add a grid, then start exploring possible garden rooms for your landscape. What kind of spaces can you create?

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Hang out with me for an IG Live with Sean and Allison at @spokengarden on Wednesday, September 20 at 11 AM US Central Time. Can't wait!

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If you're in Central Iowa, I'll be presenting at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden's ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM on October 21, 2023. This is an in-person event. You can register here. ♥︎ I'd love to see you!

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If you know someone that needs design inspiration, please feel free to share this newsletter. Anyone can subscribe right here. I also keep a VAULT of past issues in this secret location.

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Wishing you beautiful time in the garden.

All my best, 

Lisa 

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PAPER GARDEN WORKSHOP

Thank you to Mandy Orgler for designing the lovely graphics in all these newsletters.