In the picture above, a landscape island is established with landscape edging. The landscape edging sets off one area of the lawn from the rest.

After plants and a lawn ornament are added, the result in the landscape design illustrated above is a focal point.

Remember to show some restraint in the number of focal points you create. First of all, creating superfluous focal points defeats the purpose: Rather than focusing the eye on a landscaping highlight, they confuse the viewer. Each additional focal point within sight dilutes the impact of the others.

On a more practical note, mowing the lawn is more work when you have to maneuver the lawn mower through a veritable obstacle course of such landscape islands!

In the next landscaping picture we'll deal with the perpetually tricky issue of landscaping not the front yard or backyard, but the side of a yard.