Fall is the perfect time of year to begin planting trees and shrubs for the spring - and planning the perfect landscape design for your garden.

But where do you start when planning a garden that is pleasing to the eye?

Begin with form, color and texture, according to Jan Pierce, a design consultant with Pierce Landscape Designs in Gainesville, who recently taught a Lunch and Learn seminar at the Hall County Library's Gainesville branch.

Dave Harris, a Hall County Master Gardener, said he attended the seminar so he can design a garden for the colder months.

"Winter is a good time to plant and get ready for spring," he said.

Robert and Kathleen Karainson of Gillsville were looking for tips as they designed their 3-acre property. "I want my garden done right," said Kathleen, a Florida native.

Pierce said a well-planned garden not only puts plants in the right place, but gives you a sense of ease, too.

"To have a flowing garden that is easy on the eyes ... gives you peace in the garden," Pierce said. "In good garden design, everything has a purpose or a function."

Pick out a focal point

Beginning with form also means thinking about a focal point. Pierce said to consider a weeping-shaped tree.

"Weeping is a dramatic, striking element that your eye is going to go directly to, just like with vertical elements," she said.

There are also pyramidal trees, like many evergreens, that make a nice focal point in the garden.

When designing a garden in the front of your home, consider the front door the focal point.

"This is where you want to lead your guests in," Pierce said. "Keep the design simple - no more than seven plants in any one design area."

Color and contrast

Color, along with a contrast in texture, makes a dramatic look in your garden. You can create this through massings and groupings.

"Color is another thing that you have to think about, whether it is the color of flowers or whether it is the color of foliage, both matter in the landscape," she said. "Plant in groups of odd numbers - threes, fives, sevens, nines. ... That way it has a flowing design to plantings."

Pierce added that grouping and massing in the garden makes a bolder statement when you mass with one color.

"A greater impact is going to be one color," she said. "You can really see that it stands out more because your eye is confused when you are looking at all these different colors; ... it rests on a solid color."

Keep plants from competing

Pierce told gardeners to avoid pairing trees and shrubs together in your yard.

"Keep trees and shrubs out of the grass, because trees tend to compete, particularly oak trees, for nutrients," Pierce said. "Use vertical elements sparingly and follow the one-third to two-third ratio for limbing up plants."

This means keeping large elements in the landscape in proportion to the smaller ones.