With plants, they range from hedges or a single tree through to a full-on forest. Man made structures, such as houses, poles, arbours or sculptures all impact on our landscape. Even a bridge in the background can play a role in how you use your space.

All these elements provide what I like to call vertical reference. They help to define how other parts of the landscape relate to each other. They provide a sense of scale. We are fortunate to be living in a region abundant with natural vertical references. Our trees are tall and we have hills and mountains in most directions we look.

Many of us also have views, whether they are near or distant. The views can be framed by well placed structures or plants in your landscape. A view of the sea will be enhanced by a tree or pergola breaking the horizon line. A large, well shaped tree in the foreground, offset so as not to block the view, provides a perfect reference point to the scale and distance involved in the view.

However, not everyone has these grand elements at their disposal. A regular block in a suburb may have no better borrowed view than a sea of roofs. In this situation the buildings are automatically a vertical reference, though on their own in a landscape are not always aesthetically pleasing. If there is room, a single tall or spreading tree will break up the sky and soften the harsh lines of the house tops. Where a tree is not practical, tall shrubs and hedges will adequately give a sense of scale. Constructing an arbour or gazebo helps too.

Such elements also create a sense of space. They can be used to contain parts of your garden, creating cosy nooks or shaded entrances. They can be used to hide views until a certain part of your journey through the garden. And of course many vertical components of our landscape provide shade and relief from the summer sun.

There needs to be some sort of relationship between the vertical and horizontal elements. A house, alone on a grassed block stands out sorely. Whereas the moment it has a tree or a well place structure near it, the house becomes a home, the block becomes a garden.