Hard and Soft Landscaping ... getting the balance right

Now of course you know the difference, hard = constructed surfaces, walls, paving etc and soft = natural, plants, lawn, trees etc. Creating balance between the built and manmade areas of a garden and the natural elements is key to any successful design.
When choosing items for a garden it's interesting that less is more. The best way of focusing attention on any one item is to place it within its opposite. For example a courtyard space with man-built surfaces will focus attention and amplify the nature of a single tree within that space. Similarly a stone or ceramic item placed within and amongst plants will be the focal point within the scheme, though small relatively speaking. Its position and presence can be a constant source of pleasure when it appears in view around a corner or through a gateway.