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Dutch-Style,The Layout.
As a first advice, use enough time to figure out how you would like the construction of walls, bed and terraces. What kind of plants do you like?, how big do they get, do they compare to each other and so on.. You must select plants who makes good contrast, large leaves against small leaves, oval leaves against lanche-shaped, red against green and so on. Remember, the tallest plants must be put at the back or the sides, small plants in the front, or build up with terraces in the middle layer. What is The Dutch-style without one or more plants rows? Plant rows does always give a positive visual effect. A row that goes from the right back to left foreground is my favorite. Good plants for plants rows are Lobelia cardinalis, Limnophila sessiflora and aquaticum, most Ludwigia species, Michrantemum michrantemoides and Umbrosum. Javaferns and javamoss can also be a good choice if they are build up with terraces. .A plant must never grow taller then a plant behind it. Always avoid symmetry, avoid putting large solitaire plants in the dead center, your eyes will always focus on this. The asymmetrical layout should give the impression of varying depth, terraces should be build up of unequal height and size. The Dutch-style is famous for using many difficult plants. Its important that you avoid using to many easy fast growing types, so you don`t need to cut and trim to often, this will only disturb the aquascaping. Of course you should not`t avoid using them in the early stage of the setup.
Here you can see a layout of aDutch-style setup. In this picture the aquascaping is almost finished, very difficult plants as Myriophyllum tuberculatum and Rotala Wallichii is growing very nice. Hygrophila difformis makes a good foreground plants, because it is growing sideways in the strong blue light.
All plants on this picture shows different colors and shapes, The light green michrantemum gives a very good contrast to the light red Rotala wallichii. Darker green javamoss gives good contrast with the light green glossostigma and the red/green Ludwigia. I especially like the contrast of the Limnophila and the intense red Myriophyllum.