Enterprise: Plant Science Unit: Landscaping Principles and PracticesFactor Information needed

I. Intro. A. Landscaping is a growing field with many career opportunities.B. Understanding the basics of landscaping is useful in every life.

II. Plant Selection

A. Selecting the correct plants for a landscape is critical for success.

B. Woody plants are primarily sold in three forms:

1. Bare-Root plantsa. Cheapest and lightweight.b. Slower growing and limited

planting times.2. Balled and Burlapped plants

a. better root system on larger plants.

b. Transplanting season is longer.c. Weigh a lot and are expensive.

3. Containerized plants

a. small and easy to handle.b. entire root system is intact.c. long transplanting time.d. can become rootbound.e. size is limited.

C. Herbaceous plants are sold in many forms:

1. seeds, bulbs, and bedding plants are the most common.

D. Plant selection factors:1. Role factors- what function will it serve.

2. Hardiness factors- will it survive.a. check hardiness zone for the plant. [1.] Zones 1 through 11 [2.] We are zone 4 (-20 to -30)

3. Physical factorsa. mature size and rate of

growth.

b. branching habit, density of the canopy, shape or silhouette.

4. Cultural factors- requirements for growth and maintenance.

a. What pruning will be needed.b. Is the soil and drainage

compatible.c. Is transplanting possible for time.d. Potential insect or disease

problems.e. Do all plants have similar needs.f. Are replacement plants available.g. What are the clients’

attitudes towards maintenance, etc.

c. thorns and flowering types.d. leaf size, thickness, and pubescence.e. type of root system.f. seasonal variations

A. The outdoor room concept requires the designer to create outdoor rooms that correspond to the indoor design.1. There can be up to four areas a. Public, Family, Service, Private

living.

2. The area should have walls, floor, and a ceiling.

III. Outdoor room concept

B. The public area is the area seen by the public from the road or sidewalk. It has three functions:1. Put the house in an attractive setting.2. Identify the entry.3. Provide access to the entry.

C. The family area is the social area of the landscape.1. Should tie into the social areas of the

house.

2. Is usually the largest room of the landscape.

D. The service area is the utility area of a landscape.1.Its size will vary on need and space2. Should be close to the kitchen and laundry areas or garage and includestorage areas, a kennel, clotheslines, etc.

E. The private living area adjoins the bedroom area of the house.

1. should provide a totally private area to enjoy.

2. It has to be directly accessible from the bedroom area.

3. Some landscapes will not have a private area.

IV. Design Principles

A. There are six principles of design which should be followed when designing landscapes.1. Balance- there are three types

a. symmetric- one side is the mirror image of the other.b. asymmetric- two sides are similar.

c. proximal/distal- must be balanced near and far.

2. Focalization of interest- positions visually strong items into the design.3. Simplicity-keep it simple as possible while maintaining interest.4. Rhythm and line- using repetition and lines to create smoothness.

5. Proportion- Keeping size relationships correct.6. Unity-All parts work together to create a design.

V.Flowers

A. Flowers can fill many roles in the landscape.1. colors create focal points2. smell good

3. attracts birds and butterflies4. soften harsh lines of buildings5. suggest changes of seasons

B. Limitations1. bees2. no winter value3. expensive and high maintenance

C. Life spans1. Annual- lives one year2. Perennial- lives several years3. Biennial- lives two years, usually

blooming the second year

D. Flower beds- freestanding and all flowers.1. designed to be seen from all sides2. should not be planted in public area, creates wrong focal point.3. difficult to design well.

E. Flower borders- flowers planted in front of other woody plants.1. only seen from one side.2. easier to control color effects.

F. Naturalized plantings are used to get park-like feel to area.

F. Naturalized plantings are used to get park-like feel to area.

VI. Hardscape

A. Enclosures have several functions.1. Define shape and limits of area.2. Control traffic patterns.

a. height more important 3. Provide privacy.

b. total privacy hard to achieve4. Serve engineering needs.

a. retaining wallsb. raised beds

5. Modify climatea. slow wind

6. The combination of plants and enclosure materials usually works best in landscapes.

a. A bare fence or wall can be boring.

B. Water features are growing in popularity. Limited only by imagination. 1. There are design concerns

a. What is its purpose?b. Is it for looks, sound or both?c. Should it be natural?d. Maintenance!!!e. Cost

C. Surfacing materials should not be overlooked when landscaping.There are four basic types:

1. Paving- high traffic areasa. Hard- concrete, brick, stone

1] advantages- durability, low maintenance, strength

2] disadvantages- heat absorption, hazardous when wet, glare, expenseb. Soft paving- asphalt, loose

aggregates (gravel, wood chips)

1] advantages- lower cost, faster toinstall, fit anywhere, easy to replace.2] disadvantages- maintenance, replacement needs, sticky or dusty.

2. Turf grass- used in low use areas3. Ground covers- no use areas4. flowers- no use areas

D. Some factors for selecting surfacing materials include:1. cost, amount of use, appearance, shape of area, effect on interior, maintenance.

E. Steps and ramps can be important parts of the landscape.

1. Steps can be informal in width (tread) and height (riser). 2. Number of steps needed to tie two elevations together is found by dividing the height change by the riser height desired.3. To match natural stride the formula T (tread width) + 2R (riser height) = 26” is used.

VII. Enrich-ment Items

A. Enrichment Items are parts of the landscape that do not form walls, etc.

1. They add interest or focal points.2. There are combinations from:

a. tangible (can be touched) or intangible (sensed but not touched).b. natural or fabricated.

3. Tangible, Natural Enrichment- boulders, rock outcroppings, etc.

4. Tangible, Fabricated Enrichment- outdoor furniture, lighting, art, water, etc.5. Intangible Enrichment- sound of running water, fragrances, wildlife sounds, etc.