LANDSCAPING

LANDSCAPING
is a process that makes changes to an area of land.
- Refers to the treatment given to a piece of land in order to make it
attractive and beautiful. Landscaping is becoming common as it
beautifies an area, adds calmness and freshness to the surroundings,
and increases the property value.
It is important for offices, residences, educational institutes,
supermarkets, etc., as it is the building’s exterior that leaves the first
impression on people. Parks and gardens offer a place to people to
relax and enjoy the nature’s beauty.
Plants - The addition of ornamental, edible, native or other
types of landscaping plants.
 A LANDSCAPE CONSISTS OF BOTH
LIVING AND NON-LIVING THINGS

These are the components of the landscape.

NON-LIVING COMPONENTS might be rocks, gravel paths,
timber, walls etc.

These non-living components can be looked on in two ways:

• as the materials which they are made up of; and
• as the structures or things which the materials are used to make.
LIVING COMPONENTS of the landscape are the plants (and
perhaps the animals which inhabit it).

A landscape is made good or bad by the way in which these

components are both selected and are arranged together.
The landscape is constantly changing, and a good designer must
foresee and account for changes which are likely to occur. Plants
grow, flower and die.
Wooden structures rot and metal ones rust. Earth can erode.
The garden continually changes through the cycle of the season. A
skilled landscape designer will not only be aware of, but will use
these changes.
 STEPS IN LANDSCAPE DESIGN
1. Identification of site: Identify the site for two purposes.
a. Public garden: Give importance for likings of the public utility or recreation
b. Private garden: Give importance for owners comfort.

2. Analysis: Need to study two factors a. Physical factor- climate, weather, soil
type, existing vegetation, existing manholes, roads, path b. Social factors-
People’s choice, region, religion.

3. Measuring up: Draw rough sketch of the area like existing features, length
and width of all features.
4. Drawing to the scale: Based on sheet available for small garden 1: 50 and
for big garden 1: 100.

5. Evolving a pattern: Fence, lawn, flower beds, hedge, edge, border,

waterfalls, rock garden, pond, shrubbery, island beds, carpet beds, standards
etc.

6. Turning pattern into reality: Mark the area using pegs and bars and plant
the permanent features on marked ground.
 GARDEN ELEMENTS AND DESIGNS

MAJOR ELEMENTS: Plants and Water.

MINOR ELEMENTS: Stones, Bricks, Tiles, Tar, Metal, Grass, Plastic,

and Wood.

OTHER ELEMENTS: Light, Sound, Aroma, Touch, Food, Amusement

items.
 MAJOR ELEMENTS
A. Plants
The plant in the garden can be use either for their aesthetic
uses or functional uses. The details are as follows.
1. Aesthetic purpose:
a) Avenue planting- flower parade
b) Ground planting
c) Shrubbery, rockery, topiary, hedges, edges
d) Potted plant, flower beds, borders
e) Ground cover
f) Water garden
 2. Functional purpose:

a) Pollution control
b) Noise reduction
c) Control of soil erosion
d) Wind breaks
e) To mitigate the effects of climate change
f) Provision of habitat for the bird, animals
 Criteria for selection of plants:
Certain morphological characters should be considered for selecting the plants;
1. Height of the plant
2. Types of branches- upright/drooping/ horizontal
3. Spread and width of the plant
4. Form of the plant
5. Type of plant- evergreen, deciduous
6. Color of the plant
7. Texture of the plant- smooth, rough
8. Flowering time of the plant
B. Water:
Water has the ability to change form; at low temperature
water freezes, evaporates at
high temperature and liquefies at moderate temperature
 1. Aesthetic use:
a) Waterfalls- cascade type, fountains, streams, lakes,
b) ponds, and chute
c) Water is used for creating reflection during night time
d) along with lighting
e) The use of water helps in reducing the temperature in
f) the microclimate
g) Sound of water makes a person feel comfortable
h) Flowing water may mask the unwanted sounds
2. Functional use:
Water will nourish the plant, increase growth and development
 MINOR ELEMENTS
1. Stones:
For creating rockery, statues or sculptures, to imitate natural
water falls, garden benches, paths/walks
Stone radiates heat should be used carefully.

2. Bricks:
For creating garden walls, ponds
As paving material
For constructing planter boxes
3. Wood:
Wood adds color and texture to the garden
Used for creating paths, steps, garden bridges, ornamental fences,
arches, pergolas and trellis.

4. Metal:
For creating artistic features like garden bridges, arches, pergolas, arbor,
fence, light stands, metal gardens
Used as a frame material for plants to grow on, when used for topiary
Metals should be treated with anti corrosive materials before using in
the out doors
5. Sculptures:
Artistic materials adds beauty to the garden with the use of stones,
granites, sandstone, marbles, metals
Sculptures includes birds, human being, animals etc.
It can be kept in front, middle part, and in running streams of the garden.

6. Glass:
It includes mist chamber, Green house, Conservatory, Terrariums
7. Concrete:
Used for creating drives, paths, walks, ground cover

8. Tar/ Asphalt:
Creating drives

9. Plastic:
Drippers, sprinklers, pots, waste bin
 OTHER ELEMENTS:

1. Lighting: Illumination, focusing the focal points, illuminating water

2. Sound: Waterfalls, running streams, musical fountain,
and wind chimes
3. Smell: Planting of aromatic plants in different parts of
the garden. Trees, Aromatic plants, annual beds can be
used
4. Touch: Texture of materials like plant surface,
sculptures, paving, Garden benches
5. Food: Created at outside boundary of the garden
 BASIC PATTERNS IN GARDEN DESIGN

1. Circular pattern- series of circles can utilize to create circular. It is

used in formal and informal gardens.

2. Diagonal pattern- draws a grid line at 45 degrees to the boundary.

It is also used in formal and informal gardens.

3. Rectangular pattern- it is utilized in formal garden in a

symmetrical manner.
 PRINCIPLES OF LANDSCAPE DESIGN
The basic principles of landscape design are those things which influence the
way in which the components are used. For example, the over-riding principle
in CHINESE GARDENS IS UNITY – between rocks, plants and water.
for LE NOTRE, a famous 17th Century French designer, a very important
principle was that of symmetry, while for CAPABILITY BROWN, an influential
18th century English landscaper, the most important principle was for
landscapes to be natural in appearance.

Ground form, structures and plants all need to be organized into a pleasing
composition of spaces to satisfy the principles chosen by the designer with an
emphasis to suit the client.
Some of the principles which can be used are
discussed below:

1. UNITY
Unity is achieved by grouping, placing or arranging in such a
way that several individual components appear to have a sense of
oneness. A desirable appearance needs to be achieved from all
points of view. A repetitive pattern can be used to create unity.
For example, if you are placing rocks in the garden, use the same
type of rock throughout the garden, rather than an assortment of
rocks with varying shapes, colors and textures.
2. BALANCE
This refers to equilibrium, which can be either
symmetrical or asymmetrical. With symmetrical balance there
is duplication on either side of an imaginary line of landscape
components in terms of line, form or color - for example, two
similarly shaped garden beds in front of a house.

Symmetry is an important feature of formal landscapes.

 Asymmetrical balance involves dissimilar placement of
different objects or masses on either side of the same sort
of imaginary line, but in a way that equilibrium still exists –
for example, three or five silver birch trees planted in a
group. Asymmetry gives the garden a more relaxed, natural
appearance.
Symmetrical Balance Asymmetrical Balance
3. PROPORTION
This refers to proper sizing or scaling of components in
relation to each other and to the total landscape; for example,
tall trees are not in proportion if used in a small courtyard, nor
is a small shrub in proportion in the middle of a large expanse
of lawn.
4. HARMONY
This refers to the way different parts of the landscape fit
together. Overall, most designers strive to achieve harmony.
5. CONTRAST
Contrast is in opposition to harmony and should not be
overdone. Occasional contrasts are used to create an eye
catching feature in a garden; for example, contrasting foliage
texture, colour or form provides a focal point in the garden.
6. RHYTHM
Is a conscious repetition of equal or similar components
in the garden. It is usually created by repetition and transition
(the slow change from one thing to another).
 DESIGN ELEMENTS
The components which are used in a landscape design have a
number of qualities or characteristics which need to be considered
when trying to achieve the principles of design. These qualities can
be controlled by the designer not only in the selection which is made
of the components, but also in the way those components are used.

These qualities are sometimes referred to as design elements:

 Line
Line can be either fixed or moving. Examples of fixed lines are borders of paths, fences, walls,
the outline of a building, the shape of a statue and the edge of a lawn. Examples of moving lines
are the edge of a shadow and the outline of a fast-growing plant.
 Form
Form is the outline or three-dimensional shape of an object.

Plants with different forms create different effects

 Mass
Mass is the degree of solidity of forms. Heavier, denser or darker foliage will create the effect of
greater mass.

Mass of plants varies. Some have dense foliage and some more open.
Deciduous plants have more mass when in leaf and less mass when leaves
drop.
 Space
Space is the volume defined by physical boundaries such as walls, trees, shrubs, ground surface
and the sky or canopy of plants above.
 Texture
Texture refers to the patterning of the components of the landscape: coarse or fine, rough or
smooth etc. Texture is significant when considering scale, particularly in more intimate, smaller
areas. There is texture in plants, wood, stone, gravel, and even in water as the wind blows over
its surface.
 Color
Color can be used for harmony or contrast. Generally (but not always) designers use contrasting
colors sparingly. In general pale, cool colors (blue, green, white, silver and pastel shades) create
a relaxing atmosphere in the garden, while hot, vibrant colors (reds, yellows, orange, bright
pink) demand attention and subconsciously encourage activity.

Different spaces with different dominant colors

 Tone
Tone is the relationship between color, light and texture.

Consider that gardens

change as shade changes
throughout the day.
 CREATING LANDSCAPE EFFECTS
• Close mowing tends to make an area seem larger.
• A smooth boundary will make an area seem larger.
• Shadows or openings at one side of an area will make it seem
wider.
• Looking downhill makes a distance seem longer.
• Looking uphill makes a distance seem shorter.
• Too much repetition and harmony are monotonous.
• Too much contrast is chaotic.
• Spaces which are too small can be oppressive.
• Long spaces (in large scale public landscapes) can be
overdone becoming psychologically exhausting.
• To achieve a harmony in space in enclosed areas the ratio of
building height to space width should be no more than 1:4.
• Introduced landforms, reshaping of land, should blend in
with existing topography.
• Coarse textures decrease the apparent size of spaces.
• Fine textures will make small spaces look bigger.
• Flowing curved lines are passive, soft and pleasant.
• Geometric lines and shapes are solid, strong and formal.
• Sharp, straight irregular lines create an active, vigorous feeling
in a garden.
• A garden can be made to appear larger by making trees and
other features from adjoining appear to be part of itself.
QUESTIONS?