LANDSCAPE

DESIGN
Lecture # 7
Ar. Samrana Qureshi

FEATURES OF
LANDSCAPE
Softscapes

LANDSCAPE FEATURES
Soft Landscaping Elements

Comprise elements of ecological sequence or all living

things in gardens/parks
Includes: Earth moving and soil enhancement, planting,
shrubs, semi mature trees, seeding and turfing, mulching
and use of aquatic animals etc

Hard Landscaping Elements

Comprise features created through construction

materials
Includes: Patios, paths/ pavings, driveways, retaining
walls, fences, gazebos, pots/planters, water features,
garden/street furniture, lighting, and sculptures etc

Soft Landscaping Elements

Greenery: Most Integral feature of Landscape

Design
Green spaces: Lungs for Urban Areas
Have been used in ancient times for
decorative/ornamental purposes
Have been used by horticulturist and botanist for
various purposes

Basis of Plants Classification

Ecology

Botany
Horticulture
Aesthetics

Value
Growth & Survival
Use of Plants in Design

Ecology
Considered

as ecological

community
Corresponds to a range of
environmental conditions required
for growth and reproduction of
species
Greatest variety of plants exists in
tropics and least in the arctics

Botany
Botanical

nomenclature classifies
plants into families
Plants named in Latin for universal
specification
Latin names useful as common
names vary with location

Horticulture
Useful

breakdown for landscape

architecture & design
Uses botanical nomenclature
Classifies as trees, shrubs & Hedges,
climbers & creepers, and ground
cover etc

Aesthetics Value
Color

Form
Size
Texture

Seasonal

variation

Growth & Survival

Depends on
Climate
Soil
Watering
Use of Fertilizer
Availability of Light etc

Use of Plants in Design

Selection for
Function
Aesthetics
Environment

Trees Forms
Weeping
Conical/

Columnar
Pyramidal
Rounded/
Oval
Vase
Spreading

Trees - Functional and Visual

Role

Trees for shade

Reduce outdoor temperature

through natural air conditioning
effect due to transpiration
Trees with broad canopy cast
large shade patterns, effective for
summers
Trees filter light for comfort of
people as well as for flowers and
shrubs that cannot grow in direct
sunlight

Trees for privacy

Hide a view of a bare wall,

fence, parking lot or
utility/services fixtures and poles,
pools, patios etc
Hide a unsightly area such as
dumping site or vacant lots
Visually separate various areas of
a building complex and closely
constructed buildings
Obstructing view of passing
vehicles & pedestrians

Trees to be used for screening have to be

considered for their size at maturity, pace of
growth, foliage density and persistence of
leaves
Privacy can be achieved through mass tree
plantings with different heights and forms
Shrubs and climbers, mixed with trees can be
used for achieving privacy
Temporary & movable screens can be created
by planting small trees and shrubs in containers

Trees for bounding space

An important function of trees is

to create outdoor rooms
through creating walls &
ceilings with tree canopies
Overhead canopies (ceilings)
greater than 12 creates open
feeling & less than 12 creates
intimate spaces
Walls can be created using
small trees having dense foliage
Trees while bounding space also
provides privacy in addition to
allowing outward views

Trees to look upon

Trees for Obstruction, Deflection &

Air Flow Guidance
Trees are used to buffer or direct winds
Trees when planted in long, narrow corridors
between the buildings reduce wind tunneling
Trees when used in multiple layers with small
sized trees and shrubs can slow and divert
winds for a greater distance
Important windbreak consideration requires
diverse tree species selection and proper
placement. (Avoiding use of several trees from
one species is recommended)

Trees for filtration

Natural

Air Filtration
Absorption of Green house
gases
Carbon Sequestration
Aquifer Recharge
Run off Reduction

Trees as a focal point

Trees to frame a building

Trees can be used to frame

buildings
Trees used for framing should be
avoided in the middle of buildings
and should be used to frame front
or entrances

Trees to focus on a specific

feature

Trees for Cooling Load Reduction

Shade trees can dramatically reduce cooling

loads
Planting deciduous trees on South & South-West
facing openings blocks summer sun yet allows
winter sun to make buildings comfortable (barebranch shade percentage varies for various
species)
Using trellises, arbors and screens on west facing
openings can help reducing cooling load
during summer
Deciduous Trees with wide upright or vase
shaped growth are recommended

Trees for enhancement of view

Softens architecture especially corners of

buildings
Breaking monotony of facades
Improving view between buildings and parking
lots
Enhance visual quality of landscape their size,
color, texture and form

Climbers & Creepers

Climbers are plants with soft stems that grow and

climb up with some support (other plant, trellis or
wall) to reach sunlight
Creepers creep along soil or wall surface and
spread to longer distances becoming a cover,
screen and shade
Many climbers and creepers are flowering and
thus soften and hide ugly materials and outlines
Climbers & creepers are commonly used for
pergolas, arches, porches and pillars

Annual climbers/creepers usually grow flowers and

complete cycle in 1 year
Perennial climbers/creepers grow and flower for
several years
Foliage climbers/creepers grow where flowering
climbers/creepers fail to grow due to lack of
sunlight

Shrubs & Hedges

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Shrubs are low height plants or bushes differentiated

from trees through multiple stems and low height
Shrubs are available in various colors and forms
Flowering shrubs are quite common
Dwarf trees: Shrubs of low height and compact foliage
Small trees: Taller shrubs that can be classified as a small
tree
Hedges: Shrubs with thick foliage are used as formal or
privacy hedge
Topiary: Shrubs are often carved in different forms and
used for ornamentation & to create interest

Impressive topiary Hedge

at Yew Tree
Gateway
Cottage near to East Harting,
West Sussex, Great Britain
Meikleour beech
hedge World's
tallest hedge.
Planted around
1745; tallest at 120
feet high at
northern end and
80 feet high at
southern end;
average height 100
feet. Now
maintained by the
Meikleour Trust and
trimmed and remeasured every ten
years. The Beech
Hedge in Spring
on a side street near Hammersmith Cat-shaped hedge topiary
The Beech Hedge in Fall

Fedges Living Hedges

Fences are usually made out of non-living

materials including cane, wood, metal, plastic etc.
Hedges are created out of shrubs and small plants
and hence with living material
When a Hedge is not exactly a Hedge and cross
between a hedge and a fence its a Fedge
Fedges: Living fences

Ground Cover
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Making landscape beautiful and bright

Preventing germination of weed seeds
Protecting the soil from erosion
Conserving water
Insulating the soil from high and low
temperatures
Providing habitat for beneficial insects
Building up humus in the soil

Flowers