LANDSCAPE DESIGN

• Term came into use during the 20th century

• the skill of the improvement of a site by re-planting
• The organization of landscaping vegetation, lawns, alpine garden and the use of
small architectural structures.
• Creating harmony and beauty combined with conveniences of the use of the
infrastructure of the site,
• The combination of urban and natural features which suffer from urbanization.

The term landscape design means the design of an area with relief, climate, the wants
and needs of the customer, architectural style of the structure which stands in this area
taken into account. Landscape design is a practice which uses re-planting and
improvement of different areas. In contrast to horticulture and gardening, the
landscape design of a site is deprived of practical, utilitarian components; its purpose
is the creation of a harmonious and comfortable living environment for people.
CONTEMPORARY LANDSCAPE DESIGN
• The ORGANIZATION OF THE SURROUNDING SPACE to create a specific mood,

based on the traditions of design and art which CONNECT NATURE AND

CULTURE.

• Contemporary landscape design is DIVERSE in its styles and FUNCTION.

• It is based on the combination of the ideas of the designer and the needs of a

contemporary person, with his AESTHETICAL CONCEPTION.

• It combines in itself - like a MOSAIC - a huge amount of DESIGNER AND

TECHNOLOGICAL INVENTIONS, the surprising findings of different styles, this

makes it possible to create many different effects.

• The perfect design differs for each person.

• It is an example of an ideal space, connected with the EXPRESSION OF THEIR

DREAM and their material prosperity and place in the world.

ELEMENTS OF LANDSCAPE DESIGN

NATURAL ELEMENTS
• Flora and Fauna of the place
• Water
• Earth forms / Land forms
• Built up spaces with natural materials like timber,
stone, etc.

MANMADE ELEMENTS
• Structural elements – Bridges, Steps, Pergolas,
Water proofing, etc.
• Man-made Landscaping Materials – Brick, Concrete,
Plastic, Glass, etc.
• Enhancing elements – Lighting, Seating, Fountains,
etc.
LANDFORMS / EARTH FORMS
• Landform is synonymous with topography, refers to the three dimensional relief of
the earth’s surface
• Serves as a base for all outdoor activities – can be thought of as artistic and
utilitarian element for design
1. MACROLANDFORMS – Regional scale – types of valleys, mountains, prairies, etc.
2. MICROLANDFORMS – Site scale – mounds, berms, slopes, level areas, etc.
3. MINILANDFORMS – subtle undulations, ripples of a sand dune, textural
variations of stones and rocks in a walk.
• Landforms has the greatest significance in landscape design due to its direct
association with the other elements of the outdoor environment.
• All other design elements should relate to the ground plane at some point or the
other
• Landforms influence the aesthetic value of the area, perception of space, views,
drainage, micro-climate, landuse, organisation of functions, plant material, water
and built spaces.
LANDFORM AS A UNIFYING ELEMENT
• Sloped landform blocks views & creates
spatial edges.
• Level landform does the opposite.
WATER
Our cities, towns and villages all have a long and intimate relationship with water and
were historically located around a water source, watercourse or coastline as the focus
point for life and trade.
Water is central to the identity of a place.

WATER DEFINES OUR PLACES

• VITALITY: The support and sustenance for a growing population.

• IDENTITY: The river, pond, lake or coastline that has become central to the
identity of our cities and towns.
• ACTIVITY: A provider of recreation and well-being for all.
• HEALTH: The supporter of essential ecosystems and food supplies.
• LANDSCAPE: A desirable landscape feature that communities love to be near.
WATER IN LANDSCAPE CHANGE WATER IN THE URBAN LANDSCAPE

• Flowing water is responsible for more

landscape change in the environment
that all other factors put together.
• Demands special attention towards its
direction of flow in all types of media
• Impact on a larger geographical scale
• Contributes to erosion – cuts through
land forms
• Breaks hard rocks due to freezing
• Enables sedimentary deposition –
Creating landforms
• Forms the physical framework for urban
watersheds
WATER IN LANDSCAPE DESIGN
Water is another most important landscape element
Water bodies improve the quality and the worth of the site – adds environmental
value to the site
Improves aesthetics
1. Fountains
2. Pools
3. Ponds
4. Spouts
5. Artificial waterfalls. etc.

ADDS ESSENCE OF SOUND, MOVEMENT, AND ENJOYMENT

INFLUENCES OF WATER
PLANT MATERIAL – SOFT SCAPE
The different plant groupings are:
• TREES
• SHRUBS
• GROUND COVERS
• WATER PLANTS
• ROCKERY PLANTS
• INDOOR PLANTS

USES OF PLANT MATERIAL IN LANDSCAPE

ENVIRONMENTAL USES ARCHITECTURAL USES

• Microclimate modifiers • Enframement
• Conservation belt • Scale induction
• Erosion control • Creation of plaza
• Retains ground water • Defines pathway
• Retains soil fertility • Welcoming look and aesthetic
• Prevents siltation appeal to the building
USING PLANTS IN LANDSCAPING
 Plants create outdoor rooms.
 Trees, shrubs, and ground covers can be used to EMPHASIZE the desirable
architectural lines and masses.
 Plants can be used to SOFTEN AND BALANCE harsh and awkward architectural
angles, masses and materials.
 The human eye has a tendency to follow the OUTLINE OF THE OBJECTS in the
landscape.
Plants that reach large sizes at maturity are
often planted too closely to the house when
small. When mature, they dominate and make
the house look smaller

By graduating plant sizes away from the house, the

apparent size of the structure is increased.
ENVIRONMENTAL ROLE

• POLLUTION CONTROL
• NOISE CONTROL
• CLIMATE CONTROL

Embankments., deciduous and evergreen plantings

and masonry walls are used together for effective
sound control.
Use of windbreaks to control winter
winds

Use of deciduous plants to direct summer

breezes
TREES
ADAPTATION TO LOCALITY
Choice of trees must depend on ecological facts – 2 methodologies can be adapted
• Choice of species naturally adapted to site – ideal situation – less maintenance and
harmony with the local landscape
• Adapt site to species selected for aesthetic or functional purposes – demanding on
site, can be used on small scale, needs constant attention and care
HISTORY OF THE LAND
• Preferably conserve the history of landscape, native trees and features of the region
• Good compromise would be popular planting near the building and ecological
planting around the fringes
SELF SOWN VEGETATION
• Self sown trees and young trees adapt better in an existing site when compared to
old trees, newly planted or transplanted trees.
• Landscape survey of existing young trees advisable instead of clearing whole site of
what appears to be scrubland.
DESIGN FOR SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM PLANTING
• Superimposition of 2 schemes ideal in large projects – highway planting, parks, etc.
• Long term trees can be superimposed with short term plants to create the effect on
a continued basis
LOCAL CHARACTER
• Keeping local species, helps the landscape to blend with surroundings.
• Planting exotic species in some cases – do not strike a discordant note, should
adapt to local ecosystem
ECOLOGICAL PLANTING
• Reasons for planting in Urban areas and in large scale projects should be for
Conservation, Appearance, Diversity and Economy
PLANT ASSOCIATION
• Certain plants associate with certain soil types and environment conditions – need
to be maintained, gives a character to the region
HEDGE HISTORY
• Older the trees, richer the forest in terms of flora and fauna
• Need to conserve old forests, animal crossings and create a connect between the
green belts across the landscape of the region
TREES IN THE TOWNSCAPE
• Trees are an important part of the townscape
• One of the most interesting and essential
DESIGN ELEMENTS in the cities
• Visually pleasing in the cities – provides a
CONTRAST in terms of colour, texture,
foliage, form and shapes – a picture of change
in different seasons
• The inorganic and lively décor of the
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT v/s the rigid
geometric patterns of the man-made cityscape
• SENSORY PLEASURES – Sweet smelling
flowers, ripe fruits, etc.
• ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT – pollution,
oxygen levels and dust, temperature control,
habitat for the fauna
PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS OF TREES IN THE URBAN AREAS
• Soil
• Water
• Microclimate – Sun and Shade
• Supply of nutrients
• Drainage
• Space to grow

SPREAD OF A MATURE TREE USUALLY VARIES FROM 6M – 20M.

1/3 OF SPREAD OF THE TREE TO BE LEFT AROUND TREE BEFORE BUILDING
SHRUBS
Shrubs are woody plants of less size than a tree, usually divided into separate stems
from near the ground.
• Ground cover 150mm – 300mm
• Low shrubs 450mm – 1000mm
• Small shrubs 1m – 1.5m
• Medium shrubs 1.5m – 2.5m
• Large shrubs / Small trees 3m – 7.5m
DESIGN PRINCIPLES
• Unlike Architecture, landscape design is concerned with LIVING MATERIAL which
not only GROWS AND CHANGES during the seasons and over time, but MOVES in
response to wind or the touch.
• Creating a STRUCTURAL SKELETON for design provides a framework for the
planting composition and space definition.
• Composing a design involves creating POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE SPACES, solid
and void SPATIAL COMPARTMENTS or cells and JUXTAPOSING one or several
volumes against each other.
• The Design principles followed are:
1. ACCESS, VISTAS AND ENFRAMEMENT
2. JUXTAPOSITIONING
3. ANCHORING
4. SCALE, PROPORTION AND BALANCE
5. PLANTING COMBINATIONS
ACCESS, VISTAS AND ENFRAMEMENT
• Point of entry in to any given space is always of crucial importance in design.
• Choice of making it discreet or to emphasize it.
• Creating vista like qualities for drive ways and roads – reinforced by planting
compositions
• SURPRISE AND EXPECTATION are
important design concepts in landscape
• Enframement can be used TO DRAW
ATTENTION to specifically desirable
views and BLOCK undesirable elements

Enframement of certain views in

connection to doorways or atrium
courtyards can be done using large vertical
shrubs with horizontal branch structure
anchored at the base by smaller shrubs
 ANCHORING
A technique of design,
where a vertical element – a
sculptural tree or a tall
shrub is anchored to the
ground using a horizontal
or a shorter element - dome
shaped shrub.
DESIGN SPEEDS
• Enhances the kinetic experience of the
moving observer’s relationship with the
environment
• In terms of the volumes, the more extended
the shape of the triangle and the square, the
faster the design speed. The principle also
applies to circular or informally shaped beds.
SCALE, PROPORTION AND BALANCE
• One of the most misunderstood aspects of planting
design
• Failure to assess the proportions of ground covers
versus shrubs results in unbalanced planting
• Formal design can use equal proportions
• Informal schemes, proportion of shrubs to ground cover
would be 1:5 or 1:7
SCALE, PROPORTION AND BALANCE
• Point of entry in to any given space is always of crucial importance in design.
• Choice of making it discreet or to emphasize it.
• Creating vista like qualities for drive ways and roads – reinforced by planting
compositions
JUXTAPOSITIONING
• Essence of all planting design
• Using multiple plants in repetition,
creating a balance across the view point
helps in setting up a rhythm.
• Plant compositions created using different
design speeds and geometric patterns

• Depending on the type of shrubs used,

various accent and emphasis can be
created with their placement in relation to
the ground plane
• Different ratios – 1:2, 1:2:3, 1:3:5, etc.
• The most common triad combination – a
multi-stemmed sculptural tree, a dome
shaped low shrub and spiky ground cover
FUNCTIONAL USE OF PLANTS
• Channeling and directing traffic
• Protection against vandalism
• Emphasizing desired lines
• Prevention of short cuts
• Specific spatial requirements – especially
enclosure
• Curtailment of access and vision
• Positive camouflage – used to improve
design
• Negative camouflage – to cover up errors;
less acceptable
• Deliberate emphasis or distortion
• Containment, compartmentalization ad
creation of landscape cells with a large
structural framework, organic or otherwise
BASED ON ANTHROPOMETRY
• GROUND LEVEL: To create a
ground plane with
uncompromising views – use of
ground covers for lawn or as
climbers
• KNEE HEIGHT: Medium to large
scale ground covers to define
space; gradual build up from lower
to higher levels
• WAIST HEIGHT: Plants used for
direction, distinction and edge
definition; preventing short-cuts
and vandalism
• EYE LEVEL: Medium to large shrubs provide direction, enclosure, privacy, obstruct
or frame a view
• ABOVE EYE LEVEL: Large shrubs, small trees to create landscape cells, provide
screens, shelter and privacy, emphasis, enframement, special effects.
GROUND COVERS
• Grass is the most common form of ground cover
• Mainly used to cover space and provide a ground
plane
• Can be used as mounds, for amphitheaters, etc.
• Mosses, lichens and ferns are also ground hugging
and low plants
• Mainly used in Japanese gardens
• Mexican grass, Buffalo grass, Dhoop grass, etc.
• Ground covers are also used as Climbers and
ramblers to provide a vertical plane
• Some vegetables and herbs are also used to serve
dual purpose
• Herbaceous plants and bulbs – forma good base or
anchor in a composition
• These plants may be annual, biennial or perennial
CHOSING PLANTS
• Size, shape and function
• Life span
• Soil conditions
• Colour and Texture
• Fragrance
• Flowering / Non Flowering
• Type of leaves or fruits
• Contrast
• Maintenance and Water requirements
• Shade giving plants
• Plants that grow in shade
• Evergreen or Deciduous…….
FORM SHAPE AND LEAF PATTERN - TEXTURE
FORM SHAPE AND LEAF PATTERN - TEXTURE
SHAPE, LINES, FORM AND
CONTRAST
SHAPE, LINES, FORM AND
CONTRAST
COMPOSITION OF MULTIPLE
TEXTURES, SHAPES AND LINES
COMPOSITION OF MULTIPLE
TEXTURES, SHAPES AND LINES
WATER PLANTS
• Plants that grow adjacent to water – willow shaped plants
• Marsh plants – requires moist soil
• Marginal Plants – need a water depth of 500mm
• Floating plants
• Reeds in swamp – dense mass of plants with tall erect stems
• Submerged plants – ecologically important
ROCKERY PLANTS
INDOOR PLANTS