selection and use of plants in the landscape. reasons for choosing plants aesthetic appeal -...
Post on 19-Dec-2015
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Reasons for Choosing Plants
• Aesthetic appeal - attractiveness
• Function – a specific purpose in the landscape
• Adaptability – Their ability to adapt to a specific environmental type
• Management – How easy they are to grow and maintain
Sequence of Plant Selection
1. What function or purpose do I need this plant to fulfill?
– Tree, shrub, or perennial?– Shade, screen, or erosion control?
2. What aesthetic qualities to I want the plant to have?
– Shape, color, texture?
Sequence of Plant Selection, cont.
3. Which plant best suits the environment?– Sun or shade?– Wet or dry?– Sandy or loam soil?
4. Is it feasible for me to properly care and maintain this plant?
– Pruning, fertilizing, watering?
Function
• Function is the purpose that the plant serves in the landscape
• Plants serve three major functions:– Architectural– Engineering– Environmental
Architectural Function
• Floors-direct the flow of traffic
• Walls-establish boundaries and set the mood
• Ceilings-contribute to openness or intimacy of a room
• Highlighting or masking architectural features
Ceiling
Wall
Floor
Engineering Function
• Influence how we walk through the landscape
• Block objectionable views on or off the property
• Establish buffers between divergent activities
• Minimize drainage or erosion issues
Environmental Function
• The plants influence on the microclimate within the landscape
• “Microclimate” refers to temperature, wind, and light in a relatively small area
• Plants modify the microclimate and contribute to human comfort
Environmental Function, cont.
• Plants can also be used as windbreaks to intercept and deflect prevailing winds and reduce wind speed in the protected area.
Aesthetic Function
• Most notable quality of a landscape
• Aesthetic preferences include: – Available space– Plant type– Form/shape– Ornamental characteristics of plant parts
Available Space
• Available space will determine the plant type and form/shape
• Height: maximum allowable height for the plant to attain
• Width: maximum
• diameter the plant can
• cover
Plant Type
• Tree: shade, ornamental/flowering, evergreen• Shrub: broadleaf evergreen, deciduous• Herbaceous perennial,
ornamental grass, ground cover, vine , biennial, annual, or aquatic
Characteristics
• Flower– Color– Time in bloom
• Foliage– Color: Seasonal display– Texture/density
• Fruit
• Stem/branches/bark: texture and color
Site Adaptability
• Site adaptability: relationship between the needs of the plant and the environmental and soil conditions on the property and/or the designated planting area.
Things to consider, cont:• Soil Type
– Sandy, Loam, Clay
• Soil pH• Light Exposure
– Full sun, partial sun, full shade
• Compass orientation or exposure– Prevailing winds and winter
sun patterns
• Air pollution tolerance, heattolerance, salt tolerance
Management• Pruning
– Minimal, seasonal, shearing
• Sanitation– Cleanup of leaves, fruit,
stems/branches
• Irrigation– How much water is it going to
need?
• Fertilization– How often will it need to be fertilized?
• Pest management– What pests does it attract and what is required to treat for
these pests?