Landscape Architecture

& Environmental
Sciences

-Ar. Manisha Wagh & Ar. Avanti Gole

III B. Arch D.Y.P.C.O.A.

PLANTING DESIGN

III B. Arch D.Y.P.C.O.A.

Role of plants in
Landscape Design:
Visual & Functional
The visual impact of plants depend on
their physical Characteristics:
1.Form
2.Colour
3.Texture
III B. Arch D.Y.P.C.O.A.

Functional role of plants in

Landscape:
1.Screening
2.Enclosing
3.Framing
4.Integration
5.Microclimatic control
6.Environmental purposes

How Do Plants Screen?

Block unattractive views.
Consider line of sight to be screened.
Screens observed from a distance-taller
& longer.
Denser in areas where people walk by
at slower speeds.
III B. Arch D.Y.P.C.O.A.

III B. Arch D.Y.P.C.O.A.

How Do Plants Frame?

Plant groupings attract viewers
eyes.
Frame off-site views & incorporate
them into the landscape.

III B. Arch D.Y.P.C.O.A.

How Do Plants Integrate

the Landscape?
Unify the landscape and
tie it together.
Blend the house and other
structures into the
landscape.

III B. Arch D.Y.P.C.O.A.

Microclimatic and
Environmental purposes.

Microclimate
Cooling of the atmosphere
Blocking harsh sun in summers and
allowing in the winter sun.
Environmental purpose
Checking soil erosion
Conserving water, including rainfall.
Provide habitat for wildlife.
Supplying fuel and timber.
Limiting sound noise, reducing dust
.Reducing the velocity of wind

III B. Arch D.Y.P.C.O.A.

Canopy trees intercept

the direct rays of sun
and create a shadow
pattern

Wind breaks are designed to

intercept and deflect
prevailing winds and reduce
speed in the protected area.

Prevailing winds come from

the north north west in the
winter while in the summer
the wind direction shifts to
south west.

Embankments,decidous and
evergreen planting, masonry
walls are used together for
effective sound control.

III B. Arch D.Y.P.C.O.A.

Plants are grouped under

3 categories

Trees
Shrubs
Ground covers/Climbers
Plants are categorized
according to their
habit/habitat:
Perennial
Annual
Biennial

III B. Arch D.Y.P.C.O.A.

Tree:
A tree is a perennial plant with a
spreading crown & is capable of
having a single persistent woody
main stem or trunk with many
secondary branches with clear apical
dominance.
Trees can be broadly classified
as:
Broad leafed has broad leaves
mostly deciduous
Conifers needle like leaves mostly
evergreen

III B. Arch D.Y.P.C.O.A.

III B. Arch D.Y.P.C.O.A.

Tree:
Trees can be planted in groves in large
areas, in rows along a compound wall,
avenue, in specimen plant.
Range of tree sizes:
Dwarf trees:(3 to 5m tall )-cordia
sebestena,plumeria rubra
Medium size trees (6 to 10m trees)cassia fistula,lagestromia thorelli
Tall trees(more than 10m tall)-cassia
siamea, jacaranda mimosofolia,
millingtonia hortensis, spathodea
companulata.
Giant trees or very huge treesBombax ceiba,Ficus
III B. Arch D.Y.P.C.O.A.

Growth habit of trees:

Oval:
Suitable as frames or screens.
Eg.Albizzia
Cassia fistula,
Malus floribunda,
Populas alba.

Populas alba

Vase shaped:
Can be used above large shrubs
or small trees.
Eg: Melia azardirach,
Plumeria acutifilia,
Plumeria obtusa,
Saracca indica.
Saracca indica
III B. Arch D.Y.P.C.O.A.

Growth habit of trees:

Pyramidal:
Can be used as accent plants.
eg : Araucaria cooki,
Pinus roxburghii,
Thuja compacta,
Polyalthia longifolia.

Pinus roxburghii

Round:
Can be used in lawn as a
speciman.
Eg: Mimosops elengi,
Plumeria alba,
Clrorisia speciosa.
Mimosops elengi,

Columnar:
Can be used for framing views and
structure.
Eg:Betula pendula,
Juniperus Drinensis,
Quercus robus,
Eucalyptus robusta.
Eucalyptus robusta

Weeping :
Can be used in landscape as focal point
along water bodies.
Eg: Salix babylonica,
Salix alba,
Putranjiva roxburghii,
Callistemon lanceolatus.
Callistemon lanceolatus
III B. Arch D.Y.P.C.O.A.

Umbrella/Spreading:
Focal point ,shading a large area.
Eg: Samanea saman,
Delonix regia.

Samanea saman

Round to spreading:
Mass well to create groove effect.
Eg: Dillenia Indica,
Dalbergia sisso,
Ficus glomerata,
Thispesia populina

Dillenia Indica

Shrubs:
A shrub or bush is distinguished
from a tree by its multiple
stems and shorter height,
usually under 3-6m tall. They
usually have many stems
arising at the base.
Use of shrubs:
Hedges or screening of
shrubs act as visual &
physical barrier.
Aesthetical purpose
colourful foliage of plants,
fragrant flowered shrubs
rejunavate the senses.
Break wind force, hiding
boundary walls

Climbers:
Plants which have special structure
to climb on supports are defined as
climbers.
Classification:
Self clinging (with roots to walls or
other surfaces)
Clasping(by means of of thick and
long serial roots.)
Holding (by coils or tendrils)
Twiners ((grow spirally around
another plant or support)
Uses:
Planted on
walls,fences,arches,trellis,pergola
screening the premises from
adjacent houses & maintaining
privacy.
Barren walls can be very well
decorated with suitable climbers.
III B. Arch D.Y.P.C.O.A.

Ground covers:

Ground covers are the perennial plants which require minimum

maintenance and are generally grown as a substitute for lawn
grasses
Uses
Dense shade areas where raising &maintaining lawn is
difficult
Beautifying sandy or rocky soil or steep slopes & terraces.
Advantages:
Cheap maintenance than lawn grasses, least labour and cost
required.
Disadvantages:
Area cannot be used as an outdoor living & recreational space
which tree lawns give.
Characteristics:
Perennial, hardy ,low growing, covering ground densely.
Ecological use:
Conserve moisture &fertility of soil eg:senecio confuses,wadelia
triilobata.
III B. Arch D.Y.P.C.O.A.

Grasses:
Large and diverse group of useful plants ,annual or
perrinial mostly herbaceous.
Uses:
Lawn,turf,meadows
III B. Arch D.Y.P.C.O.A.

Texture refers to the surface

quality of a plant.
We can actually see and
feel texture.
Fine texture gives depth or
increases space.
Bolder textures stop the
eye.
For balance you need more
fine textured plants to equal
a bold one.

III B. Arch D.Y.P.C.O.A.

Texture refers to the surface

quality of a plant.
We can actually see and
feel texture.
Fine texture gives depth or
increases space.
Bolder textures stop the
eye.
For balance you need more
fine textured plants to equal
a bold one.

Mixed
textures

Different textures

Texture
There are three types of
texture; fine, medium, and
coarse.
Can be found in foliage or
branching structure.
Thick tight foliage will have
finer texture.
Distance of view should be
considered. The farther
away from a plant the finer
the texture.

III B. Arch D.Y.P.C.O.A.

Primary colors
red, yellow, blue

Secondary colors
orange, green, violet

Tertiary colors
red-violet, red-orange,
blue-green, etc.

III B. Arch D.Y.P.C.O.A.

Color results from light penetration,

absorption and reflection off an
object.
Analogous colors are adjacent
Complementary or contrasting
colors are opposite

Value is the colors luminosity.

Light colors or tints contain more white.
The contrast between light and shade
creates depth.
Tints add lightness.
Shades add weight.

Warm colors yellows, oranges, and

reds are bright, lively and inviting.
They feel closer to us.

Cool colors blues and violets are

restful. They give depth. They create
an interesting background.