Landscaping

Definition landscaping refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land, including: Living elements, such as flora or fauna; Natural elements, such as landforms & bodies of water; Human elements, such as structures & buildings; Abstract elements, such as the weather & lighting conditions.

History Landscaping has long been a practiced art. It is thought that it was during the Roman era that it really took off in popularity. However, in the early middle ages, the art of landscaping was lost. The renaissance landscape developed through the 16th and 17th centuries. In the 18th century of England, a new breed of landscapers came to the fore. In the 19th century, urban planning became important, and this gave rise to the modern focus of landscaping. Today, landscape architecture is a widely practiced discipline, with innovation in designs and plans for gardens and public spaces occurring around the world. Landscaping has also become popular on a smaller scale.

Examples Living element: flora Natural element: body of water Human element: building Abstract element: weather

Landscape Architects Frederick Law Olmsted Dr. Jacob Bigelow Fletcher Steele

Topography Topography: the art or science of making maps that show the height, shape, etc., of the land in a particular area. Examples: the features (such as mountains and rivers) in an area of land.

Earth Topography

Orientation A surprising number of homeowners lack awareness of solar orientation, which is critical to all design decisions. The following descriptions of how sun impacts your house will help you determine its exact positioning relative to the four cardinal directions. If you have a compass, that helps too. East: The east side of the house will receive direct morning sun but will be shaded in the afternoon by the shadow of the building itself. West: The west side of the house will be shaded in the morning but fully exposed to the hot afternoon sun. South: The south side of the house is most critical to passive solar design because it receives the most sunlight throughout the day but never as intensely as the east or west sides. North: The north facing side of the house is almost always in shade.

Landscaping Outdoor Structures Plants & Lawns Hardscapes & Lighting Decks Pergolas Retaining Walls Fencing & Gates. Plants & Lawns Plants for Landscaping Sprinklers & Drip Irrigation Lawns Hardscapes & Lighting Concrete Flagstone Pavers Landscape Lighting Front Yard Features Driveways Walkways & Paths Porches & Entryways Backyard Features Patios, Swimming Pool Design Outdoor BBQs Outdoor Fireplace Fire Pit Designs

Outdoor Structures DECK Selecting a location for your deck, considering such factors as privacy, proximity to the home, amount of sun or shade desired, views, wind exposure, and purpose. The most important considerations when sizing your deck so it can accommodate all your planned activities while staying in proportion with the size of your home. A well-planned deck can transform your backyard into an outdoor retreat that can be enjoyed year-round..

Outdoor Structure Pergola Pergolas and other shade structures are the perfect way of enjoying the outdoors even when the conditions outside are less than appealing. In the heat of summer, you can relax and entertain outdoors without being overwhelmed by the beating sun. Shade structures also extend the season through fall and winter

Pergola

Pergola- Vines Should you grow vines on your pergola? Pros: Beautiful Filtered shade Aroma Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds Cons: Messy - may drop leaves and debris Maintenance - requires sweeping and trimming Attracts bees, wasps and spiders Can be a good hiding spot for snakes and lizards Weight of vines and fruit can cause structural damage Vines retain moisture and promote wood rot

Identify outside living space Patio Rather than upgrading to a larger home, many people are looking to expand their living space outdoors. As a result, patios are becoming larger, more luxurious, and more sheltered.

A retaining wall A retaining wall is a specially designed structure that holds soil on one side and is free standing on the other. They help to accommodate changes in grade in a landscape with uneven topography

Retaining Wall

Fence This refers strictly to perimeter fences that surround a homesite. But fences play a more diverse role in landscaping where they help solve problems and create opportunities within a homesite.

Porch Adding a front porch to your home or improving an existing one can help create a sense of arrival. Entry porches have their roots all the way back in ancient Rome, where many buildings featured grand porticos that served as a transition from the outdoors into the building. Today porches serve three purposes: They highlight a home's entrance by framing the front door They provide a protected transition where guests can wipe their feet, or leave umbrellas Large porches can be used as a place to spend time with family and friends

Garden Paths & Walkways When landscaping a yard, walkways often get overlooked. We concern ourselves with pools, patios, and plant selections, but then we neglect to consider how to connect the different spaces in our yard. By ignoring paths, a garden can become disjointed because of the lack of thought put into the transitions and connections.

Watergardens Watergardens, also known as aquatic gardens, are a type of man-made water feature. A watergarden is defined as any interior or exterior landscape

Watergardens

Watergardens

Watergardens

Courtyard It is an open area of ground surrounded by walls or buildings.

Courtyard

Walkway materials The most popular material with which to build walkways is concrete. The most popular material for pathways is mulch. Personally, my favorite material for walkways is stone. As for structure, try to keep walkway design consistent. If you have a very formal home, symmetric lines may be best. Or, if you have a country-style home, consider using large flagstones for a more natural look. Homeowners need to keep in mind such details as weather conditions and potential uses for the path when discussing a project with their landscaper, as this may help determine what design principles are best for their spaces.

Walkway materials Brick Concrete Flagstone is known to be an easy material to work with due to the flat, thin nature that comes from the splitting layers of sedimentary stone Pavers can be stone, brick ,etc. Flagstone is known to be an easy material to work with due to the flat, thin nature that comes from the splitting layers of sedimentary stone. The large, flat stones are used in a variety of landscaping projects ranging from patios, paths, walkways, seating areas, and walls.

Natural elements Ground cover Rocks Flowers Trees and Shrubs Annuals Perennials Trees and Shrubs Deciduous Evergreen Deciding which plants to use for your home's landscape can be a challenge. Many factors must be considered, beyond simply choosing the plants you find to be the most attractive. You'll need to consider your climate and the amount of time you want to devote to maintenance. You'll also need to find plants suitable for exposure conditions, such as sun or shade or dry or rainy weather. Additionally, you should think about what you want your plants to achieve. Are you looking to add shade or privacy to your property? Do you want something fragrant and colorful that will attract birds, butterflies and other wildlife? You should also select landscape plantings that reflect the style of your garden. Most plants suitable for a quaint cottage-style garden will look out of place in a garden with a sultry Mediterranean or tropical theme

Ground cover Groundcover refers to any plant that grows over an area of ground, used to provide protection from erosion and drought, and to improve its aesthetic appearance (by concealing bare earth).

ROCKS Adding rocks to your… backyard or garden area will instantly enhance the overall look of your landscape. Rocks can be positioned alone, or you can intermix them with flowers and greenery River rock-example

Flowers-Annuals & Perennials Annuals Flowers live for one growing season and then die, normally all in the same year. Annuals tend to bloom all season long, and are often bright and showy. While perennials regrow every spring Perennials, on the other hand, live for three or more growing seasons. They can be planted from bulb or seed. Perennials generally have shorter blooming periods than annuals Examples: Oleanders are perennial. annual is a plant that lives for just one season. Whether you plant from seed or purchase seedlings to plant, an annual will sprout, flower, seed, and then die – all in the same year