Practical. 2

Garden Elements and Designs
  1. Major elements: plants and water
  2. Minor elements: Stones, bricks, tiles, tar, metal, glass, plastic, wood, sculpture etc.,
  3. Other elements: Light, sound, smell, touch, food etc.,

Major Elements:

Classification of plants based on utilities and functional value:

1. Aesthetic purpose:

a) Avenue planting- flower parade
b) Ground planting
c) Shrubbery, rockery, topiary, hedges, edges
d) Potted plant, flower beds, boarders
e) Ground cover
f) Water garden

2. Functional purpose:

a) Control pollution
b) Reduces noise
c) Control soil erosion
d) Wind break
e) Deciduous plants can utilize to increase temperature during winter

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Criteria for selection of plants:

Morphological character should be considered while selecting the plants;

      • Height of the plant
      • Types of branches- upright, drooping, horizontal
      • Spread and width of the plant
      • Form of the plat
      • Type of plant- evergreen, deciduous
      • Colour of the plant
      • Texture of the plant- smooth, rough
      • Flowering time of the plant

I. Water

Water has the ability to change form, at low temperature water freezes, evaporates at high temperature and liquefies at moderate temperature

i. Aesthetic use:

    • Water falls- cascade type, fountains, streams, lakes, ponds, Nappe, Chadar, chute.
    • Water is used for creating reflection during night time along with lighting.
    • The use of water helps in reducing the temperature in the microclimate.
    • Sound of water makes a person feel comfortable.
    • Water may mask the over power unwanted sounds

ii. Functional use:

    • Water will nourish the plant, increases growth and development

Minor elements

III. Stones:

    • For creating rockery, statues or sculptures, to imitate natural water falls, garden benches, path/walks
    • Keep in mind that stone radiates heat and will have to be used carefully

IV. Bricks:

    • For creating garden walls, ponds
    • As paving material
    • For constructing plant boxes

V. Wood:

    • Wood adds colour and texture to the garden
    • Used for creating paths, steps, garden bridges, ornamental picket fence, country fences, arches, pergolas
    • Wood should be coated with paints/ preservatives to prevent decay

VI. Metal:

    • For creating artistic features like garden bridges, arches, pergolas, Arbour, fence, light stands, metal gardens
    • Used as a base material for plants to grow on, when used for topiary
    • Metals should be treated with anti corrosive materials before using in the out doors

VII. Sculptures:
Artistic material adds beauty to the garden with the use of stones, granites, sandstone, marbles, metals

    • Sculptures includes birds, human being, animals etc
    • It can be kept in front, middle part, and in running streams of the garden

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VIII. Glass:

    • It includes mist chamber, green house, conservatory, terrariums and illumination purpose

IX. Concrete

    • Used for creating drives, paths, walks, ground cover

X. Tar/ Asphalt: Creating drives

XI. Plastic: Drippers, sprinklers, pots, waste bin


Other elements:

XII. Lighting: Illumination, focusing the focal points, illuminating water

XIII. Sound: water falls, running streams, musical fountain, and wind chimes

XIV. Smell: planting of aromatic plants in different parts of the garden, trees,Aromatic plants, annual beds can be used

XV. Touch: Texture of materials like plant surface, sculptures, paving,

XVI. Food: Created at out side boundary of the gardes

BASIC PATTERN IN GARDEN DESIGN

  1. Circular pattern- series of circles can utilize to create circular. It is used in formal and informal gardens
  2. Diagonal pattern- draws a grid line at 450 to the boundary. It is also used in formal and informal gardens
  3. Rectangular pattern- it is utilized in formal garden in a symmetrical manner

STEPS IN GARDEN DESIGN

Identification of site: Identify the site for two purposes

    • Public garden: give importance for likings of the public
    • Private garden: Give importance for owners comfort

Analysis: Need to study two factors

    • Physical factor- climate, weather, soil type, existing vegetation, existing manholes, roads, path
    • Social factors

Measuring up:

    • Draw rough sketch of the area like existing features, length and width of all features

Drawing to the scale:

    • Draw rough sketch of the area like existing features, length and width of all features
    • Based on sheet available for small garden 1: 50 and for big garden 1: 100

Evolving a pattern:

    • Fence, lawn, flower beds, hedge, edge, border, water falls, rock garden, pond, shrubbery, island beds, carpet beds, standards etc

Turning pattern in to reality:

    • Mark the area using pegs and bars and plant the permanent features on marked ground

Xeriscaping:

    • This is a technique use to practice water conservation in creative landscape, this can be practiced in areas where scarcity of water

This can be achieved by:

    • Grouping/election of drought tolerant plant, trees, shrubs,annuals, cacti and succulents
    • Mulching
    • Ground covers
    • Minimize water loss by providing drips


Last modified: Tuesday, 8 November 2011, 7:16 AM