Planning, designing and principles
- 1. Srimad Andavan Arts & Science College (Autonomous) Affiliated to Bharathidasan University Reaccredited with ‘A’ Grade by NAAC An ISO 9001 – 2015 Certified Institution Tiruchirappalli – 620005.
- 2. Exploiting Natural Characteristics •Start with existing condition •Natural site features are used •Slopes may be used efficiently •Poorly drained and sunken areas for bog garden and moisture loving plants •Rubble or sub soil left from construction works can be used as the base of a tree or gravel garden.
- 3. Changes of level • If changes are necessary in the site, the changes should be specified in the drawing. • Building of any hard feature may also be decided at this stage Assessing Existing Features • Position of existing trees should be marked in the design as they are in the site. • The position of the trees, shrubs, hedges and perennial plants, to be planted are marked in the design. • The estimates should be based on the current and eventual sizes of the trees and shrubs. • Separate list is made for all the hard elements of the garden, such as patios, walls, paths, green house, pools and pergolas. • The materials to be used for these structures, their condition and their purpose have to be specified in the design. • This information will help us to decide which plant to be planted or removed and which hard elements has to be modified while establishing the garden.
- 4. Measuring the site • The area and boundaries of the selected site should be surveyed properly to have a clear idea of the area to work with. • If the site is irregular in shape, it is divided into small sections with clear, fixed points and measured each section individually. Making a rough plan • It is useful to sketch a rough outline of the garden site to note down the main elements that are to be included in the garden. • Keeping in view a rough plan should be made on a paper.
- 5. - In a rough plan you need - Mark a position fixed for features of garden like house, wall boundaries, a tree etc. - Leave some space for compost pit, a tool shed and store house. Space for these features should preferably be allocated at a less visible area. - Allocate approximate areas for flexible features like beds, borders, a lawn, pool, patio and others. - Assign spaces to access the sun and shade position of the area. - The positioning of the flower bearing plants should be done in the areas where the sunlight is available for atleast 4 – 5 hours a day. - The foliage feature, Eg. Shrubbery border, etc. can be allotted in the shady area of the site. The lawn grass should also be positioned accordingly.
- 6. Preparing the First plan • The site measurements are blotted on to a paper to create a scale – based plan of the garden; is should include the boundaries together with all elements required in the garden. Eg. Trees, shrubs, paths and walls. • While making several different design for comparison purposes, draw each one on tracing paper fixed over this scale plan so that the details can be altered easily without redrawing the original outline. • In the plan, plants which are essential but be realistic to fit in the garden, are sketched at proper locations; otherwise the design may lack cohesion and appear unnatural. • The overcrowding features are avoided. • The placement of unrelated elements together like a cactus with a water body should be avoided in the first plan.
- 7. Making a scale plan • A scale diagram of the site is drawn based on the rough plan to have a more precise idea of final garden going to look like Choosing the Design style • After drawing the scale – up plan of garden, the style f plant growth has to be decided. It is done on the basis of – • Personal taste – a person may like only one colour or multicoloured garden in contrast colours or harmonious colours. • A formal or informal style with too many hard features • Exactly which plants can grow successfully in the area. • Balance and harmony. Features that complement each other and the overall setting to create a cohesive whole should be placed at proper places • Scale and proportion of the area with garden plants. • Some adjustment may be needed when finally marked out scheme is displayed on the ground.
- 8. Drawing up the Final Design Plan • This working plan is drawn accurately to – scale on squared paper, using numbers or symbols for the various features. • Trees and shrubs are spread precisely to make sure that efficient space is allowed for them in relation to other plants and elements. • Plants indicated on paper may sometimes appear unsatisfactory when they are displayed on the ground. • In such cases, plants and their respective positions may be slightly changed. • Before preparing the final design on site, the locations are marked out on the soil using a string and pegs. • If the sizes and proportions of the features and areas work well together, then the design is incorporated in the plan. • While designing beds and borders, their outlines are marked in the main plan and the detailed planting plan is worked out separately.
- 9. Establishment of the Garden • After drawing the final plan, a planting plan is drawn on a separate paper to a larger scale. • As the elements are shown in larger scale, they can easily be displays a simple and realistic look to the garden. • Proper spacing should be given according to the specific need of plants • This is particularly important for trees and shrubs. • Construction works are better done in the summer. • Planting works are done in the rest of the year. • Operations such as sowing, planting, transplanting and turfing should be done during the monsoon. • Repair and renovation work are performed all the year round especially except the rainy season • New construction should be completed before the beginning of the cultivation • The area may be cleaned in rainless months
- 10. • The planting operation involved the following steps- • Hedges and Edges are planted in linear system • Trees are planted in square, rectangular, hexagonal, diagonal or triangular system • Borders are grown along the sides of the foot paths. • Arch is erected at the entrance of the garden. • Pergolas are created over the foot path. • Rockery is created at an elevated place. • Shrubs, flower beds and lawn are grown at suitable locations in the garden • Climbers and creepers are planted near the walls, pillars, arches and pergolas and allowed to grow over them
- 11. • A green house is constructed in a suitable location in the garden. • Sunken garden is established in natural depression. • Water garden is established in water pools. • Trophy is made on slopes • Ground forms, structures and plants should be organized in to a pleasing composition. • Shade trees should be planted in suitable places to protect shade loving plants in the garden. • The planting distance vary depending up on the species and elements to be formed.
- 12. • Herbs and grasses need closure spacing than shrubs and trees. • In borders, shrubs are placed very closely than those in the interior of the garden but are cut at certain height. • Drip irrigation and sprinkler irrigation are usually practised in gardens for different types of plants. • They reduce labour and cost of irrigation managements. • After planting, the garden should be maintained with out weeds, diseases and pests and the plants should be kept healthy. • A neat and nicely kept garden is the pride of the landscapists.
- 14. Hedges • A row of shrubs planted close together to form a boundary for a garden is called hedge. • A beautiful live hedge is essential to enclose the garden. • Plants in the hedges are frequently pruned to maintain a height of 50 – 100cm. • Thevetia neriifolia (Ponnarali), Plumbago (chitharagam) etc. are grown in hedges.
- 15. • In some cases, trees such as Casuarina, Polyalthia etc. are grown in hedges. • Hedges give clear demarcation to the garden area. • Shrubs such as Lantana (unnichedi), Duranta (agaya poo), Aralia etc. are grown in internal hedges. • These hedges divide the garden into several components each of which is unique in specific types of plants.
- 16. Edges • A row of bushes planted close together along the sides of foot path in a garden is known as edges. • It forms a clear border which divides the beds from the foot path. Dwarf plants such as Coleus (Thazhuthaalai), Plumbago etc. are grown as edge plants. In general, these plants are pruned to a height of 25 – 30cms. • Edges are used for dividing individual beds from one another, for lining to a lawn or for separating beds from foot path. • In some cases, small brick walls or concrete slabs are used as non – living edge in the garden.
- 17. Trees • Trees are grown along the boundaries of the garden in order to reduce noise from outside and to provide a prospective beauty to the garden. • In large public gardens, spreading trees with beautiful or fragrant flowers provide picnic ground for people. • Besides this, trees give shade to shade – loving plants and people visiting the garden to enjoy the beauty
- 18. Flower beds • Dense growth of herbaceous annuals producing beautiful flowers in a small compartments is called flower bed. • It looks like a flower carpet over the ground and hence the name flower bed. • The flower beds are made along the foundation of buildings or sides of path leading to entrance of a house, office or sides of foot path. • In large gardens, they are grown in outward stratches of lawn. • Cosmos, Gaillardia, Ipomoea, Kochia, Petunia, Zinnia etc. are grown in flower beds. • Usually only one species is grown in flower beds.
- 19. • Narrow flower beds with more length than the width are called borders. • Heterogeneous plants are grown in borders. • Plants Alyssum, Iberis, Phlox, Viola, etc. are grown in borders. • If herbaceous plants are grown, the border is called herbaceous border. • If shrubs are grown in border, then it is known as shrub border. • If two or more species make up the border, then it is known as mixed border. • In general, borders are created on the sides of foot path, drives or in front of large shrubs.
- 20. Lawn • Dense growth of grasses over the soil in a garden is called lawn. It looks like a green carpet over the ground. • Lawn is an important component of a garden. • It increases the beauty of the garden. • It is constructed in wide areas receiving full sun shine. • Grasses such as Cynodon dactylon, Stenotaphrum secundatum, Festuca rubra, Agrostis tenuis, Zoysia japonica etc. are usually grown in lawns.
- 21. Shrubs • A much branched woody perennial that has no central trunk is said to be a shrub. • In natural designs, shrubs are planted usually at the corners of gardens. • In informal gardens, the shrubs are not at all trimmed, but in formal gardens they are trimmed at regular intervals to a particular height. • They form a border on the sides of foot path. • Usually only one species is grown to form a border. • In formal gardens, the shrub border is created with more than two kinds of shrubs. Such a shrubby growth is called shrubbery.
- 22. Climbers and creepers • Beautiful climbers and creepers are grown over walls, Archery, pergolas, arbours, pillars are large trees. • These plants display the dazzling beauty in the flowering season. • Plants such as Bougainvellea, morning glory, sweet pea, India Ivy, money plant, Philodendron (Illati Malavalai) etc. grown in gardens for their aesthetic value
- 23. Paths • Foot paths or roads are an important part of gardens, which protect garden parts from foot step of visitors and facilitate easy management of the gardens. • The paths may be constructed with earth, brick, concrete or paved. • Paving with irregular shaped flat stones or tiles gives a crazy path. • It is mainly done in the formal gardens. • Perennial grasses may be grown in between the stones to increase the beauty of the crazy paths.
- 24. Arches • The curved structures that forms a gateway for the garden is called an arch. • It may be built with concrete or steel works. • Plants that need supports for their growth are used to grow over the arches to give the appearance of green flags from the arches, Eg. Bougainvillea.
- 25. Pergolas • A pergolas is a covered walk path composed of many pillars and a roof of climbers. • The pillars are found along the sides of the walk path. • Curved steel rods are fitted on the top of the pillars and fixed with some cross bars. • Climbers and creepers are planted along the sides of the path and allowed to grow over the arched supports. • Such a plant covered walk path is known as pergola. • Eg. Bougainvellea glabra, Aristolochia elegans (Easwara mooligai), Antigonan leptopus (Kodi roja)
- 26. Rockery • Artificial mound of large stones and mud planted with rock plants is called rockery • It brings together a mountain – like appearance within a small space in the garden • Plants are planted in the crevices of the stones or between the stones. • Rockery seems to be a small mountain with a peak, ranges and a few valleys. Thus it increases the aesthetic value of the garden.
- 27. Carpet beds • Dense growth of herbaceous plants, which are trimmed frequently to have some designs or letters, is called carpet bed. • Plants with attractive foliage are more preferred than plants with attractive flowers to make carpet beds • These plants grow for long time without being affected from trimming operations. • Overgrowth of the plant is avoided in order to preserve the designs or letters in the carpet bed. • Barren rocks are more suitable than wealthy mountain to create beds because of poor weed growth and overgrowth of plants.
- 28. Topiary • Topiary is a plant which is trimmed and clipped in to ornamental shapes such as cone or bird or animal. • Shrubs with bushy habit are generally suitable for topiary works. • Eg. Casuarina, Cupressus (Saru), Bougainvellea etc. • These shrubs withstand frequent trimming and bending for clipping to form definite shapes.
- 29. Trophy • Arrangement of potted plants with colourful foliage and attractive flowers around a tree or a central large object, is called trophy. • Flowering shrubs or annuals are grown in pots and the pots are placed around the tree or statue. • In some cases, potted plants are kept in different tiers around the statue.
- 30. Green house • The building constructed with glass walls and roofs and used to grow green plants, is called green house. • This is a conservatory wherein required shade, humidity and temperature are provided for the growth of the plants. • It had been used to grow plants which cannot thrive in direct sunlight and wind. • Shade may be provided by growing climbers over the roof of the green house. • Plants can be propagated inside the green house and then planted in the garden. • Ferns, Anthurium (tail flower) etc. are frequently grown in the green house to protect them from sunlight. • If more humidity is required inside, a small pool is constructed in the green house or water is sprinkled over the plants at regular intervals.
- 31. Sunken garden • Gardens created in natural depressions with in the garden area are called sunken garden. • Here potted plants are kept on a series of terraces to the depression or small pool. • In some cases where the depression has enough wide space, flower beds and lawns are made on every terrace of the depression. • Sunken garden makes use of depressions to bring out natural beauty within the garden limit.
- 32. Water garden • Water pool of a garden with attractive plants is called water garden or lily pool. • Water pool within the garden limit is used to create water garden • Water lilies, Pistia, Lemna, Nymphaea sps. etc. are introduced in to the water pool to make a water garden. • It gives an additional beauty to the garden