Compilation of questions and answers on landscaping.
Q.1. What are important principles of landscaping?
Ans. i. Simplicity
ii. Unity or Harmony
iii. Balance
iv. Proportion or Scale
v. Accent or Focalization, and
vi. Rhythm.
Q.2. What are important elements of landscaping?
Ans. i. Line
ii. Colour
iii. Texture
iv. Habit
v. Form
vi. Light
vii. Space or Volume
viii. Mobility, and
ix. Style.
Q.3. What is simplicity?
Ans. The landscape designer must develop simplicity in the design, to provide a restful setting for the outdoor living in the property area.
Simplicity in design is achieved through several ways:
i. Repetition of same species for similar form (silhouette), habit or colour and construction material.
ii. Smooth flowing of silhouette or grouping of plants.
iii. Avoid too many species in a small place.
Q.4. How unity or harmony is achieved in the design?
Ans. It is an overall effect of various features, styles and colours of total scene.
The unity in design is achieved by several ways:
i. In simplest form, unity is expressed by the repetition of identical elements.
ii. Plants in the landscape should be limited in kind and variety in order to produce an unified effect as too many divergent shapes, textures or colours generate confusion, thus we can say that unity is achieved through various ways-
iii. First, the unity of style, feeling and function between the house and the garden.
iv. Second, the different components of the gardens should merge harmoniously with each other.
v. Third, to achieve some harmony between the landscape and the garden, so that train creepers on the porch to bring home close to the nature.
Q.5. How balance is created in the design?
Ans. Balance influences the eye movement as lines and shapes have visual weight or visual magnetism.
i. Equal weights can be balanced only when placed equidistantly from the centre.
ii. If the weights are unequal, the heavier must move towards the centre for making balance.
iii. Symmetrical or formal balance is achieved when identical elements are positioned equidistantly from the central axis. In making the balance with the plants, their form, colour and texture are kept in view.
iv. Asymmetrical or informal balance creates the same amount of interest on both sides of the outdoor room, but does not create an exact duplication of elements. A tree on one side is balanced by planting a group of shrubs on the other side.
Q.6. How proportion or scale is maintained in the design?
Ans. Proportion is concerned with the size relationship of the features of the landscape. It is the relation of one thing with the other in magnitude.
The space allotted for different features should be in right proportion as under:
i. Lawn (25-30%)
ii. Paths (20%)
iii. Herbaceous borders (20%)
iv. Shrubbery (15-20%)
v. Trees (15%)
vi. Buildings (35-40%)
vii. In stairs the tred and riser should be in right proportion for indoor and outdoor rooms.
viii. Other features should be in right proportion.
Q.7. What is accent or focalization?
Ans. The feature which first attracts the eyes is known as accent or focal point or focalization. That feature may draw attention through its form (shape), habit, colour, size, texture, sound, motion, etc. The hidden focal point is called as vista. This may be created through a specimen plant, flowers, statues or fountains.
Q.8. What is rhythm and how it is created in the garden?
Ans. Rhythm is an easy connected path along which the eye will travel in any direction from one point to another without disturbance.
The important examples of rhythm are:
i. The action of a dancer in case of Punjabi folk dance in which the eye travels from one dancer to another without disturbance.
ii. When a stone is thrown in a water tank, the waves are seen in rhythmic action.
iii. The beat of marshal music.
Q.9. How rhythm is created in a design?
Ans. The rhythm is created through three ways as under:
i. Through repetition of shapes.
ii. Through progression of sizes.
iii. Through continuous line movement.
Q.10. How rhythm is created through repetition of shapes?
Ans. When a shape is regularly repeated at proper interval, a movement is created which carry the eye from one point to another in such a way that one is unconscious about the separate units.
Rhythmic advancement makes it possible for the eye to pass it from entire length of space as follows:
i. Rose garden.
ii. Mountain in the lake.
iii. Formal avenue planting.
Q.11. How rhythm is created through progression of sizes?
Ans. The sequence in the contour either in ascending or descending order and the eye is carried forward along the easy route by this way without disturbance. There is more enjoyment in the garden when larger objects are involved in progression of sizes.
The important examples are:
i. Arrangement of landscape sceneries in the room through progression of sizes.
ii. Stones placed along the pool or well in descending order.
iii. Same forms of the plants in progression of sizes in the garden.
Q.12. How rhythm is created through continuous line movement?
Ans. The rhythm is to be found in the continuous movement of a line, while the undulating lines are moving parallel in the flowing water in canal or river.
Q.13. How different lines are created in the garden?
Ans. i. Line may be placed at the junction of two materials such as a border of water and land for grass and walkway.
ii. It is used to create as control pattern of movement and attention.
iii. Straight lines denote formality quality and solid structure.
iv. Curved or zigzag lines are less passive encourage slower movement and are common in informal gardens.
Q.14. How colour and tone affect the landscaping?
Ans. i. It brings the world to the life.
ii. It creates variety of responses.
iii. It creates depth (blue colour) or nearness (red colour).
iv. It gives feeling of warmness or coolness.
Q.15. How habit and form affect the landscaping?
Ans. i. Straight growing plants take the eye vertically.
ii. Horizontally growing plants pulls down the eye and are good for planting in small compounds, depicts close intimacy between the plants and earth.
iii. Columnar canopy shaped plants takes the eye vertically while globular plants takes the eye horizontally.
Q.16. What are different components of texture?
Ans. i. Weight.
ii. Density.
iii. Expression.
iv. Reflective-ness.
v. Integrity.
Q.17. How light affects the landscaping?
Ans. i. Light is used in respect of colour and shadow.
ii. As light passes through the atmosphere dust particles reflect the blue light waves giving blue colour to the sky or mountains.
Iii. Different categories of time provide different quality and quantity of light varying from morning to evening, seasons and with growth of plants over the years.
Q.18. How space and volume affect the landscaping?
Ans. i. It is a negative element in the landscaping.
ii. As the aim of every garden designer should be such that the garden should appear larger than its actual size.
iii. Keep the centre open by making a lawn and restrict the planting to periphery.
iv. Make different features in right proportion.
Q.19. How mobility is created in the landscape?
Ans. i. Planting of deciduous plants.
ii. Flowing water through water-fall, canal or river.
Q.20. What are general assumptions of home landscaping?
Ans. i. East or west home is the best.
ii. Home ensures security, shelter, rest, peace and enjoyment.
iii. Man being civilized animal prefers to live in association of plants.
iv. Labour and pains taken in developing home and garden later on give immense pleasure, joy and satisfaction.
v. Hence, home and home gardens are made on the basis of individual preferences.
Q.21. What are general guidelines for home landscaping?
Ans. i. Home garden is made for personnel interest to secure reasonable amount of comfort and convenience.
ii. Avoid undue complex-city and go with simplicity.
iii. Add variety to an extent that unity is achieved.
iv. Use long paths as curvaceous or zigzag and different objects according to colour scheme to break monotony.
v. Keep natural grade of land and requirement of landscape in mind.
vi. Incorporate landscape plants including trees as per their landscape value and utility.
vi. Attempting too much in a small place should be avoided.
vii. The design allocated to each area should be functional and convenience access.
Q.22. What are different objectives for home landscaping?
Ans. i. To secure attractive ground.
ii. To provide natural, easy and safe approach.
iii. To obtain privacy for family.
iv. To fulfill recreational needs for the family.
v. To provide convenient well arranged attractive service area.
vi. To harmonize home building, various areas, walks, drives, gardens and other utility areas in to one unit.
Q.23. What are different functions for home landscaping?
Ans. i. Extends the living area of the home.
ii. Screening for privacy and protection from wind and sun.
iii. Outlet for overflowing children energy.
iv. Minimize noise.
v. Absorb and filter summer sun.
vi. Reduce need for artificial air conditioning.
vii. Ground covers prevent soil erosion.
viii. Shield house from heat robbing winds and lessen electricity heating and cooling bills.
ix. Absorb pollutants.
x. Provide shelter for wildlife.
xi. Source of food.
Q.24. What are landscape plants?
Ans. Landscape plants are those plants which are grown with the objective of beautify our surroundings. In addition to this these plants must serve certain functional, architectural and engineering uses.
Q.25. What are different types of landscape plants?
Ans. i. Trees
ii. Shrubs
iii. Climbers
iv. Herbaceous perennials
v. Annuals
vi. Biennials
vii. Bulbous plants
viii. Indoor/ live plants
ix. Cacti and succulents
x. Palms and cycads
xi. Lawn grasses
xii. Other ornamental grasses
xiii. Bamboos
xiv. Water plants
xv. Ferns
xvi. Selaginellas
xvii. Mosses
xviii. Lichens, and
xix. Fleshy fungi.
Q.26. What are important characteristics of landscape plants for which these must be evaluated before their use?
Ans. i. Proper identification- Botanical name, common name and family
ii. Habitat
iii. Habit
iv. Form
v. Height
vi. Spread vii. Trunk height
vii. Texture—Fine, medium and coarse
viii. Growth rate—slow, medium and fast
ix. Leaf retention period—Deciduous, Semi-deciduous and Evergreen
x. Foliage colour—Emerging, mature and fall colour
xi. Flowering season and peak flowering duration
xii. Flower—Colour, shape, size, fragrance
xiii. Inflorescence—Size, type and number of flowers in it
xiv. Fruits—Colour, shape, size, season and duration
xv. Associated flora
xvi. Susceptibility or resistance to natural hazards, drought, wind, flood, insect pests and diseases
xvii. Ease of transplanting, and
xviii. Other peculiar characteristics.
Q.27. What is habitat?
Ans. It is defined as the natural abode of plants which includes altitude, latitude, aspect, elevation, microclimate, soil and water.
Q.28. What is habit?
Ans. It is defined as the pattern of growth of plants.
Q.29. What is form?
Ans. The mass contained within the extremities of growth is known as form.
Q.30. What is texture?
Ans. It is defined as the representation of the structure of the surface of leaves and bark, and is determined visually.
Q.31. What are five important characters which define texture?
Ans. i. Textural weight
ii. Density
iii. Expression
iv. Reflective-ness, and
v. Integrity.
Q.32. What factors affect the texture?
Ans. i. Colour
ii. Season
iii. Light
iv. Distance, and
v. Time of the year.
Q.33. What are functional uses of plants?
Ans. i. Visual and physical barriers
ii. To control solar radiation, wind, humidity and noise
iii. To control air pollution
iv. To control soil erosion
v. Potential use in comfort of human civilization, and
vi. Wild life habitat.
Q.34. What are architectural uses of plants?
Ans. i. Screening to prevent direct sunlight, glares of setting sun
ii. To serve as background
iii. To create ceiling, walls and floor of outdoor room, and
iv. To provide shelter in pavilion, gazevo, glorietas, etc.
Q.35. What are engineering uses of plants?
Ans. i. To direct traffic.
ii. To provide comfort to drivers and riders from sun glares.
Q.36. What are important characteristics of any plant to be grown as a specimen plant in the garden?
Ans. Individualistic and strong enough to occupy positions either because of these qualities or the quality of not mixing easily with other plants.
Q.37. What are important herbaceous perennials for hills?
Ans. i. Achillea (Yarrow, Milfoil)
ii. Anchusa italica
iii. Aquilegia hybrida (Columbine)
iv. Bergenia crassifolia (Elephant ear)
v. Campanula (Bell flower)
vi. Chrysanthemum maximum (Moon/ Shasta daisy)
vii. Delphinium
viii. Digitalis grandiflora (Fox globe)
ix. Gypsophila paniculata
x. Lupinus
xi. Oenothera
xii. Paeonies
xiii. Penstemon barbatus
xiv. Primula
xv. Pyrethrum roseum
xvi. Rudbeckia, and
xvii. Solidago canadensis.
Q.38. What are important herbaceous perennials for plains?
Ans. i. Anlelonia grandiflora
ii. Aster amellus
iii. Catharanthus roseus
iv. Coreopsis
v. Gaillardia aristata
vi. Impatiens sultani
vii. Mirabilis jalapa
viii. Phlox paniculata
ix. Portulaca grandiflora
x. Salvia
xi. Solidago Canadensis
xii. Verbena laciniata
xiii. Viola odorata, and
xiv. Zinnia linearis.
Q.39. What are important ornamental vegetables?
Ans. i. Anise
ii. Bladder dock
iii. Indian dill
iv. Jerusalem cherry (Solanum capsicastrum)
v. Ornamental cabbage
vi. Ornamental corn
vii. Ornamental gourds
viii. Ornamental kale, and
ix. Ornamental pepper.
Q.40. What are important feather leaved palms?
Ans. i. Areca triandra
ii. Arecastrum romanzoffianum
iii. Arenga pinnata
iv. Caryota mitis
v. Caryota urens (Toddy palm)
vi. Chamaedorea elegans
vii. Chrysalidocarpus luteseens
viii. Cocos Weddeliana
ix. Crytostachys renda (Lakka palm)
x. Howea forsteriana (Kentia palm)
xi. Hyophorbe lagenicaulis (Champagne palm)
xi. H. verschaffeltii (Spindle palm)
xii. Phoenix roebelinii
xiii. P. rupicola
xiv. Ptychosperma macarthuri
xv. P. elegans, and
xvi. Roystonea oleracea (Cabbage palm).
Q.41. What are important fan leaved palms?
Ans. i. Bismarckia nobilis
ii. Corypha umbraculifera (Talipot palm)
iii. Latania rubra (Red latan palm)
iv. L. aurea
v. Licuala grandis
vi. L. spinosa
vii. Livistonia rotundifolia
viii. L. chinensis
ix. P. pacifica
x. Pritchardia grandis
xi. Rhapis excelsa (Ground rattan palm)
xii. Stevensonia grandiflora Thrinax parviflora, and
xiii. Washingtonia filifera.
Q.42. What are important palms for avenue planting?
Ans. i. Caryota urens
ii. Cocos plumosa
iii. Phoenix rupicola, and
iv. Roystonea oleracea.
Q.43. What are important palms for planting as hedge or screen?
Ans. i. Caryota sobolifera
ii. Chrysalidocarpus lutescens
iii. Ptychosperma macarthuri, and
iv. Rhapis flabelliformis.
Q.44. What are important cycads?
Ans. i. Cycas circinaiis
ii. Cycas revoluta (Sago palm), and
iii. Zamia furfuracea.
Q.45. What are important tall bamboos for landscaping?
Ans. i. Bambusa siamensis
ii. Bambusa vulgaris (Common Indian bamboo)
iii. Phyilostachya nigra (Black bamboo), and
iv. Phyllostachys aurea (Golden bamboo).
Q.46. What are important dwarf bamboos for landscaping?
Ans. i. Arundinaria auricoma
ii. Arundinaria fortunei
iii. Arundinaria japonica
iv. Bambusa graciilima (Chinese bamboo)
v. Bambusa nana, and
vi. Bambusa ventricosa (Budha’s Belly bamboo).
Q.47. What are important ornamental grasses for landscaping?
Ans. i. Agrostis nebulosa (Cloud grass)
ii. Apluda mutica var. aristata
iii. Arundo donax versicolor
iv. Cortaderia selloana (Pampas grass)
v. Cymbopogon citrates (Lemon grass)
vi. Eragrostis interrupta (Love grass)
vii. Oplismenus burmannii variegatum
viii. Pennisetum villosum
ix. Phalaris arundinacea var. picta (Ribbon grass)
x. Phalaris canariensis (Canary grass)
xi. Rhynchelytrum repens, and
xii. Thyrsanolaena agrostis (Bouquets grass).
Q.48. How healthy and attractive landscape is maintained?
Ans. i. Inter-culture and hoeing
ii. Pruning
iii. Fertilizing
iv. Watering, and
v. Plant protection.
Q.49. What are important features of low maintenance landscape plants?
Ans. i. Raised planters which require less bending for maintenance.
ii. Mulches around trees and shrubs suppresses weeds.
iii. Plants requiring less frequency of pruning.
iv. Plants should not spoil ground by falling of leaves, fruits and branches.
v. After attaining full maturity the plants requiring low pruning to keep in size.
vi. Use flowering shrubs rather than high maintenance annuals or perennials.
vii. Naturally resistant or tolerant plants to insect-pests and diseases are preferred.
Q.50. What is pollarding?
Ans. Pollarding is the formal training and common pruning technique of deciduous trees, which restricts the height of the tree and creates a denser head of foliage than the same species plants when allowed to grow naturally.
Q.51. What is the ideal time of fertilizing landscape plants?
Ans. The most ideal time for fertilizing landscape plants is just before or after plants are actively growing in January-February and/or September.
Q.52. What is landscape architecture?
Ans. It is an art of arranging land and landscape for human use, convenience and enjoyment.
Q.53. What is need analysis?
Ans. Need analysis is the compilation of an inventory of what should be accomplished by means of the landscaping and what the landscape will include, based on the preferences and life styles of the owner’s family.
To facilitate need analysis, the property area is divided into three areas as under:
i. Public/Approach/Front area.
ii. Family/Private living area.
iii. Service/Utility area.
Q.54. What is site analysis?
Ans. Site analysis is the second stage of planning in which an inventory of the existing property items including the architecture of the house, landscape, viewpoints, soil, climate, plot size, etc. are prepared. Both good and bad points are mentioned for developing a successful home landscape.
Q.55. What is public area?
Ans. Public area is that area of the home garden which is viewable from the street or is seen by any one coming to the home. This area conveys the initial impression about the residents of the house. Poorly designed and ill-kept landscape leads to sloppiness, sparsely planted or rigidly pruned leads to austerity and walled as a courtyard projects the sense of seclusion.
The main functions of public area are:
i. To blend the house with its surroundings.
ii. To provide a pleasant and readily accessible entry to the house.
Q.56. What features are included in the public area?
Ans. i. Entry way
ii. Drive way
iii. Parking
iv. Walk way
v. Steps
vi. Entry court
vii. Front lawn
viii. Basic planting
ix. Frame work of the home
x. Auxiliary planting
x. Small private area
xi. Terracing for changing levels
xii. Privacy from street, and
xiii. Night lighting.
Q.57. What are general guidelines for developing public area of home garden?
Ans. i. Make the front lawn open and spacious in right proportion.
ii. Do not try to save every plant in this area. Avoid use of garden ornaments.
iii. Confine shrubs to the borders, corners and to the foundation/ base of the building.
iv. Balance the planting with trees and shrubs about imaginary line through entrance of the house.
v. Use only those plants which complement the house to its best advantage.
vi. Do not be reluctant to use appealing design.
vii. Do not use hedges in this area.
viii. Entrance of the house should have harboring quality.
Q.58. What is family or private area?
Ans. This is also known as outdoor living area. The elements and features in this area vary enormously with the family and climate, but must fulfill the needs of the family.
The main functions of this area are:
i. Screening neighbors from viewing and hearing.
ii. Screening from wind and shading from sun.
iii. To provide comfort to the family members.
iv. To entertain personnel guests.
Q.59. What are general guidelines for developing family/private area of home garden?
Ans. i. Enclose the area to ensure privacy.
ii. To provide background for displaying flowering plants including annuals to their best advantage.
iii. Arrange flower beds, rockery and other features around periphery.
iv. Allow the centre to remain open, which gives visual impression of more area and allow space for social functions.
v. Make this area easily accessible to other parts of the garden.
vi. Plant small trees for ensuring close intimacy between family members, space, landscape and nature.
Q.60. What features are included in the private or family area?
Ans. This area mainly consists of recreational needs for the family such as:
i. Patio or deck
ii. Night lighting
iii. Privacy
iv. Lawn
v. Garden ornaments
vi. Ornamental or swimming pools
vii. Plants attractive for birds
viii. Terracing for changing levels
ix. Flower display beds
x. Wind control, and
xi. View emphasis.
Q.61. What is service or utility area and what feature are included in it?
Ans. This is that part of the home garden which provides room for necessities such as:
i. Greenhouse
ii. Cut or loose flower garden
iii. Vegetable garden
iv. Orchard
v. Garage
vi. Pet run
vii. Garbage pit
viii. Firewood store
ix. Irrigation system, and
x. Servant house.
Q.62. What are general guidelines for developing service area of home garden?
Ans. i. Screen this area from public and private area.
ii. Kitchen door should be open to this area.
Q.63. What are enrichment items?
Ans. Enrichment items are elements of the outdoor room which are not essential for making walls, ceiling or floor but, make the place more useable.
These are of two types:
i. Natural Enrichment Items:
These are formed by the nature and are either present at the site or moved to the site by the landscape designer. These may be tangible (touchable) or intangible (not touchable).
ii. Manmade Enrichment Items:
These items are created through a manufacturing process.
Q.64. What are different natural tangible and intangible enrichment items?
Ans. i. Tangible Enrichment Items:
Stones, specimen plants, water, animals, birds, etc.
ii. Intangible Enrichment Items:
Fragrance, sound of waterfall, view of natural scenery and sound of pods or foliage when gentle wind blows.
Q.65. What are different manmade enrichment items?
Ans. i. Outdoor furniture.
ii. Outdoor art and craft.
iii. Pools and fountains.
iv. Lighting.
Q.66. How many ways lighting is created in the landscape garden?
Ans. i. Walk lights.
ii. Silhouette lighting.
iii. Shadow lighting.
iv. Down lighting.
v. Up lighting.