The Principles of Landscape Design

1. The Principles of Landscape Design

2. What is Landscape Design? • Involves the union between nature and man’s built environment. • Includes aesthetics and function (beauty and practicality). • For people and/or the environment.

3. Steps in the Landscape Design Process • Client Interview • Site Survey and Analysis • Problem Statement • Objectives • Concept • Preliminary Design • Final Design

4. Program Phase • Client Interview • Site Survey and Analysis • Problem Statement • Objectives • Concept

5. Design Phase • Preliminary Design • Final Design

6. Program Phase • Considers facts of the project (collects facts about site and client). • Anticipating problems, future needs, activities, development of site. • Plan to satisfy needs of the customer (need to know personality, lifestyle, needs, desires, priorities).

7. How important is the Program Phase? If the designer does a poor job……..design decisions will be inaccurate…recommendations to the client will be ineffective………the client will be dissatisfied…………the designer’s reputation suffers………there will be no new job referrals…………the firm goes out of business.

8. Client Interview? • Find out as much about the client as possible. • Client may not even know what they want. • This makes people skills very important.

9. Questions to Ask Client • How much free time? • Hobbies? • Personality (Social or Private)? • Children and/or Pets? • Budget? • Favorite Colors or Plant Types? • Entertain Guests? • Future Plans?

10. Site Survey • The purpose of the site survey is to inventory the existing features of the site. The items that are inventoried include……...

11. Topography-shape of the ground • Geology-what is the ground made of • Hydrology-water table and movement • Existing Vegetation-what plant matter is present • Circulation-people movement in the landscape • Utilities-gas/power lines, septic tank, water ways • Views-what might be pleasurable to see or not

12. Off-site Influence-city ordinance, neighbors, roadways • Climate-macro (entire lot) and micro (specific area within the site • Soil-structure and fertility • Record views-back door, living room window, driveway to front door, deck, road

13. Site Analysis • Identify Use Areas (for example, a large, open area with a gentle slope and good soil and no overhead wires would be an ideal location for a garden).

14. Problem Statement • Defines the scope (kind) of project with general sentences or phrases. • Defines what you are trying to accomplish through this process. • General. Not Specific.

15. Objectives • Create more specific statements that identify the goals of the project. These still are not actual design decisions.

16. Concept • Create a “bubble diagram” of the property and the uses for each portion of the property.

17. Design Phase • The purpose of the design phase is to put all of the information, thought and ideas gathered in the program phase into a working design.

18. Preliminary Design • Tends to be a rough sketch, not exactly to scale, not fully labeled. • Include specific design items, include plant and hardscape materials. • This design is shared with the client for feedback.

19. Final Design • The preliminary design is modified to include the feedback from the client. • The final design is professionally completed, drawn to scale, and includes clearly labeled items and a materials list. • This design is provided to the landscape contractor for installation.