Preparing the landscape site

1. Preparing the landscape site Ms. Gripshover Landscaping Unit 14

2. Our Objectives • Read a site analysis or landscape plan. • Explain how to interpret a landscape plan. • Describe how to protect existing site features. • Describe how to remove site features that are unwanted. • Analyze and prepare soil for planting.

3. Refresher • Landscape Plan • Symbols are used in a landscape plan and scale is also used in a plan to show what the plan will look like when its complete • Typically the plants are drawn at the size they will be full grown • Site analysis- rough sketch showing existing features of a landscape

4. HOW CAN STUDENTS READ A LANDSCAPE PLAN TO EFFECTIVELY INSTALL A LANDSCAPE DESIGN? • Must be able to read plan to install correctly • Similar to reading a map • Must understand symbols • Identify, draw, and read simple landscape symbols • Read and interpret measurements • Be able to use architect’s scale & engineer’s scale

5. How can students take the information shown in a landscape plan and implement it into the construction of the design? • A plan tells you many things such as: • Where plants go • Paths and patios • Water features • Taking measurement from paper to real life requires being able to read a scale, use a scale, and translate into reality • Generating a list of plant material help to establish pricing as well as ordering • Hardscaping- use of non- living material like: • Paths, patios, walkways, etc.

6. Your Task • We will be using your desk, post it notes, and other simples materials to draw a landscape plan • Post notes will represent the plants • You will need to get: • A ruler, 5 post it notes • We will be using 1/8” scale • Put two plants (one in each corner) in the upper portion of your “plan” • They should both be 2’ away from each the sides and the top • Place a plant directly in the center of your “plan” • Now, take two more plants and place them on the bottom of your “plan”, 3 feet away from the bottom and exactly right in the middle of the two plants you already placed

7. How did you do??? • Ms. G. Will Check

8. How can existing site features be protected from damage in the installation process? • One reason to keep everything protected is to make the customer happy • Soil compaction- roots are unable to get enough oxygen because the soil has been compacted usually from heavy machinery • Use routes to avoid potential damage to roots and utility lines • Portable fencing should also be placed around the drip line of trees • Dripline- the outermost leaves of the canopy reach; where rainwater drips from the leaf tips, most of the roots are in this region

10. How can one remove unwanted site features? • Sometimes living & non- living features need to be removed • Small trees can be dug up (and often times moved elsewhere) and large trees may need to be removed with a tree spade or cut down • What other features may need to be removed?

12. How can students analyze the quality of the soil so that soil amendments can be properly applied? • A soil analysis determines the type and quality of soil • Soil amendments- something that is added to improve soil quality • Soil fertility- the ability of a soil to provide nutrients for plant growth