basic landscaping

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BASIC BASIC LANDSCAPINGLANDSCAPING

Bill TaylorBill TaylorWeston County Extension ServiceWeston County Extension Service

The University of Wyoming is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution.

University of WyomingUniversity of Wyoming

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OpportunityOpportunity Incorporates principles of sustainability in Incorporates principles of sustainability in

evolving landscapeevolving landscape Allows for water conservationAllows for water conservation Low maintenanceLow maintenance

Minimal labor, water, fertilizer, pesticidesMinimal labor, water, fertilizer, pesticides

Creates habitat for people, plants, wildlifeCreates habitat for people, plants, wildlife Provides for pleasing aestheticsProvides for pleasing aesthetics


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Master PlanMaster Plan Essential to ensure elements and Essential to ensure elements and

principles of design flow throughout principles of design flow throughout environmentenvironment

Create rhythm, balance, harmonyCreate rhythm, balance, harmony


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Science or Art?Science or Art? Art which requires knowledge, skill, Art which requires knowledge, skill,

trained sense of formtrained sense of form Has fundamental procedures, rules, Has fundamental procedures, rules,

principlesprinciples Once rules understood then variety and Once rules understood then variety and

diversity of art can be useddiversity of art can be used Objective – make outside grounds Objective – make outside grounds

extension of houseextension of house


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Organize Entire Lawn Organize Entire Lawn AreaArea

Make drawing or map of home and Make drawing or map of home and groundsgrounds


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Organize Entire Lawn Organize Entire Lawn Area (cont.)Area (cont.)

Lay out general use areasLay out general use areas


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Decide on areas of open lawn, shade, Decide on areas of open lawn, shade, screening privacy, full sun, open views, screening privacy, full sun, open views, background, flower beds, outdoor living areas, background, flower beds, outdoor living areas, service areasservice areas

Trees, shrubs, flowersTrees, shrubs, flowers Usually in corners, borders, at foundation.Usually in corners, borders, at foundation.

Determine permanent structures – walks, Determine permanent structures – walks, driveways, clothesline, garbage disposal, driveways, clothesline, garbage disposal, buildings, gates, play-ground equipment, etc.buildings, gates, play-ground equipment, etc.


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Too many trees, shrubs, flowers may Too many trees, shrubs, flowers may constrict living areaconstrict living area

Too many plantings may increase Too many plantings may increase maintenance time and costmaintenance time and cost

Too much grass may make setting less Too much grass may make setting less attractive and increase water and attractive and increase water and mowing requirementsmowing requirements


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Provide for flexibility as family maturesProvide for flexibility as family matures Barbeque and picnic areas easily Barbeque and picnic areas easily

accessible from houseaccessible from house Play areas easily viewed from housePlay areas easily viewed from house


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HardscapeHardscape Natural flow of people determine paths and lawn Natural flow of people determine paths and lawn

areasareas Paths – pull people in, slow them down, speed them Paths – pull people in, slow them down, speed them

upup Walls – Should complement paths, fences, garden Walls – Should complement paths, fences, garden

structuresstructures Fences – metal, wood, rock, concreteFences – metal, wood, rock, concrete Garden structures – decks, gazebos, swings, Garden structures – decks, gazebos, swings,

benches, barbeque standsbenches, barbeque stands Ponds or pools – formal or naturalPonds or pools – formal or natural


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LawnLawn Can control two components:Can control two components:

Water usageWater usage Time spent mowingTime spent mowing

Controlled by size and shapeControlled by size and shape


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Design Planting And Design Planting And AreasAreas

Draw outlines for flower beds, rockeries, pools, Draw outlines for flower beds, rockeries, pools, mass shrubs, treesmass shrubs, trees

InformalInformal Requires more spaceRequires more space Curving, meandering bordersCurving, meandering borders Free branching plantsFree branching plants Variety of speciesVariety of species More difficult to lay out and maintain than formalMore difficult to lay out and maintain than formal


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Design Planting And Design Planting And Areas (cont.)Areas (cont.)

Formal designFormal design Takes less space and plant speciesTakes less space and plant species Stiffer, less naturalStiffer, less natural


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Informal Formal


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First consideration when deciding on First consideration when deciding on plants – mature sizeplants – mature size Purpose of plant? Purpose of plant?

Shade? Screen? Color? Privacy?Shade? Screen? Color? Privacy? Mature form and size?Mature form and size? Hardiness zoneHardiness zone Assign perennials, shrubs, trees specific Assign perennials, shrubs, trees specific

symbols and group on plansymbols and group on plan


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Plants (cont.)Plants (cont.) Design to group plant materials of similar Design to group plant materials of similar

color and textures – need to complement color and textures – need to complement each othereach other Dark leaves shrink spaceDark leaves shrink space Light, small leaves make space seem largerLight, small leaves make space seem larger


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Principles (cont.)Principles (cont.) UnityUnity

Consistent styleConsistent style Visual flow from one area to anotherVisual flow from one area to another Each area blends with wholeEach area blends with whole

TextureTexture Surface quality of objects – seen or feltSurface quality of objects – seen or felt Coarse, medium, fineCoarse, medium, fine Smooth, rough, glassy, dullSmooth, rough, glassy, dull


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Principles (cont.)Principles (cont.) BalanceBalance

SymmetricalSymmetrical Mirror image from side to sideMirror image from side to side


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Principles (cont.)Principles (cont.) Balance (cont.)Balance (cont.)

AsymmetricalAsymmetrical Uses different forms, colors, textures to obtain visual Uses different forms, colors, textures to obtain visual

balancebalance


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Principles (cont.)Principles (cont.) TransitionTransition

Arrangement of objects with varying textures, Arrangement of objects with varying textures, forms, sizes in sequential orderforms, sizes in sequential order

Three-dimensional perspective of compositionThree-dimensional perspective of composition


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Principles (cont.)Principles (cont.) Proportion or scaleProportion or scale

Size of parts in a design Size of parts in a design in relation to each otherin relation to each other

3’ pool lost in large open 3’ pool lost in large open lawn – fits in small lawn – fits in small private areaprivate area


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Principles (cont.)Principles (cont.) RhythmRhythm

Elements create feeling of motion, leading eyes Elements create feeling of motion, leading eyes through areathrough area


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Principles (cont.)Principles (cont.) FocalizationFocalization

Viewer’s eye quickly forced along straight lines to particular Viewer’s eye quickly forced along straight lines to particular pointpoint

Usually weak or flowing lines desirable in residential Usually weak or flowing lines desirable in residential landscapelandscape

Transition along lines can weaken or strengthenTransition along lines can weaken or strengthen Curved lines Curved lines

Strengthen when curve toward each otherStrengthen when curve toward each other Curved in same direction create indirect focalizationCurved in same direction create indirect focalization

Focalization usually guides trafficFocalization usually guides traffic


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Principles (cont.)Principles (cont.) RepetitionRepetition

Repeated use of features with identical shape, Repeated use of features with identical shape, line, form, texture and/or colorline, form, texture and/or color

Of plants and building materialsOf plants and building materials Too much creates monotonyToo much creates monotony Right amount creates rhythm, focalization, Right amount creates rhythm, focalization,

emphasisemphasis Too much variety creates clutterToo much variety creates clutter


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Principles (cont.)Principles (cont.) SimplicitySimplicity

Elimination of unnecessary detailElimination of unnecessary detail Hand in hand with repetitionHand in hand with repetition Reduction of design to avoid unnecessary cost Reduction of design to avoid unnecessary cost

and maintenanceand maintenance


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Plantings are used to break lines and Plantings are used to break lines and provide screeningprovide screening


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Why different forms?Why different forms?


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Going Beyond Foundation Going Beyond Foundation PlantingsPlantings

What was done to provide balance?What was done to provide balance? Why the tree on the left?Why the tree on the left?


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Completed DesignCompleted Design


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Attracting Attracting WildlifeWildlife


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basic landscaping

Documents

flower beds

design planting

design

plantings

textures

form

color

size