Landscape Gardening

Landscape Gardening
Landscape gardening is an aesthetic branch of Horticulture which deals with planting of

ornamental plants in such a way that it creates a picturesque effect.
Landscape gardening can be defined as the decoration of a tract of land with plants
and other garden materials so as to produce a picturesque and naturalistic effect in
a limited space. So landscape may or may not include plants. According to Bailey,
Landscape gardening is the application of garden forms, methods and materials to
the improvements of the landscape and the landscape in this connection is any area
large or small on which it is desirable to develop a view or design.
Natural Elements of Landscape
Different types of landscape depending upon prevailing geographical and agroclimatic

conditions characterize Earth. There are mountains, hills, glens, valleys, seas, rivers, forests,
plains, deserts, lakes, swamps, streams, etc. which comprise major part of natural
landscape. At certain points, there is harmony between natural elements like ground forms,
vegetation and even animal life. The landscape of such place is beautiful and conveys the
feeling or mood of the landscape character like exhilaration, sadness, ceriness or awe. There
are many qualities of natural landscape beauty like the picturesque; the ethereal, the
serene, the delicate, the idyllic, the graceful, the majestic, the bold etc.
Man has copied the natural elements for improving landscape around him and converted
certain areas in the form of garden for his pleasure.
Landscaping Principles
General principles of landscaping are as follows:
1. The ideal landscape garden is like ideal landscape painting which expresses some
single thought or feelings. Its expression may be gay, bold, retired, quiet, etc.
2. Beauty and utility should be harmoniously combined.
3. Area should be divided into different parts and plan should be conceived for each
area. Overall plan should be such that the observer catches the entire effect and
purpose of the plan without stopping to analyse its parts.
4. Simplicity of design should be aimed at in the execution of the plan.
5. An ideal landscape should have open space.
6. Let the garden and building merge into each other. There should not be stopping
abruptly particularly in front of building. The view of garden from the windows and
doors should be very attractive. Planting around the building, climbers against wall
and on the porch, decoration of verandah and rooms with attractive foliage, flowering
plants, hanging baskets serve to unique the building with garden. Every part of the
compound should be planned in such a way that it gives surprising effect to visitor.
7. Over crowding of plants and objects should be avoided.
Factors affecting the landscape design
There are several factors which affect the making of suitable design for particular site. These
factors are:
● Human choice: Man’s ultimate desire is to make his living pleasurable and
surroundings confortable. His dominance in making designs and selection of plant
material is very well evident. Therefore, different styles of gardening have come into
existence.
● Site: This is an important factor and according to site, suitable design is made. In
formal style gardening, the site is selected according to plan. Topography of the site
also affects the design.
● Views: Distant views of mountains, hills, woods, valley, etc. are preferred from the
place of garden.
● Heritage: One inherits the knowledge of botany and aesthetic sense and uses
accordingly. Our rich heritage teaches us to use flowers and fragrant trees to
improve the surroundings.
● Climate: The climate of particular place affects the selection of plant material
accordingly. Ideally suited plant material according to climate should be selected.
● Soil: According to characteristics of soil types, suitable plants should be selected.
Garden styles
Garden styles have been changed from time to time with the new ideas and necessities.
Broadly, the styles of gardening are grouped into three categories i.e. (I) Formal style, (ii)
Informal style and (iii) Free style of gardening
(I) Formal style: Main features of this style of gardening are: First plan is made on the paper
and then land is selected accordingly. Plan is symmetrical. These types of gardens are of
geometric design i.e. squarish or rectangular. Therefore, the roads are cut at right angle. It
has some sort of enclosure. Flower beds are also of geometric shapes. The arrangements of
tree and shrubs are necessarily geometrical and kept in shape by trimming and training.
Other features like fountains, water pools, cascades, etc. are used for further attraction. The
examples of such style of gardening are Persian gardens and Mogul gardens.
(II) Informal Style: This style reflects naturalistic effect of total view and represents natural
beauty. This style is just contrast of above formal style. In this, plan is asymmetrical and
according to the land available for making garden. Roads, paths are made curvaceous and
bending. Water bodies are made of irregular shapes. Hillocks are made to create natural
mountainous scenery. Flower beds are made of irregular shapes suiting to surroundings.
Plants are allowed to grow in natural form and instead of trimming, annual pruning is done.
Japanese gardens are the best example of this style of gardening.
(III) Free style of gardening: This style combines the good points of both formal and informal
style of gardening. Rose garden of Ludhiana is an example of this style of gardening.

Landscape Gardening

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Landscape Gardening

Landscape gardening is an aesthetic branch of Horticulture which deals with planting of

Natural Elements of Landscape

Different types of landscape depending upon prevailing geographical and agroclimatic

General principles of landscaping are as follows:

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