LANDSCAPE DESIGN OPTIONS CMG Webinar Series Deryn Davidson, CSU Horticulture Extension Agent, Boulder County “Can you help me with my landscape design? Yes! And, no… • Great opportunity to help educate them! • You can learn about landscape design and be able to talk with them about it • Provide resources • Tips and things to think about • Fact Sheets • Other resources (outside organizations) • You can not compete with the green industry • Creating a design for someone is a big job, out of scope for MG Class Outline Design: • What is design?? • BREIF history – how long has it been around, where does it come from? How do you guide the client? • Basic principles of design • How/where do you start? • DIY or professional • Styles • Right plant, right place BRIEF History of Design • Mesopotamia c2000 BCE • Ancient Egypt c1500 BCE • Ancient India c500 BCE • Ancient Persia c500 BCE • Ancient Rome c100 • Medieval Planting Design c1200 "Taj Mahal (Edited)" by Yann; edited by Jim Cartar - Edited version of File:Taj Mahal, Agra, India.jpg. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 via Wikimedia Commons Chinese and Japanese – represent nature • Viewed from inside the • Viewed from inside the home garden • Water represented by patterns • Almost always water element raked into stones • Stones often placed on • Stones used in natural groupings pedestals represent mtns • Plant material very manicured • Plant material left natural Renaissance Planting Design c1600 • Baroque Planting Design c1700 • Picturesque Planting Design c1800 • Gardenesque Planting Design c1820 • Arts and Crafts Planting Design c1900 • Abstract Planting Design c1950 • Naturalistic Planting Design (water-wise, xeric) c1990… Styles • Chinese • English • French • Greek • Italian • Japanese • Etc., etc. Design Process • To plan and make decisions about something for a specific purpose • To designate the location of elements to create an aesthetically pleasing space Design Process • Design can be taught, some are more artistic than others, but it can be learned • Tools and strategies • Dynamic systems – different that other static art forms • Slowest of the performing arts… • Systematically consider all aspects of the land, environment, growing/changing plants, users, ecology • Put on your designer, ecologist, horticulturist, entomologist, homeowner hat!! Design Process… • Look for inspiration (internet, magazines, books, neighbors) • Your wants (goals and objectives) • Style • Outdoor play space • Tranquil sitting space • Create urban habitat • Dog area • BBQ/outdoor kitchen • Multiple uses • Site inventory and analysis (environmental conditions) • Elements and principles • DESIGN!! Principles and Elements of Design Principles and Elements of Design • Fundamental concepts of composition • Principles are guidelines we use to arrange • Order • Unity • Proportion • Repetition • Elements are arranged according to design principles • Line • Form • Texture • Color • Smell • Sound Principles of Design Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, however… • Fundamental concepts of composition • Guidelines used to arrange elements • Order • Unity • Scale/Proportion • Repetition Principles of Design Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, however… • Fundamental concepts of composition • Guidelines used to arrange elements • Order • Unity • Scale/Proportion • Repetition Principles of Design Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, however… • Fundamental concepts of composition • Guidelines used to arrange elements • Order • Unity • Scale/Proportion • Repetition Principles of Design Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, however… • Fundamental concepts of composition • Guidelines used to arrange elements • Order • Unity • Scale/Proportion • Repetition Principles of Design Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, however… • Fundamental concepts of composition • Guidelines used to arrange elements • Order • Unity • Scale/Proportion • Repetition Principles of Design Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, however… • Fundamental concepts of composition • Guidelines used to arrange elements • Order • Unity • Scale/Proportion • Repetition Elements – visual descriptors of features • Line • Form • Texture • Color • Smell • Sound Elements of Design Visual Descriptors • Line – directs the eye • Form • Texture • Color • Smell • Sound Elements of Design Visual Descriptors • Line • Form – skeleton of space • Texture • Color • Smell • Sound Elements of Design Visual Descriptors • Line • Form – skeleton of space • Texture • Color • Smell • Sound Elements of Design Visual Descriptors • Line • Form • Texture – how course or fine a surface is. Variety, interest. • Color • Smell • Sound Elements of Design Visual Descriptors • Line • Form • Texture – how course or fine a surface is. Variety, interest. • Color • Smell • Sound Elements of Design Visual Descriptors Affects: Spatial perception, light quality, balance, emotion • Line • Form • Texture • Color – the fun stuff! • Smell • Sound Created by Jeni Webber Elements of Design Visual Descriptors Warm colors are exciting, perceived as being closer making a space feel smaller. • Line Cool colors are calming, perceived as • Form being farther away making a space feel larger. • Texture • Color – the fun stuff! • Smell • Sound Elements of Design • Monochromatic (one color) Elements of Design • Analogous (3-5 colors that are adjacent on the color wheel) Elements of Design • Complementary (colors that opposed each other on the color wheel) Questions?? Where can they do this? • Small courtyard • Medium yard • Large estate • Unusual spots – median strip, roof, patio (containers), vegetable garden Where do they start? Site Analysis (What are You Working With?) • Sketch it out! • Topography (high/low) • Exposure • Soil type • Recommend a test • Find microclimates • Determine use areas • Kids • Dogs • BBQ • Habitat Put pen(cil) to paper • Save you time and money • Create functional diagrams (circulation, uses, etc.) • Create draft designs with different ideas • Final design • Hardscape/materials • Planting areas • Plants • Irrigation What gardens styles are appropriate in CO? To name a few… • Xeriscape • Rock gardens • Wildlife habitat • Plant Select • Raingardens Xeriscape (Water Wise Design) Seven Principles 1. PLAN for water conservation 2. Improve soil 3. Create practical turf and non-turf areas 4. Irrigation efficiency 5. Select appropriate plants 6. Mulch 7. Maintain (consider making your landscaped area smaller) Water Wise Design Xeriscaping Does NOT mean ZERO-scaping Water Wise Design Water Wise Design Water Wise Design Water Wise Design Water Wise Design Water Wise Design Water Wise Design – Rock Gardens Water Wise Design – Rock Gardens Water Wise Design – Natives Water Wise Design – Wildlife Water Wise Design – Plant Select Rainwater Harvesting • Active water harvesting = capture rainwater in a container to hold for later use (tank storage) • Passive water harvesting = divert water overland to vegetated areas for immediate use (soil storage) Passive Rainwater Harvesting – Green Infrastructure • Passive water harvesting = divert water overland to vegetated areas for immediate use • “Slow it, spread it, sink it” • Integrated into landscape • Swales • Berms (microbasins) • French Drains • Rain Gardens Passive Rainwater Harvesting • To figure out what kind of passive harvesting is right for your landscape, you should make a flow map • Look outside when it rains, and watch where water flows • Pay particular attention to paved areas and downspouts Passive Rainwater Collection • Passive = divert water overland to vegetated areas for immediate use • “Slow it, spread it, sink it” • Integrated into landscape • Swales – spreads horizontally • Berms (microbasins) • French Drains • Rain Gardens Passive Rainwater Collection • Passive = divert water overland to vegetated areas for immediate use • “Slow it, spread it, sink it” • Integrated into landscape • Swales – spreads horizontally • Berms (microbasins) • French Drains • Rain Gardens Passive Rainwater Collection • Passive = divert water overland to vegetated areas for immediate use • “Slow it, spread it, sink it” • Integrated into landscape • Swales – spreads horizontally • Berms (microbasins) • French Drains • Rain Gardens Be careful where you direct water Passive Rainwater Collection • Passive = divert water overland to vegetated areas for immediate use • “Slow it, spread it, sink it” • Integrated into landscape • Swales • Berms (microbasins) – raised area to slow • French Drains • Rain Gardens Transition between existing grade and slope of berm should be gradual. Appear as natural part of landscape. Passive Rainwater Collection • Passive = divert water overland to vegetated areas for immediate use • “Slow it, spread it, sink it” • Integrated into landscape • Swales • Berms (microbasins) – raised area to slow • French Drains • Rain Gardens Transition between existing grade and slope of berm should be gradual. Appear as natural part of landscape. Passive Rainwater Collection • Passive = divert water overland to vegetated areas for immediate use • “Spread it, slow it, sink it” • Integrated into landscape • Swales • Berms (microbasins) • French Drains – spreads and slows • Rain Gardens Rain Gardens Rain Gardens Rain Gardens • Use plants, soils, mulch and microbes to slow and treat stormwater runoff • Modeled after natural ecosystems • Keep water onsite for use AND • Effectively reduce heavy metals, nutrients, bacteria and other pollutants AND • Protect local streams and lakes AND • Replenish groundwater supplies AND… How to Plan