Selection and Use of Plants in the Landscape

Reasons for Choosing Plants

• Aesthetic appeal - attractiveness

• Function – a specific purpose in the landscape

• Adaptability – Their ability to adapt to a specific environmental type

• Management – How easy they are to grow and maintain

Sequence of Plant Selection

1. What function or purpose do I need this plant to fulfill?

– Tree, shrub, or perennial?– Shade, screen, or erosion control?

2. What aesthetic qualities to I want the plant to have?

– Shape, color, texture?

Sequence of Plant Selection, cont.

3. Which plant best suits the environment?– Sun or shade?– Wet or dry?– Sandy or loam soil?

4. Is it feasible for me to properly care and maintain this plant?

– Pruning, fertilizing, watering?

Function

• Function is the purpose that the plant serves in the landscape

• Plants serve three major functions:– Architectural– Engineering– Environmental

Architectural Function

• Floors-direct the flow of traffic

• Walls-establish boundaries and set the mood

• Ceilings-contribute to openness or intimacy of a room

• Highlighting or masking architectural features

Ceiling

Wall

Floor

Engineering Function

• Influence how we walk through the landscape

• Block objectionable views on or off the property

• Establish buffers between divergent activities

• Minimize drainage or erosion issues

Environmental Function

• The plants influence on the microclimate within the landscape

• “Microclimate” refers to temperature, wind, and light in a relatively small area

• Plants modify the microclimate and contribute to human comfort

Environmental Function, cont.

• Reduce heat loss in the winter

• Minimize heat gain in the summer

Environmental Function, cont.

• Plants can also be used as windbreaks to intercept and deflect prevailing winds and reduce wind speed in the protected area.

Aesthetic Function

• Most notable quality of a landscape

• Aesthetic preferences include: – Available space– Plant type– Form/shape– Ornamental characteristics of plant parts

Available Space

• Available space will determine the plant type and form/shape

• Height: maximum allowable height for the plant to attain

• Width: maximum

• diameter the plant can

• cover

Plant Type

• Tree: shade, ornamental/flowering, evergreen• Shrub: broadleaf evergreen, deciduous• Herbaceous perennial,

ornamental grass, ground cover, vine , biennial, annual, or aquatic

Form/Shape

Characteristics

• Flower– Color– Time in bloom

• Foliage– Color: Seasonal display– Texture/density

• Fruit

• Stem/branches/bark: texture and color

Site Adaptability

• Site adaptability: relationship between the needs of the plant and the environmental and soil conditions on the property and/or the designated planting area.

Things to consider:

• USDA Hardiness Zone

Things to consider, cont:• Soil Type

– Sandy, Loam, Clay

• Soil pH• Light Exposure

– Full sun, partial sun, full shade

• Compass orientation or exposure– Prevailing winds and winter

sun patterns

• Air pollution tolerance, heattolerance, salt tolerance

Management• Pruning

– Minimal, seasonal, shearing

• Sanitation– Cleanup of leaves, fruit,

stems/branches

• Irrigation– How much water is it going to

need?

• Fertilization– How often will it need to be fertilized?

• Pest management– What pests does it attract and what is required to treat for

these pests?

Summary

• Plant selection follows an organized process.

• The criteria used in the process integrate function, aesthetic preferences, adaptability of species to the site, and the management of the plant.

• Following these steps will result in the appropriate choice of plant and the plants success.