LANDSCAPE DESIGN FOR UTAHCynthia Bee, BLA

Class Topics What is a “waterwise” landscape How to Develop a Plot Plan Pre-Design Analysis Identifying Existing Landscape Issues Creating a Landscape Design Phasing for Re-Developed Landscapes

“Zero-scape”

FAIL! But almost succeeded.--Gray BAD color choice-- Lack of green on ground plane.Former Kraftmaid Cabinets, West Jordan

“DIY Blogger House”- SLC Parade of Homes 2012Landscape Design: Cynthia Bee, Conservation Garden Park Installation: Aposhian Landscaping

Professional Landscape Plan

A Plan doesn’t need to be this FANCY to be FUNCTIONAL!

Don’t be intimidated, jump in and get ‘er done!

How to create a base map for your landscape project the EASIEST way possible!

How to Develop a Plot Plan

Plot Plan Base Map Tools:

Plot plan from builder or City Building Dept. 100’ tape measure Rolling tape measure Google Maps- “My Maps” feature.

Google Maps- Base Map

Scale

Draw a line feature will measure lines to scale

Google “Classic My Maps”

This Line is 37.59 feet

How to draw to scale

Scale means that one measurement is substituted with

another equally but smaller. Scale for plans is based of a

measurement of 1 inch.

1 inch is equal to x number of feet

Graph Paper is Your Friend

Graph paper is an easy way to draw to scale for homeowners.

1. 1. Count the number of squares wide and tall for your graph paper. This one is 34 squares wide x 38 squares long.

2. 2. Figure out the width and length of your yard. This yard is 102 feet wide by 111 feet long.

3. 3. Divide it by the squares to find the closest scale.

4. Scale: 1 square = 3 feet

Photo Credit: How Stuff Works

Basic Plot Plan

Design starts with a scaled ‘Plot Plan’ that includes the dimensions of all relevant objects on the property.

Site Analysis Orientation Site Conditions

Soils Sun Wind Slopes Drainage Views

Needs Assessment

Site Concerns: End of day sun on back

patio- too hot/bright. Back of house is hot in the

afternoon. Low spot in front yard/

drainage problems.Use Concerns: Patio is inadequate for

family. Lack of storage. Social space to connect

with neighbors in front yard.

Consider Maintenance How much time are you REALLY interested in

spending maintaining your yard? Are you morally adverse to using pesticides

and/or herbicides? Have you researched the alternatives?

Do you have children or pets which may cause damage to lawns, plantings and/or art?

Do you spend long periods of time away from home?

How much time are you REALLY interested in spending maintaining your yard?

Additional considerations for existing landscapes.

Pre-Design Analysis, Existing

Conceptual Ideas

Additional Information Required Identify locations of plants, structures

and hardscape (patios etc.) that will be retained.

Identify locations and types of sprinklers on existing system. Need to know: Where the heads are and what type (pop

up, rotor etc.) Which valve controls which heads. Pipe sizing for main and laterals (3/4”, 1”, 1

½”) Sprinkler head style and manufacturer.

Exist. Sprinkler

1. 1. Head Locations.

2. 2. Group by Zone

3. 3. Type of Head

4. 4. Pipe Sizes

As interpreted by Cynthia

Landscape Psychology

Why We Love Lawn!

- Sea of Green rests the eye between busier plantings.--Conveys a lushness indicating abundance to our agrarian psyche.-- Visually demonstrates the power of positive/ negative space.--Organizes space.

Other Possibilities

Left: Ice Plant in full bloom.Above: Creeping Thyme lawn in garden while blooming.

Taller ‘Green’ Lawn Alternatives

Less IS More!

Boring! Interesting!

Typical: The “Utah” Island--People think they are ‘supposed’ to have one.-- No context, floats on a sea of lawn.-- Can leave awkward bits of lawn that are useless but require water and work.-- Psychologically uncomfortable.

Lawn as Focal Point

Click icon to add picture“Green

The Bean”

Flip the design so

the LAWN is the “island”

Typical Utah Front Yard with Planted Kidney Bean Island

Waterwise Front Yard with Lawn as the Island

Design by Shaun Moser, Conservation Garden Park

The Kidney Bean- 2 Ways

Typical Utah Front Yard

Landscape with

the “Require

d” Kidney Bean-

Shaped Island

Reverse

Kidney

Bean “Islan

d” MUCH more

attractive,

waterwise and lower

maintenance!

Sea of LAWN surrounded by plantings

Inefficient & blocks view of building Central lawn surrounded by plantings.

Better Alternative: Peninsula--Anchors the house to the landscape or the bed to the hardscape, natural transition, has context!-- More functional for maintenance.-- More visual appeal.-- Feels ‘right’ by creating sense of enclosure rather than exposure.

Before: Sparse landscape island and grass running up to the foundation. After: ‘anchored’ plantings and new path provide transition, interest and function.

Varied Density

Thinly planted over entire area Positive/ negative spaceV

S

Even if the lawn above were gravel, it would still appear lush and organized. The key is open space contrasted with filled space.

Some people dislike xeric landscapes because of the “messy” look. Avoid this by creating positive/ negative space.

Central Open Space Resist the urge to “fill” the blank canvas as that increases maintenance and is visually disorganized.

landscape “white space”

Green down low (Horizontal Juniper)

Green down low (Fire Chalice)

“No Maintenance” Zone

Typical: “Row of Soldiers”

In your imagination: Reality:

Better Alternative: Layered Mixed Plantings

Green Waterwise Shrubs More Colorful Shrubs + Perennials

Both examples from USU’s “Utah House” at the Utah Botanic Garden. Kaysville, Utah

Dense plantings hide imperfect maintenance. Notice the “white space” provided by the lawn? It’s the mix of open spaces and abundance that make the landscape

interesting.

The Lush Waterwise Landscape

Lower planting density than the previous design but still has planted areas and open areas- even though there is no lawn. Grade change (deeper river bed) is also used to keep it interesting. Design by Cynthia Bee

Organizing Elements

Begin by locating desired amenities in locations where they solve needs identified during analysis.

Planning for Functional Elements

Initial ‘Bubble Diagrams’

Site Circulation & Function

Consider all designed elements in terms of accessibility- select surface materials appropriate for the application and ensure good access to all areas requiring maintenance.

Creating the Landscape Design

Plan Hardscape

Plan for all hardscape elements first- even if they will be installed later.

Create Plant List

Plant ScheduleTREESTYPE/ SYMBOL COMMON NAME BOTANICAL NAME SIZE QTY NOTES

EVERGREENT1

WEEPING WHITE SPRUCE PICEA GLAUCA ‘PENDULA’

25’ H X 6’ W 3- 6’ UPRRIGHT/ COLUMNAR W/ ELEGANT DRAPING FOLIAGE

T2 COLUMNAR ATLANTIC CEDAR

CEDRUS ATLANTICAARGENTEA ‘FASTIGIATA’

25’ H X 6’ W 2- 6’ UPRIGHT/ TIGHT FOLIAGE/BLUE-GREEN

FLOWERINGT5

LOLLIPOP CRABAPPLE MALUS ‘LOLLIZAM’ 10’ H X 6’ W 4-2” CAL

SMALL GLOBE SHAPE/ WHITE FLOWERS SPRING/ YELLOW FALL

T6 WEEPING REDBUD CERSIS CANADENSIS ‘COVEY’

8’ H X 8’ W 1-2” CAL

WEEPING/ VIVID PURPLE-RED FLOWERS SPRING/ YELLOW FALL C

SHADET9

‘LACELEAF’ ELM ULMUS PARVIFOLIA ‘ALLEE’

40’ H X 30’ W 1-2” CAL

DECIDUOUS/ YELLOW-PURPLE FALL COLOR

T10 SILVER LINDEN TILIA TOMENTOSA ‘STERLING ’

40’ H X 40’ W 1-2” CAL

DECIDUOUS/ FRAGRANT SILVER UNDERSIDE TO LEAVES/ YELLOW FALL

Hydrozone

Planting design should take plant watering requirements into account and group plants who like the same conditions in the same areas.

Function Plants

Function Plants’ are those selected for specific site purposes such as:

--Screening Views-- Wind Break-- Passive Solar

Special Interest

Next add plants for ‘Color Balance’

(ie: burgundy, gold, blue-green or variegated foliage).--Make sure they are distributed evenly around the landscape- don’t want to be lopsided with color.-Make sure bolder foliage is “triangulated” meaning it appears in 3 groups, triangularly spaced.

Burgundy foliage is triangularly spaced.

Repeat Plants

Backbone shrubs and perennials which will be repeated multiple times. These plants provide unity in the landscape and have the following traits:

Repeat bloom

Desirable foliage traits

Low-maintenance, low worry

The ‘workhorse’ plants of the landscape.

Filler Plants

Add other shrubs and perennials that may appear only once or twice in the landscape to fill in the remaining spaces to the desired density.

- Filler plants provide the variety that keeps the landscape from being too much of the same stuff.

“Reverse-Engineering” your existing yard.

Designing in Phases

Existing

Typical Utah landscape- yes, it has the dread “Utah Island”.

Exist. Sprinkler

1. 1. Head Locations.

2. 2. Group by Zone

3. 3. Type of Head

4. 4. Pipe Sizes

Side Yards New concrete on

the north side is more functional for property use.

The side yard on the South side is a pass through- new walkway makes that easier and more interesting.

2 sprinkler zones were switched to drip irrigation.

Grassless Side Yard“DIY Blogger House”

Add Front

Lawn reduced in front yard area by anchoring the island to the side yard.

Drip lines from the new drip irrigation zone in the side yard are extended into this bed.

Front yard lawn sprinklers are reconfigured by moving and adjusting sprinkler heads on that line.

Add Rear

Backyard plantings are added by pulling the grass away from the perimeter.

Trees do best when NOT planted in the middle of lawn areas- move lawn away from trees when possible by creating beds and borders.

The 2 backyard sprinkler zones had heads moved or capped.

An additional valve and drip irrigation zone were added for the perimeter plantings.

Design Detail Ideas

Undulating Topography-- Provides a ‘sense of enclosure’ in the landscape.-- Separates yard from traffic.-- Shows plants to best advantage, makes beds appear more lush.

EnticeMoving in and out of space, sense of mystery “What’s around the corner?” People move in and out of tree cover or plants

An average design. Too open. People are too far separated from the plants, no variety of experience.

Dry River BedsDry River Bed- Lushly Planted

Dry River Bed- Lightly Planted

Designed by: Paula RefiPhoto Credit: Sunset Magazine

Landscape StructuresProblem: Wood undersized, vine oversized, maintenance issues.

Solution: Upsize columns, downsize to a herbaceous vine.

Photo Courtesy Northscaping.com

Landscape StructuresRight Material- Wrong Installation

Right Material- Right Install

Create Outdoor Rooms“DIY Blogger House”

Hanging Daybed Swing

Gas Firepit

Pottery Fountain

Hanging Daybed Swing Tutorial available at: http://club.conservationgardenpark.org

Why focal point has no ‘s’ Focal PointS

“Landmarks”

“If everything is special, nothing is special.”

Context- How Elements Relate‘Volcano’ Falls make no sense-

no logical point of origin. Try:

Professional Installation- Name withheld to protect the guilty.

Design and Install by One Specialty Landscape Designs, Dallas, Texas.

ScreeningMust deal with landscape ‘negatives’

Garbage cans, lawnmowers and bicycles are real considerations.

Garbage cans have no ‘home’. Imperfect execution but good example of an outdoor storage enclosure.

Photo courtesy Arlington Fence Company, Virginia

Sense of Entry

Front yard decorative hardscape creates sense of entry and provides a REASON to use the front yard.

Edges

-Crisp hard edge where lawn meets flower bed.-Soft, less defined edges where mulch and rock entwine.-Design Credit: Michelle Derviss

Design by Michelle Derviss

Order of Installation

Order of Installation Site Grading Hardscape- Concrete etc. Trenching for Sprinkers Irrigation System Topsoil/ Soil Berming Rockwork or gravel pathways Turf Planting and Lawn Edging (highly recommend

sod vs. seed if your turf type is available as sod). Planting- start with trees and work your way down Mulch/ Top Dress Beds Adjust sprinkler heads and program controller

Plastic Edging Installation

Resources

The smartest part of doing it yourself….

Is knowing when you shouldn’t!