Why is it necessary to formulate a landscape design before attempting to install a landscape?
What are the steps used to create a landscape design?
●Landscape planning is a systematic process with physical, biological, and anthropogenic
factors
●Know how the site will be used in order to craft a visually pleasing, functional, and
ecologically sustainable design plan using the very best horticultural practices
●Evolves through the execution of a 3 - step process
○Not born, yet evolves
○Handwritten or by landscape design software programs on the computer
●3 processes/phases - drawings
○Develop a set of scale drawings
○Make a bubble diagram drawing
○Create the final landscape plan
●Design software programs on the computer does not define a good landscape plan
●Engage in a landscape design on site
Phase 1 - Develop a set of scale drawings
●A scale drawing is a 2 dimensional representation of your site before the new landscape
garden is installed
○Accurately defines the spatial dimensions of your landscape garden site
○Accurately shows location of all existing site features that are above and below
the ground
○Features can include existing trees, buildings, shrubs, walkways, and all
underground utilities and piping
○Also called a “plot plan”
●Obtain a property deed maps available online form local country records office
○Accurately shows measurements and directional orientation of property
○Location of any existing structures such as home rests and property boundaries
●Call 811 or Arizona811 online to schedule a free e - stake assessment of your landscape
site to see utilities located on your landscape design
●Tips for developing a scale drawing
○Document the spatial relationships of your landscape garden site
○Use a measurement scale that best suits the size of the graph paper that is used for
drawing
●Common scale includes 8:1
○8 feet of distance at your landscape garden site equals 1 inch on your graph paper
○Can represent a landscape site with dimensions of 60 by 80 feet on a common 8.5
by 11 inch paper
○Larger properties may be adjusted to 10:1 to 12:1 or combine grid squares with
more grid papers
●Determine the length of all site boundaries in each direction
Study Guide 4 -
Southwest Home Gardening
●Measure the length and width of any existing structures
●Measure the exact location of any trees and shrubs
●Establish precisely
●Get at least 2 points of reference for each site element that is being measured
●Translate data to a scale drawing on graph drawing with an appropriate scale
●Make several copies of scale drawings
Phase 2 - Make a bubble diagram drawing
●Purpose is to study the relationships of spaces and the movement or connections between
them
●Define spaces and relations
●Conceptually organize the space of a landscape garden site with minimal detail and
drawing skills
●Deductive process
●Identify landscape garden design theme
○Usually withstand heat and minimal water
●Make a list of planned activities and uses for landscape garden
○Functional uses
○Patio for entertainment and relaxation
○Flower border for color
○Vegetable garden for food production
○Compost area
○Lawn space
○Lots of planting beds for landscape trees and shrubs
○Utility shed
●Create and arrange the bubbles on your site in ways that makes sense to you
○Adjacent to one another
○Vegatative screen between patio and existing busy road
●Consider how bubbles of functional use will connect and relate to one another
○Use dashed arrows
○Establish visual focal points
○Where people will be
●Assign every portion of landscape garden site for particular use
○No blank spaces
●Create bubble diagram using a free hand, informal graphic style
○Use many drafts as the first draft may not be the best one
○Sizes and shapes may change
○Other bubbles may converge
●Don’t include individual plants or materials on your bubble diagram
○Keep bubble diagram conceptual
○General and use
○Goal is to determine relationships with placements (not the fine details)
●Use tracing paper to draw your bubble diagram over a copy of your scale drawing
○Rhythm and design unity
Phase 3 - Create a final landscape plan
●Adhere to scale
●Indicate the size will reach at maturity to allow for adequate plant spacing
●Visit the Virtual Library of Phoenix Landscape Plants by Dr. Chris Martin
●Use letters or symbols to designate landscape elements
●Draw a table legend to translate the abbreviations
●Keep a separate notebook to record important notes on the future garden
○Shady areas
○Dry and wet areas
○Different soil types
○External views or obstructions
○Water and power sources/electricity
●Always fit plants to the landscape plan at the end of the design process (not the other way
around)
●You can use black carbon paper to trace scaled landscape sketches multiple times
●Colored pencils can be used (have fun!)
○Fill with appropriate colors
○Makes it easier to read and understand translation
●Use scale as a reference
○Do not throw them away or recycle them when finished
What are some of the common mistakes made by novice designers?
●Placing plants close together without determining full sizes at maturity
○Plants will need to be removed
○Too cluttered
