principles of landscape designcetrinity.ucanr.edu/files/259199.pdf · 2017. 3. 22. · principles...
TRANSCRIPT
Wait! What if we had a clean slate…… Don’t start by picking out the plants
LANDSCAPING
WHY “DESIGN”?
Create a plan to extend indoor space outdoors
Take advantage of natural features
Assess limitations Install complementary
hardscape Plan efficient irrigation Selecting plants that fit
design
Or improve your curb appeal?
SOME DESIGN PRINCIPLES
Scale Perspective
Don’t make small spaces boxier or visually closed in
Balance Unity Rhythm, repetition & unity Accents
WHAT TO CONSIDER? User’s wants &
constraints Do you want to
spend your free time maintaining the landscape?
Climate! Site Analysis Materials Budget
WHAT DOES THE USER WANT?
Consider activities, routines, & traffic patterns Play area for kids? BBQ & entertainment Area for pets Outdoor rooms Orchard or vegetable garden Public Area (curb appeal -
seen when entering property) Maintenance Things change
CLIMATE CONSIDERATIONS: DON’T TRY TO FIGHT IT
“Mediterranean” Temperature Range (plus snow load) Dry Summers Hot summers
Evergreen vs Deciduous trees (allow summer shade and winter light)
Vegetable garden in sun, afternoon shade? Outdoor living area in shade
Microclimates
SITE ANALYSIS
Notice wind, sun, shade patterns Soils Topography
Terracing of steep slopes Retaining walls
Preserve best features Traffic patterns Hide/screen “ugly” stuff
Neighbors, sheds, services AC, garbage cans, compost, propane
tanks, clothes line Potential hardscaping
Patios, walkways, driveways
MATERIALS & BUDGET
Suitable for our area Freezing & thawing Gauze tents vs shade
tree Metal vs PVC fixtures
Appropriate for intended use Paving in high traffic
areas Fence or wall vs hedge
Plants Year round interest Lower maintenance Consider native plants
Think about long-term cost – design efficient irrigation system
Layout plan & start with key elements
Plants grow, start small Use cheap or free
materials Mulch, DG, river rock Recycled materials
REGULATIONS & OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Fences over 6’ tall need “engineered design” for wind, etc
Don’t try to hide propane tank Turn-around for fire trucks Consider safety (trip hazards,
nefarious characters, fire)
DESIGN STEP #1
• Use graph paper and make map to scale. May also use available software Include
North Point Undesirable and desirable features Views House, Garage, Other buildings Trees, Rock Outcroppings Existing Walls, Driveways, Paths Contour of Land Direction of Surface Flow of Water Sun / Shade Pattern
DESIGN STEP #2 DESIGNATE THE USE AREAS May use tracing paper to make layers over existing site Determine if each area is functional in relation to house
Is clothes line easily accessed from laundry room? Are views from house as intended?
Fit use areas together with traffic flow Are the driveways, walkways and parking areas easily
accessible to house? Does it flow/work?
Are service areas not in view of outdoor living space or windows from inside?
Locate septic tank/lines and easements
DESIGN STEP #3 FINALLY WE GET TO THE PLANTS!!! Draw to Scale Choose plants for water-wise, fire resistant and deer
resistant landscaping, attracting pollinators Select with these characteristics in mind:
Form Color Texture Seasonality (time in bloom) Overall aesthetic value
Select plants or groups of plants to meet the specifications of your plan and design
PLANT SELECTION CONFLICTS
Redding Water Smart Gardening
Choose what’s relevant to you:
Fire Resistant? Deer Resistant? Drought
Tolerant? Native Plants? Pollinators?
LANDSCAPE TREES
TREE SELECTION
What’s its function?
Shade Wind protection Privacy Aesthetics Architectural
element
EVALUATE BEST LOCATION
Consider size at maturity Don’t plant under power
lines (PUD or yours) Don’t plant too close to
sidewalks, walkways, patios, foundations
Consider maintenance, leaf litter, smell
CONSIDER WATER & CLIMATE
Does it need lots of water?
Don’t mix natives that expect dry summers in a irrigated lawn
Look for Zone 7 trees See County tree planting
list
SHRUBS IN YOUR LANDSCAPE
PRUNING SHRUBS Suggested Pruning Time
for Common Flowering Trees & Shrubs Summer-Flowering
Plants: Prune before spring growth begins (produce flowers on current season’s growth)
Spring-Flowering Plants: Prune after flowering (produce flowers on previous season’s growth)
Doesn’t Matter: evergreen hedge or unknown
FIRE RESISTANT LANDSCAPING IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE
THE BASICS OF FIRE RESISTANT LANDSCAPING
Determine your DEFENSIBLE SPACE zones and appropriate landscaping.
Remove DEAD or DYING vegetation. Break up CONTINUOUS vegetation. Eliminate LADDER FUELS. Make your defensible space LEAN (less fuel load) and
GREEN (watered where appropriate). Keep up with regular MAINTENANCE
DEFENSIBLE SPACE
Zone 1: Home + 30 ft Zone 2: 100’ from house Zone 3: >100’ from house
ZONE 1: STRUCTURE IGNITION ZONE
Most houses catch fire from embers, not flame front Clean gutters & roof “valleys” Get rid of dry grass, brush, flammable materials
(deck furniture, etc) around home & deck Woodpiles > 30 feet away Clear flammable materials away from propane tank Metal screens to keep embers out of vents and
metal window screens Enclose area under deck Less flammable plants, watered, “oasis zone”
ZONE 2: FIREBREAK ZONE
30’-100’ from house Don’t have to eliminate
vegetation, just break up fuels and “fuel ladder” Reduce fuels Space trees & shrubs out Prune lower 6-10 feet of trees
Watered grass or gardens Gravel or paved breaks Again, less flammable plants
USE LANDSCAPE MOSAICS
ZONE 3: REDUCED FUEL ZONE
Zone 2 minimum 100’: more depending on slope & wind
Thin trees, reduce fuel ladder, reduce woody debris
Create a defensible space
OTHER PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Post your address Mark USABLE water
sources with blue reflectors (check with VFD)
Meet CalFire requirements for turn-around and passing
Trim overhanging trees along driveway
PLANT ZONES Compatible with
waterwise landscaping
High water zone - “Oasis” closest to home
Moderate water zone (i.e. lawn as buffer)
Drought-tolerant plant zone furthest from house
BURN CHARACTERISTICS OF MULCH
Most to least combustible Shredded rubber Pine Needles Shredded Western Red
Cedar Medium Pine Bark
Nuggets Byproducts of chipper
(wood chips, bark, needles, other biomass)
Composted wood chips
CHOOSING PLANTS
Realize that plants are NOT fire- retardant; they can be fire-resistive.
Know your elevation and microclimate when making your plant selection. Healthy plants fare better.
Irrigation and maintenance are key factors in your choice of landscape plants.
Replace or eliminate flammable plants
AVOID HIGHLY FLAMMABLE PLANTS
They contain fine, dry or dead material
Contain volatile waxes, terpenes or oils
Have aromatic leaves Loose or papery bark Sap is gummy, resinous
Examples: Artemisia, incense cedar, broom, juniper, pine, arborvitae, bay, Douglas Fir, manzanita, CA buckwheat, rosemary, dry annual grasses
CHARACTERISTICS OF FIRE RESISTANT PLANTS
Moist & supple leaves Tend not to accumulate dry, dead material within
plant Sap is water-like and does not have a strong odor Sap or resin materials are low Influenced by plant age, moisture content, total
volume
FIRE RESISTANT FLOWERS
Yarrow Allium Columbines Coreopsis Delphinium Gaillardia Daylilly Iris Lavender Echinacea
Lupine Poppies Penstemon Salvia Lamb’s Ear Evening
Primrose Hosta Coralbells Dusty Miller Tulips/bulbs
FIRE RESISTANT GROUNDCOVERS
Bugleweed (ajuga) Creeping thyme or phlox Wild Strawberry Snow-in-summer Sedums Hens & Chicks Vinca California Fuchsia
FIRE RESISTANT SHRUBS & VINES Chokecherry
Barberry Butterfly Bush Spirea Rose of Sharon Oregon Grape Lilac Flowering Quince Forsythia Potentilla Mock Orange
FIRE RESISTANT TREES
Fruit Trees Maple Oak Catalpa Ash Sweetgum Locust Hackberry Smoke Tree Redbud
Use deciduous trees, not conifers
MAINTENANCE IS CRUCIAL FOR FIRE-SAFE LANDSCAPING
Simple, well maintained landscapes are safer than elaborate landscapes that are neglected.
Prune deadwood from beneath ground covers and shrubs.
Remove fire (fuel) ladders.
You’ll improve appearance and maintain safety at the same time.
DEER-RESISTANT LANDSCAPES
Fencing Repellents Plant Selection (see list)
Fawns will try anything Hungry deer will nibble
NATIVE PLANTS IN THE LANDSCAPE
Common Rush Western Redbud
Woodland Strawberry
Wild Ginger Douglas’ Iris
California Native Plant Society © Copyright 2010.
Presentation by Christie Wagner, MG
BENEFITS OF GROWING NATIVE PLANTS
Adapted to our environment Use less water No fertilizer necessary
Enhance the soil health Promote indigenous bacteria, fungi, earthworms, and
other underground benefactors Low maintenance Encourage birds, beneficial insects and pollinators.
KEYS TO GROWING NATIVES
Get to know your plant communities Know where the plants come from and what
conditions will make them thrive
Understand your site conditions Soil Sun exposure Water availability
Choose plants to suit your site
SUBSTITUTE NATIVES FOR TURF?
•KILL GRASS to start
•Stop watering •Mow short before going to seed •If seeding, collect clippings •Turn under, if possible •Water to germinate seed bank and repeat above steps
•Sow native seed mix
•Water and mulch Example - Tomcat Clover (Trifolium willdenovii), Bicolor Lupine (Lupinus bicolor), Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), Squirrel Tail (Elymus elymoides)
BUTTERFLY GARDENS Mountain Pennyroyal – Painted lady Yarrow – Checkerspots and hairstreaks Milkweed - Monarch Ceanothus – California Tortoise shell Redbud – Mormon Meltamark Penstemon - Checkerspots Coffeeberry – Pale Tiger swallowtail Buckwheat – Buckeye, Spring Azure
A GREAT list can be found at: www.californiagardens.com
BORDER PLANTS
Chinese Houses, Collinsia heterophylla
Pink Flowering Current, Ribes sanguineum
ACCENT SHRUBS
Mock Orange, Philadelphus lewisii Serviceberry, Amelanchier alnifolia
SHOWY SPRING SHRUBS
Large Feature Plant
Primrose Monkey Flower or Monkey Moss (Mimulus primuloides)
Flowering Stream Plants
Blue wild rye (Elymus glaucus) planted by CalTrans along Hwy 299 in Weaverville
Grasses
SOURCES OF NATIVE PLANTS
Nurseries CNPS Plant Sales -
http://www.shastacnps.org/ Trinity Nursery in Weaverville Floral Native Nursery -
www.floralnativenursery.com Cornflower Farms -
http://www.cornflowerfarms.com/index.php Las Pilitas Nursery -
http://www.laspilitas.com/
Wild crafting Need collection permits on public lands Limit collection to 10%
CNPS Plant Sales
When you shop for plants, request natives! They maybe able to order them.
MORE RESOURCES
Native Landscape Design http://www.cnps.org/cnps/grownative/garden_plans.php http://www.native-again-landscape.com/index.html List of California Natives http://www.laspilitas.com/plants/california_plants.html http://www.californiagardens.com/Lists/plant.htm http://www.laspilitas.com/easy/deerfire.htm http://www.bewaterwise.com/fire02.html#Anchor-Trees-42456 Identification Site – GREAT PHOTOS Calflora - http://www.calflora.org/ CalPhotos - http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/