Landscape Planting Design

Plants are an important element in landscape architecture. The quality and effect of the landscape are directly affected by planting design decisions. The book selects excellent landscape projects recently completed in which planting plays an important role, categorised into four chapters; Planting Palette, Biodiversity, Rainwater Management, and Low Maintenance. The colour of plants is a decisive factor in our perception of landscapes. Plants with different colours can be used to create different atmospheres, thus affecting the user's mood and emotion. Plants also play a significant role in promoting urban biodiversity, providing habitat for wildlife in urban landscapes. Using suitable plants can help in urban rainwater management to build a water resilient city. Using low maintenance plants can reduce maintenance costs and enhance the local ecological environment.

With photos, drawings, design narratives, and in-depth analysis of the functions and configurations of planting in the projects, you will learn about how to use appropriate plants based on local climate, topography, ecology, surrounding environment and other conditions and special requirements. Landscape architects and plant specialists Nigel Dunnett and Giacomo Guzzon are invited to write essays on the colour palette and biodiversity of planting design, sharing with us their design principles and practices in their project experience.

B. Cannon Ivers is an associate with LDA Design and a Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute. He brings a creative, conceptual design specialism to LDA Design’s London Office.