3.03 The Elements of Planting Design The Architectural Forms of Plants

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3.03The Elements of Planting DesignThe
Architectural Forms of Plants
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The primary design forms are the walls, the
ceilings, or the floors.  The secondary design
forms are the screens, the canopies, the
barriers, the baffles, and the groundcovers.
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The primary wall form is comprised of the
screen, the barrier and the baffle.
A wall functions as a shield against outside
influences, both visual and physical. It
obstructs objectionable views, blocks undesirable
winds, creates privacy, and protects the
individual within a space.
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A ceiling occupies the overhead space, and
gives us shade, shelter, and protection from
above.
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A floor is the form that connects the other
primary features, providing continuity and
transition to planting compositions.
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The secondary architectural forms may be defined
as follows The screen is a plant or plant mass
used as a total enclosure of a landscape space.
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The canopy is a plant or plant mass with a
branching height of seven feet or more that will
allow an individual to walk underneath.
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The barrier is a plant or plant mass used as a
partial enclosure or to control the circulation
within a landscape space.
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The baffle is a plant or plant mass that is used
to control visual experiences within a landscape
space.
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The groundcover is a plant or plant mass used as
a visual floor, usually reaching a maximum height
of eighteen inches.
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The constraints for their effectiveness as a
design feature, however, are as followsThe
type, age and condition of the plant
materialsThe spacing of the plants, which
determines the opacity, translucency, or
transparency of the element. The form and grown
rate of the individual plants, which affect the
density of the total element.