The Basics of Planting Design
by Lucy Huntington

Synopsis

Planting design is the selection and use of plants to achieve a designer’s objectives. There are now many new and interesting planting ideas and fashions, but municipal planting in particular and some gardens as well, can be pretty dire through lack of careful planting design. What is needed for all garden designers – who may well have come to design via a deep interest in plants – is an understanding of the basics of this vitally important design discipline: designs are three-dimensional, to be walked in and round, and viewed from all sides; designs will change over time; plants live and die and need to be tended for maximum effect; there is a huge choice of plants, a working knowledge of which takes experience. There are many pitfalls to be met in planting, therefore, which can be largely avoided by getting the basics of planting design right. This book will help the designer to build a solid foundation for their future success and experience.

This book is part of the series, Workshops on Garden Design.

Contents

Introduction; The Design Process – What is planting design and why is it important? The design process, the client brief, the site survey, the functional plan, functional planting, the overall plan, design principles, harmony and composition; The Use of Plants in Design – structural planting, focal-point planting, ground-cover planting, ornamental planting; The Visual Qualities of Plants 1 – plant selection to enhance the design, shape, habit, texture; Visual Qualities of Plants 2 – colour, the spectrum, colour harmonies, plant associations; Planting Plans – drawing and labelling plants on the planting plan, spacing of plants, plant lists, plant specifications; Planning Areas for Planting – factors to be considered, types of planting, styles of planting, selecting plants, placing plants on the plan, key to successful planting; Bibliography; Index.

Date of publication: February 2010
ISBN: 978 185341 144 1
Pages: c. 80
Dimensions: 187 x 245 mm; weight: c. 300 grammes
Price: £19.99 A special price of £17.00 is available to bona fide garden-design students, SGD and GLDA members.