The word landscaping means “the process of making a garden or other piece of land more attractive by altering the existing design, adding ornamental features, and planting trees and shrubs”. Through the history of human civilization, land development has been an integral factor in our progress as a species. Going from hunters and gathers to farmers we connected to the land. Apart from those who believe that nature should go unaltered by human hands and left alone, human culture, religion, politics, war, and innovation methods as well as population growth have all played a major role in influencing architecture and the layout of the land. Landscaping connects to history, gardening and a five-step design process.
Figure 1 Versailles Palace Expedia
Landscaping has had its roots since ancient times, the term "landscape" actually derives from the Dutch word “landschap”, which originally meant "region, tract of land" but acquired the artistic connotation, "a picture depicting scenery on land" in the early 1500s. Along with landscaping comes the term Landscape Architecture, which is the job of the one who does landscaping. The origin of the term landscape architecture comes from a book published in 1828 by Gilbert Laing Meason called the Landscape Architecture of the Great Painters of Italy. That book is where the term was first used and provided information on the special type of architecture which could be seen in the landscape paintings of the great painters of Italy.
Contrary to the meaning of landscaping, the first instances of humans altering the land were not driven by the pursuit of making it more visually appealing. What moved people to alter the world was the force of religious and spiritual feelings. Cultures attempted to express in the landscapes they built the sacred meanings and spiritual significance of natural sites and phenomena. Early people altered the landscape to try to understand and/or honor the mysteries of nature. The ancient Greeks respected nature as the sanctuary of the Gods, but equally valued the human domain. Their ideals were revealed in architecture, in urban form, and in the consideration of the landscape as a place of civic responsibility.
As cultures advanced and humans gained more control over the nature, we switched to changing the landscape for physical and spiritual comfort. The idea of gardens being managed as a pleasure ground evolved from the enclosed hunting grounds of Europe and Asia. However before long, sacred structures and monuments soon replaced sacred landscapes. And altering the landscape grew into the pursuit of beauty instead.
Landscaping vs. Gardening
Another closely related term to landscaping is gardening. Both are centered around enhancing the natural beauty of a space of land using plants and rocks in general. Gardening conforms more to a home owner’s personal preference for form and functionality, it is the practice of growing plants, that can range from tending to a single plant or to an entire garden with a variety of plants. It involves growing and caring for plants either in pots or in the ground. While landscaping is a more professional way of gardening in its design and purpose. Landscape design is the art of organizing and enriching outdoor space with plants and structures for aesthetic and/or practical purposes.
Unlike gardening, landscaping is a profession that many go into as a full-time job containing landscaping society’s and certification tests to be considered a professional in the field. As well as competitions and events. The Association of Professional Landscape Designers or APLD helps to promote the industry with members across the United States the organization helps to spread education, trends, and developments. Gardening also differs from landscaping by the area it would be done at. Homes and residences are where gardens are made. For a high quality job focusing on visual appeal in would mainly be done at monuments, parks, businesses, and fancy homes which have lots of empty space to decorate with.
Landscape architects analyze, plan, design, manage, and nurture the built and natural environments before physically landscaping the land to the image that they created for it.
The five steps of the design process include: 1) conducting a site inventory and analysis, 2) determining your needs, 3) creating functional diagrams, 4) developing conceptual design plans, and 5) drawing a final design plan. The first three steps establish the aesthetic, functional, and horticultural requirements for the design. The last two steps then apply those requirements to the creation of the final landscape plan.
Throughout the design process there are ten important things to consider:
1. Understand the area for work location and plant specifics
2. Remember your wants and needs
3. Use style, theme, and form to make spaces and shapes
4. Create spaces and link them together with different elements
5. Consider the purpose and use of the plants
6. Structure the plants you use using different planting and design techniques
7. Highlight focal points and transitions
8. Pay attention to detail in the materials, the colors, and the surface textures
9. Take time in planning for plant maintenance and growth
10. Protect resources through design and sustainable practices
Just like the past of landscaping, it will continue into the future, revolving around its application at public spaces and establishments such as parks and buildings to give an aesthetic and pleasing view to all who go there.
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