LANDSCAPE DESIGN FOR

UTAH

Cynthia Bee, BLA

Class Topics

What is a “waterwise” landscape

How to Develop a Plot Plan

Pre-Design Analysis

Identifying Existing Landscape Issues

Creating a Landscape Design

Phasing for Re-Developed Landscapes

“Zero-scape”

FAIL! But

almost

succeeded.

--Gray BAD

color choice

-- Lack of

green on

ground

plane.

Former

Kraftmaid

Cabinets,

West Jordan

“DIY Blogger House”- SLC Parade of Homes

2012Landscape Design: Cynthia Bee, Conservation Garden Park Installation: Aposhian

Landscaping

Professional Landscape Plan

A Plan

doesn’t need

to be this

FANCY to be

FUNCTIONA

L!

Don’t be

intimidated,

jump in and

get ‘er done!

How to create a base map for your

landscape project the EASIEST way

possible!

How to Develop a Plot Plan

Plot Plan Base Map

Tools:

Plot plan from builder or City Building Dept.

100’ tape measure

Rolling tape measure

Google Maps- “My Maps” feature.

Google Maps- Base Map

Scale

Draw a line

feature will

measure lines

to scale

Google “Classic My Maps”

This Line is

37.59 feet

How to draw to scale

Scale means that one measurement

is substituted with another equally but

smaller. Scale for plans is based of a

measurement of 1 inch.

1 inch is equal to x number of feet

Graph Paper is Your Friend

Graph paper is an easy way to

draw to scale for homeowners.

1. 1. Count the number of

squares wide and tall for your

graph paper. This one is 34

squares wide x 38 squares

long.

2. 2. Figure out the width and

length of your yard. This yard

is 102 feet wide by 111 feet

long.

3. 3. Divide it by the squares to

find the closest scale.

4. Scale: 1 square = 3

feet

Photo Credit: How Stuff Works

Basic Plot Plan

Design

starts with a

scaled ‘Plot

Plan’ that

includes the

dimensions

of all

relevant

objects on

the property.

Site Analysis

Orientation

Site Conditions

Soils

Sun

Wind

Slopes

Drainage

Views

Needs Assessment

Site Concerns:

End of day sun on back

patio- too hot/bright.

Back of house is hot in the

afternoon.

Low spot in front yard/

drainage problems.

Use Concerns:

Patio is inadequate for

family.

Lack of storage.

Social space to connect

with neighbors in front

yard.

Consider Maintenance

How much time are you REALLY interested in spending maintaining your yard?

Are you morally adverse to using pesticides and/or herbicides? Have you researched the alternatives?

Do you have children or pets which may cause damage to lawns, plantings and/or art?

Do you spend long periods of time away from home?

How much time are you REALLY interested in spending maintaining your yard?

Additional considerations for existing

landscapes.

Pre-Design Analysis, Existing

Conceptual Ideas

Additional Information Required

Identify locations of plants, structures and

hardscape (patios etc.) that will be retained.

Identify locations and types of sprinklers on

existing system. Need to know:

Where the heads are and what type (pop up, rotor

etc.)

Which valve controls which heads.

Pipe sizing for main and laterals (3/4”, 1”, 1 ½”)

Sprinkler head style and manufacturer.

Exist. Sprinkler

1. 1. Head

Locations

.

2. 2. Group

by Zone

3. 3. Type

of Head

4. 4. Pipe

Sizes

As interpreted by Cynthia

Landscape Psychology

Why We Love Lawn!

- Sea of Green

rests the eye

between busier

plantings.

--Conveys a

lushness

indicating

abundance to our

agrarian psyche.

-- Visually

demonstrates the

power of positive/

negative space.

--Organizes

space.

Other Possibilities

Left: Ice Plant in full bloom.

Above: Creeping Thyme lawn in

garden while blooming.

Taller ‘Green’ Lawn Alternatives

Less IS More!

Boring! Interesting!

Typical: The “Utah” Island

--People think they are ‘supposed’ to have one.

-- No context, floats on a sea of lawn.

-- Can leave awkward bits of lawn that are useless but require water and work.

--Psychologically uncomfortable.

Lawn as Focal Point

“Green The

Bean”

Flip the design so the LAWN

is the “island”

Typical Utah Front Yard with Planted Kidney Bean

Island

Waterwise Front Yard with Lawn as the Island

Design by Shaun Moser, Conservation Garden

Park

The Kidney Bean- 2 Ways

Typical

Utah Front

Yard

Landscap

e with the

“Required

” Kidney

Bean-

Shaped

Island

Revers

e

Kidney

Bean

“Island

”

MUCH

more

attractive,

waterwise

and lower

maintenanc

e!

Sea of LAWN surrounded by plantings

Inefficient & blocks view of building Central lawn surrounded by plantings.

Better Alternative: Peninsula

--Anchors the house to the landscape or the bed to the hardscape, natural transition, has context!

-- More functional for maintenance.

-- More visual appeal.

-- Feels ‘right’ by creating sense of enclosure rather

than exposure.

Before: Sparse landscape island and grass running up

to the foundation. After: ‘anchored’ plantings and new

path provide transition, interest and function.

Varied Density

Thinly planted over entire

areaPositive/ negative spaceV

S

Even if the lawn above were gravel, it

would still appear lush and organized.

The key is open space contrasted

with filled space.

Some people dislike xeric

landscapes because of the “messy”

look. Avoid this by creating positive/

negative space.

Central Open Space Resist the urge to “fill” the

blank canvas as that increases

maintenance and is visually

disorganized.

landscape “white space”

Green down low

(Horizontal

Juniper)

Green down low (Fire Chalice)

“No Maintenance” Zone

Typical: “Row of Soldiers”

In your imagination: Reality:

Better Alternative:

Layered Mixed Plantings

Green Waterwise ShrubsMore Colorful Shrubs +

Perennials

Both examples from USU’s “Utah House” at the Utah Botanic Garden.

Kaysville, Utah

Dense plantings hide imperfect maintenance. Notice the “white space”

provided by the lawn? It’s the mix of open spaces and abundance that make

the landscape interesting.

The Lush Waterwise Landscape

Lower planting density than the previous design but still has planted areas

and open areas- even though there is no lawn. Grade change (deeper

river bed) is also used to keep it interesting. Design by Cynthia Bee

Organizing Elements

Begin by locating desired amenities in

locations where they solve needs identified

during analysis.

Planning for Functional

Elements

Initial ‘Bubble Diagrams’

Site Circulation & Function

Consider all designed elements in terms of accessibility-select surface materials appropriate for the application and ensure good access to all areas requiring maintenance.

Creating the Landscape

Design

Plan

Hardscape

Plan for all

hardscape

elements

first- even if

they will be

installed

later.

Create Plant List

Plant ScheduleTREESTYPE/ SYMBOL COMMON NAME BOTANICAL NAME SIZE QTY NOTES

EVERGREEN

T1

WEEPING WHITE SPRUCE PICEA GLAUCA

‘PENDULA’

25’ H X 6’ W 3- 6’ UPRRIGHT/ COLUMNAR

W/ ELEGANT DRAPING

FOLIAGE

T2 COLUMNAR ATLANTIC

CEDAR

CEDRUS ATLANTICA

ARGENTEA ‘FASTIGIATA’

25’ H X 6’ W 2- 6’ UPRIGHT/ TIGHT

FOLIAGE/BLUE-GREEN

FLOWERING

T5

LOLLIPOP CRABAPPLE MALUS ‘LOLLIZAM’ 10’ H X 6’ W 4-

2” CAL

SMALL GLOBE SHAPE/

WHITE FLOWERS

SPRING/ YELLOW FALL

T6 WEEPING REDBUD CERSIS CANADENSIS

‘COVEY’

8’ H X 8’ W 1-

2” CAL

WEEPING/ VIVID PURPLE-

RED FLOWERS SPRING/

YELLOW FALL C

SHADE

T9

‘LACELEAF’ ELM ULMUS PARVIFOLIA

‘ALLEE’

40’ H X 30’ W 1-

2” CAL

DECIDUOUS/ YELLOW-

PURPLE FALL COLOR

T10 SILVER LINDEN TILIA TOMENTOSA

‘STERLING ’

40’ H X 40’ W 1-

2” CAL

DECIDUOUS/ FRAGRANT

SILVER UNDERSIDE TO

LEAVES/ YELLOW FALL

Hydrozone

Planting

design

should take

plant

watering

requirement

s into

account and

group plants

who like the

same

conditions in

the same

areas.

Function Plants

Function Plants’ are

those selected for

specific site purposes

such as:

--Screening Views

-- Wind Break

-- Passive Solar

Special

Interest

Next add plants for ‘Color Balance’

(ie: burgundy, gold, blue-green or variegated foliage).

--Make sure they are distributed evenly around the landscape-don’t want to be lopsided with color.

-Make sure bolder foliage is “triangulated” meaning it appears in 3 groups, triangularly spaced.

Burgundy

foliage is

triangularly

spaced.

Repeat Plants

Backbone shrubs and perennials which will be repeated multiple times. These plants provide unity in the landscape and have the following traits:

Repeat bloom

Desirable foliage traits

Low-maintenance, low worry

The ‘workhorse’ plants of the landscape.

Filler Plants

Add other shrubs

and perennials

that may appear

only once or twice

in the landscape to

fill in the remaining

spaces to the

desired density.

- Filler plants

provide the variety

that keeps the

landscape from

being too much of

the same stuff.

“Reverse-Engineering” your existing yard.

Designing in Phases

Existing

Typical Utah

landscape-

yes, it has

the dread

“Utah

Island”.

Exist. Sprinkler

1. 1. Head

Locations

.

2. 2. Group

by Zone

3. 3. Type

of Head

4. 4. Pipe

Sizes

Side Yards

New concrete on

the north side is

more functional for

property use.

The side yard on

the South side is a

pass through- new

walkway makes

that easier and

more interesting.

2 sprinkler zones

were switched to

drip irrigation.

Grassless Side Yard

“DIY Blogger House”

Add Front

Lawn reduced in front

yard area by anchoring

the island to the side

yard.

Drip lines from the new

drip irrigation zone in the

side yard are extended

into this bed.

Front yard lawn

sprinklers are

reconfigured by moving

and adjusting sprinkler

heads on that line.

Add Rear

Backyard plantings are

added by pulling the grass

away from the perimeter.

Trees do best when NOT

planted in the middle of

lawn areas- move lawn

away from trees when

possible by creating beds

and borders.

The 2 backyard sprinkler

zones had heads moved or

capped.

An additional valve and drip

irrigation zone were added

for the perimeter plantings.

Design Detail Ideas

Undulating Topography

-- Provides a

‘sense of

enclosure’ in

the

landscape.

-- Separates

yard from

traffic.

-- Shows

plants to

best

advantage,

makes beds

appear more

lush.

Entice

Moving in and out of space, sense of mystery “What’s around the corner?” People move in and out of tree cover or plants

An average design. Too open. People are too far separated from the plants, no variety of experience.

Dry River Beds

Dry River Bed- Lushly Planted Dry River Bed- Lightly Planted

Designed by: Paula Refi

Photo Credit: Sunset Magazine

Landscape Structures

Problem: Wood undersized, vine oversized, maintenance issues.

Solution: Upsize columns, downsize to a herbaceous vine.

Photo Courtesy

Northscaping.com

Landscape Structures

Right Material- Wrong

InstallationRight Material- Right Install

Create Outdoor Rooms“DIY Blogger House”

Hanging Daybed

Swing

Gas Firepit

Pottery

Fountain

Hanging Daybed Swing Tutorial available at:

http://club.conservationgardenpark.org

Why focal point has no ‘s’ Focal PointS

“Landmarks”

“If everything is special, nothing is special.”

Context- How Elements Relate

‘Volcano’ Falls make no sense-no logical point of origin. Try:

Professional Installation- Name

withheld to protect the guilty.

Design and Install by One Specialty

Landscape Designs, Dallas, Texas.

Screening

Must deal with landscape ‘negatives’

Garbage cans, lawnmowers and bicycles are real considerations.

Garbage cans have no ‘home’. Imperfect execution but good

example of an outdoor storage

enclosure.

Photo courtesy Arlington

Fence Company, Virginia

Sense of Entry

Front yard decorative hardscape

creates sense of entry and provides

a REASON to use the front yard.

Edges

-Crisp hard

edge where

lawn meets

flower bed.

-Soft, less

defined

edges where

mulch and

rock

entwine.

-Design

Credit:

Michelle

Derviss

Design by Michelle Derviss

Order of Installation

Order of Installation

Site Grading

Hardscape- Concrete etc.

Trenching for Sprinkers

Irrigation System

Topsoil/ Soil Berming

Rockwork or gravel pathways

Turf Planting and Lawn Edging (highly recommend sod vs. seed if your turf type is available as sod).

Planting- start with trees and work your way down

Mulch/ Top Dress Beds

Adjust sprinkler heads and program controller

Plastic Edging Installation

Resources

The smartest part of doing

it yourself….

Is knowing when you

shouldn’t!