INTRODUCTION TO

LANDSCAPE ELEMENTS
ELEMENTS OF LANDSCAPE DESIGN

NATURAL ELEMENTS

• Flora and Fauna of the place

• Water
• Earth forms / Land forms
• Built up spaces with natural materials like timber,
stone, etc.

MANMADE ELEMENTS

• Man-made Landscaping Materials – Brick,

concrete, plastic, glass, etc.
• Structural elements – Bridges, Steps, Pergolas,
Water proofing, etc.
• Enhancing elements – Lighting, Seating, Fountains,
etc.
 ELEMENTS OF LANDSCAPE- PLANTS
There are many varieties of plant materials such as:
•Trees
NATURAL LANDSCAPE ELEMENTS

•Shrubs
•Creepers and climbers
•Water Plants
•Land covers .etc.

USES OF PLANT MATERIAL IN LANDSCAPE

Environmental
1. Microclimate modifiers
2. Conservation belt
3. Erosion control
4. Retains ground water
5. Retains soil fertility
6. Prevents siltation
Architectural
1. Enframement
2. Scale induction
3. Creation of plaza
4. Defines pathway
5. Welcoming look and aesthetic
appeal to the building
Plants create outdoor
rooms.
Trees, shrubs, and ground covers can be
used to emphasize the desirable
architectural lines and masses.
Plants can be used to
soften and balance harsh
and awkward
architectural angles,
masses, and materials.
ELEMENTS OF LANDSCAPE-
ThePLANTS
human eye has a tendency to follow
the outline of the objects in the landscape.
With this idea in mind the apparent size is
affected.

Inwardly oriented Outwardly

space focused space`

Plants that reach large sizes at

maturity are often planted too
closely to the house when small.
When they mature, they dominate
and make the house look smaller
 ELEMENTS OFROLE
ENVIRONMENTAL LANDSCAPE- PLANTS
NOISE CONTROL

Embankments., deciduous and

evergreen plantings and
masonry walls are used together
for effective sound control.
POLLUTION CONTROL

Use of windbreaks to CLIMATE CONTROL Use of deciduous plants

control winter winds to direct summer breezes
WATER
Water is also another most
important landscape element.
Water bodies improve the quality
and the worth of the site.it makes
the site attractive.
There are many types of water
bodies :
Natural and Manmade

1. Fountains
Add sound, movement, and
2. Pools enjoyment into the landscape.

3. Ponds

4. Spouts
 Water flows inevitably, from
the source to the receiving
ocean basin.
USES:
• Excellent land water
interface gives an ecological
home for the animals and
plants.
• Water runoff reduced.
• Hydrological cycle
maintained.
• Microclimate created.
• Moisture level
maintained.
• Wetland, marshes,
swampy areas are
conserved.
• Maintaining vegetation into wetlands.
• Site aesthetics are enhanced
 Where a water feature such as a spring,
RIVERS & pond, stream, river, lake, or tidal marsh
exists in nature – it is usually a distillate of
STREAMS the surrounding landscape and a rich
contributor.
Sensitive planning is to ensure and
facilitate protection of these water bodies
as well as enjoyment
Construction of new drainage
ditch
Or
Conversion of a drainage ditch
into interactive waterway
In the development of water related areas care is required in the designation of use areas, paths of
vehicular and pedestrian movement, and in the site and building design
A water feature may be as simple as a trickle from a spring-fed
tube into brimming basin

POOLS

FOUNTAINS

CASCADES
 Most garden areas would be improved by the
introduction of water in some form such as

Few rough stones and simple basin

An overflowing pot set in a

bed

Formed pool and jet

A quiet reflecting basin of any size or shape can be constructed of varied
materials such as concrete, bricks, granite, wood, etc. Potted plants may be
grouped around. Evaporation of water is easily replenished with hose or
watering can
A pool can be made of many types of
containers. The water source may be a
garden hose, a spout or a dripping slab of
ledge stone
Seat pool patio or courtyard Sunken water pool
Problems

• Contamination

• Rapid runoff

• Siltation
Problems

• Erosion

• Flooding
• Siltation
LANDFORMS / EARTH FORMS
• Landform is synonymous with topography, refers to the three dimensional
relief of the earth’s surface.
• Serves as a base for all outdoor activities – can be thought of as artistic and
utilitarian element for design.

1. MACROLANDFORMS – Regional scale

– types of valleys, mountains, prairies, etc.

2. MICROLANDFORMS – Site scale – mounds,

berms, slopes, level areas, etc.

3. MINILANDFORMS – subtle undulations, ripples

of a sand dune, textural variations of stones and rocks
in a walk.
Sloped landform blocks
views and creates spatial
edges. Level landform
does the opposite.
 DIFFERENT LANDFORMS LANDFORMS IN REGIONAL SCALE

Himalaya, alps,
Western Ghats
Embankment
Swale

Bangalore out skirts

English landscapes,
Valley
Mound

Deccan plateau etc.

Landscape
Curve

Gully
DEVELOPMENT OF LANDFORMS
What is your
preference? Any
examples for
Accentuation?
Ragi gudda,
Mahalakshmi layout,
Hanumanth nagar,
Bull temple

Dramatize the
landform to make it
more appealing
or retain as it is but
never neglect the
landform by making
it flat.
 LAND FORM AND CONTOUR READING
By looking at the contour map one can visualize ridge, valley, uniform slope,
steep slope, mounds, flat areas etc.
 CONTOURS AND LANDFORMS
Uniform slope, convex slope, concave slope, ridge, valley, steep slope,
retaining wall etc. can be identified in a contour map
LAND FORM - CUT & FILL
Cut – waste of soil and disposal
has to be taken care
Fill – Bring extra soil from
outside
Cut & fill – balanced, what is
removed is filled back
Represent slope always in
percentage or ratio
Sections helps to modify and
locate building, road, gutter,
retaining wall etc.
CONTOUR MAP AND SECTION

Contour map indicates

the existence of
landforms.

Site sections are useful

to understand the
landforms.

Sectional elevations or
sectional views helps to
explain what you have
visualized.
LAND FORM AND DECK

In any sloping site there is scope for

using bridges, decks, stilts etc.

How, where, when and why used is

Landscape Architect’s choice
LAND FORM
ALONG WATER
BODY EDGE

Results in dock, deck,

overlook and terraces

LAND FORM
It always results in
water body, bridges,
steps, level differences,
vistas, retaining walls,
cascades etc., make use
of them in your design
 LAND FORMS & WATER BODY

Slope along water body also

can be considered under
landforms. Various
manmade and natural
alternatives can be
suggested.

LAND FORM & SLOPE RETENSION

Slope can be retained in many
ways. It depends on the
Landscape architect’s concept,
visualization and selection
based on function and site
conditions.
LAND FORMS AND SECTIONS
Helps to explain the one that cannot be
explained in plans
Many interesting features can
be visualized and explained
New concepts and ideas can be
developed and demonstrated
LANDFORM ADVANTAGES
TIMBER
STONE
MANMADE LANDSCAPE ELEMENTS
BRICK
CONCRETE
GLASS
 THE GARDEN ELEMENTS
• WATER BODY
• STEPS
• WALKS AND PATHS
• FENCES AND GATES
• ARCHES AND PERGOLAS
• WALLS
• GARDEN FURNITURES
STEPS

• Undulating or sloping areas

• Choice of materials like stone, brick,
wood, concrete etc.
• Rise and tread
• Blend well with the landscape
WALKS AND PATHS

• Essential features
• Skeleton connecting all the
important features
• Variety of material choice like
brick, gravel, stone, concrete,
wood etc.
• Patterns with combination of
materials
• Edges - beautiful groundcovers,
dwarf shrubs, annual beds etc
FENCES AND GATES

• Essential for boundaries,

screening, security etc.
• Variety of materials and
combination
• Plants as hedges
• Thorny shrubs, plants not
eaten by animals etc.
• Immediately noticed before
entering
• Very attractive and pleasing
• Ornamental, simple,
functional
ARCHES AND PERGOLAS
• Enhance beauty
• Acts as covered link to connect
different parts
• Colorful climbers
• Various designs and materials

Pergola is a colonnade that

supports beams and cross
members to form an open roof.
The structure may be free
standing also.
WALLS

• Essential feature
• To separate different parts
• Level differences - retaining
walls
• Material choice is plenty like
brick; stone, concrete, plastered
finish etc.
• Bring texture, variety, contrast
etc.
• To create planter boxes or
• As a seating with coping
GARDEN FURNITURES

• Seats, bridges, lighting fixtures,

bollards, dustbins etc.
• Essential & attractive features
• Seat - types, sizes, shape etc.
• Bridges - to cross water body or
embankments
• Lighting - shapes, material, night
time effects etc.
• Bollards, dustbins – functional
and attractive
 TERMS USED IN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

ALLEY:
Long walks or drives bordered by evenly
spaced trees or by hedges. It is a narrower
but more inmate walk way. The alley in
Versailles was as wide as 48' and over half
mile long. They crisscrossed the vast
garden in every direction and with
fountains at intersections.
The term avenue often used
interchangeably to describe long walks or
drives bordered by rows of evenly spaced
tree or by hedges.
Avenue is now more often used where the
spacing between the rows is quite broad;
often accommodating a driveway. The
term ‘avenue of trees’ is a common usage
in landscape architecture
ARBORS: It defines and encloses
spaces with an open type of roof to
support the plants almost equivalent
to "Lata mantap" of Indian garden.
Pergola, gallery are also related to
arbours.

GALLERY: Normally it is an essential

arched tunnel of greenery trained
over a light structure of metal or
lath.
STILES
It is a device to cross over a fence, wall
etc. where there is no gate. It allows
passage to cross smoothly and no
damage occurs to the fence, hedges by
animals etc. and prevents short cuts.
ENGLISH KNOT GARDEN:
Beds planted or otherwise designed in
ornamental knot like patterns. They are
normally square in shape with
geometric patterns. Low growing herbs
are used for this.
PARTERRES:
Italian gardens had steep slopes,
terraces and rushing water as
their garden features. But
French who had flat lands
adopted and emphasised surface
design with still water, low
shrubs etc. The parterres had
geometric patterns, but simple
designs. They resemble
embroidery in cloths. The plants
used may be low shrubs either
flowering or foliage type. The
other similar to this are carpet
bedding and herbaceous
borders.
BIRD BATHS:
They serve a dual purpose by furnishing
water needed by wild birds and water as a
decorative element in the absence of
pools, fountains, ponds etc. It is a shallow
basin set on a stone or marble column and
may be a focal point in small garden.
DOVE COTE or COLUMBARIUM:
It is a special bird house for doves &
pigeons. These can be seen as old as
from ancient Romans to modern day.
They were made ornamental feature of
the garden by their shape, material
used etc.
THANK YOU