Water conservation is becoming an important part of Florida's overall water management program. Saltwater intrusion and pollutants threaten Florida's limited water resources, and increasing urbanization and periodic drought are placing greater demands on water supplies. For these reasons, nursery growers, landscapers, and homeowners should be conscious of water use and should strive to minimize waste and consumption of water. One of the best means of conserving water is to design or modify the landscape to reduce its water requirements.

LANDSCAPE STYLES

The “traditional'' or “conventional'' landscape is characterized by large areas of turf accented by well-manicured trees and shrubs. This traditional landscape is typical of the cool, temperate regions of the northeastern U.S. and was brought to Florida as people moved here from the North. Unfortunat

 Footnotes

1. This document is CIR536, one of a series of the Environmental Horticulture Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date June 1991. Reviewed October 2003. Visit the EDIS Web Site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2. Dewayne L. Ingram, former professor and extension horticulturalist, Environmental Horticulture Department, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville FL 32611.

The Institute of Food an

Entrance. The entrance should be an area of transition between outdoors and indoors. Considerable detail should be given to the planning and maintenance of this area. This is true because a visitor is close to this area and moving slowly or actually standing still. Therefore there is time to view this area and a favorable impression can be developed before a person enters the house.

Plantings in the public area should focus attention to the entrance. This means there should be no doubt in the visitor's mind where to enter the house. If the house is approached commonly from more than one direction, the focalization of the entrance form these different perspectives must be considered. This focalization is achieved through repetition of plant masses. Transition of plant form, color and texture and the bed lines can help direct attention.

Assess Family Needs

A landscape should be an outdoor extension of indoor living areas. It should be functional and provide space for family activities. Before the designer can create such an environment, knowledge of certain family characteristics is essential.

The questions used in the form at the end can be among those asked of the customer.

Locate Activity Areas

Once the family needs have been determined, areas for these activities must be located on the property. Their placement should be considered in terms of the house plan and in relation to other activities in and adjacent to the property. These activity areas could include a public area, entrance, living area, quiet zone, service and work area, or vegetable or cut-flower garden plot

STEPS IN DEVELOPING A LANDSCAPE DESIGN

The benefits of an organized system in developing a landscape design are tremendous. As with most endeavors, the level of efficiency relative to time input is greatly increased with an organized approach. The game plan for the landscape designer should follow a sequence such as the one presented here:

Steps In Design

1.    Develop a plot plan.

2.    Conduct a site analysis.

3.    Assess family needs and desires.

4.    Locate activity areas.

5.    Design activity areas.

6.    Plant selection and placement.

Develo

PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

Color, line, form, texture and scale are tools which are used in combinations to adjust design principles. Design principles include unity, balance, transition, focalization, proportion, rhythm, repetition and simplicity. All these principles interact to yield the intended design.

Unity is obtained by the effective use of components in a design to express a main idea through consistent style. Unity is emphasized by consistency of character between units in the landscape. Use of elements to express a specific theme within units creates harmony. Unity can be achieved by using mass planting and repetition.

Unity means that all parts of the composition or landscape go together; they fit. A natural feeling evolves when each activity area belongs to and blends with the entire landscape.

Line is related to eye movement or flow. The concept and creation of line depends upon the purpose of the design and existing patterns. In the overall landscape, line is inferred by bed arrangement and the way these beds fit or flow together. Line is also created vertically by changes in plant height and the height of tree and shrub canopies. Line in a small area such as an entrance or privacy garden is created by branching habits of plants, arrangement of leaves and/or sequence of plant materials.

Straight lines tend to be forceful, structural and stable and direct the observer's eye to a point faster than curved lines. Curved or free-flowing lines are sometimes described as smooth, graceful or gentle and create a relaxing, progressive, moving and natural feeling.

Form and line are closely related. Line is considered usually in terms of the outline or edge o

Landscaping combines elements of art and science to create a functional, aesthetically pleasing extension of indoor living to the outdoors. One initial purpose of landscape design is to blend man's technology (house or building) into the natural surroundings. To work toward a desirable landscape design, the landscape horticulturist must have a working knowledge of art elements and design principles. This publication is intended for the commercial landscaper with little or no training in the use of these basic principles. This publication is not a complete landscape design text.

ELEMENTS OF ART

Elements of art include but are not limited to color, line, form, texture and scale. These elements are never independent of each other, but we will discuss their individual natures before considering the interactions.

Color variation ca

科学的绿化综合养护管理，应根据树木的不同时期采取相应的技术措施，才能养护得当、养护的好。但是，园林树木养护管理工作的项目是很繁杂的，各地区情况不同；各树种甚至同品种不同年龄时期差别也很大。但在一般情况下，还是有一定的规律可循。

一月份

    1、 冬季修剪：全面展开对落叶树木的整形修剪作业；悬铃木、大小乔木上的枯枝、伤残枝、病虫枝及妨碍架空线和建筑物的枝杈进行修剪。

    2、 行道树检查：及时检查行道树绑扎、立桩情况，发现松绑、铅丝嵌皮、摇桩等情况时立即整改。

    3、 防治害虫：冬季是消灭园林害虫的有利季节。可在树下疏松的土中挖集刺蛾的虫蛹、虫茧，集中烧死。1月中旬的时候，蚧壳虫类开始活动，但这时候行动迟缓，我们可以采取刮除树干上的幼虫的方法。在冬季防治害虫，往往有事半功倍的效果。

    4、 绿地养护：街道绿地、花坛等地要注意挑除大型野草；草坪要及时挑草、切边；绿地内要注意防冻浇水。

园林植物栽培后的养护管理是保证成活、实现绿化美化的重要措施。俗话说：三分种植，七分养护。强调了城市园林在栽培过程中养护管理工作的重要性。

养护管理包括两个方面的内容：一是：“养护”，根据不同的植物的生长需要和某些特定的要求，及时对树木采取如施肥、灌水、中耕除草、修剪、防治病虫害等园艺技术措施。另一方面是：“管理”，看管围护、绿地清扫保洁等园区管理工作。

养护管理工作要适应植物的生长规律和生物学特性及当地的气候条件而进行的。因季节变化比较明显，养护工作根据本地情况而定，按月来分工作安排。

一月份：进入冬季修剪，将枯枝、病虫枝、伤残枝及与架空线路有矛盾的枝条修去，挖掘死树，进行冬耕；施放基肥，大量积肥、堆肥；做好防寒工作，遇到大雪，对常绿树、古树名木、竹类组织打雪；防治病虫害，清除根部虫蛹、虫蛹及树上的虫包；检查巡视防寒设施的完好程度，发现破损立即修补；加强看管，防止人为破环。

二月份：进行除春草的一次贯通；继续进行一般树木的栽植，开始族类的移植；继续进行冬季修剪；继续进行冬季施肥和冬耕，对春花树木施花前肥；继续做好防寒工作；继续防止越冬虫害。