Landscape Architecture for Dummies 1

Ive written pretty extensively in the past about why I dont like the term, landscaping, applied to the fields of design and landscape architecture.

Despite my often indignant writing, I understand that for the majority of the population, landscape architecture is not really something theyre familiar with and that many lack the vocabulary to discuss it. As it happens my default response when, landscaping, crops up in conversation is generally to smile my most patient, parish vicar smile and explain what the correct terms would be. You see, I actually think that using the correct terminology is helpful to all involved. Heres an example:

I was recently (but to protect the guilty, not that recently) asked by an architect to review a design and access statement that he had prepared for a new building, for landscaping content. Apparently it had not gone down that well with the local authority. In his summary of landscaping he described the area to north of his building as landscaped, the area around the building as to be landscaped and similarly, the area south of the building, also as to be landscaped. In actual fact, the area north was existing woodland, the area around the building was to be planted as gardens and the area south of the buildings was to be hard paved. Do you see the problem? This kind of sums up why using landscaping as a catch all for our work is such a problem, because it doesnt really explain what is actually being done.

So in a benevolent effort to spread the gospel of landscape architecture, I thought Id produce a brief glossary of landscape terms:

landscape - the stuff all around us from when we step out of our, houses, offices and generic buildings, and look around. A particularly handy term to use, when youre not referring to buildings.

soft landscape - the stuff that grow; trees, shrubs, grass and all things green.

hard landscape - the stuff in the landscape that isnt green; think surfacing, furniture and other man-made features.

existing vegetation - trees and shrubs that are already there. In fact theyre free - how cool is that?!?

landscaping - mowing the lawn, tarmac-ing and general maintenance done by men with pick-ups and overalls.

For more a more thorough, if rather USA-centric list of terms, see ASLAs Landscape Architecture Glossary:

http://www.asla.org/nonmembers/publicrelations/glossary.htm

If that left you felling a little overwhelmed, my advice is to just try to memorise the top two or three. Or maybe just the top one - landscape.

Imagine, and Im looking at you Mr Architect, how much time youll save over the course of your life by referring to landscape, as opposed to landscape-Ping!. Think of every Ping! as a second you wont spend with your children or designing your masterwork (perhaps future man will consider your sargasso blue, clad distribution shed in a similar light to the works of Palladio). And what is the carbon footprint of every superfluous Ping! Not only will you help to preserve the sanity of pedantic landscape architects, but youll also help to save the planet too!