PLANTING JOURNAL Naturalistic Planting& City YIRAN YONG 140207330
Sheffield Botanical Garden Name:Sheffield Botanical garden Location: Rock and water garden Designer: Clarence Elliott Date: 1929 Condition: wet, dump, sunny and sheltered. Planting style: Naturalistic Aim: Educational & recreational Public recreational park
Botanical garden: Rock and water garden in botanical garden is laid out in Italianite style in Victorian times and redesigned by Clarence Elliott from 1929 to 1930. it is composed by a series of small pools
drops between rockwork. The target area is the main pool of this garden.
Target area: It is including pondside habitat and part of rock garden nearby. Most of the area is wet and dump. Medium shrubs and trees give shadow to the surrounding vegetation. To the planting, it is mainly drift planting of pernnials and shrubs. Plantation shows an obvious transition from terristrial plants to aquatic (main pond- bog plantation- rock garden). As the educational function of the botantical garden, specific species with various texture and forms are selected in this area to try to reveal the natural waterside landscape. The scenery through the year is vary, which will be showed in next page.
Sheffield Botanical Garden Seasonal interest& Analysis 24/09/2016
'CROWDED' It is my first visit to the area and it is in autumn.Different from other dead areas, the time of pondscape seems stopped in summer. Diverse vegetation still growing lively and i cannot even took a single picture of the pond--Vegetation fill in very gap even the water surface is covered by duckweed. I feel a little bit MESSY because the bad transparency of the landscape overmuch texture given by plantings. In this stage, flower are disappeared and color of some foliage changed. It is still very attractive and summer compared to surrounding landscape.
20/03/2017
'OPEN, PEACEFUL' Spring visit. I have been here in winter nut nothing left so I didn't includ it in the journal. In Spring, pernnials just germinate and most of vegetation are cut back, the pondscape is totally different from that in autumn. It is very clear and open.Sunshine is reinvited to stimulate the growth. The early spring bulbs and Caltha palustris with yellow flower brighten up the pondscape.--
Sheffield Botanical Garden 20/04/2017
'Lively Growth' Second spring visit. It changes a lot compared to half month beforeVegetation grow very quickly and show the determination to take up of the pond again. In this time, yellow flower nearly finish and red tree back become the attraction of this area.
20/06/2017
'Flourishing'
Summer Visit Most vigorous Landscape of the year.every vegetation is growing to the best condition. Various forms and texture keep a balance extremely enrich the scenery.
Sheffield Botanical Garden Planting list
* Current size all means the size from the left picture.
Botanical Name: Rhus typhina (green-flowered sumach) Natural distribution: Native to North America Habitat: Size (height * spread): 3* 2.5 (current), 8* 8(ultimate) Habit: Large suckering deciduous shrub. Large pinnate leaves in red- hairy stems turning red and orange in autumn. Dioecious, with yellow-green flower clusters in July or Auguest, Comment: - The fruit is one of the most identifiable characteristics, forming dense clusters of small red drupes at the terminal end of the branches - Ornamental plant providing interest by stunning foliage,beautiful flower and fruit all year around. The form of it make it not suitable for small garden.
Botanical Name: Acorus calamus (sweet flag) Natural distribution: Native to India, central Asia, southern Russia and Siberia and Eastern Europe. It was introduced into Western Europe and North America for medicinal purposes. Habitat: Boggy area in wetland habitat (eg. river/ pond edges, marshes, swamps, and wetlands) Size (height * spread): 0. 2* 0.15 (current), 1* 0.5(ultimate) Habit: (Overall shape): An upright, deciduous or semi- evergreen perennial. Grass- like green leaves and small brown flowers in summer. cut back in winter. Comment: - Architectural structure and grass like tall leaves. add more interest to riverside. - Good marginal plants to filling the space in naturalist waterside planting. - Spreading plants provide shelter to wildlife, help to develop and maintain wildlife habitat. - Good plant for bog garden.
Botanical Name: Carex morrowii 'Irish Green' (Japanese Sedge) Natural distribution: Originated in woods from low mountains in Japan Habitat: Moist, well-drained soil in sun or partial shade Size: 0.2* 0.3 (current), 0.3* 0.3 (ultimate) Habit: (Overall shape): Compact, Clump-forming; evergreen pernnial grass, fresh green leaves heart-shaped dark purple leaves and brown flower panicles appearing in summer. Comment: - Group planting under Gunnera manicata fill in the empty ground and normal outlook of the sedge highlight the exotic form of the shrub. - Good groud cover plant under trees and used as border edging. - Pruning and removal of brown and dry leaves are need in spring. - Good tolerance to sun and cold weather. Grows better in patial shade. - As it planted in rock garden near waterside in botantical garden, it strengthen the naturalistic style of the planting and help erosion control.
Botanical Name: Geranium sanguineum (bloody cranesbill ) Natural distribution: Native to Europe and temperate Asia Habitat: Typical habitat is grassland, sand dunes and open woodland and rocky slopes. Size: 0.1* 0.15 (current), 0.5* 1 (ultimate) Habit: Trailing spreading rhizomatous flowering pernnial, palmately lobed leaves divided into narrow lobes, and pink in summer. Comment: - Good ground cover under tree and provide flower interest in summer. Suitable for rock garden for its form. - Good tolerance to soil condition but well- drained need.
Botanical Name: Gunnera manicata (giant rhubarb) Natural distribution: Native in Brazil. Habitat: Boggy area, the edge of pond and river. Deep, permanently moist, humus-rich soil, lots of space and protection from cold, drying winds required. Size: 2* 3.5 (current), 2.5* 4(ultimate) Habit: Clump-forming; Large, deciduous herbaceous rhizomatous perennials. massive, deeply veined, rounded leaves held on stout, prickly stems. small red- brown flower panicles up to 1m in height in June and followed by small berry-like fruits in autumn. Comment: - Architectural speciesmen plant in riverside and give an exotic feeling to the landscape. - Add more interest to the edge of pond by the reflection of its dramatic foliage. - Cut back needed after flowering. Giant plant provide shelter in summer and give sunshine back in winter. - The size of the plant is had to restricted so large space needed for planting. When cut back, bare ground are exposed which makes the winter scene dull compared to summer. Botanical Name: Lysichiton camtschatcensis (Asian skunk cabbage) Natural distribution: Northeastern Asia Habitat: Boggy area along streams and in other wet areas Size: 0.4* 0.3(current), 1* 0.5(ultimate) Habit: Clump-forming herbaceous perennial. Broad oval leaves. Pure white, arum-like flowers in early spring. Comment: - Marginal plants in waterside. Enhancing unsightly gaps around pond edge and provide spring interest by white flowers. - Providing resting places and food sources for insects. - Low maintenance. Cut back the dead foliage in late autumn to keep a tidy appearance. - Avoiding people touching the plant since it might be harmful if eaten and irritant to the eye and skin. Botanical Name: Pontederia cordata (pickerel weed ) Natural distribution: Eastern N America to Caribbean Habitat: Marginal aquatic habitat. Size: 0.7* 0.5(current), 1.5* 1(ultimate) Habit: Clump- forming, marginal aquatic perennial, lance-shaped or ovate green leaves, small tubular deep blue flower spikes above leaves in late summer. Comment: - Perfect marginal plants in sunny ponds and provide colour and interest in auguest, when many of the other aquatics have finished flowering. - Wildlife interest: The purple flowers have yellow markings which may assist in attracting bees for pollination.
Botanical Name: Hydrocharis morsus-ranae (frogbit) Natural distribution: Native in Europe and Asia. Habitat: Sheltered bays in very nutritious lakes, nutritious ponds, rivers, ditches. Size: 0.1* 0.7 (current), 0.1* 1(ultimate) Habit: (Overall shape): Spreading, deciduous aquatic pernnials. Heart-shaped leaves. Small, three-petalled white flowers in later summer. Floating on sunny or semi- shade water surface in summer, died by in sutumn, and overwinters on pond floor as dormant buds. Comment: - Enrich the waterside texture by floating leaves and decorative white flowers. - Low Maintenance. - High tolerance to soil condition. - Plants are died back in winter and leave the empty pond. - Leaves sometimes provide cover for frogs, damp dwelling places. Botanical Name: Caltha palustris (Marsh-marigold) Natural distribution: Frequent throughout Britain Habitat: Ponds, marshes, damp meadows, ditches and wet woodland. Size: 0.4* 0.4 (current), 0.45* 0.4(ultimate) Habit: Rounded forming, Small to medium rhizomatous herbaceous perennials, Kidney- like dark green leaves with yellow buttercup-like flowers in April. Comment: - The appearance of plants soften the edges of a pond. It is ideally suited to boggy conditions and could tolerant even 23cm deep water in short time. - Encourage wildlife like hoverflies, bees and butterflies when in flower later in the summer. (Aesthetic& functional to planting scheme. now and future)
Botanical Name: Dryopteris erythrosora (buckler fern) Natural distribution: Native to eastern Asia Habitat: well- drained, humus-rich soil, in full or light shade Size: 0.4* 0.4 (current), 1* 1(ultimate) Habit: Clump- forming, Striking deciduous fern, young red leaves become green when mature. Comment: - When planted with other evergreen fens and woodland species, triangular foliage, changing color during the year provide interest. (coppery-red to dark green) - Cut back in winter needed. - Moist soil needed. suitable for flower borders and beds, Underplanting of Roses and Shrubs Cottage & Informal Garden - Low Maintenance
Botanical Name: Menyanthes trifoliata (bogbean) Natural distribution: Temp. N. Hemisphere Habitat: Shadow water, muddy pond margins. Size: 0.4* 1 (current), 0.5* 1. 5(ultimate) Habit: Mat forming, an aquatic, rhizomatous deciduous perennial of shallow water, star-shaped flowers in summer Comment: - Suitable in low maintenance wildlife gardens - Enrich summer landscape by white flower. - died back in winter, leave water surface empty.
Botanical Name: Hydrocotyle umbellata (dollarweed) Natural distribution: Native to North America and parts of South America Habitat: Marshes, shores of rivers or lakes and wetland margin Size: 0.2 0.5 (current), 0.5* 0.5(ultimate) Habit: upright, standing from water, deciduous pernnial with green leaves. Comment: - Enrich pondscape by form and texture - Threat to other species- increase the competition and damage the shoreline.
Botanical Name: Lemna minuta (duckweed) Natural distribution: Habitat: water surface Size: 0.01* 0.02 (current), 0.0.15* 0.02(ultimate) Habit: Spreading form, small floating aquatic perennials that combine to form a green ‘carpet’.Single, rounded, leaf-like body usually not exceeding 0.5cm. Comment: - It is a floating weed. - A sign of over-eutrophication of water body.
Sheffield Botanical Garden
Successful? -Yes! -It really meet the botanical garden's aim which is to produce educational and recreational opportunities. Good selection of species and prefectly present the naturalistic planting which is really similar to the natural situation.The use of typical native species help visitors be familiar with local landscape and how the naturalist waterside planting changing throughout the year. It is a very good and safe place for children to explore as well. Rock garden and fence around the pond aviod the slipping accident. Combination of various forms and texture enrich the visual experience of landscape. Two sides of ponds even form the strong comtrast where one side with marginal plants like grasses is more smoothwhile the other side planted with Gunnera manicata is totally different. Mix planting of evergreen species pernnial and bulbs provide the changing landscape throughout the year. Things could be improved? - More species with winter interest could be planted since the winter view is really deserted and not attractive compared to surroundings. - Need to be aware of eutrophication of water body. It could be result from the fertilizer in the soil when doing the management. Duckweed have already be easily found in water surface in summer and autumn and could even cover the whole surface which could pollute the water.
London Kew Garden Public Glasshouse Plant Exhibition
Kew Garden
Name: Kew garden Location in garden: dry tropic in main zone in the southern end Date: 1987 Condition: dry, sandy soil, warmer Planting style: Naturalistic Aim: Educational & recreational & academic research Site condition: It is an exhibition space which created for special plant collection. Tha ere is no shelters apart from the building roof.
Kew Garden Planting list
* Current size all means the size from the left picture * For cactus species, the ultimate size indicate the size of single stem since the size of the mature plant could be giant.
Botanical Name: Cumulopuntia boliviana (Salm-Dyck) Natural distribution: Native to high elevation deserts around 4000 m in the Andes Habitat: Sandy mounds Size: 0.4* 1 (current), 0.5* 1. 5(ultimate) Habit: Spreading form. Elongate to ovoid, light green segments with yellow. Comment: - Unique spreading form of cactus species. - The mat- like structure of the different cactus balls is perfectly balanced with each other. The collection of cactus balls covers this corner of rock garden and the unusual spreading form is really standing out in this cactus species display.
Botanical Name: Ferocactus pilosus (Fire Barrel) Natural distribution: Native in north central Maxico. Habitat: Semi-desert on rocky limestone hillsides. Size: 0.4* 1 (current), 0.5* 1. 5(ultimate) Habit: Spheric Form. Green body with righter red, bigger and thicker central spines. Comment: - It is eye catching due to its red spines with bristlelike, white radials which create a wonderful color contrast in such small details. - Flower with stunning red color and yellow heart occasionally appears could be a very ornamental feature for observation.
Botanical Name: Echeveria leucotricha (Chenille Plant) Natural distribution: Native in Maxico. Habitat: Semi-desert on rocky limestone hillsides. Size: 0.1* 0.3 (current), 0.15* 0.3(ultimate) Habit: Barrel form, echeveria species, light green leaves with densely covered silver hairs which become brown at the leaf tips. Flowers are red in color. Comment: - It grow in attractive rosettes with beautiful leaves in a variety of colors and sometimes stunning flowers. - When it planted in garden, it could expand much larger than that in pot. It is also perfect for sunny window to when planted in small pot. - The soft texture and hair of plants give a gentle feeling which is different from sharp look of cactus - Low maintenance. wet drained soil needed.
Botanical Name: Echinopsis aff strigosa Natural distribution: Native in Argentina Habitat: dry, well- drained soil. Size: * 1 (current), 0.05* 0.3(ultimate) Habit: Spreading habit. white flower in summer.Comment:
Botanical Name: Parodia magnifica (Balloon cactus) Natural distribution: Native in Brazil Habitat: Hilly grassland and on walls between cracks in the rocks or in the shade of larger growing plants in deciduous forest Size: 0.2 * 0.1 (current), 0.3* 0.15 diameter(ultimate) (Single stem size) Habit: Cluster of mounds. Bluish-green geometric globular cactus with wool that grows in clusters and produce absolutely brilliant yellow flowers. Comment: - Deep wrinkles on fleshy ball give it a sculptural character. - Small spines looks hairy on the surface make it look charming. - Cluster and crowded form visually give visitors a feeling of strengthen and life.
Botanical Name: Mammillaria geminispina (White cactus) Natural distribution: Native in Mexico Habitat: Altitude 1.000 - 1.850 m Size: 0.1* 0.08 (current), 0.18* 0.08(ultimate) (Single stem) Habit: Clump forming. Pinkish to red carmine flower with darker midveins in late spring and sometime in autumn too Comment: - Easily to be recognized by long white spine which make it liiks quite different from other cactus species. - Dense spines covering the cactus ball make the plant looks special and the texture is more smooth than the cactus with less spine. - Good plants for cactus exhibition. - Small red flower on the white body make it more holly and eye-catching. Botanical Name: Echinopsis formosa Natural distribution: Native in Argentina, Bolivia and Chile on both sides of the Andes. Habitat: Puna and prepuna grasslands, monte shrubland, and altos andes on valleys, cliffs, alluvial fan and rocky slopes amongst short grasses in fully exposed sites. Size: 0.3* 0.2(current), 2* 0.5(ultimate) Habit: Massive growing barrel cactus with a solid and spiny presence. The dense golden spines would protect them from the extremes of cold and sunshine. The new spines are actually dark brown and appear in the spring. Fire yellow to orange-red to red flower appears in spring. Comment: The combination of golden flower on the dark cactus body give a very tropical to visual experience.
Botanical Name: Ferocactus glaucescens Natural distribution: Native in eastern central Mexico, Guanajuato, QuerĂŠtaro, San Luis PotosĂ and Hidalgo Habitat: Deciduous dry forests and dry shrubland habitats on limestone hills and boulders Size: 0.2* 0.2 (current), 0.55* 0.5(ultimate) Habit: a medium sized solitary or basally suckering, barrel cactus, Lemon yellow, funnelshaped flower in early summer, following by fruits. Comment: - The spine in this species is visually smaller than other species. - It looks more adorable because its small size and round body.
Botanical Name: Echinocactus platyacanthus Natural distribution: Native in Mexico Habitat: Desert in Mexico and dry scrubland. Size: 0.15* 0.1 (current), 3* 1(ultimate) Habit: Broadly columnar forming, giant barrel shaped stems with vivid yellow flowers produced in spring and summer-autumn. Comment: - High tolerance ro extreme weather. - Could be used as a landmark in landscape since its giant size and unique form.
Botanical Name: Graptopetalum pachyphyllum (Bluebean) Natural distribution: Native in Maxico. Habitat: well drained soil, rock garden. Size: 0.05* 0.3 (current), 0.05* 0.3(ultimate) Habit: Evergreen succulents with ovate glaucous green spines, sprawling stems and branched at the base, creamy yellow flower with few red spots in summer. Comment: - Perfect for rock garden. - Leaves are colourful bluish green or silver-grey that can become pink according to the season or sun exposure, commonly tipped with purplish red and covered with a greyish bloom. - It is like a mini vision of Chenille Plant, which make it very interesting when put these two plants together. Botanical Name: Parodia comarapana Natural distribution: Native in Bolivia Habitat: humid rocky outcrops in grassland and inter-Andean valleys Size: 0.05* 0.3 (current), 0.05* 0.3(ultimate) Habit: Round forming. orange flower in summer. Comment: - Good collection for showcase for status.
Botanical Name: Echeveria pulvinata Natural distribution: Native in Southern Maxico. Habitat: Native in South Maxico. Size: 0.1* 0.3 (current), 0.15* several feets(ultimate) Habit: Small shrubby succulent plant, green leaves densely covered with silvery white hairs, yellow and orange bell-shaped flowers appears in early spring. Comment: - Provide seasonal interest by flower and changing color leaves - Hairy leave surface together with changing leave color diverse the texture of plant. The plant could be used as ground interest to enrich the landscape. - Low maintenance.
Botanical Name: Astrophytum ornatum Natural distribution: Native in Maxico Habitat: Rocky landscape. (eg. wild canyons, limestone cliffs, near vertical rockfaces, rocks in deciduous forests) Size: 0.4* 0.2 (current), 1.2* 0.3(ultimate) Habit: Columnar Forming, lemon-yellow flowers. Greyish-green to dark-green stem with more or less dense white or yellow woolly flakes in bands. Comment: - Ornamental pattern on stem formed by yellow wooly flakes. - Easy to grow and fast rate of growing.
Botanical Name: Echinocactus grusonii (Golden Barrel) Natural distribution: Native in central Mexico Habitat: Medium to steep slopes of volcanic rock, semi-desert matorral, among volcanic rocks or calcareous soil on medium to steep slopes. Size: 0.2* 0.3 (current), 0.9* 0.9(ultimate) Habit: Elongated forming, pale green stem covered with long spine. Comment: - The rare population of species make it valuable for showcase collection
Botanical Name: Opuntia quitensis Natural distribution: Native in Colombia, Peru, Ecuador. Habitat: Shrub vegetation in the dry coastal, dry scrublands, dry mountain forests and dry inter-Andean forests. Size: 0.3* 0.1 (current), 0. 4* 0. 13(ultimate) Habit: Erect succulent bush with loose, white scattered spine. Comment: - Used locally as a natural fence. - Most common species but with unique form.
Botanical Name: Echinopsis schickendantzii Natural distribution: Native in Northwestern Argentina Habitat: a patchy distribution in high altitude grasslands and yunga forest. Size: 0.05* 0.3 (current), 0.75* 0.07 (diameter) (ultimate) Habit: Slender, erect, shrubby, simple or more often forming wide clumps. Stems freely branching from the base and grow in clusters. Cup-shaped white flower cluster in spring and summer. Comment: - Add extre interest for the big and white flower and cluster form which make it different from other cactus species. - valuable for species show collection.
Successful? -Yes! -It really meet the Kew garden's aims which is to provide a cacsus collection and educational opportunities. This is not an big area but the choice of distinctive species really give visitors a feeling of how it is like in natural situation These typical cacsus species show the variety of cacsus and give people opportunity to have an outstanding of these unusual species in climate and environment of london. Rocky planting bed reveal the natural landscape and upper level invite visitor to have a look. Reasearches and school visit are available. It is fantistic exhibition of cacsus species which really show a varity of distinctive species and really impress visitors. To the variety of forms, some of them are clumps and some of them are spreading. Even for the little spines, it could be varied. Some specieses have a very short spine visually like white spots on the green stem, while some of them have a dense cover of spines on the surface. Species with the long loose spines have a very sharp look while the ones also have long spine but much more denser could be looked as more soft texture.
Sheffield Tudor Square Public Resting place in city heart
Tudor Square- Sheffield
Name: Sheffield Tudor Square Location in garden: Medium planting bed in te middle. Date: 2010 Condition: shelter from surrounding building. Planting style: Naturalistic Aim: Recreational Public resting point in urban environment The site is the raised planting bed and served as public resting space in central city, where is the significant pass to the facilities like therate, garden and restaurants. The planting bed separate the restaurant area and the square open space, also provide a visual interest between clusters of buildings. Naturalistic planting reveal natural feeling to the centre, also give busy people a place to have a rest.
Tudor Square- Sheffield Planting list
* Current size all means the size from the left picture.
Botanical Name: Amelanchier lamarckii (snowy mespilus) Natural distribution: Native in eastern Canada Habitat: lime free, well-drained soi Size: 3* 1 (current), 12* 8 (ultimate) Habit: Upright. Small deciduous multi- stem tree. with bronze-tinged young leaves turning orange and red in autumn. Star shaped white flowers in short lax racemes as the leaves unfurl. Fruit a red to dark purple-black berry. Comment: - Served as specimen tree in this planting bed. - Seasonal interest by folige with stunning color in autumn and flower in later spring. - Wildlife interest- bird eat berries. - Low maintenance: onlr clearing of dead leave in spring needed. - Suitable for hedging, courtyard Gardens, wildlife Gardens.
Botanical Name: Euonymus alatus 'compactus' (compact winged spindle tree) Natural distribution: Native in Europe Habitat: well-drained soil in sun or partial shade Size: 1* 0.9 (current), 1* 1.5 (ultimate) Habit: Bushy habit. Compact spreading deciduous small shrub, developing prominent corky ridges on the branches. foliage: oval green in summer- rosy red in autumn. Small green flowers followed by red-purple fruits containing orange seeds in late summer. Comment: - Seasonal interest: Exceptional autumn leave colour. - Wildlife interest: berry - Speciemen tree in planting bed. - Suitable for flower borders and beds, hedging, courtyard Gardens Cottage, Informal Garden
Botanical Name: Anthriscus sylvestris (cow parsley) Natural distribution: Native in UK Habitat: hedge banks and roadsides Size: 0.9* 0.5 (current), 1.5* 1 (diameter) (ultimate) Habit: Upright habit. Common british Semi- evergreen biennial. White umbels composed of numerous small flowers from late spring to ear summer, Comment: - Wild plant- give a sense of wildness when used in planting bed. - White flower brighten up the landscape. - Suitable wildflower meadow, wildlife Gardens. - Timely inspection needed in management since it is short- lived so the replacement needed every few year. Also it make the landscape flexible by replacing it by desired plants.
Botanical Name: Helleborus orientalis (Lenten rose) Natural distribution: Native in Habitat: Rich, well-drained, neutral to alkaline soil Size: 0.4* 0.4 (current), 0.45* 0.45 (diameter) (ultimate) Habit: This hairless deciduous perennial has over-wintering, leathery, deep green basal leaves each divided into 7 or 9 leaflets. Masses of white or greenish-cream flowers and becoming pink with age, appear on branched stems. Comment: - Spring interest by showy flower - Forms and texture naturalize the landscape. - Suitable for beds or borders of rock garden, woodland garden. Ideal under deciduous shrubs or trees - Insect interest. Botanical Name: Primula vulgaris (Primrose) Natural distribution: W & S Europe Habitat: Moist, well- drained soil in sheltered position. Size: 0.05* 0.1 (current), 0.1* 0.1 (ultimate) Habit: Clump- forming, herbaceous semi- evergreen perennials, sometimes grown as annuals or biennial, with clusters of solitary flowers arising from the rosette in late winter or early spring. Comment: - Spring interest by showy flower. - Forms and texture naturalize the landscape. - Always grow as biennials for bedding and in a container or rock garden. Suitable for sheltered flower borders and beds, low maintenance banks, slopes Cottage, informal garden, wildflower meadow, wildlife Gardens. Botanical Name: Stipa tenuifolia (Mexican feather grass) Natural distribution: Native in USA to S America Habitat: Medium to light, moderately fertile soil in full sun Size: 0.6* 0.3 (current), 1* 0.5 (ultimate) Habit: Tufted forming. Medium deciduous grass, forming a compact upright tuft of threadlike leaves, with narrow, arching, feathery flowering panicles in summer. Comment: - Add interest by architectural structure. - Suitable for flower borders and beds, low maintenance architectural city, courtyard gardens cottage, informal Garden
Botanical Name: Tulipa hybrida (Tulipe) Natural distribution: Eurasia Habitat: well drained soil. Size: 0.4* 0.3 (current), 0.6* 0.5 (ultimate) Habit: Upright form. Deciduous boradleaf plants., with colorful flower Comment: - Adding spring interest by flowers. - Low maintenance. - Suitable for bedding schemes, parterres, cottage gardens, and mixed borders
Botanical Name: Narcissus poeticus recurvus Natural distribution: Native in Habitat: moderately fertile, well-drained soil Size: 0.3* 0.1 (current), 0.35* 0.1 (ultimate) Habit: Bushy. Bulbous pernnial, fragrant, pure white May flowers with windswept petals and tiny, red-rimmed yellow cups. The small, sweetly scented blooms associate well with other native wildflowers, such as snake's head fritillaries and cowslips, which once flourished on moist pastureland. Comment: - Provide color / scenery interest in early summer by white flowers/ scent. - Naturalising the landscape. - Suitable for Banks and Slopes Flower borders and beds City & Courtyard Gardens Coastal Cottage & Informal Garden Patio & Container Plants Wildflower meadow. Botanical Name: Waldsteinia ternata (Siberian waldsteinia ) Natural distribution: Native in Europe, N Asia. Habitat: Any moderately fertile soil in full or partial shade. Size: 0. 1* 0.8 (current), 0.1* 1 (ultimate) Habit: Mat forming. Semi-evergreen perennial. Leaves palmately divided into three broad leaflets, bright yellow flower in summer. Comment: - Good cover for filling in the bare ground and aviod weed expension. - Could become insavise if not controled well. - Suitable for Garden Edging Ground Cover Underplanting of Roses and Shrubs
Botanical Name: Hyacinthoides non- scripta (Bluebell) Natural distribution: Native in W Europe Habitat: moderately fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil Size: 0.25* 1 (current), 0.5* 1 (ultimate) Habit: Tufted. Perennial with grass- like leaves and erect stems with violet-blue or white, flowers in spring. Comment: - color/ scenery interest by flower/ fragrance. - Wildlife interest. - Suitable for flower borders and beds, ground cover, underplanting of roses and shrubs, cottage, informal garden, wildflower meadow, wildlife gardens. - Problem: The leave is easily laying on the garden even during flowering season which make the landscape a little bit messy. Sometimes looks like the dead grass on the ground. Botanical Name: Calamintha nepeta (lesser calamint) Natural distribution: Native in Europe, NW Africa, N Turkey, Caucasus, Ukraine Habitat: well-drained soil, full sun Size: 0.4* 1 (current), 0.6* 1 (ultimate) Habit: Bushy. Compact, bushy perennial. Ovate grey-green leaves with loose clusters of tiny, two-lipped white or pale lilac flowers from summer into early autumn Comment: - Color interest by purple flower. - Naturalising the landscape. - low Maintenance, drought resistant. -Suitable for flower borders and beds, ground cover, cottage, informal garden, courtyard gardens, gravel garden.
Botanical Name: Achillea millefolium (common yarrow) Natural distribution: Europe to W Asia Habitat: Sunny situation in the in the wild garden or rock garden. Size: 0.08* 0.5 (current), 0.5* 0.5 (ultimate) Habit: Spreading forming, stoloniferous perennial with narrow, finely pinnately dissected leaves and small, cream or pink flowerheads in flat heads in summer. Comment: - Color interest by summer flower. - Naturalising the landscape. - Suitable for wildflower meadow Wildlife Gardens Prairie Planting Cottage & Informal Garden - Looks like weed outside of flowering season. Botanical Name: Dicentra formosa (common bleeding heart ) Natural distribution: Western N America Habitat: Moist, fertile, humus-rich soil, preferably neutral or slightly alkaline; site in partial shade although will tolerate sunnier spot if the soil is moist. Size: 0.3* 0.6 (current), 0.5* 1 (ultimate) Habit: Clumping- forming. a wide-spreading rhizomatous perennial, with abundant, lobed leaves, pendulous flowers are borne on branching, arching stems in late spring and early summer; usually pink, opening from deep rose-pink buds Comment:
Successful?
- Seasonal interest by flower. Enrich landscape by leave texture. - Wild plant- give a sense of wildness when used in planting bed. - Suitable for flower borders and beds, Ground Cover, Underplanting of Roses and Shrubs Cottage, Informal Garden Rock Garden
-Maybe? - It constructs a naturalistic planting very well but is that still attracting in the real practice? Naturalistic? Yes! The frequent use of mix planting and speciesmen species make vegetation structure of the planting bed very diverse. A number of species with autumn interest and bulbs provide seasonal interest all year around. The plants with different height and form and flowering border, make the planting bed more delightful. The use of grass and plants with upright form waving when wind comes, which is very smart to let landscape moving. Also, it affects the visual permibility of the area. it means that in normal times, grass and upright plants block part of the view and give people in central square a feeeing of enclosure and wellbeing. While when wind change such as people passing by or natural wind, the hidden landscape will appeared. It is a tricky technique that surprise passengers and also motivate people to explore the city.
Things could be improved? - Just like the common problem that naturalistic planting will meet is the management of plants. Sometimes because of the planting style is naturalistic, so some extents of messy plantation could be tolerant. However, when I visit there in spring, which should be the stunning season of this kind of naturalistic planting, I still feel very messy and disorder. Many plants lying on the soil and affect growth of others, which make the overlook very chaotic and careless. At this time the designed, decorative planting bed looks like just a collection of shruband weeds. Apparently, more management and frequent check needed. But in more thoroughly thinking, I am think that Is the naturalistic planting really suitable to the busy city area? Or how could they fit in each other in other/ future practice?
Summary: In the three planting areas I have visited, which is following the graident from the naturalistic planting established in natural environment to the one planting in manmade natural environment (artifcial naturalistic environemnt in glasshouse), finally is the naturalistic planting in the central city area. Planting character and the character of surrounding environment is changing from harmony to the contrast. The common character is the plantings all have function for recreational use. However, It is stll quite different from botanical garden since tudor square is more focusing on decorating the city environemnt and also good view for pedestrians. it's designed for people that might have a short stay but not like other two gardens where expecting people to spend longer time. For the plantings, naturalistic style is working well in first two gardens but face some problem of messy and disorder in the third one. That is really inspiring me to look at the plantings from other perspective, apart from what we always being told that- naturalistic planting always apprepriated. And I think that's why the planting journal deserve more time to work on not only just be familiar with numberless plants nut also about how to apply them in the real design.