Landscape Design and Installation Flashcards

Soil compaction during landscape installation is best prevented by:

Answer: Restricting heavy equipment to designated access routes and protecting root zones

Limiting equipment access to designated lanes and placing matting over root zones prevents compaction of soil pores, preserving aeration and drainage around plants.

A landscape contractor following best management practices (BMPs) for erosion control on a new installation should first:

Answer: Install perimeter erosion controls (silt fencing, wattles) before grading begins

Perimeter erosion controls must be installed before any soil-disturbing activities to capture sediment before it can leave the site and enter waterways.

When staking newly planted trees, current best practice recommends:

Answer: Staking only when necessary and removing stakes within 1 year

Trees should be staked only when they cannot stand alone, using flexible ties, and stakes should be removed within one growing season to allow trunk taper and strength to develop.

Which landscape feature is most effective for managing stormwater runoff on residential properties?

Answer: Rain gardens (bioretention areas)

Rain gardens are shallow, planted depressions that capture and infiltrate stormwater runoff, reducing peak flow, filtering pollutants, and recharging groundwater.

The purpose of a grading plan in landscape installation is to:

Answer: Define finished elevations and direct surface water drainage

A grading plan establishes finished grades, slopes, and drainage patterns to ensure water moves away from structures and toward appropriate drainage features.

A landscape design element that provides a transition between tall trees and low ground covers is called a:

Answer: Understory layer or shrub layer

The understory or shrub layer bridges the visual and physical gap between tall overstory trees and low ground-level plantings, creating layered depth in a planting design.