Landscape Design and Installation Flashcards

In landscape design, the principle of 'unity' is achieved by:

Answer: Repeating compatible elements to create a cohesive, harmonious composition

Unity is created through repetition of plants, colors, textures, or forms that ties the design together into a visually coherent whole.

The 'Right Plant, Right Place' principle in landscape design primarily considers:

Answer: Matching plant cultural requirements to existing site conditions

Right Plant, Right Place matches each plant's light, moisture, soil, climate zone, and space needs to existing site conditions, reducing maintenance and plant failure.

When installing balled-and-burlapped (B&B) trees, the top of the root ball should be placed:

Answer: At or slightly above the surrounding grade

Setting B&B trees at or 1–2 inches above grade accommodates soil settlement and prevents the root flare from being buried, which can cause girdling and decline.

A hardiness zone map (such as the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map) is based primarily on:

Answer: Average annual minimum winter temperatures

The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map divides North America into zones based on the average annual extreme minimum temperature, used to predict which plants can survive winter.

In planting design, 'accent plants' are used to:

Answer: Create focal points or draw attention to key areas

Accent plants have distinctive form, color, or texture that makes them stand out; they are strategically placed to draw the eye to entrances, focal points, or transitions.

The term 'plant caliper' refers to which tree measurement used in nursery specifications?

Answer: Trunk diameter measured at 6 inches above ground

Caliper is the trunk diameter of a nursery tree measured at 6 inches above ground (or 12 inches for trees over 4-inch caliper), used as the standard sizing specification for shade trees.