CH Landscape Design and Installation 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In landscape design, the principle of 'unity' is achieved by:
- Using as many different plant species as possible
- Repeating compatible elements to create a cohesive, harmonious composition (Correct answer)
- Maximizing color contrast throughout the landscape
- Mixing all design styles in one space
Correct 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.
Question 2: The 'Right Plant, Right Place' principle in landscape design primarily considers:
- Plant cost and availability only
- Matching plant cultural requirements to existing site conditions (Correct answer)
- Seasonal color sequencing
- Container size at installation
Correct 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.
Question 3: When installing balled-and-burlapped (B&B) trees, the top of the root ball should be placed:
- 6 inches below grade
- At or slightly above the surrounding grade (Correct answer)
- Exactly at grade
- 12 inches above grade on a mound
Correct 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.
Question 4: A hardiness zone map (such as the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map) is based primarily on:
- Annual rainfall averages
- Average annual minimum winter temperatures (Correct answer)
- Frost-free days per year
- Elevation above sea level
Correct 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.
Question 5: In planting design, 'accent plants' are used to:
- Form the bulk of ground cover
- Create focal points or draw attention to key areas (Correct answer)
- Define the outer boundary of a bed
- Provide the most seasonal color
Correct 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.
Question 6: The term 'plant caliper' refers to which tree measurement used in nursery specifications?
- Tree height in feet
- Trunk diameter measured at 6 inches above ground (Correct answer)
- Root ball diameter
- Crown spread in feet
Correct 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.
CH Landscape Design and Installation 1
In landscape design, the principle of 'unity' is achieved by: