Landscape Design Sustainable and Ecological Landscape Design 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a rain garden in sustainable landscape design?
- A shallow depression planted with water-tolerant plants to capture and filter stormwater runoff (Correct answer)
- A water feature with a recirculating pump
- A garden irrigated exclusively by rainwater collection
- A bog garden with permanently saturated soil
Correct answer: A shallow depression planted with water-tolerant plants to capture and filter stormwater runoff
A rain garden is a planted depression that captures roof or pavement runoff, allowing it to infiltrate into the soil over 24 to 48 hours while plants filter pollutants.
Question 2: What does LEED stand for and how does it relate to landscape design?
- Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design — a green building certification that includes site and landscape criteria (Correct answer)
- Landscape Ecology and Environmental Design — a landscape certification program
- Low-Energy Efficient Design — a lighting standard for landscapes
- Land Erosion and Environmental Damage — a regulatory framework
Correct answer: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design — a green building certification that includes site and landscape criteria
LEED is the US Green Building Council's green building rating system; it includes significant landscape and site credits for water efficiency, habitat, and heat island reduction.
Question 3: What is the urban heat island effect and how can landscape design mitigate it?
- Cities are hotter than surrounding rural areas; mitigated by trees and reflective surfaces (Correct answer)
- Heat generated by irrigation systems in cities
- Increased pest pressure in urban environments
- Soil temperature rise from impermeable pavement
Correct answer: Cities are hotter than surrounding rural areas; mitigated by trees and reflective surfaces
The urban heat island effect occurs when built surfaces absorb and radiate heat; strategic tree planting and cool paving materials reduce ambient temperatures significantly.
Question 4: What is a bioswale designed to do in a sustainable landscape?
- Slow, filter, and infiltrate stormwater runoff through vegetation and engineered soil (Correct answer)
- Store greywater for landscape irrigation
- Create habitat corridors for pollinators
- Prevent erosion on graded slopes
Correct answer: Slow, filter, and infiltrate stormwater runoff through vegetation and engineered soil
A bioswale is a vegetated channel engineered to slow stormwater flow, filter pollutants through the root zone, and promote groundwater recharge.
Question 5: What is a pollinator garden designed to provide?
- Food and habitat for bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects (Correct answer)
- Pesticide-free zone for organic food production
- Strictly native plant collections for research
- Controlled environment for rare plant species
Correct answer: Food and habitat for bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects
Pollinator gardens feature diverse, flowering native and non-invasive plants that provide nectar, pollen, and nesting habitat for bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.
Question 6: What percentage of a landscape's water budget can typically be saved by replacing cool-season turf with drought-tolerant plants and mulch?
- Up to 50 to 75 percent water savings (Correct answer)
- About 5 to 10 percent savings
- Less than 5 percent savings
- No meaningful savings
Correct answer: Up to 50 to 75 percent water savings
Replacing irrigated cool-season turf with drought-tolerant plants and mulch can reduce landscape water use by 50 to 75 percent or more, depending on climate and plant choices.
Landscape Design Sustainable and Ecological Landscape Design 1
What is a rain garden in sustainable landscape design?