Tag: Lawn and Garden Design and Layout

Landscaping on or near Septic Drain Fields

St. Augustinegrass Lawn. Credits: UF/IFAS

Septic systems are common throughout most rural areas, and their care and maintenance are essential to the health of people, wildlife, livestock, agricultural commodities, and water resources. One way to ensure optimal performance of your septic system is to landscape appropriately near the drain field. The purpose of this new 3-page publication of the UF/IFAS Department of Soil and Water Sciences is to provide landscape management guidance for septic system drain fields. Information presented here will be useful for homeowners, landscape management professionals, and Extension agents who work in horticulture, natural resources, agriculture, and family services. Written by Whitney C. Elmore, William Lester, James Moll, Andrea Albertin, and Mary Lusk.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss687

Gardening in Raised Beds (ENH1211/EP472)

Figure 2. Raised beds can be elaborate and esthetically pleasing.Gardening in raised beds is becoming more popular as more people try growing their own food. Using raised beds is like growing plants in large containers. The planting area is raised above the existing soil level and usually enclosed within a structure to form a planting bed. This 3-page fact sheet was written by Terry Brite DelValle, and published by the UF Department of Environmental Horticulture, May 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep472

Design Considerations for a Florida-Friendly Demonstration Landscape: A Case Study for Student and Extension Volunteer Involvement (ENH1199/EP460)

Figure 5. Wildlife/butterfly garden with flowering plants to attract pollinators.Landscape design students in the Environmental Horticulture Department at the University of Florida participated in the planning and design of the landscape for a new professional development center on the university campus. Such large-scale projects provide a unique experiential learning activity for students and volunteers in landscape design and horticulture programs. This 6-page fact sheet was written by Gail Hansen and Brian Niemann, and published by the UF Department of Environmental Horticulture, August 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep460

Landscape Design: Drawing a Planting Plan (ENH1195/EP456)

Figure 10. All plants are labeled by the total count and plant name.Selecting and placing plants in the landscape is the art and science of arranging plant material to make a healthy, functional, and beautiful yard. The mix of science and art is expressed in the guiding principle of “right plant, right place,” meaning to select plants that can thrive in the growing conditions of the site and locating them for both visual appeal and health. Selecting and arranging plants are the last steps in the overall design process after the site analysis is complete and the activity areas located and designed.Developing the planting plan is a sequential process, but it is important to remember that the process is not completely linear; sometimes decisions about plant material require reworking previous steps in the sequence and making adjustments to the plan. This 10-page fact sheet was written by Gail Hansen, and published by the UF Department of Environmental Horticulture, January 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep456

Landscape Design: Arranging Plants in the Landscape (ENH1188/EP449)

Plant layers in staggered heights, with low plants in front and taller plants in back.In nature, plants grow in clusters and drifts, extending to overlap and interlock in layers as they merge with each other. In a planned landscape, use similar patterns to arrange plants, using layers and repetition. Learn more in this 4-page fact sheet written by Gail Hansen, and published by the UF Department of Environmental Horticulture, October 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep449

ENH1171/EP432 Arbor, Trellis, or Pergola—What’s in Your Garden: A Mini-Dictionary of Garden Structures and Plant Forms

ENH1171, a 7-page fact sheet by Gail Hansen, provides definitions and information about the origins of garden structures for people, garden ornaments, structures for animals, and plant forms. Includes references. Published by the UF Department of Environmental Horticulture, August 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep432

ENH1164/EP425 Color in the Landscape: Finding Inspiration for a Color Theme

ENH1164, a 4-page illustrated fact sheet by Gail Hansen and Erin Alvarez, describes different types of color schemes, properties of color, sources of inspiration, how to test color schemes, and varieties of texture and form. Published by the UF Department of Environmental Horticulture, June 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep425

ENH1135/EP396 Adopting a Florida-Friendly Landscape: Steps for Converting a Typical Development Landscape to a Florida-Friendly Landscape

ENH-1135, a 15-page illustrated fact sheet by Gail Hansen, Jennifer Ramos, E.A. Felter, and Celeste White, lays out a process of incorporating more trees and plants in three phases, to make a traditional development landscape more environmentally sound and Florida-Friendly. Includes references. Published by the UF Department of Environmental Horticulture, August 2009.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/EP396

ENH1112/EP375 Landscape Design: Ten Important Things to Consider

ENH-1112, a 10-page illustrated fact sheet by Gail Hansen, guides homeowners step by step through the design process to develop a master plan for their environmentally sustainable residential landscapes. Includes references. Published by the UF Department of Environmental Horticulture, January 2009.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/EP375