1 design
architectural rooftops
Core elements: suitable growing medium. Soft landscaping: Agapanthus, Astelia, Birch, Eucalyptus, Ferns, Grasses, Olive, Magnolia, Pine. Central ideas: architectural outlines, sculptural foliage. Design essentials: ground cover, bark patterns, contrasting scale.
2 upkeep
low maintenance
Core elements: ample ground cover, moisture conservation, unfussy resilient floras, well-sited plants. Soft landscaping: Acorus, Carex, Cotoneaster, Ginkgo, Libertia, Pittosporum, Pseudopanax. Central ideas: simplified layouts, self-supporting attributes, robust hybrid cultivars, long-lived species. Design essentials: well-irrigated infrastructure, site-oriented selections.
3 context
design process
Core elements: microclimate appropriate. Soft landscaping: utilising drought-tolerant, pollution-tolerant, shade-loving, sun-tolerant, wind-resistant and winter-hardy plant varieties. Central ideas: focal points, borrowed landscape, framed vistas, light reflection, well-balanced scale. Design essentials: contrast, form, rhythm, scent and texture.
4 ecology
Core elements: habitat creation, native species integration. Soft landscaping: Alder, Dogwood, Elder, Field maple, Spindle, Hawthorn, Hazel, Holly, Rowan, Willow. Central ideas: balance between ecological necessity and an architectural framework. Design essentials: nectar-rich floras, berried plants, extended flowering seasons, meadows, natural water sources, hedging structures and nesting resources.
5 diversity
Core elements: foliage, inflorescence, stem, bark and trunk variation. Soft landscaping: varied planting mediums for optimal display, water management for oxygenating plants, elevated planting beds. Central ideas: level changes and topographic maximisation. Design essentials: plant outline multilayering, shifting compositional clusters.
6 durability
Core elements: consistent maintenance, soil erosion management. Soft landscaping: adequate growing space, efficient spacing. Central ideas: establishing dynamic micro-ecosystems. Design essentials: companion planting associations.
7 organicity
foliage fusion
Core elements: seasonal transition, biodiversity. Soft landscaping: natural forms, accent plants, naturalistic drifts. Central ideas: leafiness infused with multicoloured nuances. Design essentials: multi-sensory landscape expressions of well-integrated foliage.
8 cultivation
Core elements: workable, apt species. Soft landscaping: soil aeration, mulching, plant nutrition, weed control. Central ideas: well-balanced planting plans. Design essentials: pot grown and bare root plants.
9 seasonality
focal points
Core elements: seasonal interest. Soft landscaping: Achillea, Allium, Angelica, Buddleja, Campanula, Digitalis, Echinacea, Hemerocallis, Iris, Lavatera, Ligularia, Papaver, Penstemon, Salvia, Thymus. Central ideas: well-expressed seasonal cycles. Design essentials: seasonal shift.
10 conservation
Core elements: collection of rare and endangered plant species. Soft landscaping: protecting native flora and fauna. Central ideas: mitigate deforestation and habitat loss. Design essentials: integration of worldwide flora, with non-invasive species.
