Plant Studies II: Shrubs

ARCH X 472.8B

Focusing on understory plants and their communities, instruction focuses on selecting and placing appropriate plant material to influence the landscape architect's overall site composition.

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What you can learn.

Understand the role of plants in articulating landscape spaces
Identify growth habits, dimensions, cultural requirements, and use of plants in landscape design
Select plants based on spatial needs/constraints; climate and microclimate; soils; water requirements, etc.
Identify plants using botanical nomenclature and common names
Navigate common references to retrieve plant information

About this course:

One of two required plant studies courses, focusing on shrub plantings, their communities, and their place in the landscape. Instruction focuses on selecting plants and composing plant palettes that are horticulturally compatible, responsive to site-specific environmental conditions, promote biodiversity of flora and fauna, and fulfill site design aesthetics and functionality objectives. The majority of plants covered are climate-appropriate for the Southern California region and meet State of California and local jurisdictions’ water-use regulations for permitting. Soil conditions, supplemental irrigation needs, and life-cycle maintenance requirements are included in plant selection criteria. In addition to evening Zoom classes, students will attend two mandatory, in-person, weekend field trips to selected sites in the Los Angeles area. Students will also conduct self-guided “plant safaris” to botanical gardens, campuses, or other locations in their local area where they will identify plants, take photos, sketch, and document site conditions.