February 2020 past paper

Question 1

Name 5 trees suitable for use in a domestic garden

Answer 1

Acer griseum
Arbutus unedo
Luma apiculata
Malus x zumi 'Golden Hornet'
Sorbus 'Joseph Rock'

Question 2

what is a decorative merit for Acer griseum?

Answer 2

peeling, papery chestnut-brown bark or leaves that are whiteish underneath.
They turn brilliantred/orange in autumn

Question 3

what is a decorative merit for Arbutus unedo?

Answer 3

urn shaped white flowers in summer/autumn, appearing as strawberry-like fruits from previous years rip flowers

Question 4

what is a decorative merit for Luma apiculata?

Answer 4

cinnamon and cream coloured bark,

small white flowers in summer

Question 5

what is a decorative merit for alus x zumi ‘Golden Hornet’?

Answer 5

white flowers in spring

yellow fruits in autumn/winter

Question 6

what is a decorative merit for Sorbus ‘Joseph Rock’?

Answer 6

pinnante leaves that turn orange, red and purple in autumn

Question 7

name 2 distinct items of equipment necessary to carry out a linear survey

Answer 7

30 or 50m landscape measuring tape
rigid measuring tape
datumn pegs and string line
paper
pen/pencil

Question 8

describe how to carry out the following linear survey technique: offsets

Answer 8

establish a fixed baseline along a fixed datumn line eg: house wall.

take measurements from the feature being surveyed to the baseline- it must meet baseline at a 90’ right angle.

take a second measurement along the baseline, to where it is met by the offset measurement (to accurately position the offset)

Record all measurements on a survey sketch

Question 9

describe how to carry out the following linear survey technique: triangulation

Answer 9

establish two known datumn points along a fixed baseline, or corners/know points on a house wall.

Label these on a sketch eg: A & B (the further apart they are, the more accurate the triangulation)

Use a carefully fixed tape to measure from one of the datumn points, to the feature being surveyed eg: from point A to the feature.

Repeat that with a measurement from point B to the feature

Question 10

name two grass species suitable for: a utility lawn

Answer 10

Lolium perenne

Festuca rubra rubra

Question 11

name two grass species suitable for: high quality ornamental

Answer 11

Agrostis capillaris

Festuca rubra subsp. commutata

Question 12

name two grass species suitable for: Shade tolerant

Answer 12

Festuca rubra rubra

Lolium perenne

Question 13

describe two soft landscaping features which could be used to minimise the size of a lawn in a more sustainable garden design

Answer 13

replace the majority of the lawn with a mixed shrub and herbaceous border- include drought tolerant plants to reduce use of water.
Also select plants that attract pollinators, and provide seeds for birds in winter.

Sow a wildflower meadow to replace the lawn. Include native species top provide food and habitat for bees, butterflies and birds.

Including Rhinanthus minor reduced vigour of competing grasses.

Question 14

name soft landscaping features which could be used to minimise the size of a lawn in a more sustainable garden design

Answer 14

herbaceous borders
island beds
borders for hardy annuals
vegetable gardens
ground cover planting/flowering lawn

Question 15

name four distinct materials which could be used in the construction of a pond

Answer 15

butyl liner
puddled clay
pre-formed plastic liner
poured concrete
fibre glass liner
concrete blocks
engineering bricks
sandstone rocks

Question 16

describe one named water feature suitable for an informal garden style

Answer 16

a wildlife pool.

it is irregular in shape, edges are softened with planting and natural stone.
pool is various levels, for marginal, deep water and submerged plantings of native plants.

part of the pool should have a shallow or sloping edge to enable wildlife to enter and exit safely

Question 17

describe one named water feature suitable for a formal garden style

Answer 17

a geometrically shaped pool, either square, rectangular or round.

It would often be raised, constructed from dressed stone, with square cut stone edging and contain one plant eg: Nymphaea alba

could also be: a similar pool with a classical statue or fountain made from granite or marble

Question 18

name 5 herbaceous perennials

Answer 18

Acanthus spinosus
Echinacea purpurea
Hylotelephium spectabile
Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantil 'Goldsturm'
Verbena bonariensis

Question 19

give the site requirement for the following herbaceous perennials: Acanthus spinosus

Answer 19

well drained soil

full sun/part shade

Question 20

give the site requirement for the following herbaceous perennials: Echinacea purpurea

Answer 20

well drained soil
SEW

South, East or West facing aspect

Question 21

give the site requirement for the following herbaceous perennials: Hylotelephium spectabile

Answer 21

well drained soil
full sun
south or east facing aspect
alkaline or neutral pH

Question 22

give the site requirement for the following herbaceous perennials: Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantil ‘Goldsturm’

Answer 22

moist but well drained soil

full sun or part shade

Question 23

give the site requirement for the following herbaceous perennials: Verbene bonariensis

Answer 23

moist but well drained soil

full sun only

Question 24

state 5 distinct factors which must be recorded when carrying out a site appraisal

Answer 24

aspect of site- North, South, East or West facing areas of the garden which create sun or shade

Soil pH, to identify if soil is acidic, neutral or alkaline (this affects plant choice)

Soil drainage - include any areas of wet/waterlogged or dry soil

Microclimates - frost pockets at base of slope, sun traps near south facing walls

Existing garden structures - sheds, walls, fences and heir condition

Views out of the garden incl. borrowed landscapes, fine views, eye sores eg: electricity poles seen from the garden

additional factors are; soil type, soil texture, contours, exposure, style of house

Question 25

state 5 distinct hazards which will make a garden site appraisal difficult to carry out

Answer 25

overgrown plants on the ground which could trip the designer up, or covering uneven ground/pot holes.

Neglected, overgrown thorny/poisonous/stinging plants eg; brambles and nettles that designer must reach through to measure

Unsafe garden walls with crumbling mortar and bricks which could fall onto the designer

Algae covered paths and decking which could be a slip hazard

Trees with dead, diseased or damaged branches which could fall onto the designer if carrying out the appraisal in windy conditions

Steep slopes in wet weather which re a slip hazard for the designer

Question 26

state the meaning of each of the following garden planning principles: repetition

Answer 26

the use of similar or the same elements multiple times.

repeating them consistently can aid cohesion and unity in a garden or give a sense of rhythm and movement.

eg: the colour of painted furniture can be reflected in the colour of plants, archways and the house window frames.
Using a similar colour through out the garden aids cohesion, linking all the spaces

Question 27

state the meaning of each of the following garden planning principles: simplicity

Answer 27

involves using a minimal number of elements to create a sense of calm, uncluttered or uncomplicated garden space.

eg: use a restricted colour palette throughout the gardens soft and hard landscape element to create a feeling of a calm and uncluttered space.

Question 28

describe two ways in which the use of repetition contributes to the successful design of a knot garden

Answer 28

clipped hedges
shapes
infill plants and materials
complex pattern of hedges

Use of Buxus sempervirens plants repeated in a clipped hedge forming the pattern throughout the knot garden

The use of a single plant species planted to infill within the knot patterns eg: Lavandula angustifolia

Question 29

describe one way by which simplicity contributes to the successful design of a knot garden

Answer 29

you can create simplicity by having blocks of plants of a single colour in infills which adds to the impact of the pattern

the use of a single plant species for hedging eg: Buxus microphylla, clipped to the same height throughout the patters aids a simplified whole

Question 30

name some man-made materials used within a garden to create a screen

Answer 30

concrete decorative blocks,
steel
plastic panel
steel mesh
glass blocks

Question 31

what is the practical suitability for a man-made material (concrete blocks for example) that are used as a screen? and what design are they suitable for?

Answer 31

the blocks are durable, weatherproof, require minimal maintenance.
They would fit in with a utilitarian style, in a utility area such as a screen for refuse bins

Question 32

name some natural materials that can be used as a garden screen

Answer 32

hazel poles
willow rods
softwood timber
bamboo canes

Question 33

what is the practical suitability of a natural material used as a garden screen, and name a design they are suitable for

Answer 33

Hazel poles are lightweight to carry and to construct with.

|Rustic poles are suitable for a cottage or informal garden style

Question 34

name four distinct evergreen plants suitable for a garden screen

Answer 34

Taxus baccata
Thuja plicata
Prunus lusitanica
Griselinia littoralis

Question 35

Describe two hazards associated with: garden ponds

Answer 35

wet or boggy ground around the pond could cause a person to slip into the pond

surface vegetation eg: algae or marginal plants can obscure the surface of the pond causing people to accidentally fall in.

An unfenced pond in a garden next o a children’s play re could result in a child falling into the water

Question 36

Describe two hazards associated with; hard landscaping materials

Answer 36

splinters from timbers when handling then during construction, or by brushing past a fence post

injury from lifting heavy sandstone slabs

injury from dropping softwood timber decking planks which can become slippery when wet

Question 37

state how a named risk relating to garden steps can be minimised in a domestic garden

Answer 37

sprains to wrists or ankles as a result of tripping or falling can be minimised by the installation of a hand rail

cuts to the knees and hands as a result of slipping and falling can be minimised by adding non-slip surfaces to the treads of the steps eg: wire mesh or grips

Question 38

what is meant by ‘environmental sustainability?’

Answer 38

using resources in a way to not deplete the earths natural resources, damage or destroy ecological habitats.

practices that do not exhaust natural resources now, or in the future and do not damage the environment

Question 39

state 4 sustainable practices under the heading: garden construction

Answer 39

turn off taps when not in use
ensure hose pipes not leaking
buy materials locally to lower carbon emissions from vehicles
use wood from sustainably managed sources eg: FSC approved timber
order only what is required to minimise waste
try to source materials from reclamation yards eg: reclaimed bricks

Question 40

state 4 sustainable practices under the heading garden maintenance

Answer 40

mulch borders to reduce evaporation and the need for watering

use manual powered equipment eg: no electric or petrol lawn mowers

harvest rain water for irrigation

compost garden and kitchen waste on site to use as mulch or soil improver

leave leaf litter and seed heads over winter to provide an overwinter habitat and food for the birds and insects