R2111 - Understanding garden features, plant selection and planning

Question 1

1.1 What is a hazard?

Answer 1

Something that can cause harm or have an adverse effect on a person’s health.

Question 2

1.1 What is a risk?

Answer 2

**The likelihood or chance,
high or low that a person may be harmed.

Question 3

1.1 Identify a hazard and risk of site topography.

Answer 3

Hazard: Uneven ground or slopes could be hazardous when using machinery
Risk: machinery over-turning

Question 4

1.1 Identify a hazard and risk of unsafe hard landscaping
features.

Answer 4

Hazard: Uneven, wet or slippery paving slabs.
Risk: Tripping and falling.

Question 5

1.1 Identify a hazard and risk of garden buildings.

Answer 5

Hazard: old electric cables, broken glass, falling roof materials, loose materials such as bricks lying on the
ground, asbestos, uneven floors and broken steps.
Risk: electric shock, cuts and bruises, twisted ankles or broken bones, asbestos poisioning.

Question 6

1.1 Identify hazard and risks of trees.

Answer 6

Hazard: low or overhanging branches broken branches
exposed roots
Risk: branches could catch on, and bring down overhead cables, branches could fall on people or structures, exposed roots could cause people to trip

Question 7

1.1 Identify hazard and risks of overhead and
underground services.

Answer 7

Hazard: Overhead- cables
Undergound services - electric, water, oil, gas, sewers
Risk: Overhead - when using overhead machinery, brought down by overhanging tree branches
Underground - accidents when usung digging machinery or a spade

Question 8

1.1 Identify hazard and risks of areas of water in the garden.

Answer 8

Hazard: overgrown ponds, unfenced/cover water bridges, stepping stones
Risk: People tripping and falling in

Question 9

1.2 Describe the potential
restrictions which may limit
work on garden site.

Answer 9

Access - limited or no road access to the back garden, does everything have to go through the house. Parking restrictions. Could materials be delivered by crane over a fence/house? Widen/change access, coud a fence panel be removed?
Topography - a very sloping site will be more difficult to develop, increasing work time and costs
Boundaries - take account of boundaries with neighbours and discuss any work with them
Financial constraints - keep client informed of costings and budget to ensure work can go ahead
Timings - time of year, hard to work in frosty or very wet weather

Question 10

1.3 State what existing
garden features need to be
identified.

Answer 10

• boundaries, and the position of the house within the site
• outline of the house walls.
• existing garden buildings or features that are to be retained
• outline and position of hard and soft landscaping
• position of any existing trees and plants and are they being retainined
• contours of the site
• water features or courses

Question 11

1.4 State why it is
necessary to identify the
existence of overhead and
underground services.

Answer 11

Underground - services drainage, water, sewage, gas, oil, electricity, cable TV may limit where
excavations can safely be made

overhead cables - may restrict site access for equipment and large plants. Implications of damaging services in addition to health and
safety: cost, inconvenience, damage to soil.

Question 12

1.1 What is a Garden survey?

Answer 12

“Garden survey is the detailed surveying/measuring and recording of a garden together with features and services to include: positions and condition of buildings and trees, site topography, positions of all features such as ponds, watercourses, hard landscaping, overhead and underground services, boundary constraints, access and potential hazards and risks relating to any of the features or services.”

Question 13

See revision notes

1.5 Describe how to carry
out basic linear surveying
techniques, including the
use of tapes, offsets and
triangulation.

Answer 13

See revision notes.

Question 14

2.1 What is a site apparaisal?

Answer 14

“Site Appraisal is the recording of the general nature and condition of a site within its environment to include: soil type, contour, aspect, exposure, microclimates and drainage.”

Gathering all the information about the site that could influence the design process.

Question 15

2.1 State what needs to be
recorded when carrying out
a site appraisal, including
soil type, contour, aspect,
micro climate, exposure and
drainage.

Answer 15

• soil depth and texture, pH and
• drainage
• contour (extent of slopes)
• aspect (which way does it face)
• exposure and direction of prevailing wind
• microclimates (frost pockets, heavy shade, rain shadows, sun traps, wind tunnels);
• visual assessment of external features (fine views, eyesores, the style of the house)

Question 16

3.1 Describe the relevance
of garden planning
principles to the production
of a garden design that
‘works’ – one that follows
accepted ‘rules’ or
‘conventions’, and which is
pleasing to the eye.

Answer 16

‘Genius loci’ or ‘The Spirit of the Place’
* Scale and proportion -
* Simplicity - repeat plants and colours, limit types of hard landscaping materials, the principle boing less is more so the space doesn’t appear cluttered.
* Balance - achieved easily in symmetrical design. In asymetrical designs you can achieve visual balance by using features that have a similar visual weight.
* Unity/cohesion –fitting together of parts so that they form
a connected whole.
* Harmony - creating a strong link between the garden and it’s surroundings
* Repetition - repeating plant or flower form, colour, materials, shapes
* Rhythm similar to repetition – achieved by repeating a plant or plant form, colour, materials

Question 17

3.2 Describe the meaning of symmetry in garden design.

Answer 17

Symmetry in garden design is when one side of the garden is a mirror image of the other. This can be achieved by using strong geometric shapes such as squares and rectangles and then repeating the features such as the same plants, topiary, statues and pots along the axis on either side of the garden.

Question 18

3.2 Describe the meaning of asymmetry in garden design.

Answer 18

Asymmetry in garden design is when there is no central axis or mirror image and balance and proportion are achieved by the careful placement of features within the garden. For example, a summer house may be visually balanced by a tree on the other side of the garden.

Question 19

3.2 Describe the use of focal points in garden design.

Answer 19

A focal point is anything that stands out and draws attention, so a focal point can be good or bad.

It is important to divert the eye
away from a bad focal point by creating a new one.

Trees, arbours or summerhouses, statues, garden seats and
containers can all be used as focal points.

There should be one focal point at the end of an axis such as a path, and curving paths could have a series of focal points.

Only one focal point should be in view at any one time; seeing two or more sets up a conflict and causes confusion and disharmony in the design.

In a large garden, you can use a series of focal points to draw people around the garden.

Question 20

3.2 Describe the use of
colour in garden design.

Question 21

4.1 Describe the difference
between formality and
informality in garden design.

Answer 21

See diagram

Question 22

4.2 Describe the main
characteristics of a knot
garden.

Answer 22

• Square or rectangular in shape, enclosed by a wall or hedge
• Sited close to the house so visable from windows and terrace
• Might also be a mount (artificial hill) just outside, topped with a seat for viewing
• Inside the square/rectangle there were usually two main paths that crossed in the centre where there would be a small pool with a fountain or statue.
• Balance was achieved through symmetry with each side mirror imaging the other.
• Rectangular or square shaped beds edged with low hedges of box, rosemary, teucrium, or other suitable low growing plants such as thrift.
• Beds were filled with an intricate design of hedging representing the over and under of threads used in a needlework pattern
• Topiary, trellis arches, and arbours, often with turf seats inside.
• Climbers such as honeysuckle, summer jasmine, sweet briar, and
• Rosa rubiginosa would be grown over the arbours.
• For scent, gallica and damask roses were used, as well as lilies, pinks, carnations, and sweet williams.

Question 23

4.2 Describe the main
characteristics of a landscape garden.

Answer 23

• Represented an idealised view of nature
• Edges defined by trees
• No straight lines/geometry all paths
  curved
• Lake or lakes of serpentine
  outline
• Sweeps of gently rolling lawns would go right up to the house, planted with clumps of native trees, usually
  beech but sometimes oak and ash.
• Ha-ha (a walled ditch)
• Classical buildings. Greek or Roman temples, Palladian bridges, Gothic ruins evoking memories of the
  Grand Tour and the Italian countryside.
• Visitors followed a route around the garden through a carefully planned series of vistas and visual experiences.

Question 24

4.2 Describe the main
characteristics of a cottage garden.

Answer 24

• Informal paths (brick, randomly laid paving slabs, hoggin or gravel)
• Boundaries of picket style fencing, willow or hazel panels or a hedge of Crataegus monogyna (hawthorn) or Rosa rugosa.
• A mix of fruit trees such as apple and cherries, gooseberry bushes and other favourite fruits.
• Climbing roses, honeysuckle and the everlasting pea could be
  grown on the house walls and around the doors.
• Hollyhocks, pinks, carnations, sweet williams, peonies, violets, lavender and many roses including the single
  sweet briar as well as hardy annuals such as Nigella damascena (love-in-a-mist) and Calendula officinalis (pot marigolds)
• Naturalistic wild-life pond with serpentine margins planted
  with marginals such as Iris pseudacorus and Caltha palustris
  (marsh marigold).
• Features such as a pergola or arbour made from rustic timber,
  or wigwams of willow or salix used to support climbing plants such as clematis and sweet peas.