Landscaping Architects Terminology

Accent Plants: plants that give meaning and emphasis to a landscape through their special design, form, texture or color.

Balance: the relationship between elements in a landscape

Commercial Grounds: ground surrounding a business, townhouse, complex or apartment building, maintained by landscape maintenance firms

Concept Lines: visible or invisible lines that divide spaces in the landscape

Draft Design: preliminary design including key plants 

Easement: the right to use another person's land for a given purpose

Entry Garden : landscape area near the entry of a building

Foundation Plantings: plantings located in beds, surrounding the base of a structure

Gallons Per Minute (GPM): refers to the amount of water pressure required for the most effective irrigation system on a land

Hardscape Elements: landscape features besides plants

Imaginary lines: lines that theoretically separate spaces within a landscape

Keyplants: plants placed in highly visible locations

Landscape: functional and eye-pleasing outdoor living area with plants, turfs and walks

Landscape Architect: a licensed professional who plans and designs landscape

Landscape Designer: refers to a professional who plans and develops landscapes

Maintainability: process of creating an easily maintainable landscape

Mass Plantings: when several pieces of the same type of plant are used to fill and area 

Scale: the relative size of a part of landscape in relation to another part

Variety: a mixture of form, texture and color intended to arouse interest while maintaining the landscape's simplicity