Flowering trees do not necessarily bloom only during spring time. Particular species
flower at different times of the year and with careful planning, an area could have a
variety of trees that provide colour throughout the year.
All of these seasonal changes can be used to create additional interest and richness in
the landscape.
Urban design in terms of office buildings, communal areas and neighbourhoods
In design, placement of trees needs careful consideration as they add architectural
form and organization to space. Trees are typically the major plant structure in a
landscape.
There are several key roles that trees can play in landscape design. Trees define space
with an outdoor ceiling effect. The spreading branches of trees create a canopy and as
we spend a lot of time indoors, this ‘outside ceiling’ provides comfort and shelter in an
urban environment.
Trees are also used to frame and mask views. Vertical views are enhanced when
effectiv ely framed by trees, drawing the eye to the vista. We often find objectionable
views being screened with trees. In addition, trees act as a natural wind and sound
barrier and can soften the look of buildings, creating a more natural environment.
The benefits of trees are immense in urban areas and there is a growing support
for the provision of green, treed landscapes. Trees can provide privacy, reduce glare
and reflection and complement architecture. In this way, a more pleasing setting for
property owners, pedestrians and motorists, are created. Aesthetic benefits, which
bring streets and buildings alive, include seasonal change, striking leaf colours, flowers
and scent. Trees attract birds and provide wildlife corridors through developments and
suburbs, which is especially important for children to be more in tune with nature.
Noted health benefits, such as reducing stress, improving levels of concentration and
an increase in physical activities, become evident when people are exposed to treed
areas.
In addition, research has shown that economic value is added to properties with trees,
and the liveability of a neighbourhood can be increased when trees are present. The
attractiveness of commercial areas are boosted by greening and the stark appearance
of industrial areas, moderated.
Outside spaces on various scales in both rural and urban settings
Trees are showcased better when placed as specimens, group plantings or mass
plantings. With specimen tree planting, an individual tree becomes a landscape feature.
It is set off from other trees and plant material by its unique spacing, form, colour and/
or texture. This often leads to the tree being a focal point in the design.
In group plantings, trees as a unit, become a feature in the landscape. Group plantings
are more often made up of the same species with
similar forms and characteristics. As trees mature,
Tree architecture –
group planting can evolve into mass plantings.
aesthetic attributes
With mass plantings, individual trees lose identity
and appear as one larger unit in landscape design.
of trees
Typically this would take place on a site where space
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