English title:
Planting design and horticultural ecosystem management
Course ID:
952342
ECTS credits:
3,0
Title in native language:
Planting design and horticultural ecosystem management (in Eng.)
Planting design and horticultural ecosystem management (in Eng.)
Term Semester:
Autumn/Winter
Instruction language(s):
English
Course content:
Planting as a design medium is characterized by horticultural, aesthetic and by environmental and ecological qualities. Particular in open urban space naturalistic planting design currently becomes more popular. The dynamic planting sites can be visually dramatic, long persistent and need simple low-intensity maintenance.The course aims at understanding the ecology of semi-natural plant communities and transferring this knowledge into horticultural planting design. Reading the landscape and observing plants help to design, establish and manage semi-natural horticultural plant communities. The focus is on small scale plantings (herbaceous & woody ornamental plants) in public urban areas and private gardens.
Theoretical support, field experience and practical garden work should strengthen an individual approach to naturalistic planting design. Students have to look at landscape and plant growth, analyze the visual appearance with the help of theory impacts and literature and come into contact with plants to understand their growth habits and aesthetic qualities. All experiences should be transformed into a design process. According to the schedule a planting design booklet is obligatory to be composed by each participant. The final assessment refers to the corresponding documentation of individual working progress and results.
Structure of the course:
1. Introduction presenting plants as designing elements, history of ecological based planting design, terms and views concerning landscape and vegetation, best practice
in ecological planting design
2. Field trip: perception of landscape, plants and specific vegetation patterns
3. Hands-on experiences: perception of plants and growth habits, deriving design requirements
4. Naturalistic planting design process
5. Presentation and final expert talk
Students have to do their individual studies and preparations in the extent of 50 hours.
Theoretical support, field experience and practical garden work should strengthen an individual approach to naturalistic planting design. Students have to look at landscape and plant growth, analyze the visual appearance with the help of theory impacts and literature and come into contact with plants to understand their growth habits and aesthetic qualities. All experiences should be transformed into a design process. According to the schedule a planting design booklet is obligatory to be composed by each participant. The final assessment refers to the corresponding documentation of individual working progress and results.
Structure of the course:
1. Introduction presenting plants as designing elements, history of ecological based planting design, terms and views concerning landscape and vegetation, best practice
in ecological planting design
2. Field trip: perception of landscape, plants and specific vegetation patterns
3. Hands-on experiences: perception of plants and growth habits, deriving design requirements
4. Naturalistic planting design process
5. Presentation and final expert talk
Students have to do their individual studies and preparations in the extent of 50 hours.
Expected previous knowledge:
Plant knowledge (herbaceous & woody vegetation); basics in vegetation ecology and planting design
Learning outcomes:
Applying suitable planting concepts in the field of garden- and landscape architecture; gaining expert knowledge in development and maintenance of horticultural plant communities as a function of ecologic patterns. Reading/ understanding of landscape, vegetation and single plant species due to naturalistic planting design and management. Training of professional skills in planting design. Becoming familiar with basic horticultural skills e.g. practical handling of perennials - vegetative propagation, planting, maintenance. Capacity to communicate planting design independantly and to evaluate practice by individual expert knowledge.
Teaching and learning methods:
Transfer of expert knowledge within presentations, working tasks supporting perception and analyses of landscape, semi-natural vegetation, species and cultivars focusing specific design work; thematically supported literature studies, practical experiences in horticulture skills and handling of plants; design work.
Exam method:
Presentation of design (40%) According to the schedule a planting design booklet is obligatory to be composed by each participant. The final reflecting talk refers to this corresponding documentation of individual work progress and results (60 %). Evaluation criteria will be outlined during the course.
Organisation: University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna
Country:
Austria
Acronym:
BOKU
ERASMUS+ code:
A WIEN03
Teaching period summer semester:
22. Feb 2021 - 30. Sep 2021
Teaching period winter semester:
13. Oct 2020 - 21. Feb 2021
University website: