Garden Plant Configuration [Collapse]

Learning from nature is better than nature: a brief discussion on the configuration of garden plants

Garden plants are the most important materials in garden construction. The quality of plant configuration directly affects the quality of garden projects and the performance of garden functions. Garden plant configuration should not only follow scientific principles, but also pay attention to artistry, strive for scientific and reasonable configuration, create beautiful landscape effects, and thus achieve ecological, economic and social benefits. Based on my own years of work experience, I believe that garden plant configuration should consider the following aspects:

　　First of all, the configuration of garden plants should be guided by ecological principles and establish the concept of ecological garden.

　　The United States began to explore the "pseudo-nature" of gardens in the 1960s, and began to study ecological gardens in the mid-1980s. At present, a large number of achievements and experiences have been achieved. Because human beings have intensified their damage to the environment and have tasted the consequences of their own actions. Therefore, protecting the earth has become the common call of all mankind, ecology has come into being, and the theory of sustainable development has emerged. As a part of natural science, gardening itself is a work of creating and transforming the environment. First of all, the configuration of garden plants must follow the laws of plant growth and the requirements for environmental conditions, and be rationally and scientifically configured according to local conditions, so that all kinds of plants like the sun and tolerate the shade, like moisture and tolerate drought, and each has its own place. Trees, shrubs, ground covers, climbing plants, rock plants, aquatic plants, as well as evergreen, deciduous, and herbaceous plants coexist. In short, it is what people often say "learn from nature". When it comes to the ecological configuration of garden plants, the author believes that the following points should be emphasized:

1. Adapt measures to local conditions, design scientifically, and adapt the environment to the local conditions.

　　Arrange according to the site conditions, combined with the characteristics of the plant materials and the requirements for the environment, so that all kinds of plants can grow and grow well. We should not blindly introduce and promote foreign garden plants, but focus on the development and application of native plants. The recent square color block trend and magnolia plant trend violate the laws of nature to a certain extent and should be treated with caution.

2. Pay attention to biodiversity.

　　Most natural communities on Earth are not composed of a single flora, but a combination of multiple plants and other organisms. Garden construction that conforms to natural laws and styles must pay attention to biodiversity. In a sense, paying attention to the diversity of garden plants is a process of simulating and creating a natural ecosystem. If the plant population is single, it is ecologically poor and monotonous in landscape. Pay attention to the combination of trees, shrubs and grasses in the configuration of garden plants. Plant communities can increase stability and are also conducive to the preservation of rare plants. High, medium and low make full use of space, increase the leaf area index, and improve ecological benefits, which is conducive to improving environmental quality.

　　In addition, the configuration of garden plants should follow the principles of aesthetics and attach importance to the landscape function of the garden. On the basis of following the ecology, according to the requirements of aesthetics, integration and creation should be carried out. Not only should the current landscape of garden plants be emphasized, but also the seasonal changes and growth landscape effects of garden plants should be emphasized, so as to achieve different scenery with different steps and different scenery with different times, and create a beautiful landscape that is "better than nature". Specifically for the configuration of garden plant landscape, the author believes that the following points should be mastered:

1. Pay attention to plant diversity.

　　The plants in nature are varied and colorful, and have great ornamental value in themselves.

2. The layout is reasonable, well-spaced and well-organized, combining single and group.

　　In nature, not all plants grow in groups, some grow alone. There are many ways to arrange garden plants, such as solitary planting, row planting, patch planting, group planting, and mixed planting. In this way, you can not only appreciate the grace of solitary trees, but also the beauty of group trees.

3. Pay attention to the reasonable combination of the shapes and colors of different garden plants.

　　The configuration of garden plants should be based on the terrain and topography, with plants of different shapes and colors. They should not cause visual conflicts with each other, nor with other garden buildings and garden pieces.

4. Pay attention to the integration of the cultural characteristics of garden plants with the surrounding environment.

　　For example, the three friends of winter, pine, bamboo and plum, are very popular in the private gardens of many literati and scholars. However, pine and cypress are mostly planted in cemeteries. In short, the arrangement of garden plants should be based on the principle of ecology and aesthetics. However, the principle of ecology first and landscape second should be followed. In other words, learning from nature is the premise, and surpassing nature is subordinate.

　　In addition, the configuration of garden plants can also be combined with economic, cultural, knowledge and other contents as needed to expand the connotation and extension of the functions of garden plants, give full play to their comprehensive functions and serve mankind.

Plant landscape mainly refers to the vegetation in nature. The images expressed by plant communities and individual plants are transmitted to the cerebral cortex through people's senses, producing a real sense of beauty and association. The term plant landscape also includes artificial landscapes created using plant themes. Plant landscaping is to use trees, shrubs, vines and herbaceous plants as themes, and use artistic techniques to give full play to the natural beauty of plants such as shape, lines, and colors (including shaping and pruning plants into a certain shape) to create plant landscapes.

To create a perfect plant landscape, "a high degree of unity of science and artistry is required, that is, to satisfy the unity of ecological adaptation between plants and the environment, and to reflect the beauty of form of individual and group plants, and the beauty of artistic conception produced by people when appreciating them through the principles of artistic composition", which is a basic principle of plant landscaping. In the planting design of plant landscaping, if the selected plant species cannot adapt to the environment and ecology of the planting site, they cannot survive or grow poorly, and the requirements of landscaping cannot be met; if the designed cultivated plant community does not conform to the development law of natural plant communities, it will be difficult to grow and develop to achieve the expected artistic effect. Therefore, following nature, mastering the formation and development of natural plant communities, their species, structure, layers and appearance, etc. are the basis for good plant landscaping.

Plant landscaping is the use of trees, shrubs, vines and herbs as themes to create landscapes. It is necessary to draw inspiration from the colorful natural plant communities and their images. The planting design of cultivated plant communities in plant landscaping must follow the development laws of natural plant communities. This book discusses the composition, appearance, seasonal phases of natural plant communities, the structure, vertical structure and stratification of natural plant communities, and the relationship between plant species in the community. These are the scientific theoretical basis for the design of cultivated plant communities in plant landscaping.

As the name suggests, plant landscaping is to use trees, shrubs, vines and herbs to create landscapes, giving full play to the natural beauty of the plants' own shapes, lines, colors, etc., and planting them into beautiful and moving pictures for people to enjoy.

People have different preferences and views on the appreciation of plant landscapes. In the classical gardens of France, Italy, the Netherlands and other countries, plant landscapes are mostly regular. The root of this is said to be mainly due to the idea of ​​human conquering everything. Plants are shaped and trimmed into various geometric shapes and bird and animal shapes to reflect that plants also obey people's will. Of course, in the overall layout, these regular plant landscapes are more coordinated with the lines, shapes, and even volumes of regular buildings, and have a high artistic value of artificial beauty. For example, European yew is trimmed into a tall and thick green wall, which is very coordinated with the walls of the ancient castle; plants planted at the four corners of the rectangular pool are often trimmed into squares or rectangles; boxwood is often trimmed into various patterns or green carpets; spire-shaped European yew is planted around the church; even the crowns of some street trees are trimmed into geometric shapes. Regular plant landscapes have a solemn and solemn atmosphere, often giving people a sense of majestic spirit, while the other is a natural plant landscape. Simulate natural forests, grasslands, meadows, swamps and rural pastoral scenery, and organize plant landscapes in combination with terrain, water bodies and roads. Reflect the natural individual beauty and group beauty of plants, from macroscopic seasonal changes to branches and leaves. Detailed appreciation of flowers, fruits and thorns. Natural plant landscapes are easy to reflect a quiet, profound and lively atmosphere. With the rapid development of various disciplines and economy, people's artistic accomplishment is constantly improving. In addition, they are unwilling to waste a lot of money on the maintenance and management of these plastic plant landscapes. People yearn for nature and pursue the colorful and ever-changing beauty of plants. Therefore, advocating natural beauty in plant landscaping and creating natural plant landscapes has become a new trend. In addition to allowing people to appreciate the natural beauty of plant landscapes, people pay more attention to the ecological effects of plants. In addition to creating a beautiful and comfortable environment, plants can more importantly create an ecological environment suitable for human survival. With the increase of world population density and the rapid development of industry, the ecological environment on which human beings depend for survival is deteriorating. The waste gas, waste water and waste residue generated by industry pollute the environment everywhere, acid rain occurs everywhere, and the greenhouse effect that endangers human beings has caused many abnormal climates. People not only exclaimed that if they destroy plant resources again, they will destroy themselves. Only by paying attention to and planting plants everywhere can they save themselves. For this reason, the concept of gardening in the world today is not limited to a park or scenic spot. Some countries have begun to pay attention to plant landscapes since the national planning. First of all, consider protecting natural vegetation and saving yourself.

The creation of plant landscapes is not satisfactory if it relies solely on natural plant species. For this reason, the discipline of horticulture has developed rapidly, especially the selection, breeding, and creation of new cultivars have achieved fruitful results. For example, in order to create alpine landscapes and simulate the characteristics of alpine plants such as creeping, low, small leaves, and bright flowers, in addition to selecting a group of plants such as Cotoneaster spp. and perennials and bulbous flowers with bright colors, some cedars, North American redwoods, hemlocks, and spruces that normally grow tens of meters high have been cultivated into creeping shapes. Since rock gardens are often small in area, they require a small proportion of plants, so many gymnosperms have been cultivated into low trees that are less than a meter high; in order to enrich the color, shape, and lines of plants (see Figure 1), many cultivars of the weeping type have emerged. Such as weeping North African cedar (Cedrus atlanticacv.Pendula), weeping European beech (Fagussylvaticacv.Pendula), weeping birch (Betula pendula cv. Tristis), weeping hawthorn (Crataegus nionogyna cv. Pendula), weeping narrow-leaved ash (Fraxinus angustifolia cv. Pendula), weeping bone-shaped holly (Ilexaquifolium cv.Pendula), weeping mulberry (Morus alba cv Pendula), weeping willow-leaf pear (Pyrus salicihlia cv. Pendula), weeping elm (Ulmus carpinihlia cv.Pcendula), weeping bald cypress (Taxodium distichum cv.Pendula), etc. Columnar cultivars, such as Acer rubrum cv. Columnare, Acer saccharinum cv. Pvramidalis, Aesculus hippocastanum cv. Pyramidalis, Carpinus betulus cv. Columnaris, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana cv. Columnaris, Cupressus glabra cv. Pyramidalis, Juniperus chinensis cv. Pvramidalis, Juniperus virginiana cv. PyramidiFORMis, Picea abies cv. Pyrarnidalis, Populus alba cv. Pyramidalis, Populus nigra cv. Italica), Quercus petraea cv. Columnaris, Sambucus nigra cv. Pyramidalis, and Taxus baccata cv. Staridishii. There are also many other varieties, such as broom-shaped and spherical. In order to enrich the colors in the garden, a large number of colorful leaf plants have been cultivated, such as yellow-leafed green maple (Acer cappadocicum cv. Aureum), red-leafed green maple (Acer cappadocicum cv. Rubrum), yellow-leafed compound maple (Acer negundo cv. Auratum), variegated compound maple (Acer negundo cv. Variegatum), crimson Norway maple (Acer platanoides cv. Crimson King), yellow-leafed American pigeon pea tree (Catalpa bignonioides cv. Aurea), and gray-green North African cedar (Cedrus ailaniica cv. Glauca). Chamaecyparis lawsoniana cv. Golden King, Chamaecyparis pisifera cv. Aures, Cornus controversa cv. Bariegata, Corylus maximacv. Purpurea, Cotinus coggygria cv. Royal purple, Fagus sylvatica cv. Atropurpurea, Fagus sylvatica cv. Aureapendula, Quercus rubra cv. Aureaata, Quercus rober cv. Purpurea, Quercus rober cv. Variegata, Quercurs cerries cv. Variegata, Fraxinus pennsylvanicus vanica cv. Variegata), Ilex aquifolium cv. Golden Queen, Picea pungens cv. Glauca, Philadelphus coronarius cv. Aureus, Ligustrum ovalifoliun cv. Aureum, Sambucus canadensiscv Aurea, Taxus baccat cv. Aurea, etc.

It is generally recognized that plant landscape can not only create a beautiful environment, but also improve the ecological environment on which human beings depend for survival. However, in reality, there are often two views and practices. One is to focus on garden architecture, rockery, sculptures, fountains, squares, etc., while despising plants. This is common in the proportion of investment in garden construction and design. What's more, some radicals believe that traditional classical gardens are freehand natural landscape gardens, and landscape is the skeleton of the garden. It is natural to dig lakes and pile up mountains, and plants are just hair. A careful analysis of the proportion of various garden factors in classical gardens, especially private gardens, has its historical reasons. The area of ​​private gardens is small, and the owners of the gardens are often large families with a large number of rooms, living rooms, study rooms, etc. Therefore, the garden space is often divided by buildings, and the proportion of buildings is of course large. The standard of landscape creation and appreciation in the garden often emphasizes artistic conception, not actual proportion, but focuses on painting meaning. It often uses one tree, one stone and one grass to compose the picture. A square of stacked stones represents a towering mountain, and a pool of water represents rivers and lakes. Bonsai is placed on the indoor desk to recreate the mountains and forests. The appreciation of plant landscapes is often based on individual beauty and personalized meanings, such as pine and bamboo. Plum is the three friends of winter; plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum represent the four gentlemen; magnolia, crabapple, peony, and osmanthus represent wealth and honor. Therefore, the number of plant species used is very small. This certainly meets the needs of a family, but it is not the direction of plant landscaping in today's gardens. Today's population density, economic construction, environmental conditions, and even people's hobbies are far from those in ancient times. Therefore, in addition to retaining some of the essence of garden art in the Youdian Garden, we also need to promote and carry forward the content of plant landscaping that conforms to the trend of the times in our garden construction. Some people are eager for success in garden construction, but plants need to grow for a long time before they can see the effect. However, digging lakes and piling up mountains, piling up stones to build roads and pavilions, and building terraces, towers and pavilions are more effective. This has also encouraged the tendency to neglect plants, so that the already limited green space area cannot be fully utilized. What's more, some people pile up artificial mountains on real mountains, and the artificial mountains are piled higher and higher, and they can't be stopped. Some people pile up stones of different textures and colors in a jagged and rough manner, like a mountain of swords and trees. Unfortunately, some new parks built after the founding of the People's Republic of China with a large proportion of plant landscapes have also been built in this trend, and the construction volume has become larger and larger, expanding the original single building into a building complex, reducing the green area. The most intolerable thing is that large-scale high-rise buildings are built around scenic spots at will, which destroys the garden landscape. In recent years, fountains have become popular. Some pursue high sprays, and some choose locations randomly, even setting up fountains in the original lake with good landscapes, destroying the beautiful reflections in the lake. Another view is to advocate that plant landscapes should be the main focus in garden construction. It is believed that plant landscapes are the most beautiful, and are pictures with life, and require less investment. Since the implementation of the policy of opening up to the outside world, many people have had the opportunity to understand the level of plant landscape in garden construction in Western countries, and feel that relying solely on the original traditional classical gardens can no longer meet the needs of current tourists to enjoy and improve the ecological environment. Therefore, many knowledgeable people have called for attention to plant landscape in garden construction. The view of plant landscaping is increasingly accepted by people. In recent years, many local garden units have actively created forest parks, and some have begun to try plant community design. Corresponding departments have also established nature reserves and scenic spots. On the other hand, garden workers and environmental protection workers have cooperated with each other to conduct a lot of research on the functions of plants in resisting pollution, absorbing drugs and improving the environment. However, compared with the level of foreign gardens, there is still a big gap. First of all, the plant species used in gardens for plant landscape are very poor. For example, there are nearly 100 species of ornamental plants in foreign parks, while Guangzhou only uses more than 300 species, Hangzhou and Shanghai have more than 200 species, Beijing has more than 100 species, and Lanzhou has less than 100 species. The number of living plants collected in botanical gardens does not exceed 5,000 species, which is extremely inconsistent with our status as a resource-rich country. No wonder some foreign garden experts are puzzled when writing about gardens that gardeners ignore the rich and colorful wild garden plant resources. Secondly, the level of ornamental gardening is low, especially in the level of breeding and cultivation and maintenance. Some flowers that are considered to be the center of distribution, such as azaleas, primroses, camellias, lilacs, lilies, roses, asters, etc., are not only not well utilized, and excellent cultivated varieties are not cultivated, some are even degraded and are no longer suitable for use. Finally, there is a big gap in the scientific support and artistry of plant landscaping. We cannot be satisfied with the existing traditional plant species and planting methods, but should learn and borrow from disciplines such as plant classification, plant ecology, and geobotany to improve the scientific nature of plant landscaping.

Plant landscape design also follows the basic principles of painting and gardening, namely unity, harmony, balance and rhythm.

1. The principle of unity: also known as the principle of change and unity or diversity and unity.

When designing plant landscapes, there should be certain differences and changes in tree shapes, colors, lines, textures and proportions to show diversity, but they should also maintain certain similarities to create a sense of unity, which is both lively and harmonious. Too many changes will make the whole look messy, and even some parts will feel fragmented and lose their beauty. Too many complex colors will cause upset and confusion, but being straightforward and without changes will be monotonous and dull. Therefore, we must grasp the principle of seeking change in unity and unity in change.

The use of repetition can best reflect the sense of unity of plant landscape. For example, in the green belt of street trees, the same species are planted at equal distances. Trees of the same age, or the same species are planted under trees, and flowering shrubs of the same age, this precise repetition has the most sense of unity. When planning tree species in a city, they are divided into keynote tree species, backbone tree species and general tree species. The keynote tree species are few in number, but large in number, forming the tone and characteristics of the city and playing a unifying role; while general tree species are many in number, each with a small amount, colorful, and play a role of change. South of the Yangtze River, there are many kinds of bamboos. In the landscape design of the bamboo garden, many bamboo species are unified in the similar shapes and lines of bamboo leaves and bamboo poles, but the clustered bamboo and scattered bamboo are sometimes gathered and sometimes scattered; the tall moso bamboo, fishing bamboo or ma bamboo are planted with the low Qing bamboo in different heights; the internodes of tortoise shell bamboo, human face bamboo, square bamboo and Buddha belly bamboo have different shapes; the pink single bamboo, white pole bamboo, purple bamboo, golden jade bamboo, jade golden bamboo, golden bamboo, yellow groove bamboo and white bamboo have various colors. These bamboo species are cleverly planted together to illustrate the principle of seeking change in unity.

The landscape of the gymnosperm area or pine and cypress garden is a unified aspect of keeping the landscape evergreen in winter. All pine plants have pine needles and cones, but the needles of black pine are rough and dark green, while the needles of Armand pine and Pinus armandii are fine and light green; Pinus tabulaeformis. The bark of black pine is brown and rough, the bark of Armand pine is gray-green and delicate, the bark of white pine is white and mottled, and full of changes, and the bark of beauty pine is brown and red like beauty skin. All the Cupressaceae have scale leaves, thorn leaves or drill leaves, but the sharp Taiwan cypress. Tower cypress. Sichuan cypress, pencil cypress; conical flower cypress, phoenix tail cypress; spherical, obovate ball cypress, thousand-head cypress; low and creeping creeping cypress, sand cypress, antler cypress reflect the postures of different species.

2. The principle of harmony: that is, the principle of coordination and contrast.

When designing plant landscapes, attention should be paid to mutual connection and coordination, embodying the principle of harmony, so that people have a soft, calm, comfortable and pleasant aesthetic feeling. Find similarities and consistency, and plant them together to create a sense of harmony. On the contrary, using differences and changes can produce a contrasting effect, with a strong sense of stimulation, forming an exciting, warm and unrestrained feeling. Therefore, contrast is often used in plant landscape design to highlight the theme or attract attention.

When plants are planted with buildings, attention should be paid to the coordination of volume, weight and other proportions. For example, a huge white orchid with a crown diameter of 25m is used on both sides of the main building of Guangzhou Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall to coordinate with it; tall cedars are used on both sides of Nanjing Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum to coordinate with the majestic and solemn mausoleum; nine lindens and nine horse chestnuts are used at both ends of the Braham Park Bridge in the UK to coordinate with it, and nine large cypresses are planted closely together in front of the tall main building, making it look like a huge cypress to coordinate with it. Some rough-textured building walls can be beautified with thick plants such as wisteria, but for fine-textured tiles, mosaics and finer refractory brick walls, slender climbing plants should be selected to beautify them. In some small courtyards in the south adjacent to the building columns, bamboos should be planted, and the bamboo poles and columns are very coordinated in lines, as shown in Figure 7.

For some small-scale rock gardens and space plant matching, dwarf plants or low horticultural varieties should be used. On the contrary, the plant landscape near the huge overpass should use large areas of brightly colored shrubs or flowers to form large color blocks, so as to coordinate with it in spirit.

In color composition, any one of the three primary colors of red, yellow and blue forms a complementary color with the intermediate color formed by mixing the other two primary colors, thus producing a contrasting color of one light and one dark, one cold and one hot. When they are placed side by side, they repel each other, with a strong contrast and a jumping and fresh effect. If used well, they can highlight the theme and set off the atmosphere. For example, red and green are complementary colors, yellow and purple are complementary colors, and blue and orange are complementary colors. In garden art, a little red is often used to emphasize the green. In Sheffield Park, England, a red maple is deep in the grass beside the road. The red color attracts tourists to appreciate it, changes the route of tourists, and becomes the theme. The golden autumn leaves of the lucky tree and the dark green of the cypress tree form a sharp contrast of light and dark in color, as shown in Figure 8. The sharp peaks of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in the distance and the shape of the nearby cypress trees are very harmonious, as shown in Figure 9. This treatment method is also often used in Northern Europe and the United States.

A beech tree and a ginkgo tree are planted together on the lawn of Shanghai Xijiao Park. In autumn, the leaves of the beech tree are purple-red, and the branches are thin and slanting, while the leaves of the ginkgo tree are golden in autumn, and the branches are thick and slanting upward, which is a sharp contrast between the two. In Zhejiang's natural scenic forests, broad-leaved evergreen trees are often used as the skeleton, many of which are species of the genus Corydalis with hard and shiny leaves, and the red, purple and yellow liquidambar form. The beech tree and the ginkgo tree are planted together with a strong sense of contrast, making the autumn colors very prominent, as shown in Figure 10. The population and main attractions of the park are often emphasized by color contrast. The appropriate use of color infection can add a lot of color to the scenery. Yellow is the brightest, symbolizing the light source of the sun. The deep and dense scenic forest makes people feel mysterious and timid, and dare not go deep. If you plant one or a bunch of yellow trees or shrubs in autumn or spring, such as Yemu, Sapindus, Ginkgo, Yellow Rose, Castanea or Hypericum, in a clearing or forest edge, the forest will suddenly become brighter, and it can play a role in seeing the big in the small in the sense of space. Red is warm, festive, and unrestrained, and it is the color of fire and blood. It is highly stimulating and is preferred by active young people. Among the garden plants, the fiery pomegranate, the flame flower that reflects the red sky, and the poinciana tree that blooms like a red cloud can all be used. Blue is the color of the sky and the ocean, with a sense of depth, coolness, and tranquility. Purple has a solemn and noble feeling. In addition to the commonly used wisteria, lilac, blue lilac, purple flowered hydrangea, hydrangea, etc. in the garden, many wild flowers with blue colors in high mountains are urgently waiting to be developed and utilized. Such as Aconitum, Alpine Aster, Corydalis, Water Sophora japonica, Clematis chinensis, Clematis chinensis, Bugloss, Forget-me-not, Honeysuckle, Wild Grape, White Bud, etc. White is leisurely and elegant, a symbol of purity, with a soft feeling, which softens bright colors. In gardens, white walls are often used as paper, and plants with good looks are planted in front of the wall as paintings, with a wonderful effect, as shown in Figure 11. If there is a white teacher statue in the green space, it is surrounded by purple-leaf peach and red-leaf plum, and the red and white colors complement each other, and the theme of peaches and plums all over the world is also very prominent, which is most popular among middle-aged and elderly people and introverted young people. There are many kinds of plants in the garden, and the colors are colorful. The common use of gray-leaf plants can achieve the effect of unifying various colors.

3. The principle of balance: This is a layout method for plant arrangement.

Planting plants of different sizes and textures according to the principle of balance will make the landscape look stable and pleasing to the eye. For example, plants with strong colors, large sizes, large numbers, thick textures, and dense branches and leaves give people a heavy feeling; on the contrary, plants with light colors, small sizes, small numbers, fine textures, and sparse branches and leaves give people a light feeling; according to the surrounding environment, there are regular balance (symmetrical) and natural balance (asymmetrical) when planting. Regular balance is often used in regular buildings and solemn cemeteries or majestic royal gardens. For example, two symmetrical osmanthus trees are planted on both sides of the door; equidistant and symmetrical Araucaria and Sophora japonica are planted in front of the building; symmetrical pines or cypresses are planted in front of the tomb and on both sides of the main road. Natural balance is often used in more natural environments such as gardens, parks, botanical gardens, and scenic spots. If a tall cedar is planted on the right side of a winding garden path, a larger number of smaller flowering shrubs in clusters should be planted on the left side to achieve balance.

4. The principle of rhythm and tempo: Regular changes in planting will create a sense of rhythm.

The peach trees and willows on the Baidi Bridge in Hangzhou are an example. The Yunqi Bamboo Trail is lined with dense bamboo forests. If a tall Liquidambar formosana is planted every 50m or 100m, the trail will not be monotonous, but will have a sense of rhythm.

Greening plant configuration in residential area

Residential greening is a greening system that is directly used and enjoyed by residents. The greening planning of residential areas should not only reflect the level of civilization of contemporary people, but more importantly, it should have a certain forward-looking consciousness to adapt to modern urban construction and strive to meet people's different requirements for environmental quality as much as possible within a certain period of time. The design of residential green space requires the guidance of ecological theory, the purpose of reproducing nature, improving and maintaining the ecological balance of the community, the goal of coexistence between man and nature, and the mission of sustainability with the system of gardening and greening, the diversity of biological development, and plant landscaping as the theme, so as to achieve systematicity on the plane, hierarchicality in space, and correlation in time.

　　Fully consider the needs of residents to enjoy green space and build artificial ecological plant communities. Health-care plant communities that are beneficial to physical and mental health, such as pine and cypress forests, ginkgo forests, camphor forests, cypress forests, citrus forests, and elm forests; fragrant flower plant communities that are beneficial to eliminating fatigue, such as gardenia bushes, rose bushes, lilac bushes, ginkgo-osmanthus forests, etc.; and plant communities that are beneficial to attracting birds, such as crabapple forests, pyracantha forests, pine and cypress forests, etc., can be arranged on the entire green space at the edge of the community or integrated with the central green space of the residential area. Use the circulation and regeneration functions of the plant community ecosystem to maintain the ecological balance of the community.

　　Combine trees, shrubs and vines, evergreen plants and deciduous plants, fast-growing plants and slow-growing plants, and appropriately plant and embellish seasonal flowering flowers and lawns. In the matching of tree species, both biological characteristics and greening landscape effects must be considered, greening and beautification must be combined, the concept of plant landscaping must be established, and a quiet and beautiful living environment must be created.

　　On the basis of a unified tone, the tree species strive to change. Create a beautiful canopy line to break the monotony and dullness of the building complex. Pay attention to the selection of plants with different tree shapes, such as tower, column, sphere, weeping branches, etc., such as cedar, metasequoia, cypress, camphor, magnolia, ginkgo, locust, weeping peach, etc., to form a canopy line with strong changes; plants of different heights form a canopy line with moderate changes; use the changes in terrain height to arrange different plants to obtain corresponding changes in the canopy line. By planting flowering shrubs near the edge and using short and dense Malus sphenanthera, Pittosporum tobira, Rhododendron, Hypericum, etc. to form a naturally changing curve.

　　In terms of planting, a combination of regular and natural plant configurations can be adopted. Generally, 1 to 2 rows of roadside trees are planted on both sides of the roads in the area, and some shade-tolerant flowering shrubs can be regularly configured, and the exposed ground can be covered with lawns or ground cover plants. Other green spaces can adopt natural plant configurations to form a patchwork and seasonal plant landscape.

　　In planting design, we make full use of the ornamental characteristics of plants, carry out color combination and coordination, arrange plants based on the changes in the colors of plant leaves, flowers, fruits, branches and bark throughout the year, and create seasonal landscapes. We can create one seasonal phase for each strip, one seasonal phase for each area, or one seasonal phase for each group. For example, the spring landscape consists of jasmine, peach blossom, lilac, etc.; the summer landscape consists of crape myrtle, albizzia, pomegranate, etc.; the autumn landscape consists of osmanthus, red maple, ginkgo, etc.; the winter landscape consists of wintersweet, honeysuckle, nandina domestica, etc.

Garden waterscape plant configuration design

Water is an indispensable and most attractive garden element in garden art. The ancients called water the "blood" and "soul" of the garden. Gardens in ancient and modern times, both at home and abroad, attach great importance to the use of water. In gardens of various styles, water plays an irreplaceable role. As early as the Zhou Dynasty more than 3,000 years ago, water became a part of garden entertainment. In traditional gardens, there is almost "no garden without water". With water, the garden is more lively and has more beautiful shapes and sounds of sparkling waves and swaying water shadows. Therefore, in the planning and construction of gardens, paying attention to the landscaping role of water bodies and handling the landscape relationship between garden plants and water bodies can not only create fascinating landscapes, but also reflect the grace of truth, goodness and beauty.

The role of water in landscape gardens Among the various elements of gardens, the relationship between mountains, rocks and water is the closest. The basic form of traditional gardens is the landscape garden. "One pond and three mountains" and "mountains and waters depend on each other" have become the basic rules of landscape gardens. From the Kunming Lake in the Summer Palace, which depends on the Longevity Mountain, to the "One Spoon Garden", which must be set off by rocks. The so-called "clear springs flowing over rocks" is also a scene formed by the dependence of mountains and waters. Therefore, the ancients must talk about mountains and waters when discussing scenery. Li Qingzhao said: "The beauty of mountains and waters is close to people." Garden water bodies can be appreciated, traveled and enjoyed. Large water bodies help air circulation. Even a bucket of clear water reflecting the blue sky can extend people's vision infinitely and expand the space in terms of perception. All kinds of water bodies in the garden, whether they are the main scenery or the supporting scenery in the garden, are enriched by plants. The posture and color of garden plants in and beside the water, and the reflections formed, all enhance the beauty of the water body.

Ancient sages anthropomorphized the nature of water and summarized it into virtue, benevolence, justice, wisdom, courage, kindness and righteousness. Confucius believed that water selflessly gave to all things, "like virtue"; wherever it went, life grew, "like benevolence"; it flowed in a winding way and followed its own principles, "like righteousness"; shallow water flowed smoothly, deep water was unpredictable, "like wisdom"; it went to the valley of a hundred feet without hesitation, "like courage"; it would go east after ten thousand bends, "like intention". At the same time, water can "not cleanse people, but come out fresh and clean", cleanse dirt and be kind to people; water must be level when it reaches the limit, which is the most "fair". Different water structures can produce different water states; water surrounding buildings can produce the water town interest of "flowing water around the house"; pavilions floating on the water surface seem like a fairyland; architectural sketches and sculptures standing in the water can be empathetic; water rubs against rocks, river banks and pond embankments during its flow, making various sounds. "The sound of the rocks and mountains" is a pleasant beauty; "the waves crashing against the shore, rolling up thousands of piles of snow" is majestic. The sound of water adds natural rhythm and tempo, showing the musical beauty of the space.

In short, water is an important factor in forming garden landscapes and adding to the beauty of gardens. Looking at many garden landscape designs and constructions today, all of them rely on natural or artificial waterscapes to improve the grade of the garden landscape and add practical functions. Whether it is a static waterscape or a dynamic waterscape, the plant configuration of various water bodies cannot be separated from flowers and trees to create artistic conception.

1. Plant arrangement by the water Plant arrangement by the water should pay attention to artistic composition. Since ancient times, it has been advocated to plant weeping willows by the water in gardens to create soft branches brushing the water. At the same time, planting bald cypress, pond pine, metasequoia and small-leaved banyan with drooping aerial roots by the water can play the role of line composition. However, it is forbidden to plant plants by the water at equal distances and form or trim them, so as not to lose the artistic conception. In terms of composition, pay attention to the use of branches and trunks that extend to the water surface, especially large trees by the water that seem to fall but have not fallen, so as to increase the level of the water surface and add wildness.

2. Plant configuration of revetment Revetment can be divided into earth revetment, stone revetment, concrete revetment, etc. The principle of plant configuration is to integrate the mountain and water and play a leading role in the spatial landscape of the water surface. The plant configuration of the earth revetment should be combined with the terrain, road, and shoreline layout, with some near and some far, some sparse and some dense, some broken and some continuous, and some winding, which is naturally interesting. The lines of the stone revetment are rigid and boring. The principle of plant configuration is to reveal beauty and cover ugliness, making it soft and changeable. Generally, weeping willows and winter jasmine are configured on the shore, and the slender and soft branches are drooped to the water surface to cover the stone revetment. At the same time, flowering shrubs and vines, such as iris, yellow iris, swallowtail flower, and ground ivy, are used to partially cover (avoid full coverage and no distinction between beauty and ugliness) to increase the lively atmosphere.

3. Water surface plant configuration The water surface landscape is below the human line of sight, which echoes the waterside landscape, and with the reflection in the water, it is the most suitable for viewing. Lotus is used for water plant configuration to reflect the artistic conception of "the lotus leaves connecting the sky are endless and green, and the lotus flowers reflecting the sun are particularly red." However, if there are pavilions, terraces, towers, pavilions, terraces, towers and other garden buildings on the shore, or if there are beautiful and colorful ornamental flowers and foliage trees, the water plant configuration should not be crowded, leaving enough open water surface to show the reflection.

4. Plant configuration of dikes and islands The dikes and islands in the water are the main means of dividing the water surface space. The dikes are often connected to bridges. The plant configuration of dikes and islands not only adds layers to the water surface space, but also enriches the color of the water surface space. The reflection becomes the main landscape. There are many types of islands, with different sizes. The islands are mainly planted with willows, and interplanted with arborvitae, albizzia, wisteria, crape myrtle and other trees and shrubs. The density is well-arranged, the height is orderly, and the layers are increased, which has a good guiding function. In addition, a pool of clear water is used to expand the space, break the closed environment, and create a natural and lively landscape. For example, in local scenic spots in parks, residential gardens, roof gardens, exhibition greenhouses, gardens of large hotels, etc., small waterscape gardens can be built with water plants to create a picture of a clear pool and moon.

Garden plant configuration

planting arrangement

Author: Zhu Junzhen

According to the plant ecological habits and garden layout requirements, various plants in the garden (trees, shrubs, flowers, turf and ground cover plants, etc.) are rationally arranged to give full play to their garden functions and ornamental characteristics. Garden plant configuration is an important part of garden planning and design.

The configuration of garden plants includes two aspects: on the one hand, the configuration of various plants with each other, considering the selection of plant species, the combination of trees, the composition of the plane and facade, color, seasonal phases and garden artistic conception; on the other hand, the configuration of garden plants with other garden elements such as rocks, water bodies, buildings, garden paths, etc.

Plant species selection

Selection of plant species Plants have life, and different garden plants have different ecological and morphological characteristics. Their trunks, leaves, flowers and fruits have different postures, sizes, shapes, textures, colors and phenological periods; their (mainly trees) landscapes are also quite different in childhood, middle age, old age and throughout the four seasons. When arranging plants, we must adapt to local conditions and time to ensure that the plants grow normally and give full play to their ornamental characteristics. When choosing garden plants, we should mainly choose native tree species to ensure that the garden plants have normal growth and development conditions and reflect the plant style of each region. At the same time, the introduction and domestication of excellent varieties should not be neglected.

Plant configuration

Plant arrangement method The plant communities on the mountains and hills and beside the rivers, lakes and streams in nature have natural plant composition and natural landscape, and are the source of artistic creation of natural plant arrangement. In classical Chinese gardens and larger parks and scenic areas, plants are usually arranged in a natural style, but in some local areas, especially near major buildings and along main roads, regular styles are also used. There are several main methods of arranging garden plants, such as single planting, paired planting, row planting, clump planting and group planting.

Solitary Plant

It mainly displays the individual beauty of trees and is often used as the main scenery of the garden space. The requirements for solitary trees are: graceful posture, bright colors, slightly larger size, long life and unique features. Other trees should be placed around and a suitable viewing distance should be maintained. No other trees or shrubs should be planted around precious ancient trees to maintain their unique charm. Solitary trees used for shade should have a broad crown, dense branches and leaves, large leaves, and few diseases and pests. Spherical or umbrella-shaped crowns are preferred.

Planting

That is, planting roughly equal numbers of trees symmetrically, which is often used on both sides of garden gates, building entrances, squares or bridge heads. In natural planting, absolute symmetry is not required, and the shape should be balanced when planting.

Row Plant

Also known as strip planting, it is the planting of trees in rows and strips, and is mostly used on both sides of streets and roads, or around regular squares. If used as a background or isolation measure for garden scenery, it is generally advisable to plant densely to form a tree screen.

Cluster Planting

The combination of three or more trees of different species is a commonly used method in gardens. It can be used as the main scene or supporting scene, or as a background or isolation measure. The configuration should be natural and conform to the rules of artistic composition, so as to express both the group beauty of plants and the individual beauty of each tree species.

Group Planting

The group combination of trees of the same species, with a large number of trees, is mainly for expressing the beauty of the group and has the interest of "forming a forest".

The Art of Plant Arrangement

Artistic techniques of plant arrangement In the garden space, whether plants are the main scenery, or plants and other garden elements together constitute the main scenery, the main body should be emphasized in the selection of plant species, determination of quantity, arrangement of location and adoption of methods, with a clear distinction between the primary and secondary, so as to express the characteristics and style of the garden space landscape.

Contrast and foil

By utilizing the different morphological characteristics of plants and applying contrasting techniques of height, posture, leaf shape and color, and flower shape and color, we can express certain artistic conceptions and bring out the beautiful plant landscape. When combining trees, attention should be paid to their coordination. It is not advisable to combine tree species with very different shapes and appearances.

Momentum and Equilibrium

Different plants have different postures. Some are relatively regular, such as heather and ailanthus; some have a dynamic look, such as pine, elm, and albizzia. When arranging the plants, attention should be paid to the harmony and coordination between each other and between the plants and other elements in the environment; at the same time, the changes of plants in different growth stages and seasons should be considered to avoid an unbalanced situation.

Rhythm and Rhythm

When arranging plants on both sides of roads and in narrow areas, attention should be paid to the vertical three-dimensional contour lines and spatial changes, so as to achieve a combination of high and low, ups and downs, create rhythm and avoid a rigid layout.

Layers and background

In order to overcome the monotony of the landscape, it is advisable to use a multi-level configuration of trees, shrubs, flowers and ground cover plants. Alternating and layering plants with different flower colors and flowering periods can make the plant landscape rich and colorful. Background trees should generally be taller than foreground trees, and the planting density should be large. It is best to form a green barrier. The color should be dark, or have a large difference in tone and chroma from the foreground to enhance the contrast effect.

Colors and Seasons

The plant's stems, leaves, flowers and fruits are very colorful. Different configuration methods such as monochrome expression, multi-color coordination, contrasting color processing, and gradual transition of tone and chroma can be used to achieve the color composition of garden scenery. Grading leaf and flower colors helps organize beautiful plant color compositions. It is necessary to reflect the seasonal phases of plants in spring, summer, autumn and winter, especially spring and autumn. In the same plant space, the seasonal phases of one or two seasons are generally reflected, and the effect is more obvious. Because the flowering period or color and leaf changing period of trees generally only lasts one or two months, the phenomenon of partial withering and partial flourishing often occurs. Therefore, it is necessary to adopt a layered arrangement of flowers and trees with different flowering periods to extend the flowering period; or to mix flowers and trees with different flowering periods with flowers and trees that show a seasonal phase; or to use herbaceous flowers (especially perennial flowers) to make up for the defect of the shorter flowering period of woody flowers.

Large-scale gardens and scenic spots often display the characteristics of a season, giving visitors a strong sense of the season. Chinese people have the tradition of appreciating certain flowers at certain times and places. Seasonal beauties such as "Viewing Plum Blossoms at Lingfeng" and "Red Leaves at Xishan" are very popular. In small gardens, there are also cherry blossom forests, magnolia forests and other configurations, which produce artistic effects with seasonal characteristics.

Garden plant space

Garden plant space: Plants are the main body of the garden, and through artistic layout, a spatial environment is formed that adapts to the functional requirements of the garden and beautiful plant landscape.

design

The creation of garden plant space is based on the terrain and landform conditions, using plants to divide the space and create a certain landscape or special environmental atmosphere. This kind of creation, like other artistic creations, "has an intention first." The design of the forest edge line of plant arrangement in the plane composition and the canopy line in the facade composition is a necessary means to realize the garden's concept.

A plot of land with the same area can be divided into spaces formed by plants of varying sizes through forest edge design; or small spaces can be divided within a large space, or perspective lines can be organized to increase the depth of field of the space. Through the design of the canopy line, colorful three-dimensional contour lines can be organized; in the groves with little undulations in the canopy line, if a particularly tall isolated tree stands out, it can serve as a landmark and guide. At the same time, since the branching points of trees are high and low, in the canopy line design, open or closed plant spaces can be created according to the height of the human body.

Designed plant spaces usually have a main view, and most of them are trees or shrubs with high ornamental value. When trees are used as the main landscape, they are usually planted alone, in clusters or in rows. When shrubs are used as the main landscape, they are usually planted in groups or in clusters. There are also those with natural flower beds combined with buildings and rocks as the main scenery. In the plant space, paving the ground with grass can unify the tone of the entire space. In local areas or under trees, shade-tolerant ground cover plants can be planted.

The plants at the edge of the plant space should be arranged in a sparse and dense manner, with twists and turns, staggered heights, and appropriate colors. The combination of evergreen trees and deciduous trees can make the scenery beautiful in both winter and summer. When a quiet, enclosed space is needed, evergreen trees and shrubs are arranged in multiple layers and planted closely to act as a barrier. For larger plant spaces, various garden pieces can be appropriately set up to add interest to the plants. For example, on a lawn with slightly undulating terrain, you can half-bury stones or stand an exquisite Taihu stone; in seasons with dull colors, you can place potted flowers to form various patterns.

Examples

A garden plant space in Huagangguanyu Park in Hangzhou, China, with an area of ​​2,150 square meters. The terrain is inclined to the southeast and is surrounded by trees to form an enclosed space. The main scenery is five freely planted Albizia albizzia trees, located at the highest point of the space. There are nine sycamore trees on the opposite slope to the main landscape tree, and behind the sycamore trees is a cypress forest. The southern part of the space is lined with cherry blossoms, while the northern part is lined with a variety of spring flowering shrubs. To the west of the Albizia Julibrissin tree is a forest of Acer truncatum. In spring, cherry blossoms bloom in the south and various spring flower shrubs bloom in the north; in summer, the main feature, the albizzia tree, is particularly bright and eye-catching amidst the lush green trees all around; in late autumn, the leaves of the albizzia tree fall, and the red leaves of the maple forest and the yellow leaves of the sycamore trees complement each other from east to west; in winter, in front of a verdant cypress forest, nine white-green sycamore trunks stand out without appearing to be withered. The carefully designed plant arrangement gives this space a beautiful landscape in all four seasons.

Landscape and Plant Configuration

The landscape and plant configurations are described as follows:

Waterscape Plant Configuration

The arrangement of plants in various water bodies in gardens, such as lakes, rivers, ponds, streams, and harbors, must conform to the requirements of the ecological environment of the water bodies. When creating waterscapes, attention should be paid to the role of dikes and islands in dividing the water surface and increasing the depth of field. Waterside plants should be water-resistant, moisture-loving, graceful, and brightly colored trees and shrubs, which can form the main scenery or be combined with flowers, plants, and lake stones to decorate the embankment. Choose flowering trees or colorful leaves to enrich the waterscape. When planting tall trees next to larger water bodies, pay attention to the ups and downs of the canopy line and the creation of perspective lines. It is not advisable to plant aquatic plants on the water surface where there is scenery to be reflected, so as to expand the sense of space and make the distant mountains, nearby trees, buildings, etc. form an "underwater painting".

Roadside Planting

Pay attention to creating different garden path landscapes, such as mountain paths, bamboo paths, flower paths, wild paths, etc. In natural garden paths, the general planting pattern of street trees should be broken. The same tree species does not necessarily have to be planted on both sides, but a balanced effect must be achieved. The spacing between rows and plants should be combined with the roadside scenery, leaving perspective lines to create conditions for "changing scenery with every step." Brightly colored solitary trees or clumps of trees can be planted at intersections to serve as a backdrop, as a sign, or as a guide. Turf can be inlaid on the pavement of secondary garden paths or paths to enrich the garden path landscape. Regular garden paths should also have two to three types of trees or shrubs alternating between them to create an undulating rhythm.

Plant arrangement beside the building

First of all, it must conform to the nature of the building and the theme it wants to express. For example, next to the "Pinghu Autumn Moon" pavilion in Hangzhou, a large autumn tree with a canopy-like crown is planted; next to the "Wen Muxixiang Pavilion", it is surrounded by osmanthus trees. Secondly, the building should be coordinated with its surrounding environment. If a building is too large, has a rigid form, or is in an inappropriate location, plants can be used to block or compensate for it. Thirdly, we need to strengthen the foundation planting of the building, plant flowers, plants or shrubs at the wall base to create a transition space between the building and the ground, or to serve as a stabilizing foundation. A plant at the corner of the house can overcome the monotonous feeling of the building's appearance. Climbing plants can be planted on the walls, and evergreen trees of appropriate height should be densely planted next to the statues as a background. It is advisable to plant shade-providing and fragrant flowers and trees next to the chairs.

Plants beside rockery rockery

Generally, the main focus is on expressing the shape and texture of the stone, and it is not appropriate to add too many plants. Sometimes one or two small trees or shrubs can be placed next to the stone. When shelter is needed, plant climbing plants. Stones half buried in the ground are often matched with book grass or low flowers. The rocks beside streams are often planted with various aquatic plants to enhance the natural interest.

Plant Arrangement in Ancient Chinese Gardens

The earliest records of plant arrangement in ancient Chinese gardens can be found in books such as flower catalogs and flower art in the Song Dynasty. They were discussed in the Ming Dynasty's "Qunfangpu", "Yuanye" and "Changwuzhi". More detailed descriptions were given in the Qing Dynasty's "Guang Qunfangpu" and "Huajing". Judging from these written records and the gardens and ancient trees preserved to this day, the plant configuration of ancient Chinese gardens has the following characteristics:

■ He has a relatively profound understanding of garden plant themes and can understand their temperaments. He goes deep into the inner character of plants from their ecological habits and external forms and "personifies" them. Therefore, there is a saying that "plum blossoms are elegant and lofty, bamboos are upright in structure, orchids are secluded and elegant, and chrysanthemums are pure and elegant", and they are referred to as the "Four Gentlemen". Or pine, bamboo and plum are put together and called the "Three Friends of Winter". Or peony is used to symbolize wealth, crape myrtle to symbolize harmony, etc. Often, a personified metaphor is given to the plant based on its ecological habits and expression forms. Therefore, in gardens, emphasis is placed on appreciating the individual beauty of plants, with many plants being planted alone and rarely pruned.

■Learn from nature and simulate natural plant landscapes to enter the park. Even in a very small garden, the idea of ​​"three or five trees forming a forest" is simulated to create the artistic conception of "mountains and forests within reach". Some even created the "Spring Scenery of Wuling" in the garden according to the description in Tao Yuanming's "Peach Blossom Spring"; or moved the pastoral scenery into the garden and set up a "Daoxiang Village" and so on.

■ Prefer to concentrate on planting a certain type of plant that is distinctive or popular among the masses, creating a specialized garden. Such as the Fuli Palace in Shanglin Garden of the Western Han Dynasty, the Peony Garden in Luoyang in the Song Dynasty, the loquat garden, bamboo garden, pear fragrance courtyard and banana grove in the gardens of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. This form has been passed down to this day.

■ Plants are closely integrated with other elements of the garden. Mountains, rocks, water bodies, garden paths and buildings are all set off by plants and even named after plants, such as Wansongling, Yingtaogou, Taohuaxi, Haitangwu, Meiyingpo, Furongshi, etc., which enhances the plant atmosphere of the scenic spot. Buildings named after plants, such as Ouxiangxie, Yulantang, Wanjuting, and Shibamandala Pavilion, are fixed, while the plants change with the seasons and years, which intensifies the contrast between static and dynamic in the garden scenery.

■Ancient Chinese gardens are famous for their scenery, and many of the sceneries are named after plants. Such scenes as pine wind in myriad valleys, pear blossoms accompanying the moon, tung trees cut by autumn wind, secluded residence of parasol trees and bamboos, fragrant snow on Luogang, etc. are extremely common and fully reflect the characteristic of ancient China of "writing poetry and painting into gardens".

■In the long history of garden construction, a procedure for the arrangement of Chinese garden plants has been formed, such as planting plum trees around the house, willows on the curved embankment, locust trees shading the courtyard, bamboos moved in front of the windows, and kudzu hanging and ivy hanging, all of which reflect the unique style of the arrangement of Chinese garden plants.

Foreign garden plant configuration

The configuration of plants in foreign gardens is very different from that in ancient Chinese gardens.

Western Europe

The plant arrangements in the representative French and Italian gardens in Western Europe are mostly regular, or the plants are trimmed into geometric shapes. In the 16th century, most of the trees in Italian gardens were evergreen trees, which were densely planted along the garden paths and walls and trimmed into green corridors or green walls. The terraces were also covered with green planting beds trimmed into squares with boxwood or cypress trees. After the 18th century, British natural landscape gardens appeared in Britain, characterized by open meadows, naturally planted trees, and winding paths. In modern Western European countries, due to increasingly serious environmental problems and the requirements and influence of urban ecology, plant configuration tends to be natural and attention is paid to the role of plants in environmental protection. When selecting plants, we consider economic benefits and pay attention to the visual artistic effects of plant configuration.

Japan Japanese Garden

The plant configuration mostly adopts natural style, but also pays attention to pruning plants. Evergreen trees are mostly chosen as tree species. Pine trees, in particular, are often trimmed into certain shapes, forming a unique Japanese style. A method of tree shaping and pruning, called "刈■," has also been created. At the same time, more attention is paid to the configuration of autumn-color tree species, such as planting maple forests in large areas. The configuration of the groves is often three-to-one, two-to-one, or five-to-one, so that visitors can see every tree in the entire grove from any angle. Large-leaf palm plants and banana trees are often planted next to the houses to create a garden atmosphere of "listening to the sound of rain". A number of trees or shrubs are often placed at the mouth of a waterfall to cover part of the waterfall and increase the sense of depth. The ground in the garden is often covered with plants such as fine grass, small bamboos, vines, ferns, and mosses.

Russian Garden

Attaching great importance to plant configuration, Russian landscape architects first classified and graded garden plants according to their ornamental characteristics. For example, crown shapes were divided into elliptical, egg-shaped, spherical, conical, pagoda-shaped, umbrella-shaped, natural, weeping, creeping and many other shapes; green leaves were divided into three types according to color: cyan, yellow-green, and gray-green; and flower shapes and inflorescences were divided into six categories. When arranging plants, the artistic composition and style of the plants should be considered from the aspects of plane, three-dimensional, color, and density of trees. At the same time, from the perspective of forestry, we also pay attention to the proportion of trees and shrubs, the proportion of coniferous and broad-leaved trees, the tree density and the proportion of tree species, so as to form a theory of garden plant configuration.

in addition:

1. Ornamental characteristics of garden plants

　　Garden plants have different postures. Common woody trees and shrubs have columnar, tower-shaped, conical, umbrella-shaped, spherical, semicircular, ovate, obovate, creeping, etc. Special ones include weeping branches, curved branches, arched branches, palm shelves, banana-shaped, etc. Tree species with different postures give people different feelings: towering into the clouds or undulating waves, peaceful and leisurely or flying. Planting with different terrains, buildings, streams and rocks will create a beautiful scenery. The reason for the formation of different postures is related to the branching habits and age of the plants themselves. Single-axis branching: The terminal buds are well developed, and the main trunk is obvious and thick. The side branches belong to the main trunk. If the continued growth of the main trunk is greater than the growth of the side branches, a columnar or tower-shaped crown is formed. Such as arrow poplar, Xinjiang poplar, sky-piercing poplar, Taiwan cypress, Italian cypress, columnar European yew, etc. If the extended growth of the side branches is close to the height growth of the main trunk, a conical crown is formed. Such as cedar, fir, spruce, etc.

False dichotomous branching: The apical buds at the branch ends naturally die or are suppressed, resulting in the dominance of lateral branches, and the main trunk is not obvious, thus forming a network of branches. If the height growth is slightly stronger than the lateral horizontal growth, the crown is elliptical, and when they are close, it becomes round. Such as lilac, mantou willow, thousand-headed toon, Luohuo umbrella, frozen green, etc. When the lateral growth is stronger than the height growth, it becomes oblate. Such as chestnut, green maple, etc.

Synaxial branching: There is no terminal bud at the end of the branch, and the highest lateral bud replaces the terminal bud to continue the high growth. The main trunk is still obvious, but mostly curved. Due to the different opening angles of the lateral branches that replace the main trunk, the more upright ones are closer to the uniaxial crown, and the more open ones are closer to the pseudo-binary crown. Therefore, the crown shape of synaxial tree species varies greatly, and most of them are umbrella-shaped or irregular, such as the bell tree, willow, persimmon, etc. The angle and length of the branches in the branching habit will also affect the tree shape. Most tree species have upright and oblique branching angles, but some tree species have flat branches, such as the crescent cypress. Some branches are slender, soft and drooping, such as the weeping willow. Some branches grow flat close to the ground, such as the creeping cypress.

The branches of trees and shrubs also have important ornamental characteristics and can become the main ornamental tree species in winter gardens. For example, the trunks of the bottle palm are like bottles, Buddha belly bamboo, Buddha belly tree, and Buddha belly. The branches of white birch, white eucalyptus, pink branch willow, two-color swing, and cole's hook are white. The branches of red yew, sala, Tibetan Rubus, and purple bamboo are red and purple. The branches of Taitang, bamboo, sycamore, green press, and young poplar, Hebei poplar, and white poplar are green or gray-green. The branches of mountain peach, central China cherry, and chrysanthemum are square copper. The poles of golden jade bamboo, golden jade bamboo, and golden bamboo are yellow. The bark of white pine, elm, spotted sleeve water tree, jackal skin camphor, Tianmu Litsea, sycamore, Tianmu purple stem, papaya, etc. are mottled and variegated.

Flowers are the most important ornamental feature. Most species in warm temperate and subtropical zones bloom in spring, so species that bloom in summer, autumn, winter and all seasons are extremely precious. 60 Albizia albizzia, Elaeagnus chinensis, and Hibiscus. Crape myrtle, trumpet creeper, American trumpet creeper, oleander, pomegranate, cassia, magnolia grandiflora, Buddaria officinalis, woody fragrant buds, glutinous rice strips, Haizhou Changshan, red flower Bauhinia, hibiscus, winter plum, plum, witch hazel, Yunnan camellia, winter cherry, rose, etc. Some species with peculiar flower shapes are very attractive, such as Strelitzia reginae, Paphiopedilum, ribbon orchid, and traveler's banana. When appreciating flowers, people prefer to smell the fragrance, so species such as osmanthus, rose, chrysanthemum, osmanthus, plum, white orchid, Michelia, night-blooming jasmine, Milan, Murraya odorifera, woody tuberose, lilac, fuli, hawk claw flower, and citrus are very popular. The colorful blocks, spots, ribbons and patterns composed of different colors are extremely important in the matching planting, and the ones with color and fragrance are even more popular. According to the above characteristics, in the landscape design, they can be matched into color gardens, fragrance gardens, seasonal gardens, etc.

Many plants have distinctive leaves. Huge leaves such as the palm tree can be up to 8 meters long and 4 meters wide, reaching up to the sky, which is very spectacular. Others such as the Dong palm and the fishtail palm. Brazilian palm, alpine palm, oil palm, etc. all have huge leaves. The huge royal lily leaves floating on the water are like a big disc, which can carry young children and attract many tourists. Strange leaves such as the axis shelf, mountain poplar, Bauhinia, Magu wood, bee waist sprinkle golden banyan. Traveler banana, mimosa, etc. There are countless colorful leaf tree species. Such as purple leaf plum, red leaf peach, purple leaf small split, variable leaf banyan, red mulberry, red back laurel, golden leaf cypress, thick red cordyline, Philippine white bamboo, red maple, Xinjiang poplar, silver white poplar, etc. In addition, there are many colorful leaf horticultural cultivation varieties.

The fruits of garden plants are also of great ornamental value. The peculiar ones include elephant ear beans, eye beans, scale trees, wax intestine trees, miracle fruits, etc. The huge fruits include jackfruit, sleeves, papayas, etc. Many fruits are brightly colored. Purple callicarpa, grapes; red viburnum, European yew, flat-branched yew; small-fruited holly, southern yew, etc.; blue white sandalwood, Mahonia, etc.; white yew, red yew, jade fruit nandina, snow fruit, etc.

2. The artistic conception of plant landscape

　　With a long history and splendid culture, many ancient poems and folk customs have left beautiful chapters that personify plants. From appreciating the beauty of plant landscape to the beauty of artistic conception, it is the sublimation of the appreciation level. Not only is the meaning profound, but it also reaches the state of unity between heaven and man.

The traditional planting of pine, bamboo and plum is called the Three Friends of Winter. This is because people regard these three plants as having the same character. Pine is vigorous and elegant, and it is not afraid of the harsh environment of frost, snow, wind and cold. It can stand on the top of the mountain in the severe cold, and has the character of perseverance and integrity. Therefore, it is often used in martyrs' cemeteries in gardens to commemorate revolutionary martyrs. For example, black pine is planted on the red rock at the entrance of Longhua Park in Shanghai. The pine needles are slender and dense, and they make a sound like surging waves in the wind. There are Wanhe Songfeng, Songtao Bieyuan, Songfengxiang and other scenes in the old garden. Bamboo is my father-in-law's favorite plant. "Before going out, a scholar must have integrity. Even if he is in a high position, he is humble." "Living in a group, he is not disorderly and stands alone. He is not overturned by the wind. He is not withered by drought. He is strong enough to match pine and cypress. He is strong enough to stand against frost and snow. He is dense enough to stand in the clear smoke. He is sparse enough to let in the moonlight. He is beautiful enough to play with. He is strong enough to stand firm." Therefore, bamboo is regarded as the gentleman with the most integrity. No wonder Su Dongpo said, "I would rather eat without meat than live without bamboo." In garden scenic spots, "bamboo paths lead to secluded places." Pine and bamboo around the house are the favorite places of ancient literati. Plum is the favorite plant of the general public. Yuan Yang Weishuo praised it as "all flowers dare to bloom in the snow, and this tree is the first to bloom in the world." Chairman Mao's poems say, "It is beautiful but does not compete for spring, but only announces the arrival of spring." Lu You's lyrics say, "It has no intention of competing for spring, and it allows all the flowers to be jealous." He praised the plum blossom's fearlessness and humble dedication. Lu You's poem "Fallen into mud, but still fragrant" expresses his self-respect, nobleness, and elegance. Chen Yi's poem "When winter comes, all flowers have died, but the red plum blossoms are unyielding, and the trees stand in the wind and snow" symbolizes his steadfast and unyielding character. The vast expanse of plum blossom forests has the landscape of a sea of ​​fragrant snow, and there are many scenic spots named after plum blossoms. There are Plum Blossom Mountain, Plum Ridge, Plum Hill, Plum Valley, and Fragrant Snow Cloud Pavilion. The poem by Lin Hejing from the north, "Sparse shadows slant across the shallow water, and the faint fragrance floats in the moonlight at dusk." is one of the most elegant ways of planting. In addition, the four gentlemen of plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum. Orchids are considered the most elegant. "Fragrant but not bright in color." In the poem by Zhang Yu of the Ming Dynasty, "It can be white and yellow, and it is fragrant even when no one is around. The heart is not big, and it can contain a lot of fragrance." The poem by Zheng Tun of the Qing Dynasty says, "Orchids have grown into rows, and the meaning in the mountains is long. The steadfastness is still self-embracing, why fight against the flowers?" Chen Yi's poem says, "Orchids grow in the valleys, and nobody knows them. They are not fragrant, but people seek them everywhere in the mountains." Orchids are considered to have lush green leaves, unique and graceful branches, and are not pretentious or vulgar. They have the purest fragrance, which is far-reaching and fragrant. They can be described as fresh and childish. Chrysanthemums are cold-resistant and frost-resistant, and they emit a unique fragrance in late autumn. There are several varieties of chrysanthemums. In addition to being used for potted plants, they have developed into large standing chrysanthemums, cliff chrysanthemums, cut chrysanthemums, and ground cover chrysanthemums, which are widely used. Lu You of the Song Dynasty wrote in his poem, "Chrysanthemums are like upright people, standing alone in the frost... They are noble and chaste, and their great integrity is awe-inspiring and strong." They can be described as "secluded, chaste and elegant." Tao Yuanming's poem says, "Fragrant chrysanthemums bloom in the forest, and green pines crown the rocks. With this chaste and beautiful appearance, they stand out under the frost." Chen Yi's poem says, "Autumn chrysanthemums can be frost, and the wind and frost are very bad. They are naturally cold-resistant, and the wind and frost can do nothing to them." It praises the gentlemanly character of chrysanthemums that are not afraid of the harsh environment of wind and frost. Lotus is regarded as "coming out of mud without being stained, washing in the clear water without being evil". Osmanthus is more elegant in Li Qingzhao's mind. "It is pale yellow and soft in nature, and its feelings are far away, but its fragrance remains. Why does it need to be light green? The painted railings are the best in the Mid-Autumn Festival. The poets are so sentimental, why didn't they harvest it that year". Even the elegant plum blossoms are jealous of it. The secluded and tall chrysanthemums are also shy for it. It can be seen how noble the osmanthus is. In addition, peach blossoms symbolize happiness and good luck in folk culture; green willows are lingering, indicating farewell and heralding spring; mulberry and barnyard grass represent hometown, etc. Magnolia, crabapple, winter jasmine, peony, peony, and osmanthus are often used in royal gardens to symbolize "wealth and honor in the jade hall". There are too many to list. Leaving a valuable cultural heritage for plant landscapes can also be said to be unique.

Below are a few examples.

Features of Guangzhou Garden Plant Landscaping 　

Guangzhou is located at 23 degrees 6 minutes north latitude and 113 degrees 18 minutes east longitude, on the southern edge of the subtropical zone. The average temperature in January is 13.2 degrees Celsius, and the average temperature in August is 28.7 degrees Celsius, with an absolute minimum of 0 degrees Celsius and a maximum of 38 degrees Celsius. The rainfall is 1638 mm. Dinghu Mountain (23 degrees 10 minutes north latitude and 112 degrees 24 minutes east longitude), 86 kilometers away from Guangzhou, is located on the Tropic of Cancer and is close to the northern edge of the tropics. The mountain is rich in vegetation and has many types of natural communities. It is an important source and model for Guangzhou's garden plant landscaping.

1. Natural community types and rich plant resources of Dinghushan

Dinghushan is mainly composed of evergreen broad-leaved forest and seasonal rain forest. The valleys at an altitude of 50-200m are classified as valley rain forests. Although its rain forest characteristics are not as obvious as those of Jianfengling in Hainan Island and Xishuangbanna rain forests, there are also large woody vines, flat-stemmed vines, strangler plants, a large number of epiphytic and parasitic plants, large vines and large-leaved herbaceous plants, and buttress roots. Although the community level is not as complex as that of a typical rain forest, the simpler level is more suitable for simulation, generalization and refinement when planting and cultivating communities in gardens. The composition and structure of a fishtail palm community are as follows: (This community is located at an altitude of 25m) Upper tree: Ficus microcarpa, Canarium album, Celtissinensis, Caryota ochlandra. The second layer of trees: Cinnamomum chinensis, Dimocarpslongan, Sterculia lanceolata, Sarcosperma laurinum, Gironniera subaequalis, Calophyllum membramaceum, Cinnamomum coninna, and young fishtail palm trees. The third layer: Pandanus austrosinensis, Curculigo capitulata, Baphicacacanthus cusia, Ophirrhiza cantoniensis, Phrynium capitatum, Alocasia macrorrhiza, Alpinia chinensis, Tectaria subtriphylla, Maesa Perlarius, Ficus hirta, Cassia chinensis, Fishtail palm seedlings, Sterculia styracifolia seedlings, etc. Plants outside the layer: Daemonorops margaritae, Dischidia chinensis, Pothos repens, Piper austrosinensis, Epipremnum pinnata. The relative illumination under the forest of this community is only 1-1.3 (i.e., full sunlight is 30,000 lx, and the illumination under the forest is: 300-400 lx). The small-leaved banyan and olive trees in the upper trees have the effect of towering ancient trees, especially the small-leaved banyan can use its many drooping aerial roots to create a landscape of a single tree forest and strangulation. The fishtail palm in the middle-layer trees has a leaf shape of Posha, a long and drooping fruit sequence, a connected crown, and is relatively shade-tolerant. It has a strong seed renewal ability and can form a very stable layer. The calla lily, Tongye, Alpinia officinalis, and Tripterygium wilfordii in the ground cover layer all have huge leaves, different postures, and each has the characteristics of tropical plants. The plantain under the forest is full of flowers in these shady and wet ground covers, decorating the spring. Some of the interlayer plants such as melon seeds, centipede vines, South China pepper, and Qilin tail are close to the tree trunks and climb up the tree, while others are epiphytic on high-altitude branches and drooping. The planting layers of cultivated communities in the garden should not be too many to avoid disorder. The above community is of great practical significance for reference. There are many different types of natural communities in Dinghushan, which form different landscapes with the surrounding terrain. In addition to the natural communities that can be used as reference, there are also abundant garden plant resources that can be introduced.

The regulations are listed below:

(I) Shade-tolerant trees that can be planted under trees include Adinandra milletii, Ternstroemia gymnanthera, Saurauia tristyla, Scheffleraminutistellata, Vaccinimsprengelii, Osmanthus matsumuranus, Piitosporum glabraium, Blasius longiflorus, Blasius cochinchinensis, Bredia fordii, Hydrangea chinensis, Hydrangea kwangsiensis, Ilextutcher, Rhododendronsimiarum, Rhododendronhenryi, Lyoniao valihlia var.lanceolata), Ardisia crispa, Ardisia mammillata, Ardisia quinquegona, Maesa japonica. Jasminum pentaneurum, Viburnum chunii, Viburnum hanceanum, Viburnum lutes-cens, Callicarpa rubella, Clerodendron frangrans, Cleirdendron japonicum, Rhapis excelsa. (ii) Pepromia pellucida, Chloranthus spicatus, Sarcandra glabra, Corydalis pallida, Begonia lobata, etc. can be planted under the forest. caciniata), Guangzhou snakeroot, red-backed snakeroot (Ophiorriza succirubra). Commelina communis, Alpinia chinensis, Alpinia pumila, Disporum leschenaultianum, Liriopespicta, Ophiopogon platyphyllum, Ophiopogon stenophyllum, Acorus granzineus, Aglaonema modestum, Alocasia macrorrhiza, Homalomena occuIta, Pandanus, Curculigo orchioides, etc. (III) Can be planted on trellises, attached to rock walls or climbing. Vine shrubs and vine plants Momordica cochinchinensis that are epiphytic on other trees. Actinidia lanata, Actinidia latiifolia, Quisqualis indica, pileostegia viburnoides, Bauhinia champloni, Millettia spp., Parthenocissus heterophylla, Mucuna birdwoodiana, Rhaphidophora hongkongensis, Epipremum pinnatum, Lonicera confusa, Kadsura longipedunculata, Pothos repens, Piper hencei, Trachelospermum jasminoides. Hoyacarnosa, Tetrastigma planicaule. (iv) Wild flowers that can be planted under forests, on forest edges and in open areas include Baphicacanthus cusia, Aster ageratoides, Barleria cristata, Eranthemum polynanthum, Veronica javanica, VerOnica undulata, Solidago virgo-aurea, Wedelia wallichii, Wedelia chinensis, Plumbag zeylanica, Nendranthema indicum, Senecio scandens and Patrima villosa.

2. Characteristics of Guangzhou's garden plant landscaping

Guangzhou garden plant landscaping can be learned from the natural community types of Dinghushan from a macro perspective. It should be dominated by broad-leaved evergreen forest landscapes, and some rainforest landscapes should be created to more fully reflect the tropical scenery.

(I) Forming artificial communities with multi-layered and tropical landscapes. Guangzhou has excellent climatic conditions, rich plant species, and many shade-tolerant plant species in the gardens, so it is very suitable to plant artificial communities with vertical layers and tropical landscapes. 1. 2. Woody shade-tolerant plants include bamboo cypress, long-leaved bamboo cypress, Podocarpus, Torreya grandis, Torreya grandis, Cephalotaxus chinensis, red cypress, Milan, Osmanthus fragrans, red-backed laurel, eagle claw flower, camellia, oil tea, large-leaf tea, osmanthus, Michelia, night-blooming jasmine, Pittosporum tobira, Nandina, Mahonia, small wall, shade hydrangea, hairy jasmine, winter red, star aniseed plate, Gardenia jasminoides, water gardenia, tiger chop, Yunnan yellow jasmine, peach leaf coral, bone, callicarp, horse silver flower, Myrsinus japonica, umbrella tree, hundred-liang gold, Dujianshan, June snow, Jianying tree, cordyline, thick red cordyline, gold orchid, honeysuckle, palm, clustered fishtail palm, areca palm, swallowtail palm, axis palm, three-herb palm, soft-leaf thorn palm, magnolia (Indigofera tinctoria) and Lespedeza pedunculata, etc. 2. 2. Shade-tolerant climbing plants include Monstera, Kylin, Pothos, Moss radish, Deep-lobed Anthurium, Palm-lobed Anthurium, Three-lobed Vine, Three-lobed Vine, Chinese Ivy, Foreign Ivy, Long-stalked Syngonium, Trachelospermum, Schisandra chinensis, Hoya, Centipede Vine and Ground Sponge, etc. 3. 4. Shade-tolerant herbs and ferns include Curculigo, Curculigo macrophylla, -leaf orchid, variegated -leaf orchid, water ghost banana, tiger tail orchid, golden-edged tiger tail orchid, amaryllis, yellow amaryllis, calla lily, Guangdong Fangnianqing, Dieffenbachia, Shiyingpu, auspicious grass, Ophiopogon japonicus, broad-leaved Ophiopogon japonicus, false horsetail, Hosta, purple calyx, false longevity bamboo, purple-backed arrowroot, variegated arrowroot, spotted leopard arrowroot, goose velvet bamboo, variegated leaves, such as big Wufeng grass, Tongye, variegated leaf Alpinia officinalis, Alpinia officinalis, closed sheath ginger, Amomum villosum, water tower flower, duckweed, blue pig ear, begonia, red flower oak sorrel, Mirabilis jalapa, Saxifraga, creeping pot grass, purple Dong, yellow Dong, green cloud grass, Guanyin rosette fern, South China purple dustpan, golden dog, kidney fern, nest fern, cycad fern, coconut gong, trident fern, sand skin fern, rock ginger and star fern, etc. 4. For examples of artificially cultivated communities in urban gardens, see Figure 12: Bauhinia scabra - Camellia - Calla Lily + Alpinia glabra - Two-eared grass. White orchid - Camellia oleifera - Sansevieria trifasciata. South Asian jacaranda - Hawk's claw flower + Michelia ten camellia - Carpet grass. Pot rack - Red back laurel - Carpet grass. White orchid - Milan macrophylla - Pearl orchid. Large-leafed cypress - Long-leafed bamboo cypress - Palm bamboo - Carpet grass.

(II) Application of stem-flowering plants and plants with buttress roots. The old stem-flowering plants that can be used in Guangzhou include papaya, carambola, water holly, pineapple, and big-fruited fig, as shown in Figure 13. Kapok and alpine fig can produce huge buttress roots, as shown in Figure 14. Bald cypress can also have buttress roots and strange knee roots if planted by the water.

(III) Make full use of banyan landscape. The strangulation phenomenon of small-leaf banyan and alpine banyan in the natural community of Dinghushan Mountain and the landscape of a single-tree forest of banyan in Bird Paradise are all reflected in the landscape. Ficus plants are widely used in Guangzhou gardens, especially small-leaf banyan and alpine banyan, which have many drooping aerial roots. After taking root in the soil, the above-ground parts can gradually form a multi-tree phenomenon after support, as shown in Figure 15. A large number of small-leaf banyan and Indian rubber banyan are planted in Liuhua Lake Park. Unfortunately, these biological characteristics are not used in a favorable way. Instead, the drooping aerial roots are cut off. For some reason, their numerous aerial roots should be allowed to droop to the water surface, forming a contrast with the water surface in terms of lines, which has the effect of planting weeping willows by the lake. There is a small-leaf banyan forest in the park. Most of the ground under the forest is paved, but there is still a small part of the bare soil. Aerial roots should be induced to enter the soil to form a large number of tree trunks, which will greatly increase the layers and depth of field. If the hill next to the banyan forest is planted with small-leaf banyan trees and shade-tolerant shrubs, ground covers, vines and epiphytes to simulate a rainforest-like grove, the landscape will change greatly, making this activity square seem to be placed in a natural scenery.

(IV) Application of epiphytes Multiple plants growing on a tree is still a unique plant landscape in the tropics. In the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, an oil palm has more than 40 species of plants growing on its remaining leaf sheaths, belonging to more than 20 genera in 8 families. Such a landscape is borrowed and simulated in the garden as the main landscape, which will attract visitors' attention and can also be used for scientific education. In the Guangzhou Orchid Garden, a Casuarina has Monstera and two species of Hoya epiphytes. Others such as centipede vine, stone cattail vine (Pothos chinensis), rock ginger, nest fern, aerial orchid, some plants of bromeliads, and unicorn tail are all good epiphytes, see Figure 16.

(V) A large number of woody plants with large flowers, bright colors, fragrance and colorful leaves are used. There is no shortage of such plants in Guangzhou. Such as royal poinciana, kapok, golden wind flower, red flower Bauhinia, camellia, red flower oil tea, jasmine, purple magnolia, Magnolia officinalis, Mo's Michelia, pomegranate, azalea, hibiscus, yellow jin, plane flower, arched hand flower blue. Chandelure, red stem layer, rambutan, yellow flower oleander, gardenia, yellow candy, soft-branched yellow candy, oleander, frangipani, trumpet creeper, passion flower, wisteria, bird of paradise, evergreen oil vine, fragrant flower chicken blood vine, triangle flower, firecracker flower, Michelia, night primrose, white orchid, eagle claw flower, large-leaf Milan, red mulberry, golden mulberry, golden fig, red back laurel and thick red cordyline. According to their habits and ornamental characteristics, they can be used as flower hedges, colorful leaf hedges, street trees, bushes and isolated trees, etc., see Figure 17.

(VI) The use of palms, bamboos, and large woody vines is not as good as ferns. The use of the above plants is an effective way to add a strong tropical landscape. They are originally the main components of tropical natural communities. For example, the stems of the white-backed melon vine are thick and clamber over large trees near or far; the stems of the shoulder vine are flat like shoulder poles, and the berries are orange-yellow, half leaning on large trees or across the air. In the garden, you can use Kirin Tail, Monstera, Hong Kong Cliff Horn Vine, Millettia, Wisteria, Quisqualis, Firecracker Flower, and Passion Flower. The bird of paradise flower, evergreen oil vine and other foliage and flower viewing large vines are planted together, and the effect is remarkable. The royal palm, date palm, long-leaf thorn palm, and false betel nut in the palm family can all be used as isolated landscape trees with graceful postures, and some can be planted into forests, such as coconut forests and royal palm forests. Oil palm forests, sugar palm forests; some can be used as street trees, such as fan palm, fishtail palm, queen palm, royal coconut, etc.; some shrubs, such as areca palm, palm bamboo, axis palm, soft-leaved thorn palm, fragrant palm, swallowtail palm, Chinese feather palm, single spike fishtail palm, etc. can be used as shade-tolerant trees for planting. Liuhua Lake Park has planted a large area of ​​fan palms by the lake, planted on both sides of the river bank, with the trunks bending towards the water surface, full of momentum and great momentum. From a distance, it is suspected to be a coconut forest, which shows that the tropical atmosphere is strong. There are many bamboo clumps in Guangzhou, which can be planted in pieces into bamboo forests or in clusters by the lake. The bamboo forests in the garden form secluded bamboo paths, which deepen the depth of field. Bamboo is also very suitable for planting with transparent, elegant and light southern garden buildings. Dinghushan is rich in wild fern resources, especially some eye-catching large vines, such as Cycad fern, Purple Sedge, and four types of Sedum, which are graceful and can be planted as the bottom layer or in the shade of buildings. See Figures 18, 19, and 20.

3. Analysis of Guangzhou’s garden plant landscape

(I) Guangzhou has made brilliant achievements in introducing tropical plants from abroad, but has not made enough use of native plants. In the long-term introduction process, some species have even become "wild" naturalized plants. Such as red flowered sedge (introduced from tropical America), winged crow's beak (introduced from tropical Africa), large flowered crow's beak (introduced from India), etc. These colorful and varied exotic plants have added a lot of color to Guangzhou gardens and are very valuable. Looking at the existing common species, their origins are as follows:

1. Plant species introduced from Oceania include Areca palm, Melaleuca alternifolia, Eucalyptus citrifolia, Casuarina equisetifolia, Araucaria truncatula and Betula grevillea.

2. Plant species introduced from tropical America include firecracker vine, poinsettia, false forsythia, plane flower, sapodilla, mahogany, amaranth, sugar apple, royal palm, plumeria, yellow oleander, acacia, jacaranda, dieffenbachia, arrowroot, water banana, triangle flower, water tower flower, red cardinal coral, etc.

3. Plant species introduced from Asia include carambola, castanea japonica, jasmine, violacea, fig, mango, Milan, erythrina, sea red bean, and variegated green radish.

4. Plant species introduced from tropical Africa include the royal poinciana, areca palm, tiger tail orchid, chandelier plant, trumpet creeper, cyperus rotundus, red mulberry, etc.

On the basis of this excellent introduction, we should also pay attention to the introduction of native species, give full play to the role of natural resources, and reflect the local natural landscape. Take the introduction of palm plants as an example. In addition to the native fishtail palm commonly used in gardens, the clustered fishtail palm can also be introduced. Dong palm (Caryota urens) native to Yunnan, it has a thick and thick trunk, a tall and majestic tree body, and swaying leaves like a cover. It is more majestic than fishtail palm. It is an extremely rare and excellent garden tree species. As a shade-tolerant palm plant under the forest, there are many resources in Guangdong, Guangxi and Yunnan. Such as mountain betel nut (Pinanga discOlor), spiny axis palm (Licuala spinosa), axis palm (Licuala fordiana), large palm (Didymosperma candatum), Qiong palm (Chuniophoenix hainanensis), Chinese feather palm (Wallichia chinensis), single spike fishtail palm (Caryotamonostachya), Longzhou bamboo palm (Rhapis robusta), etc.

(II) The artistry and scientific nature of the plant landscapes in Guangzhou’s parks need to be summarized and improved in a timely manner.

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, Guangzhou has built and renovated many parks, and has made great achievements in park construction. The plant landscape in the park has taken shape and the design intention has been revealed. Now is a good time to conduct deliberation and summary. Although the orchid garden is small in area, it has rich plant landscape. The species and quantity of plants in the park are more important than other garden factors in proportion; the artificial community has clear layers, with towering ancient trees on the top, small shade-tolerant trees, shrubs and grass ground cover below, and epiphytes and vines in the middle; basically, plants are used to separate space and create landscapes. When visiting, it feels like being in the mountains, deep and quiet. This alone has great charm for residents who have lived in the downtown for a long time, making people feel that they will never get tired of visiting. The density of plant planting in the park is quite bold. Compared with general design drawings, the density is quite large, but because many shade-tolerant species are used, the interspecific relationship in the community can still be peaceful. Each layer appears full, although the growth is strong or weak, and sometimes individual old trees and fallen wood landscapes are allowed to exist, which better reflects the natural landscape. At present, foreign countries are increasingly tending to simulate the dynamics of nature in plant arrangement. Regular tree shaping is gradually decreasing, while natural tree shapes are popular. The density between individuals in clumps and tree groups is sometimes as high as that in natural forests. The weakly growing oppressed species and the strong forest edge trees in the community are clearly visible. Of course, such overcrowded communities should not be used too much, and they should be used properly. The closer the arrangement is to nature, the more difficult and demanding it is, because it is not made by piling up plants, but requires the help of rich knowledge of geobotany and forestry, and frequent experience in the wild. Planting cannot only focus on the results of recent years, but also needs to consider the future growth of individual plants and the interspecific relationship within the community. In order to maintain the advantages of the orchid garden, the trend of evolution and renewal should first be affirmed and maintained by some excellent communities and exquisite small parts, and adjustments should be made to some overcrowded and poorly growing individuals. Some ground cover plants that are planted in a fragmented and disorderly manner need to be replanted. In addition, if the stinky water in the park cannot be transformed for the time being, water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) and giant algae (Pistiastra tiotes) can be planted on the water surface, which can not only absorb toxic substances in the water, but also play a certain role in covering up ugliness and isolating odor. Liuhua Lake Park is a different landscape. Although the number of plant species is not large, the quantity is large. It is simple and bold. It is very successful to use small-leaved banyan, Indian rubber banyan, and fan palm as the tone of the garden to unify the plant landscape of the whole park. The aerial roots of banyan trees should be further utilized to hang above the water surface, or to create a landscape of a single tree forming a forest. Unfortunately, there is a lack of reproductive plants, vines and shade plants under the forest in the park. If a corner is set aside in the banyan forest to simulate the rainforest landscape, the tropical atmosphere will be reflected immediately. Xiaogang Park uses bamboo to unify the whole park, which is unique. Unfortunately, the layout is similar to a specimen garden, with only the name hanging on the sign, which is rather boring. Can we combine popular science and tourist projects to plant bamboos on the existing basis, so that they can show the habits and uses of different bamboo species and have an active artistic layout? We can also hang nameplates so that tourists can enjoy beauty and gain some popular science knowledge while visiting the garden. In order to enrich the outline and skyline of the group courtyard, bamboo species of the genus Pleioblastus can be planted under the tree canopy, and can also be planted into some small pieces by combining with water, stone, and other garden components to enrich the garden scenery. Some bamboo species of different heights, colors, and pole shapes can be planted together to form a high and low staggered and contrasting community, so that bamboos can be planted in a unified pattern of poles and leaves, with changes in color, height, gathering and dispersion.

Features of Hangzhou Garden Plant Landscaping

Hangzhou is located at 30 degrees 15 minutes north latitude and 120 degrees 16 minutes east longitude. It is located in the subtropical monsoon climate zone and the southern edge of the northern area of ​​the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in the subtropical humid area of ​​Central China. The average temperature in January is 3.6℃, ​​the average temperature in January is 28.8℃, the absolute minimum is -10.5℃, the maximum is 42.1℃, and the average annual rainfall is 1400mm. The frost-free period is 250-280 days throughout the year, and the growing season is long. 1. Types of secondary natural communities in the mountainous area of ​​West Lake The West Lake Scenic Area is surrounded by mountains on the south, north and west sides, with undulating hills. The mountainous area covers an area of ​​49 square kilometers, which are composed of limestone, Qianligang sandstone, igneous rock, tuff and rhyolite. The natural communities also have certain differences according to the different bedrock and soil.

(I) The hierarchical structure and common plant species of the secondary natural community of Yunqi Qianligang sandstone. The first layer of evergreen tree species: Castanopsis carlesii, Castanopsis sclerophylla, Cinnamomum camphora, Cyclobalanopsis glauca. Deciduous tree species: Liquidambar formosana, Rhizoma scabra, Phyllostachys chinensis. The second layer of evergreen tree species: Phoebe chekiangensis, Phoebe huadongnan, Phyllostachys pubescens. The third layer of evergreen tree species: Camellia dasyphylla, Phoebe dasyphylla, Phoebe edulis. Cyclobalanopsis glauca seedlings, Phoebe chekiangensis seedlings, Phoebe huadongnan seedlings. Deciduous tree species: Piper serrata, Callicarpa. The fourth layer of woody small shrubs: Evergreen Ying, Tiger Thorn, White Horse Bone, Cinnabar Root, Bai Liang Jin, Mountain Firefly. Lianas: Trachelospermum jasminoides. Chinese ivy. Creeping Euonymus, Microphylla qingfengteng, Pearl Lotus, Coldberry, Akebia trifoliata. Herbs: Lucky Grass, Broad-leaved Ophiopogon japonicus, Ophiopogonis, Butterfly Flower, Golden Thread Grass, Phoenix Fern, Cynomorium.

(II) The hierarchical structure and common plant species of the secondary natural community of rhyolite in Huanglong Cave The first layer of evergreen tree species: Cyclobalanopsis, Castanopsis chinensis, Cinnamomum camphora. Deciduous tree species: Liquidambar formosana. The second layer of evergreen tree species: Holly, Palm, Photinia, Silver Flower, Phoebe nanmu forest, the camphor forest of Wushan, the bitter storage forest of Shirenling, the Cryptomeria fortunei forest of Hupao, etc., the landscape is lush and evergreen all year round, but lacks seasonal changes. In the limestone mountain area, there are both deciduous broad-leaved forests and evergreens. Deciduous broad-leaved mixed forests. For example, Yuhuang Mountain, Nangaofeng, Longjing Temple, Feilai Peak are mainly deciduous broad-leaved forests, and the upper tree species are hemp gravel. Liquidambar formosana, Pistacia chinensis, Styrax odoratus, Psoralea corylifolia ... Mountain Albizzia, etc.; shrubs include Photinia, Euonymus, Snow in June, and Pepper; grass ground cover includes Trinerga, Duchesnea, and Chrysanthemum. In addition, there are some pure deciduous forests, such as the Liquidambar forest in Ganying Bridge, the Golden Pine forest in Cheng'an Mountain, and the Maju forest in Yuhuang Mountain. These forest landscapes are rich, with great changes in beauty and bright colors. In the evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved mixed forests, the upper trees include Schima superba. Kuchu, Cyclobalanopsis, Cinnamomum camphora, Ilex, Pinus massoniana. Cypress, Liquidambar, Hackberry, Mountain Bladder, Maju, White Gravel, Styrax, Pistacia, and Tung. Shrubs include Stone Barrel, White Horse Bone, Shanhai Dong, and Lespedeza. There are relatively rich tree species in the mixed forest, and the landscape effect is clearly layered. There are certain seasonal changes and it can remain evergreen in winter.

2. Characteristics of Hangzhou Garden Plant Landscape In addition to the natural factors of lakes and mountains, the biggest feature of Hangzhou gardens is to win with plant landscapes, while the proportion of garden architecture and other artificial garden elements such as large rockery is much smaller than that of other cities. The reason why the plant landscape is fascinating is mainly that it complies with the laws of nature in construction, and the laws of local natural communities are used to guide greening from beginning to end; secondly, it highlights the quantity, trees, shrubs, and grass ground cover plants of all layers are planted in patches, which is very impressive and conforms to the law that there is no beauty without quantity in large gardens; thirdly, it makes full use of the rich and colorful native plant resources to form various specialized gardens, and uses plants combined with terrain undulations to separate spaces, making the garden scenery more natural, and planting a variety of plant landscapes in the plant space, such as isolated trees, groves, tree groups, tree altars, various types of grasslands and colorful huts, bulbous flowers, etc.; finally, it can be praised that the artistic use of plant landscaping is very superb, the scenic spots are well-conceived, the subject is appropriate, the artistic conception is profound, the seasonal colors are rich, the plant landscape is full, and the contour lines change in a orderly manner. Of course, all of this requires meticulous maintenance and management.

(I) Determine the basic appearance of the landscape with evergreen broad-leaved trees as the main species and a mixture of evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved species, and make full use of the ornamental tree species in the subtropical natural communities such as Lauraceae, Fagaceae, Aquifoliaceae , Theaceae, Aceraceae, Magnoliaceae, Ericaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Glechomaea, and Oleaceae to create the landscape.

The determination of the main tree species in Hangzhou garden plant landscape, as well as the plant species and hierarchical structure in the artificial community, all follow and simulate the laws of natural communities, and develop and utilize the plant resources of the local people. The plant species and structure of the landscape forest are determined according to the different bedrock and soil types, and attention is paid to protecting the original big trees, such as the ancient Liquidambar form of the family ... Camellia, Stewartia and Eurya species. Camellia and Magnolia plants are planted together to form Magnolia Camellia Garden. In the Theaceae family, except for Schima superba, most of them are ideal understory trees in artificial communities. The application of species and quantity of Ericaceae is also very prominent in the country, especially Rhododendron pubescens and Rhododendron styracifolium. Rhododendron and Azalea are the largest in terms of total use. In addition, a small amount of Rhododendron chinense, Rhododendron chinense, Rhododendron yunjin, Rhododendron shiyan, and Rhododendron styracifolium are also used. Rice flower. Candle of small fruit and other Ericaceae plants. Many azaleas are planted under the forest. Forest edge. Roadside, waterside, rock crevices, with their bright and colorful colors to decorate the spring scenery, can be seen everywhere, see Figure 21, various crabapples in the Rosaceae family. Fruit-viewing species such as the jacaranda, magnolia, and schisandra are also used as undergrowth. Many wild tree species in the family Glechoma are good ornamental species, such as white sandalwood, Sichuan sedge, and mouse arrow, especially the spring tree (Symplocos chingii), which blooms white flowers in early spring in March and has a round and dignified evergreen crown. The above-mentioned flowering trees and shrubs are used in large quantities, and the spring scenery is extremely colorful. When the flowers are in full bloom, the trees are full of spring colors, and the flowers are full of flowers; when they are not in bloom, the ground is covered with fallen flowers, which are colorful.

(II) Use plants to combine with the undulating terrain to divide the space, and use large lawns and ground cover plants. Another deep impression of the plant landscape in Hangzhou gardens is the lawns of various sizes. The large lawns are open and flat, with a grand momentum, such as the 35,000m2 lawn of Liulangwenying, the 16,400m2 large lawn of Huagang Park, the 4,080m2 lawn behind Gushan, and the 5,680m2 hillside lawn west of Xiling Seal Society. Small lawns are often located in large lawns or planted into separate lawn spaces, such as the enclosed small lawn next to the landscape garden of the botanical garden. The small lawns in Jiangzhuang Garden in Huagang Park give people a sense of comfort, tranquility, and small and comfortable enjoyment. The organization of these lawns is to divide the space through plants and terrain. Trees and shrubs are planted around the lawns, and their crowns divide the plant space from the facade. The undulating terrain not only increases the height of the facade of trees and shrubs, but also adds changes to the skyline.

The large lawn is open to meet the needs of tourists' activities and views. Therefore, when dividing the space with trees, attention should be paid to the requirements of openness. Solitary sleeves, clumps, and even groups of trees with different heights and rich seasonal phases can be planted in the large lawn. Large perennial bulb flowers can be planted to form a flower-studded lawn, such as the cedar clumps and cherry blossoms in the Flower Harbor lawn. The solitary Liquidambar form in the Lingyin lawn, the apricot blossom forest in the Xiling Seal Society lawn, the gravel forest behind the Gushan lawn, and the rhododendrons under the forest have become the main features of these lawns. In addition, beech, ginkgo, black cypress, red maple, and various maple trees are all excellent autumn leaf tree species on the lawn. The large lawn can be divided into several closed small lawns by clumps and tree groups. For example, the cedar tree groups in the Flower Harbor and Liulangwenyuan lawns form a small cedar space lawn, which allows tourists to rest quietly and leaves a perspective line for viewing the scenery. To add a sense of quietness, small lawns should be separated by a complex planting of trees and flowering shrubs, which not only blocks the line of sight but also forms a landscape of colorful flowers in a small space.

Ground cover plants are widely used and are one of the important components of Hangzhou garden plant landscaping. In some parks, open spaces, hillsides, under forests, banks and roadsides at scenic spots, ground cover plants are widely planted, which greatly enriches the color and landscape of the gardens, and achieves both greening and beautification effects. On both sides of the garden roads, according to the width of the road and the surrounding environment, some ground cover plants such as onion orchids, leek orchids, irises, etc. that are adapted to the site environment, have bright colors and are evergreen are selected, planted in groups or small clumps, and form flower paths or flower borders, so that the originally monotonous and empty garden roads can be matched with different colors, flowering periods, and leaf shapes of ground cover plants to form high and low, colorful flower paths or flower borders, so that they can be harmoniously connected with the surrounding scenery. Day lilies, irises, and step grasses are planted on both sides of the garden roads in Huagang Park; on both sides of the paths in the Baicao Garden of the Botanical Garden, the shade is thick and the shade-tolerant bamboo is selected to be bordered, which remains green and fluffy all year round.

In addition, it is also common to plant ground cover plants in tree altars where trees and shrubs are planted in regular or natural styles. Because there are many trees and shrubs in the tree altar, the shade area is large, and the general light conditions are poor, so ground cover plants that tolerate semi-shade are often selected, and the colors and postures of the trees above are properly matched to make the altar lively and natural. For example, in the altar of the Japanese maple in front of the Gushan Museum, purple sedge that tolerates semi-shade is planted. In spring and autumn, the flowers and leaves are lush and colorful. In the cypress pond in the Huanglong Cave Garden, a dense patch of creeping grass covers the exposed soil surface, which is connected to the surrounding stone paved road surface, making people feel fresh and harmonious. Under the white pine in the Peony Garden of Huagang Park, there is a natural cover of foreign ivy, which grows strong and dense and cannot grow. Ground cover plants under some naturally planted isolated trees are generally planted naturally around the base of the tree, which can add more natural interest. Hangzhou has a large area of ​​sparse forests. The environment under the forest is humid and shaded. Planting ground cover plants can not only protect water and soil and facilitate the growth of trees, but also increase the layers, improve environmental benefits, and deepen the landscape, reflecting the natural community structure and natural beauty of plant planting in the subtropical region. There are quite a lot of shade-tolerant plant resources under the sparse forests, including Bambusa, Psoralea, Rhododendron, Water Mastiff, Tiger Thorn, Dugenshan, Ardisia, Bailiangjin, Weijian Camellia, Trachelospermum, Chinese Ivy, Small-leaved Green Phoenix Twig, Pearl Lotus, Cold Berry and other shrubs and vines, as well as auspicious grass, broad-leaved ophiopogon, stone evening cattail, Lycoris, needle vegetable, Cangzhu, butterfly flower, step grass, spring orchid, golden thread grass, various ferns and other herbaceous plants. For example, the exposed ground under the forest and on the hillside of scenic spots such as Baojiaota, Hupao, and Yunqi is covered with bamboo, forming a single advantage, controlling the ground and reducing the growth of weeds; in the sparse forests of the botanical garden, a large number of broad-leaved ophiopogon are planted; under the yellow fir forest, the light intensity is only 1/9-1/28 of the full sun, and a certain moss not only grows well, but is also very drought-resistant, and is an excellent shade-tolerant and drought-resistant ground cover plant; under a sparse forest in Huagang Park, the soil is barren, solid and dry, and the light intensity is 1/10-1/16 of the full sun, even the step grass is not easy to grow, but Lycoris can grow well; in camphor, oil persimmon, and Pu. Under the mixed forest composed of elm and other tree species, the light intensity is 1/7-1/23 of the full sun, and the purple oak sorrel blooms and grows well; under the sparse tiger run forest, the light intensity is 1/8-1/40 of the full sun in the open field, and the step grass grows well; under the river rivulet and the evergreen euphorbia pulcherrima of the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon, the light intensity is only 1/10 of the open field, and the shade-tolerant auspicious grass grows extremely lush, evergreen all year round, and the fruit ripens in winter and does not wither for a long time. Planting ground cover plants of different heights at the edge of the forest can make it more natural. For example, the planting of Philippine white bamboo at the edge of a forest in Huagang Park naturally connects between trees and grasslands, plays a transitional role, and adds a sense of depth. The reason why the application of ground cover plants in Hangzhou gardens has achieved such great results is mainly because the materials are taken from the local ground cover plant species and are reasonably planted according to their ecological habits. These species are either dug in the West Lake mountain area or purchased from farmers in nearby suburban counties. This on-site digging and purchasing can avoid long-distance transportation, which is both economical and easy to survive. At the same time, native ground cover plants can best reflect the characteristics of the vegetation in the region, and can maintain relative stability for a long period of time, which is indeed effective in achieving twice the result with half the effort. However, when taking materials locally, it is necessary to pay attention to appropriate digging, digging large ones and leaving small ones, and protecting the seed source. In addition, garden workers also make full use of some ground cover plants that are temporarily in a wild state, such as Dicentra, Lianqian Grass, Passerby, Yellow Ear Grass, and Poa to cover the exposed ground. For example, Huagang Park intends to protect the perennial wild grass ground cover Dicentra under the white pine and magnolia trees, so that it spreads and grows in patches, achieving good results. In order to further beautify the ground, in the future, it is also possible to develop flowering ground cover plants, especially perennial perennial ground cover plants, such as Astilbe, White Friend, Autumn Peony, Coreopsis, Coreopsis, Coreopsis, Aquilegia, Orange Ridge, and Lycoris. Narcissus, snowdrop, snowbell, Scilla, and aster can also be added. Chamomile and snake eye daisy with strong self-sowing and reproduction ability can also be added, as well as foliage-viewing dieffenbachia, stone cattail, and big wufeng grass. Creeping euonymus and ferns, etc., continue to increase the types of ground cover plants, decorating the earth more beautifully. See Figure 22 and Figure 23.

(ii) Organize scenic spots and gardens based on plants, and name them appropriately

Hangzhou gardens are connected by many scenic spots with beautiful scenery and profound artistic conception around West Lake and across the mountainous area of ​​West Lake. Each scenic spot has its own characteristics and is never the same. For example, Su Causeway and Bai Causeway highlight spring scenery. Su Causeway mainly plants weeping willows and peach trees to reflect the artistic conception of "Su Causeway Spring Dawn" and "Six Bridges Smoky Willows", and adds Japanese late cherry blossoms, crabapples, winter jasmine, and soushu. Flowering trees and shrubs are matched with bright flowers and green grass; Bai Causeway is to reflect the main scenery of peach and willows, with peach trees and weeping willows planted alternately along the shore, as shown in Figure 24. Quyuan Fenghe highlights summer scenery, makes full use of the water surface, and focuses on the word "lotus". In order to reflect the artistic conception of "the lotus leaves are endless and green, and the lotus flowers are particularly red in the sun", lotus (water hibiscus) is selected. Hibiscus, water lily, and lotus magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) are selected as the main scenery plants, and crape myrtle, iris, etc. are planted to make the summer scenery colorful. Pinghu Autumn Moon highlights the autumn scenery, and aims to enjoy the moon, smell the fragrance, and appreciate the colors. Red maple, Japanese maple, persimmon, black cypress and other autumn-colored leaf trees are planted in the scenic area for viewing the colors, and then many osmanthus are planted to reflect the artistic conception of "the moon reaches the mid-autumn osmanthus fragrance". In addition, flowering shrubs such as Michelia and cassia and fragrant tuberose are planted. Hushan releases cranes to enjoy, accompanied by the beautiful and moving legend of "plum wife and crane son", and plum blossoms are planted in large areas to reflect the winter scenery of Xiangxuehai. Since the leaves of plum blossoms are easy to curl and fall in summer, some winter plums, winter jasmine, canna and other plants can be planted to compensate. In addition, there are many famous scenic spots, such as the bamboo path and red leaves (liquid gum) in Yunqi; the peony in Huagang; the black cypress and red maple in Xizhao Mountain; the osmanthus in Manjuecheng; the hibiscus in Lixi Lake, etc.

Some specialized gardens, such as the peony garden, the herb garden, the bamboo garden, the Magnolia Camellia Garden, the Begonia Garden, the Osmanthus Crape Myrtle Garden, the Maple Tree and the Rhododendron Garden, and the Yinghua Bitao Garden are also favorite places for tourists. The green leaves of the winter-show camellia in the Magnolia Camellia Garden set off the gorgeous flowers, especially on snowy days, when the snow presses on the branches and the camellia blooms, creating a moving scenery, reaching the point of "blooming in the snow until the dawn of spring". When the royal orchid flowers bloom in early spring, the camellia is still in full bloom, and the two complement each other in red and white, with colorful fallen petals on the ground, making visitors linger. In terms of plant matching, the light-loving deciduous tree Magnolia grandiflora is used as the upper layer. Because the branches are higher and the leaves fall in winter, there is enough light to allow the shade-tolerant camellia in the lower layer to grow and develop normally, with luxuriant flowers and leaves. In addition, some tall and shady evergreen trees Magnolia grandiflora with lower branches are planted to prevent the upper trees from withering in winter and add flowers in summer. The maple and azalea garden has an open and undulating terrain with gentle slopes and grasslands. Since maple and azalea are shade-tolerant and prefer higher air humidity, tall trees such as hollyhock, cycad, liquidambar formosana, camphor, elm, ailanthus, and masson pine are used as upper trees, and Acer truncatum, camphor-leaf truncatum, chicken claw truncatum, red maple, beautiful maple, Jianshi maple, acute-angled maple, five-pointed maple, and tea maple are planted in the middle layer, and white azalea, emerald azalea, and azalea are planted as lower trees. This planting arrangement not only meets the requirements of the ecological habits of different tree species, but also forms a plant landscape with different heights and rich changes in spatial composition. In terms of color contrast, white azalea is planted under red maple, with red and white complementing each other, and emerald azalea and azalea are planted under chicken claw maple, with red and green complementing each other, which is very lovely.

(IV) Both the scientific and artistic aspects of plant landscape design are prominent. The selection of tree species in plant landscape design and how to arrange them according to the design intention involve scientific issues such as the biological characteristics and ecological habits of plants. In addition, it also involves artistic issues such as artistic conception, seasonal phase, color, contrast, unity, rhythm, lines, and outlines in aesthetics. An excellent plant landscape should not only bring visual pleasure to visitors, but also grow healthily and be relatively stable. In addition to the above examples, there are many examples of strong scientific and artistic aspects in the plant landscapes of Hangzhou gardens. For example, the plant landscapes by the water in the gymnosperm area and rose area of ​​Hangzhou Botanical Garden selected the most water-resistant Metasequoia glyptostroboides planted in shallow water, the water-resistant Baldcypress and Pool Cypress native to North American swamps were planted by the water, the less tolerant Metasequoia glyptostroboides planted slightly away from the water, and finally some semi-evergreen Baldcypress were planted. The selection of these tree species and their planting locations meets the requirements of ecological habits. There is both unity and variation in artistic effects. The five tree species have the same tree shape, all of which are towering cones. The outer contours are very coordinated and unified, but there are contrasts in color. The greenness varies in summer, and the colors in autumn are even more different. The color of the Chinese cypress is brown, the color of the bald cypress is brown-red, and the color of the Metasequoia is often yellow. At that time, the Mexican bald cypress is still green. If these five tree species with the same tree shape are planted with plants of different ages, they will not be too close to the same height, but will be tall and short, with more variety. Because the bald cypress is planted in a humid place near the water, in order to ventilate, many knee roots grow on the surface for breathing, which looks like a small stone forest. The root zone of the big tree also has a buttress root phenomenon, which adds golden duckweed. The planting is well controlled, so the clear reflection of this group of plant landscapes can be seen in the water.