Landscapedia

                                          WALLED PRODUCTIVE GARDEN                                                 Fig 1: showing a walled productive garden. A walled productive garden is a classic yet adaptable landscape feature, and when combined with biophilic design principles , it can become a highly immersive, sustainable, and health-promoting space. Let’s break it down and explore how materiality and planting can be thoughtfully selected through the lens of landscape architecture and biophilia .  What is a Walled Productive Garden? A walled productive garden is a garden space enclosed by walls—traditionally stone or brick—designed primarily for growing food, herbs, and useful plants . Historically, these gardens were part of large estates or monastic ...

                                                                  ESPALIERS       What is an Espalier?                        Fig 1: shows a typical image of how plants are trained to grow as espaliers. An espalier is a horticultural technique used to train trees or shrubs to grow flat against a wall, fence, or trellis in decorative, controlled patterns. It involves careful pruning and guiding of branches along a support structure to form specific shapes, resulting in a visually appealing and space-efficient plant form. Though often used with fruit trees, ornamental shrubs can also be espaliered.     Origin of Espalier The term "espalier" comes from the Old French espailier , derived from the Italian spalliera , meaning “something to res...

                                                                 CORTEN STEEL Fig 1: shows the use of corten steel as raised planters as well as wall cladding for a building . Corten Steel: Corten steel, also known as weathering steel , is a type of steel alloy that has a unique weathered appearance due to its ability to form a stable, protective rust layer when exposed to the elements. This patina gives the steel its characteristic "rusted" look, which adds both aesthetic and protective qualities. The name "Corten" comes from a blend of "corrosion resistance" and "tensile strength." How Corten Steel is Made: Corten steel is produced through a combination of steel alloys that include copper, chromium, nickel, and phosphorus. When exposed to weather, it forms a thick layer of rust, which acts as a protective barrier, prev...

                                                                          FENG-SHUI                             Fig 1: shows an image of a Feng-shui garden. Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese practice that involves the arrangement and orientation of spaces to achieve harmony with the environment. The term "Feng Shui" literally translates to "wind-water" in English, symbolising the flow of energy (or "Qi" - pronounced "chi") in a given space. Origins of Feng Shui: Feng Shui dates back over 3,000 years and has its roots in Taoist philosophy. It originally developed from early Chinese geomancy and cosmology, which concerned itself with finding auspicious sites for settlements, tombs, and homes. The goal was to create a harmonious relati...