How much does a mandevilla cost per plant? Detailed winter care methods

Mandevilla (Dipladenia) is a flower variety introduced and cultivated in China from abroad. How much does a mandevilla cost per plant on the market? How to care for it in winter:

How much does a mandevilla cost per plant on the market:

The market price of mandevilla depends on the size of the seedling. Generally, a plug seedling costs about 6 yuan per plant, and a half-year-old seedling costs about 9 yuan per plant. Of course, the larger the seedling, the higher the price,

How to care for mandevilla in winter:

1. Temperature management

Mandevilla is a plant that prefers a warm growing environment with ample light; so if you want mandevilla to safely get through winter, the ambient temperature must be kept at least above 10°C, as this will create a warm growing environment for mandevilla and help it grow normally in winter as well.

2. Fertilizer and water management

When watering mandevilla, water thoroughly, but do not let water accumulate. However, in winter take note that, unlike watering in other seasons, you should reduce the amount of water when caring for mandevilla in winter. Water only after the potting soil has dried; if the potting soil is not dry, do not water at all;

Also, when watering, you can stop once the potting soil is slightly moist, then place it in a spot with light for care;

Mandevilla does not need fertilizing in winter, because mandevilla needs to go dormant in winter in order to protect the plant from cold damage. Once fertilized, it will cause the leaves, roots and stems to grow, and this will freeze the newly grown parts, making it impossible to get through winter safely.

So fertilizing should be stopped in winter, and resumed gradually after the temperature rises.

Now you have some understanding of the market price of mandevilla.

Care measures for the southern plant date palm

Part One: "Organization of Southern Plants"

Plumeria

Plumeria (Frangipani), its flowers really look like eggs - milky white on the outside, bright yellow in the center, just like the white and yolk of an egg, and they are really cute. Its branches are thick and fleshy. The leaves are also large, and the flowers and leaves cluster at the tips of the branches. Plumeria blooms brilliantly in summer, giving people a feeling of purity and elegance, and it is very suitable for careful appreciation. After the leaves drop, the bare trunk curves naturally, and its shape is quite beautiful. It is very suitable for planting in courtyards and on lawns. Plumeria likes a high-temperature, high-humidity environment with ample sunlight and good drainage. It is naturally robust and can tolerate drought, but it fears cold and dislikes waterlogging. It likes to grow in acidic soil, but it is also resistant to alkalinity. For cultivation, deep, fertile, well-aerated acidic sandy loam rich in organic matter is best. Propagation uses the cutting method. When planting plumeria, you should also pay attention to pest and disease control. For example, if brown small spots appear on the leaves or even the leaves turn dark black, that is because of plumeria leaf spot (angular leaf spot). At this time you should pay attention and take measures. Of course, there may also be other diseases, so plumeria needs your care and attention. In fact, besides white, plumeria also comes in red and yellow, and both can be used to extract essence for making high-grade cosmetics, soap and food additives, with a rather high price and great commercial development potential; the fresh flowers can also be dried for making tea, commonly known as plumeria tea, which has the effect of treating heat dysentery and moistening the lungs and detoxifying. The plumeria tree has a beautiful shape, with many branches on the stem in strange and varied forms; the leaves resemble those of loquat, and after they fall in winter, semicircular leaf scars remain on the branch tips, much like antlers adorned with beautiful spots, making it the top choice small ornamental tree for tropical landscaping, courtyard arrangement and potted display. The bark is thin and grayish green, rich in toxic white sap, which can be used for external application to treat scabies, redness and swelling and other conditions. The wood is white, light and soft, and can be used to make musical instruments, tableware or furniture. Plumeria flower meaning: nurturing hope, resurrection, rebirth - as simple and ordinary as life itself, so it can always be so close to people, with no distance.

Magnolia

Magnolia is a tall deciduous tree, with dark gray bark that is rough and cracked; the branchlets are slightly stout and grayish brown; the winter buds and flower stalks are densely covered with light grayish-yellow long silky hairs. The leaves are papery, obovate, broadly obovate or obovate-elliptic, with the base of vigorous shoots having elliptic leaves. Magnolia flowers are very much like lotus flowers; when in full bloom, the petals spread in all directions, making the courtyard appear in patches of bluish white, with dazzling white light, and they have high ornamental value; combined with wave after wave of delicate fragrance that refreshes the heart, they are truly an ideal flower type for beautifying courtyards. Magnolia likes light and is relatively cold-tolerant, and can overwinter in the open. It loves dryness and dislikes low humidity; waterlogged planting sites easily cause root rot. It likes fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic sandy soil, and can also grow in weakly alkaline soil. In the warmer south, it can bloom from December to January of the following year. Magnolia flowers have relatively strong resistance to harmful gases. For example, if this flower is planted in a factory polluted by sulfur dioxide and chlorine gas, it has a certain resistance and sulfur-absorbing capacity. When fumigated artificially with sulfur dioxide, 1 kg of dry leaves can absorb more than 1.6 grams of sulfur. Therefore, magnolia is a very good pollution-resistant landscaping tree species for areas with air pollution. Magnolia likes light; young trees are relatively shade-tolerant, but they are not tolerant of strong light or west-facing sun. Too strong light or west-facing sun can easily scorch the trees. Magnolia likes fertilizer; besides applying base fertilizer at planting, it should be fertilized every year afterward. Sufficient fertilizer can make the plant grow vigorously, with lush green and thick leaves, not only producing many buds but also large flowers, a long flowering period and rich fragrance. Magnolia is a tree species with relatively strong disease resistance; its main diseases include anthracnose, chlorosis and leaf scorch. Besides ornamental value, magnolia also has medicinal and edible value. Magnolia flowers contain volatile oil, mainly citral, clove oil acid and others, and also contain magnolia alkaloid, alkaloids, biond Magnolia flower extract, capric acid, rutin, oleic acid, vitamin A and other components, and have a certain medicinal value. Magnolia flowers are pungent and warm in nature, and have the effects of dispelling wind and cold, unblocking the orifices, and opening the lungs and clearing the nose. They can be used for headache, blood-stasis-type dysmenorrhea, nasal congestion, acute and chronic sinusitis, allergic rhinitis and other conditions. Modern pharmacological research shows that magnolia flowers have an inhibitory effect on common skin fungi.

Magnolia flowers are rich in vitamins, amino acids and various trace elements, and have the effects of dispelling wind and cold, and regulating qi and the lungs. They can be processed into snacks, and can also be brewed as tea. The magnolia flower meaning represents repayment of kindness. Magnolia often produces large white flowers amid lush greenery, and with its fragrant scent it gives people an indescribable elegance, truly fresh and lovely. Because the tree is tall and the flowers are positioned relatively high, swaying in the wind and full of spirit, like a heavenly maiden scattering flowers, it is very lovely.

Maranta

Maranta is a herbaceous plant. Most varieties have underground rhizomes or tubers, with single, relatively large leaves, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, with leaf veins arranged in a feather-like pattern, in two rows, and entire margins. Maranta is a relatively good groundcover plant with diverse colors, and is a very good foliage plant. Maranta is a tropical plant that likes a warm, humid and brightly lit environment. It is not cold-tolerant, nor drought-tolerant, and fears blazing sun; if exposed to direct sunlight it will scorch the leaves, causing localized scorching at the leaf edges, stopping new leaf growth, and yellowing of leaf color, so shading should be paid attention to during cultivation. Maranta is relatively sensitive to water; during the growing period it should be watered sufficiently to keep the potting soil moist, but the soil should not be waterlogged, otherwise it will lead to root rot and even plant death. Maranta is somewhat "delicate." It requires enough careful attention all 365 days; if there are a few days of major environmental fluctuation, it will leave "evidence of the crime" on the plant. This is the consensus of maranta seedling traders and producers. Maranta family plants do not have many pests and diseases, mainly scale insects, whiteflies and others. Of course, it also has other values, such as medicinal value and dietary value. Arrowroot powder is almost entirely starch, contains no vitamins, and has a protein content of only 0.2%. It can be used as a thickener for soups, sauces, puddings and desserts. Add water and boil to form a transparent, odorless and tasty paste. Arrowroot powder is fine in texture and, compared with other starches, can be cooked at lower temperatures and in shorter times, and is easy to digest, making it especially suitable for custards and other egg products that cannot be overcooked, and also suitable for making light-flavored, low-salt and low-protein foods. Effects: clears the lungs and stops cough, clears heat and promotes urination. Indications: used to treat cough due to lung heat and painful difficult urination due to damp-heat in the bladder

Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum

Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum is an evergreen shrub or small tree. The bark is dark gray or light grayish brown, with many branches. The young branches are reddish brown, densely covered with stellate hairs. The leaves are leathery and alternate, ovate or elliptic, 2-5 cm long, with a short pointed apex, a rounded and oblique asymmetrical base, stellate hairs on both sides, entire margins, and dark red color. Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum likes light and is slightly shade-tolerant, but in shade the leaf color easily turns green. It has strong adaptability and is drought-tolerant. It likes warmth and is cold-tolerant. It has strong sprouting and branching ability, and is tolerant of pruning. It tolerates poor soil, but is suitable for growing in fertile, moist, slightly acidic soil. Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum has luxuriant branches and leaves, a graceful posture, is tolerant of pruning and wiring, and can be used for hedges and for making stump bonsai. When in bloom, the whole tree is full of red flowers, extremely spectacular. Loropetalum is an evergreen plant, with new leaves bright red; different strains differ in leaf color and flower color at maturity, and leaf size also varies. In garden applications, the main considerations are leaf color and leaf size, bringing about leaf color contrast and forming color contrast, and the flowering periods can also be staggered. Main pests: aphids, geometrid moths, yellow noctuid moths, Oraesia emarginata, large and small cutworms, and scarab beetles and others. Common diseases of Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum: anthracnose, damping-off, and mosaic disease. Anthracnose: mainly harms old leaves and basal leaves. Because the leaves themselves are red, the lesions appear as

black round spots, or nearly round, causing early leaf drop, with severe damage in the rainy season from July to August. The pathogen is Actinonema. The fungus overwinters as mycelium on diseased leaves, and is the primary infection source for the disease the following year. When you find disease on the branches and leaves of Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum, you must treat it promptly.

Ornamental peach

Ornamental peach is a variety of peach, a tree 3-8 m tall; the crown is broad and flat-spreading; the bark is dark reddish brown, rough and scaly when old; the branchlets are slender, hairless, glossy, green, turning red on the sunny side, with many small lenticels; the winter buds are conical, with blunt tips, covered with short soft hairs, often clustered 2-3 together, with a leaf bud in the middle and flower buds on both sides. The leaves are oblong-lanceolate, elliptic-lanceolate or obovate-lanceolate. Ornamental peach likes sunlight, is drought-tolerant, and is not tolerant of damp environments. It likes a warm climate, has good cold tolerance, and can overwinter safely in a natural environment at minus 25°C. It requires fertile, well-drained soil. It does not like waterlogging; if planted in waterlogged low-lying places, seedling death easily occurs. Garden value: ornamental peach has large flowers and brilliant color, is beautiful when in bloom, and has an ornamental period as long as 15 days. In landscaping it is widely used at lakesides, streams, both sides of roads and parks and so on, and in small-scale greening projects such as courtyard greening accents and private gardens, and is also used for potted display, and is often used for cut flowers and making bonsai. There is also the common weeping ornamental peach. Ornamental peach has a wide range of landscaping uses and outstanding greening effects, showing particularly good results in the year of planting. It can be planted in rows, in masses, or as a solitary specimen, showing particularly good greening effects in the year of planting. Ornamental peach is one of the commonly used colored seedlings in landscaping, and is usually used together with seedlings such as purple-leaf plum and purple-leaf dwarf cherry. When combined with flowering shrubs, it forms a scene of a hundred flowers blooming together. Besides ornamental value, it also has medicinal value. The gum secreted from the peach tree trunk, commonly known as peach gum, can be used as an adhesive and so on. It is a kind of polysaccharide substance, and hydrolysis can produce arabinose, galactose, xylose, rhamnose, glucuronic acid and others. It is edible and also used medicinally, with the effects of breaking blood stasis, harmonizing blood, and boosting qi. Diseases and pests often occur in summer and autumn. Its main diseases include: white rust and brown rot, shot hole disease, anthracnose, gummosis, and leaf curl. Main pests include aphids, red spiders, scale insects, and red-necked longhorn beetles and others.

Artificial plant communities

1. Azalea (summer azalea) + Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum + Euonymus japonicus 'Aureo-marginatus' + thornless Chinese holly ball

These four plants have strong adaptability and are relatively widely planted in Fuzhou. Three foliage-color plants are planted linearly, with rich leaf colors, plus large-specimen thornless Chinese holly balls, forming a neat, full and clearly layered road greening color-band effect.

2. Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum + Photinia × fraseri ball + Michelia figo + Japanese maple

Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum itself is widely planted in Fujian, with good adaptability, and both its leaf color and flower color are very beautiful, while the Photinia × fraseri ball has green old leaves accented with red new leaves, setting each other off, extremely beautiful. The four plants combined form rich layers, and create a landscape road with longitudinal rhythm and spatial layering, and a strong sense of guidance.

3. Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum + Fatsia japonica + Canary Island date palm + Plumeria

In this combination of several plants, green is mainly the dominant color. The leaves include small and fine ones (Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum) and also coarse and large ones (Fatsia japonica, Plumeria), while the Canary Island date palm adds a touch of tropical flavor. The layers are rich, and it has the effect of narrowing the space, making people feel close to it.

4. Moso bamboo + Iris

Moso bamboo is very suitable for planting in Fuzhou. It is a scattered bamboo, and the spacing between culms varies. The iris has a graceful posture and colorful, varied flower colors, and the two combined together are very charming.

5. Small-leaved gardenia + Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum + Aucuba japonica + Osmanthus

Small-leaved gardenia has leaves like a sparrow's tongue and a low plant form, and can serve as the lowest-layer plant. Aucuba japonica has yellow spots on its leaves and is a relatively good foliage plant, while the tree osmanthus has a delicate fragrance that refreshes the heart. The combination has varying density, changes in leaf color, and added floral fragrance.

6. Rhododendron (máo dùjuān) + Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum + Fagraea ceilanica + Canna

Rhododendron has brilliant flowers, and with Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum and Fagraea ceilanica as a backdrop it is even more moving. Canna has coarse large leaves, narrowing the space and making people feel close.

7. Groundcover lawn + Marigold + Photinia × fraseri + Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum ball + Osmanthus fragrans 'Dangui'

With green groundcover as the base, marigold's brilliant yellow flowers are extremely beautiful, and behind the marigold, Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum and red Photinia serve as a backdrop. The Osmanthus fragrans 'Dangui' tree has a spreading form. The several plants set each other off, with rich variation.

8. Ophiopogon + Guava tree

Both Ophiopogon and guava tree adapt very well in Fuzhou and grow normally. The leaves are fine and soft, very suitable as groundcover. The guava tree bark is yellow and smooth, with a graceful posture, and the leaves are relatively large, with well-spaced density, very suitable as an open woodland path.

9. Lawn + Agave americana 'Marginata' + pruned and shaped banyan + Senna bicapsularis

With green lawn as the base, agave leaves are coarse and large, with leaf color alternating silver-yellow and green, and combined with the pruned and shaped banyan it is very harmonious, while Senna bicapsularis has a beautiful posture and brilliant flower color. The combination of these several plants has rich layers, and the colors change but are harmonious.

10. Ophiopogon + Rhapis excelsa + Areca palm + Papaya tree

This plant configuration is suitable for one side of a small building. Ophiopogon leaves are fine and soft, while Rhapis excelsa and areca palm leaves are coarser and larger, and papaya leaves are large and palm-shaped, with its fruit borne on the main trunk, and its posture is very graceful.

11. Acalypha wilkesiana + Duranta erecta + Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum

As a plant combination for a patterned flower bed, Acalypha wilkesiana has bright leaf color and serves as the edge, Duranta erecta has yellow-green leaf color, and Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum has dark purple leaf color. The combination of the three plants as a patterned flower bed is extremely attractive.

Part Two: "Care Plan 4"

Landscaping care and management plan

Care and management is very important in landscaping. It is a long-term, repetitive job with relatively comprehensive technical requirements, including damage by people and livestock, sanitation and cleaning, pruning of flowers, plants and trees, watering and fertilizing, pest and disease control, and planting of flower bed flowers. The completion of green space does not mean the completion of the landscape. People often say "three parts planting, seven parts management." Only with high-quality, high-level care and management can the landscape gradually take shape and become perfect.

Current characteristics of the plants in the care area:

1. The green area covers about 245,419 ten-thousand sq m, with a high greening coverage rate, and has a large number of trees of different specifications and varieties and pruned and shaped shrubs. The initial growth has gradually taken shape. After our careful investigation, the plant planting characteristics are roughly divided into two areas according to the original master plan:

1) Plaza area: The plant planting style in this area is relatively open. The plaza is mainly planted with ginkgo, Phoebe zhennan and large trees in

rows, appropriately combined with low shrubs, and the overall space is relatively transparent.

2) Factory area: The plant varieties in this area are complexly combined, with large and small trees, shrubs and groundcover plants interplanted.

The entrance is mainly planted with relatively precious large plants (Canary Island date palm, Jacaranda mimosifolia, small-leaved banyan stump,

top-grade osmanthus, etc.). Whether the office area courtyard can still maintain its elegant and refined, open and grand

scenery, and whether the hotel villa area courtyard can still carry forward its delicate, gentle and relaxed atmosphere,

all depends on later care and management.

2. From the greening conditions in the longitudinal area, we can find the following problems: ① Shaped shrubs are not growing well, with monotonous shapes; ② Flowering shrubs have poor tree vigor, and the flowering conditions (including number of flowers, flower size, color, and secondary flowering) are unsatisfactory; ③ The lawn has many weeds, and in local areas the grass has a tendency toward rampant gramineous weeds; ④ There are pest and disease problems.

I. We plan to take the following rectification measures:

1. Promote three-dimensional gardening, and carry out varied and graceful shaping of hedges and shrubs. For flowering shrubs planted as accents, take growth-promoting measures to promote their growth and then shape them according to their form, which depends on the specific plant's growth and plant shape; in local areas the hedges are highly regular, and the neat uniform long strips undoubtedly make the courtyard, which should be free and relaxed, appear mechanical and rigid. We can likewise try pruning them into wave shapes, to match the relaxed and casual landscaping of the residential area, enlivening the atmosphere of the whole courtyard and also creating a more flowing living environment.

2. Immediately begin pest and disease control. For plants showing signs of pests and diseases, immediately carry out large-area chemical control.

3、

4、

5. For lawn weeds, apply chemicals and increase the amount of manual weeding. For different plants, implement different care and management plans (mainly fertilizer supply: base fertilizer, topdressing, foliar fertilizer; different plants and different seasons all have different fertilizing methods and fertilizer choices). Plant labeling. We classify and count all the plants, then make green labels indicating

their family, genus, species and growth habits, and label all the plants in the area. This can

enrich employees' general knowledge of plants, and can also add to the cultural atmosphere of the park, and with eye-catching labeling

bring more attention to the greening.

6. Greening care is not a matter of a single day. While doing the rectification work well, we will likewise

adopt different care and management measures for different plants at different times. We arrange our daily work by month

(detailed rules attached), striving to make our work bring the landscape effect in the blueprint to the extreme, and

we also ask Party A to offer more opinions, so that our work can gradually become more perfect and complete.

7. Care responsibilities

Within the contracted care period, our company, in accordance with landscaping care operating procedures and landscaping care quality standards, will organize reasonably, care carefully, and dispatch professional horticulturists to organize, guide and arrange the management and care work, and flexibly dispatch no fewer than ____ experienced workers according to the weather in each season and the plant growth conditions, to complete the care and management tasks with guaranteed quality and quantity.

VI. Care content

1. Management procedures: including watering, opening basins and earthing up, pruning, fertilizing, weeding, pruning and bud removal, pest and disease control, straightening, and replanting (seedling costs calculated separately) and other complete processes. {Care measures for the southern plant date palm}.

2. Management tools:

A. Flower shears, long shears, high-altitude shears, grass shovels, lawn mowers

B. Sprayers, buckets, wheelbarrows, bamboo baskets

C. Shovels, hoes, saws, electric saws, ladders

D. Fuel, maintenance fees

3. Care content:

A. Trees: apply organic fertilizer once a year, 0.25 kg of cake fertilizer per tree; apply topdressing once, 0.1 kg of compound fertilizer mixed with urea per tree, using hole application, spraying, water-soluble fertilizer, etc., then cover with soil, water thoroughly, with water penetration depth of more than 10 cm, promptly control pests and diseases, maintain the trees' natural growth state with no need for shaping and pruning, promptly cut off yellow branches, diseased and pest-infested branches, shaded and leggy branches, and drooping branches that obstruct vehicle passage, and promptly clean up the pruned material. Remove weeds around the tree roots once a week to ensure no weeds.

B. Shrubs, hedges, bagged seedlings: fertilize once a quarter, applying 10 kg of urea mixed with compound fertilizer per 667 sq m, using broadcast application and water-soluble fertilizer, etc. Water once within three hours after application, water once a day (except on rainy days), with water penetration depth of more than 10 cm, promptly control pests and diseases. For those pruned into round, square or cone shapes, do light pruning once a week and heavy pruning once a month, with smooth and attractive cut surfaces, promptly remove the pruned material, promptly cut off dead branches and diseased and pest-infested branches, promptly replant old, diseased and dead plants, and remove weeds once a week.

C. Herbaceous types: fertilize once a quarter, applying 10 kg of urea mixed with compound fertilizer per 667 sq m, using broadcast application and water-soluble fertilizer, etc. Water once within three hours after application, water once a day (except on rainy days), with water penetration depth of more than 10 cm, promptly control pests and diseases, cut off spent flowers once a week, remove weeds once a week, and promptly cut off dead branches and yellow branches.

D. Taiwan grass: fertilize once a quarter, applying 10 kg of urea mixed with compound fertilizer per 667 sq m, with even fertilizing and thorough watering, with water penetration depth of more than 5 cm, promptly control pests and diseases, promptly replant wilted and dead missing parts, with coverage rate above 98%, and prune 1-2 times a month.

(II) Specific arrangements for one year of landscaping care work:

January: the month with the lowest temperatures of the year, when open-field trees are in a dormant state.

1. Winter pruning: fully carry out shaping and pruning work on deciduous trees; prune dead branches, damaged branches, diseased and pest-infested branches, and branches that interfere with overhead lines and buildings on large and small trees.

2. Street tree inspection: promptly inspect the tying and staking of street trees, and immediately rectify when loosened ties, wire embedded in bark, or loose stakes are found.

3. Pest control: winter is a favorable season for eliminating garden pests. You can dig up the pupae and cocoons of stinging moths in the loose soil under the trees and burn them in a concentrated manner. In mid-January, scale insects begin to become active, but at this time they move slowly, and we can adopt the method of scraping off the larvae on the trunks. Controlling pests in winter often achieves twice the result with half the effort.

4. Green space care: in green spaces, flower beds and other places, pay attention to removing large weeds; lawns should be promptly weeded and edged; in green spaces, pay attention to antifreeze watering.

February: the temperature rises somewhat compared with last month, and the trees are still in a dormant state.

1. Care is basically the same as January.

2. Pruning: continue pruning dead branches and diseased branches of large and small trees. Finish pruning all kinds of trees before the end of the month.

3. Pest control: continue to focus on stinging moths and scale insects.

March: the temperature continues to rise. After mid-month, trees begin to sprout, and in late month some trees (such as camellia) bloom.

1. Tree planting: spring is a favorable time for planting trees. After the soil thaws, immediately seize the opportunity to plant trees. Before planting large and small trees, do a good job of planning and design, dig (hoe) the tree pits in advance, and achieve digging, transporting, planting and watering all in sequence. When planting shrubs, also achieve digging, transporting and planting in sequence, and water fully to improve seedling survival rate.

2. Spring irrigation: because spring is dry and windy with high evaporation, in order to prevent spring drought, water green spaces and other places promptly

3. Fertilizing: after the soil thaws, apply base fertilizer to plants and irrigate. {Care measures for the southern plant date palm}.

4. Pest and disease control: this month is a critical time for pest and disease control. Some seedlings show sooty mold, and the boxwood leaf roller (Glyphodes perspectalis) also appears (use pesticides such as fenitrothion spraying for control). For controlling stinging moths, the method of digging up pupae can continue to be used.

April: the temperature continues to rise, and trees all sprout and bloom or unfold leaves and begin to enter a vigorous growth period.

1. Continue planting trees: in early April, seize the time to plant trees that sprout late. For shrubs that died in winter (azalea, Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum, etc.), promptly pull them out and replant, and water newly planted trees fully.

2. Irrigation: continue to water the care green spaces promptly.

3. Fertilizing: for lawns and shrubs, combine with irrigation and apply quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer as topdressing, or carry out foliar spraying as needed.

4. Pruning: cut off branches that dried up in winter and spring; evergreen hedges can be pruned.

5. Pest and disease control: (1) After the second molting, scale insects successively move to bark cracks, tree holes, trunk bases, wall corners and other places, secreting white waxy thin cocoons to pupate. They can be swept away with a hard bamboo broom, then buried deeply in a concentrated manner or soaked. Or use the method of spraying pesticides such as fenitrothion. (2) Longhorn beetles begin to become active; you can use a grafting knife or self-made steel wire to pick out the larvae, but the wound should be as small as possible. (3) Control work for other pests and diseases.

6. Care within green spaces: pay attention to removing weeds and climbing plants in large green spaces. Lawns should also be weeded and edged.

May: the temperature rises sharply, and trees grow rapidly.

1. Watering: during the peak leaf-unfolding period, trees need a lot of water, so water promptly.

2. Pruning: prune spent flowers. Carry out the first bud-removal pruning on street trees.

3. Pest and disease control: continue to focus on catching longhorn beetles. The first generation of stinging moths hatches, but has not yet reached a harmful level; make corresponding measures according to the actual situation in the care area. Sooty mold caused by scale insects, aphids and others has also entered its peak period (on crape myrtle, Pittosporum tobira, oleander and others). In mid-to-late May, spray 10-20 times rosin mixture and 50% trithion emulsion at 1500-2000 times dilution to control diseases and kill pests. (Other pesticides such as pesticide elements and Huabao can be used.)

June: high temperature

1. Watering: plants need a lot of water; water promptly and do not "rely on the sky for food."

2. Fertilizing: combine with loosening the soil and weeding, fertilizing and watering to achieve the best effect.

3. Pruning: continue bud removal and tiller removal work on street trees. Carry out pruning on hedges, ball-shaped plants and some flowering shrubs. {Care measures for the southern plant date palm}.

4. Drainage work: when there is heavy rain, pay attention to drainage work in low-lying areas.

5. Pest and disease control: In mid to late June, the stinging caterpillar (nettle caterpillar) enters its peak hatching period, and measures should be taken promptly. Currently, spraying with 50% fenitrothion emulsion at 500-800 times dilution is basically adopted. (Or compound BT emulsion can be sprayed.) Continue manual capture of longhorn beetles.

6. Do a good job of inspecting trees before flood and typhoon prevention, and right, reinforce and re-tie loose or leaning trees.

July: Temperatures are at their highest, and strong winds and heavy rain will occur after mid-month.

1. Transplanting evergreen trees: During the rainy season, with sufficient moisture, conifers and bamboos can be transplanted, but pay attention to weather changes and water promptly when high temperatures occur.

2. Drainage: Drain promptly after heavy rain.

3. Top dressing: Apply quick-acting fertilizers such as nitrogen fertilizer dry before rain.

4. Street trees: Carry out typhoon-prevention bud removal and pruning. All branches that conflict with power lines must be pruned, and each tree stake must be checked one by one; if any are loose or unstable, right and tie them immediately. Prepare in advance in terms of labor organization, materials, tools and equipment, and send personnel to inspect at any time to deal with dangerous situations promptly.

5. Pest and disease control: Continue controlling longhorn beetles and stinging caterpillars. For longhorn beetles, injection with 50% fenitrothion at a 1:50 dilution (or Guoshu Bao, or Yuanke No. 3) can be used, then seal the hole, which can also achieve good results. For camphor tree webworm (camphor nest moth) on camphor trees, prune out and destroy the nests promptly to prevent further damage.

August: Still the rainy season

1. Drainage: After heavy rain, drain low-lying waterlogged areas promptly.

2. Typhoon prevention for street trees: Continue doing a good job of typhoon prevention for street trees.

3. Pruning: In addition to general summer pruning of trees, carry out shaping pruning of hedges.

4. Cultivation and weeding: Weeds also grow vigorously, so weed promptly, and fertilization can be combined with weeding.

5. Pest and disease control: Focus on capturing longhorn beetles, and pay attention to capturing longhorn beetles at the roots. Aphid damage and camphor tree webworm (camphor nest moth) on camphor trees should be controlled promptly. In humid weather, pay attention to powdery mildew and rot diseases, and take measures promptly. September: Temperatures decline somewhat; do related work well for National Day.

1. Pruning: In preparation for city appearance work, remove buds below the third branching level of street trees. Shaping pruning of hedges. Weeding in green spaces, lawn edging, and timely removal of dead trees, so that trees have green branches and leaves and green spaces are clean and tidy.

2. Fertilization: For some trees with weaker growth and insufficiently plump branches, apply additional phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.

3. Pest and disease control: Shot hole disease (on flowering cherry, peach, plum, etc.) is at its peak incidence; use 500% carbendazim at 1000 times dilution to prevent infection. Longhorn beetles begin to shift to root damage; pay attention to capturing longhorn beetles at the roots. Also promptly control woodborer moths on poplar and willow. Do a good job of controlling other pests and diseases.

4. Do a good job of inspecting various greening facilities before the holiday.

October: Temperatures drop; in late October early winter begins, trees begin to shed leaves and gradually enter dormancy.

1. Prepare well for autumn tree planting; in late October, once cold-hardy trees shed their leaves, planting can begin.

2. Green space maintenance: Remove dead trees promptly and water promptly. Do a good job of weeding and edging in green spaces and lawns. Fertilize flowering plants with poor growth.

3. Pest and disease control: Continue capturing longhorn beetles at the roots. Also pay attention to observing and controlling camphor tree webworm (camphor nest moth) on camphor trees. November: The soil begins to freeze at night and thaw during the day, entering deep winter.

1. Tree planting: Continue planting cold-hardy plants, completing before the soil freezes.

2. Turning the soil: Turn the soil in green spaces to expose pests preparing to overwinter.

3. Watering: Water dry, compacted soil, completing before freezing.

4. Pest and disease control: Various pests prepare to overwinter in late November, so control tasks are relatively light.

December: Low temperatures; winter maintenance work begins.

1. Winter pruning: Prune some evergreen trees and shrubs.

2. Eliminate overwintering pests and diseases.

3. Prepare well for next year's adjustment work: After deciduous plants shed their leaves, observe the maintenance area and draw the positions to be adjusted.

VII. Green space maintenance quality objectives

1 Greening maintenance technical measures are complete and management is proper, achieving no bare yellow earth.

2 Garden plants

2.1 Growth is normal. Various plants in newly built green spaces reach normal form within three years; if plants or grass are damaged or die due to poor management, the replacement seedlings must survive within one year.

2.2 Garden trees have basically complete crowns, with main and side branches evenly distributed, appropriate in number, and reasonably pruned; the inner canopy is not chaotic, with ventilation and light penetration. Flowering shrubs bloom promptly and normally, and are pruned promptly after flowering. Hedges and color blocks have normal branches and leaves, neat and uniform. Street trees have no missing individuals, and there are no dead trees in green spaces.

2.3 Deciduous trees have normal new shoot growth and normal leaf size and color. Under general conditions, yellow leaves, scorched leaves, curled leaves, and leaves with insect exudate or insect webs must not exceed 5%, and the retention rate of normal leaves is above 90%. Coniferous

Article Three: "Annual Greening Maintenance Plan"

Annual Greening Maintenance Plan

January

1. Carry out winter shaping and pruning of various deciduous trees, cutting off dead branches, overlapping branches, crossing branches, diseased and pest-infested branches, and lower side branches, to ensure tree development tends toward rationality, improve branch form, and reduce the breeding of pests and diseases.

2. Appropriately thin trees that are too densely grown, which can reduce pests and diseases and increase growth vigor.

3. Carry out winter plowing and soil turning to improve the soil, and apply winter fertilizer to all trees, ground cover and lawns to ensure the nutrient needs of seedlings and lawns.

4. Winter is a favorable season for eliminating garden pests. In the loose soil under trees, dig up stinging caterpillar pupae and cocoons and burn them in a concentrated way.

5. As appropriate, dethatch individual lawn types and prune 1-2 times. February

1. Carry out weeding, pruning and fertilization work on lawns.

2. Do a good job of pest and disease control, especially paying attention to powdery mildew on narrow-leaved mahonia and globular scale on coral and Japanese fatsia.

3. Especially strengthen cold protection and insulation measures for trees, and do a good job of loosening and banking soil around tree roots.

4. Apply one top dressing (urea) to cool-season lawns at the end of the month at 10g/mu.

March

1. To prevent spring drought, water trees promptly.

2. Roll and weed lawns promptly, and clear winter grass in tree beds and flower beds.

3. Pest and disease control: Strengthen observation and patrol, and do a good job of prediction, forecast and control. Especially pay special attention to sooty mold and boxwood leaf roller. In mid-March, eggs of crape myrtle scale hatch; from late March, pear rust occurs on Malus species and cold-season lawns; pay attention to prevention reports.

4. For local sunken and low-lying spots appearing in lawns, apply soil and sand; carry out low pruning of winter ryegrass lawns to ensure germination and growth of the underlying grass.

April

1. Do a good job of loosening soil, weeding and pre-flowering fertilization for field-planted flowers and trees. Especially for herbaceous perennials and spring-sown flowering plants, apply light fertilizer; for lawns and shrubs, combine with irrigation and apply quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer, or carry out foliar spraying as needed.

2. Cut off branches that dried out in winter and spring; begin pruning evergreen hedges.

3. Pest and disease control: Mainly control aphids, sooty mold and beetles. Keep relevant records.

May

1. This month is the peak period of tree leaf expansion, with very high water demand, so water promptly.

2. Prune spring flowering shrubs such as osmanthus and hall crabapple, and promptly carry out bud removal on London plane, red-leaf plum, crape myrtle and other trees.

3. Weed flower beds and shrub color blocks. At the same time, carry out weeding on lawns and prune lawn grass promptly to control its height.

4. Pest and disease control: Do a good job of prediction, forecast and control.

June

1. Water plants promptly to ensure sufficient water supply.

2. Loosen soil and weed tree beds and color-block shrubs, and carry out weeding on lawns.

3. Prune lawns promptly and control their growth height, and pay attention to controlling the occurrence of large-scale pests and diseases. Apply compound fertilizer once to lawns with poor growth or fertilizer deficiency, so they can pass the summer safely.

4. Pest and disease control: Do a good job of prediction, forecast and control.

July

1. In high-temperature weather, especially ensure that watering work for plants is carried out.

2. Loosen soil and weed flower beds and color-block shrubs, and at the same time do a good job of weeding ground cover. This month the weather is hot, with high temperatures and relatively high humidity; weeds grow quickly, so seize the opportunity to weed and remove grass to prevent grass from running wild; continue intertillage weeding and loosening the soil.

3. Do a good job of typhoon and flood prevention; reinforce and secure trees in the garden to prevent lodging; for low-lying or severely waterlogged places, dredge and drain promptly.

4. Pest and disease control: Do a good job of prediction, forecast and control.

August

1. Carry out summer pruning of evergreen trees, and carry out shaping pruning of hedges.

2. Lawn weeds grow vigorously, so weed and prune promptly to control lawn height, and fertilization can be combined with weeding. Apply supplementary and top dressing promptly, mainly P and K fertilizers, combined with N fertilizer; for small seedlings, shrubs and herbaceous flowers, apply light fertilizer frequently, and at the same time pay attention to mastering the fertilization period and climate.

3. In high-temperature weather, be sure to ensure daily watering and drought relief work, and do not choose 10-15 o'clock to do it, so as to avoid burning seedlings. (Including: tree bed maintenance, weed control, soil loosening, etc.)

4. Continue doing a good job of typhoon and flood prevention, further reinforce and secure large trees in residential areas to prevent lodging; and for low-lying and easily waterlogged places, dredge drainage channels promptly to prevent water from accumulating for too long.

5. Pest and disease control: Do a good job of prediction, forecast and control.

September

1. Carry out shaping pruning of hedges. Weed in green spaces and remove dead trees promptly, so that trees have green branches and leaves and green spaces are clean and tidy.

2. Thin trees that are too densely grown, and at the same time carry out bud removal work.

3. Prune lawns promptly, edge them, and remove weeds, and pay attention to pest and disease control.

4. Weed flower beds and color-block shrubs, and at the same time do a good job of weeding ground cover, and collect flower seeds.

5. Pest and disease control: Do a good job of prediction, forecast and control.

October

1. Prune spherical shrubs to ensure a beautiful appearance, neatness and clear layers. Prune the tree form of evergreen trees so that their growth and development tend toward rationality and their tree posture and appearance are improved.

2. Strengthen management of newly planted flowering plants, promptly fill bare gaps and water, and fertilize those with poor growth.

3. Pest and disease control: Do a good job of prediction and forecast, actively control, and keep relevant records. November

1. Carry out thinning and pruning of evergreen trees and evergreen shrubs, mainly for ventilation and light penetration, reducing pests and diseases, and enhancing growth vigor.

2. Do a good job of weeding and edging in flower beds, color-block shrubs and green spaces, promptly pull out weeds, and replant bare gaps promptly. As appropriate, adjust trees in local layouts; some evergreen trees and a few deciduous tree species can be transplanted. Also begin cold and warmth protection work; for trees with

poor cold resistance, wrap with rice straw and bank soil.

3. Strengthen maintenance and management of newly planted plants, pay attention to timely watering, and prune appropriately. As appropriate, dethatch and aerate lawns, and prune 2-3 times at the same time.

4. Carry out fertilization work in late November, and carry out green space soil turning combined with increased application of organic fertilizer.

5. Pest and disease control: Do a good job of prediction and forecast, actively control, and keep relevant records. December

1. Do a good job of weeding and edging in color-block shrubs and green spaces, and promptly pull out weeds.

2. Carry out thinning and pruning of evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs, mainly removing remnant stumps and dead branches, in order to make next year's tree growth better (flowering shrubs that have already formed flower buds must not be pruned), and at the same time pay attention to cleaning insect cocoons on trunks and branches.

3. Wrap sago palm, date palm and other southern plants with straw rope to ensure they overwinter safely.

4. Pest and disease control: Do a good job of prediction and forecast, actively control, and keep relevant records.

Article Four: "Latest Common Plants for Southern Landscapes"

Common Garden Plants for Southern Landscapes

Evergreen trees:

Norfolk Island pine, slash pine, Chinese fir, Caribbean pine, Chinese weeping cypress, mahogany, big-leaf mahogany, Sterculia lanceolata, Chinese saraca, sugar apple, longan, Dracontomelon duperreanum, Michelia macclurei, golden shower tree, Chinese arborvitae, Chinese juniper, dragon juniper, Fujian cypress, Buddhist pine, Japanese cedar, Japanese podocarpus, big-leaf podocarpus, white champaca, southern magnolia, houpo magnolia, Cinnamomum burmannii, camphor tree, cinnamon, Gmelina hainanensis? (Kuzi), Hainan ormosia, Taiwan acacia, siamese senna, red camel's foot tree, camel's foot tree, butterfly tree, almond, mango, Ormosia henryi, water banyan, water stone banyan, avocado, devil's tree, false betel nut palm, Chinese fan palm, fishtail palm, queen palm, rose apple, Hainan rose apple, sapodilla, lemon-scented gum, river red gum, swamp mahogany, blue gum, cajeput tree, butterfly fruit, Chinese Torreya, Chinese plum yew, Indian rubber fig, climbing fig? (Gaoshan fig), small-leaf fig, large-fruit fig, weeping fig, yellow fruit fig, sacred fig, horsetail tree, jackfruit, camphor-leaf maple, tanbark oak? (bitter oak), oriental white oak, candlenut, silver oak, Elaeocarpus apiculatus, big-leaf elaeocarpus, sea hibiscus, iron wintergreen, glossy privet, osmanthus, loquat, albizia, royal palm, fish-tail palm? (Dong), Mexican fan palm? (elderly palm), sugar palm, Canary Island date palm, bishop wood, red sandalwood, Dillenia grandiflora, jackfruit, yellow cassia, jackfruit, big-leaf privet, Michelia chapensis, schefflera, Heteropanax fragrans

Deciduous trees:

Small-leaf terminalia, Chinese swamp cypress, water winter melon, Chinese tallow tree, Japanese raisin tree, sand pear, soapberry, goldenrain tree, frangipani, bald cypress, pond cypress, Chinese tulip tree, white magnolia, Chinese parasol tree, sawtooth oak, cork oak, Chinese hackberry, Chinese elm, white oak, happy tree, big-leaf crape myrtle, beautiful silk floss tree, flame tree, yellow poinciana, jacaranda, yellow cassia, chinaberry, Chinese mahogany, coral tree, cockspur coral tree, chestnut, silk tree, sweet acacia, Kalopanax septemlobus, sweetgum, weeping willow, Magnolia soulangeana, purple-leaf plum, ornamental peach, plum, papaya, Indian

red sandalwood, red-leaf plum

Evergreen shrubs:

Sago palm, Chinese plum yew, orchid tree? (Chinese rice-flower), big-leaf boxwood, Elaeagnus conferta, camellia sasanqua, sweet viburnum? (South China coral tree), spotted aucuba, St. John's wort, Areca triandra, areca palm, Chinese fan palm? (Qiong palm), four-season orchid tree? (four-season rice-flower), soft-stem allamanda, small-leaf Gendarussa? (small-leaf Gendarussa), red bottlebrush, Fukien tea, gardenia, crown of thorns, poinsettia, Yunnan jasmine, aucuba, Chinese holly, foreign rhododendron, glossy dracaena, croton, red mulberry, golden-edged mulberry, golden-leaf fig, Senna leaves? (glossy-leaf senna), red-stemmed rhododendron? (horse silver flower), Ardisia, orange jasmine, red-back Excoecaria, climbing ylang-ylang, camellia, oil tea, big-leaf tea, oleander, yellow oleander, small-flower allamanda, serissa, banana shrub, pittosporum, mahonia, nandina, Japanese fatsia, magnolia coco, hibiscus, Chinese lantern? (hanging-lantern flower), azalea, Spanish dagger, yucca, South China boxwood, palm? (spindle palm), soft-leaf date palm, short-spike fishtail palm, dwarf lady palm, bamboo palm? (bamboo palm),

golden banyan, fiddle-leaf fig, willow-leaf fig, golden-vein justicia, schefflera, variegated duranta, golden duranta, Gendarussa, golden-leaf privet, taro, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Monstera deliciosa, Aspidistra, snake plant, Rhaphiolepis indica? (thick-leaf rhaphiolepis), variegated hibiscus, Euphorbia cotinifolia, small-leaf boxwood, African jasmine, Brunfelsia, Cuphea hyssopifolia, spider lily? (crinum lily), spider orchid, Calliandra? (beauty-stamen flower), red-leaf loropetalum, Datura suaveolens? (large-flower datura), white mussaenda, red mussaenda, red azalea, Western rhododendron, Senna bicapsularis, hard-stem trumpet vine? (hard-bone trumpet creeper), rose myrtle, ixora, Yunnan jasmine, jasmine, fiddle-leaf coral? (fiddle-leaf coral), blue plumbago, blue star flower, butterfly pea? (butterfly pea), nandina, pepper tree? (pepperwood), red-back Excoecaria,

Deciduous shrubs:

Cotton rose, bridal wreath spirea, rhombic-leaf spirea, modern rose, abelia, pomegranate, beautyberry, purple magnolia, lespedeza, honeysuckle, Chinese snowball viburnum, rose of Sharon, redbud, dwarf flowering cherry? (plum-leaved cherry), spirea? (smiling-flower spirea), pearl bush, butterfly tree, elderberry, fig, Sichuan pepper, trifoliate orange, butterfly bush, small wax? (small wax)

Vines:

Monstera deliciosa, bougainvillea, Millettia reticulata, flame vine, rangoon creeper, three-leaf akebia, honeysuckle, Euonymus fortunei, climbing fig, kiwi, creeping euonymus, Hong Kong rhaphidophora, Mucuna birdwoodiana, hoya, Epipremnum pinnatum, pothos, star jasmine, Chinese ivy, English ivy, southern magnolia vine? (five-flavor berry), Boston ivy, Chinese trumpet creeper, passionflower, many-flower crape myrtle, Mucuna sempervirens, big-flower thunbergia

climbing ylang-ylang, big-flower thunbergia, rangoon creeper, coral vine, Boston ivy, flame vine, white-flower Mucuna, beautiful clerodendrum? (beautiful clerodendrum), wisteria, climbing fig, cypress vine, morning glory, maple-leaf morning glory, snake vine, Jasminum officinale, big-flower Dutchman's pipe, garlic vine, wood rose, connected-vine trumpet, passionflower

Bamboo:

Bambusa textilis, Bambusa chungii, moso bamboo, fernleaf bamboo, Phyllostachys glauca, golden-stripe bamboo, Neosinocalamus affinis, hedge bamboo, bitter bamboo, Indocalamus, Buddha belly bamboo, Dendrocalamus latiflorus, Bambusa textilis, Thai bamboo, Bambusa pervariabilis, square bamboo, green bamboo, Guanyin bamboo, small qinsi bamboo, red bamboo

Lawns and ground cover plants:

Bermuda grass, Chinese zoysia, fine-leaf zoysia, carpet grass, centipede grass, two-spike paspalum, Manila grass, zoysia, Guangdong evergreen, purple spiderwort, mussel flower, lilyturf, big-leaf curculigo, mountain lilyturf, lucky plant? (lucky plant), Aspidistra, black-eye vine? (cast-iron plant black-eye flower), Acorus gramineus, autumn zephyr lily, Chinese chive lily? (chive lily), golden spider lily, white butterfly, butterfly iris, red sorrel, Tradescantia zebrina,

purple-back arrowroot? (purple-back arrowroot), Syngonium, white-butterfly Syngonium, pothos, Tradescantia zebrina, sword fern, clearweed, small mussel orchid, peace lily, silver-edge lilyturf, red-flower lantana, yellow-flower lantana, purple-flower lantana

(continued) lantana, silver ragwort, clerodendrum, shrimp plant, firecracker flower, asparagus fern, beach evening primrose, beach morning glory, ivy, star jasmine, ginger lily, umbrella plant, papyrus, iris, purple loosestrife, narcissus, lotus, water lily, three-lobed wedelia, red sorrel, Brazilian peanut vine, dichondra, purple amaranth, round-leaf amaranth, coleus, fine-leaf verbena, red-green grass, autumn zephyr lily, Chinese chive lily, amaryllis, lily, calla lily, periwinkle, centipede grass, Manila grass, Korean velvet grass? (Korean velvet grass), Bermuda grass, big-leaf carpet grass, variegated blunt grass? (variegated blunt grass), bahia grass, short-leaf lilyturf

Palm types:

Royal palm, Washington palm, triangle palm, king palm, foxtail palm, Butia palm, bottle palm, club palm, date palm, Canary Island date palm, Bismarck palm, oil palm, fishtail palm, windmill palm, dragon-scale palm, Chinese fan palm, Queen palm, fishtail palm, Chinese fan palm, Mexican fan palm, pygmy date palm, dwarf fishtail palm, giant fishtail palm, areca palm, three-stamen betel nut, traveler's palm, reed palm,

Seasonal flowers

Star flower, African impatiens, four-season begonia, scarlet sage, petunia, hybrid dianthus, ornamental kale, French marigold, marigold, nasturtium, pansy, wishbone flower, cockscomb, pot marigold, globe amaranth, zinnia, moss rose, purslane, cosmos, cineraria, spider flower, daylily, lavender, purple loosestrife

Part Five: "Examples of Southern Plant Arrangements"

Southern Plant Arrangements

Split-leaf philodendron + umbrella papyrus + variegated galangal

Dracaena fragrans + seven-color Dracaena fragrans + heavenly bamboo + sword fern + decorative stone

Royal palm + fishtail palm + pygmy date palm + canna lily + coleus + croton

Royal palm + Canary Island date palm head + red dracaena + Acalypha wilkesiana + Chinese ixora

Royal palm + Alexander palm + areca palm + large-leaved reed palm + golden leaf

Part Six: "Commonly Used Garden Plants in the South"

Commonly Used Plants for Southern Courtyards

I. Palm category:

1. Royal palm 2. Alexander palm 3. Washington palm 4. Silver date palm 5. Canary Island date palm 6. Three-stamen betel nut

7. Chinese fan palm 8. Mexican fan palm 9. Areca palm 10. Reed palm (fine-leaved reed palm) 11. Golden mountain palm 12. Soft-leaved date palm

II. Tree category (street trees, shade trees):

1. Flamboyant tree 2. Kapok 3. Silk floss tree 4. Coral tree 5. Pointed-leaf elaeocarpus 6. Blackboard tree

7. Small-leaved banyan 8. Water stone banyan 9. Mango 10. Chinaberry 11. Cinnamon 12. Large-leaved trumpet vine

13. Red sandalwood 14. Frangipani 15. Tropical almond 16. Traveler's palm 17. Red-fruited screw pine 18. Autumn maple

19. Star fruit 20. Pointed-leaf olive 21. Golden shower tree 22. Albizia 23. Paperbark tree

24. Eucalyptus 25. Hainan rose apple 26. Large-leaved Aphanamixis 27. Bauhinia 28. Mahogany

29. Mountain banyan 30. Flame tree 31. Yellow-flowered trumpet tree 32. Goldenrain tree

III. Flowering shrub category:

1. Four-season osmanthus 2. Fine-leaved bamboo 3. Tree fern 4. Yellow banyan 5. Bougainvillea

6. Yellow cassia 7. Red bottlebrush 8. Golden-edged sisal 9. Hibiscus 10. Fagraea 11. Variegated banyan

12. Hibiscus 13. Michelia 14. Trumpet vine 15. Powderpuff plant 16. Tabernaemontana 17. Dragon boat orchid

18. Furcraea 19. Yucca 20. Flame vine 21. Yellow oleander 22. Polyscias

IV. Ground cover or color blocks:

1. Pittosporum 2. Monstera 3. Pothos 4. Bird's nest fern 5. Red ruby 6. Large-leaved polygonum 7. Schefflera

8. Little angel 9. Golden leaf 10. Cigar flower 11. Fine-leaved frog orchid 12. Three-star arrowroot 13. Azalea

14. Dwarf Chinese fan palm 15. Split-leaf philodendron 16. Variegated duranta 17. Spider lily 18. Tradescantia 19. Yellow allamanda

20. Variegated galangal 21. Asparagus fern 22. Golden peanut 23. Fine-leaved ixora 24. Sword fern 25. Yellow shrimp flower

26. White butterfly 27. Clearweed 28. Variegated dieffenbachia 29. Rainbow cordyline 30. Croton 31. Liriope

32. Silver-edged grass 33. Jasmine 34. Velvet arrowroot 35. Taiwan grass 36. Large-leaved carpet grass

37. Manila grass 38. Bermudagrass 39. Ryegrass 40. Tall fescue

There are also some commonly used plants:

1. Bodhi banyan 2. Mountain banyan 3. Water stone banyan 4. Bellflower 5. National Day flower 6. Golden shower tree

7. Siamese senna 8. Sausage tree 9. Thai yellow large yellow flower ball 10. Golden melaleuca

11. Winged cassia 12. Twin-pod senna 13. Dwarf poinciana 14. Water banyan 15. Grey mango magnolia

16. Hainan golden-dotted 17. Variegated money tree 18. Hainan ormosia 19. Mahogany

20. Albizia 21. Sandalwood cinnamon 22. Autumn osmanthus 23. Bay laurel 24. Mexican fan palm 25. Fine-leaved bamboo

26. Indian yellow (purple) sandalwood 27. Red sandalwood 28. Dianella 29. Leizhou banyan 30. Cat-tail tree

Commonly Used Garden Plants in the South

1. Evergreen trees

Norfolk Island pine, Cunningham's araucaria, Chinese fir, large-leaved araucaria, kauri, masson pine, slash pine, camphor tree, Cinnamomum japonicum, giant eucalyptus, paperbark tree, rose apple, Hainan rose apple, autumn maple, Taiwan acacia, Acacia mangium, ear-pod acacia, red sandalwood, small-leaved banyan, large-leaved banyan, mountain banyan, bird banyan, Indian rubber banyan, variegated Indian rubber banyan, bodhi tree, candlenut, mahogany, Dillenia, blackboard tree, tropical almond, small-leaved tropical almond, jackfruit, wax apple, Dracontomelon, sapodilla, chinaberry, casuarina, white magnolia, night-blooming jasmine, Michelia macclurei, small-leaved elaeocarpus, southern magnolia, sea hibiscus, mango, longan, lychee, olive, loquat, bayberry, pomelo, water stone banyan, Buddhist pine, dragon juniper, podocarpus, osmanthus, four-season osmanthus, Michelia, Aglaia, camellia, weeping banyan, butterfly fruit, oblique-leaved banyan

2. Deciduous trees

Dawn redwood, pond cypress, bald cypress, Chinese swamp cypress, tulip tree, Chinese parasol tree, Bischofia, albizia, large-leaved albizia, silver albizia, sweetgum, weeping willow, sausage tree, Anthocephalus, silver birch, Chinese hackberry, soapberry, Chinese pistache, chinaberry, Chinese tallow, tung tree, ginkgo, sterculia, persimmon, fig, mulberry, papaya, guava, red maple, acacia

3. Palm category

Alexander palm, royal palm, king palm, bottle palm, club palm, triangle palm, foxtail palm, queen palm, oil palm, sugar palm, large Washingtonia, Washington palm, Canary Island date palm, date palm, Iraqi date palm, Chinese fan palm, fishtail palm, sugar palm, spiny date palm, soft-leaved date palm, three-stamen betel nut, green palm, fragrant palm, giant fishtail palm, dwarf fishtail palm, areca palm, windmill palm, banana, traveler's palm, cordyline, reed palm, fine-leaved reed palm, Nicolai bird of paradise, red-stemmed philodendron, false taro

4. Foliage shrubs

Golden-leaved weeping banyan, golden banyan, fiddle-leaf fig, willow-leaf fig, Garcinia, variegated reed bamboo, drooping polyalthia, red-fruited screw pine, pittosporum, variegated hibiscus, sago palm, red bottlebrush, woody night-blooming jasmine, Cotinus, golden-veined Justicia, Japanese aralia, creeping juniper, variegated cassava, heavenly bamboo, Schefflera, variegated Schefflera, pepper tree, red-backed excoecaria, Acalypha wilkesiana, Japanese lilac, Duranta, variegated Duranta, yellow-leaved Duranta, orange jasmine, croton, halberd-leaved croton, Hainan croton, golden-spotted croton, Justicia, Fujian tea, small-leaved boxwood, golden-leaved privet, crown of thorns, yellow-striped furcraea, agave, silver-edged agave, yucca, bottle palm, cast-iron plant, snake plant, cactus, giant taro, split-leaf philodendron, monstera, variegated shell ginger, beach naupaka, Rhaphiolepis, Breynia, Ceylon leaf-flower, Chinese rose

5. Flowering shrubs

African jasmine, yesterday-today-and-tomorrow, rare jasmine, hibiscus, Chinese hibiscus, lantern flower, Chinese lantern, poinsettia, powderpuff plant, bougainvillea, large-flowered gardenia, hydrangea, red-bracted flower, wild peony, red-flowered loropetalum, large-flowered datura, white paper fan, red paper fan, yellow allamanda, Western azalea, twin-pod senna, hard-stemmed trumpet creeper, rose myrtle, ixora, pearl fern, Yunnan jasmine, jasmine, crinum lily,

spider lily, crab claw flower, dwarf canna, stone flax, firecracker plant, blue snowflake, blue star flower, butterfly flower

6. Ground cover

Purple-backed arrowroot, arrowhead plant, white butterfly arrowhead plant, pothos, Tradescantia, sword fern, clearweed, small oyster plant, peace lily, liriope, silver-edged liriope, red-flowered lantana, yellow-flowered lantana, purple-flowered lantana, dusty miller, bleeding glorybower, shrimp plant, red firecracker flower, asparagus fern, beach evening primrose, beach morning glory, ivy, star jasmine, ginger lily, umbrella papyrus, papyrus, iris, purple loosestrife, narcissus, lotus, water lily, three-lobed wedelia, red-flowered oxalis, Brazilian peanut vine, dichondra, purple amaranth, round-leaved amaranth, coleus, fine-leaved verbena, red-green grass, autumn zephyr lily, spring zephyr lily, amaryllis, lily, calla lily, periwinkle, centipede grass, Manila grass, Korean velvet grass, Bermuda grass, large-leaved carpet grass, variegated obtuse grass, bahia grass, dwarf lilyturf

7. Vines

Large-flowered trumpet vine, Rangoon creeper, coral vine, Boston ivy, flame vine, white-flowered mucuna, beautiful clerodendrum, wisteria, creeping fig, cypress vine, morning glory, maple-leaved morning glory, snake vine, common jasmine, large-flowered Dutchman's pipe, garlic vine, wood rose, bignonia, passionflower

Part Seven: "Common Southern Plant Arrangement Document"

Practical Plant Arrangement Table — Concise Table of Common Plant Arrangements

Aquatic plants:

Wetland plants: Hankow willow, weeping willow, cotton willow, sand willow, artemisia willow, soap willow, small-leaved poplar, Liaoning poplar, sand juniper, Chinese juniper, Oriental arborvitae, dawn redwood, chinaberry, Chinese wingnut, white ash, forsythia, elm, Siberian elm, Chinese elm, Chinese tallow, cherry blossom, eucommia, goldenrain tree, cotton rose, hibiscus, oleander, Boston ivy, grape, wisteria, false indigo, tamarisk, buttercup, water buttercup, long-leaved alkali buttercup, marsh willow leaf, willow leaf lettuce, marsh woundwort, Chinese woundwort, mint, Lindernia, speedwell, watercress, Scirpus, water mud sedge, flat-stemmed Scirpus, water nutgrass, spiked water nutgrass, globe water nutgrass, red-spotted water nutgrass, jointed rush, small-flowered rush, small rush, fine rush, knotgrass, common knotweed, red knotweed, clustered knotweed, dock-leaved knotweed, willow-leaved smartweed, small arrow-leaved smartweed, mile-a-minute vine, spiny smartweed, halberd-leaved smartweed, large halberd-leaved smartweed, Japanese knotweed, cogon grass, reed grass, large-leaved reed, Beckmannia, long-awned foxtail, wild cockspur, silvergrass, Job's tears, limpograss, wet-lying ground orchid,

Emergent plants: water onion, reed, lotus root, arrowhead, broad-leaved pondweed, water plantain, lotus, purple loosestrife, cattail, duck-tongue grass, Monochoria, sweet flag, pickerelweed, rice, mangrove seedling, narcissus, water celery, wild rice stem, taro, four-leaf clover, reed, water chestnut, three-ribbed bulrush, needle rush, water torch, umbrella sedge, broad-leaved cattail

Floating plants: duckweed, water hyacinth, water lily, gorgon nut, Victoria water lily, spatterdock, water hyacinth, floating heart, water shield, yellow bladderwort, floating fern, water snowflake,

Submerged plants: hornwort, water plantain

Colorful-leaf plants:

Red or purple: sweetgum, lacquer tree, Japanese maple, Amur maple, Oriental bittersweet, red oak, Tang maple, Chinese tallow, staghorn sumac, sumac, mountain ash, heavenly bamboo, winged euonymus, hawthorn, Chinese pistache, Chinese wingnut, barberry, Hubei hornbeam, Boston ivy

Golden yellow or yellow-brown: ginkgo, persimmon, goldenrain tree, tulip tree, Chinese parasol tree, elm, walnut, catalpa, dawn redwood, crape myrtle, Chinese elm, nanmu, wild jujube, kiwi, horse chestnut, water elm mountain ash, wintersweet, pomegranate, yellow cassia, witch hazel, soapberry, acacia

Fragrant plants:

Fragrant plants that can be optionally planted in residential areas include: mint, basil, lemon balm, chamomile, lemongrass, sage, dandelion, pot marigold, thyme, borage, scented geranium, mallow and other herbaceous plants; lavender, rosemary, gardenia, rose, lemon verbena and other shrubs.

Woody plants with fragrance rotating through the four seasons such as: plum blossom and orange blossom in spring; gardenia and white magnolia in summer; osmanthus in autumn and wintersweet in winter.

Pollution-resistant and exhaust-resistant plants: black locust, paulownia, lacebark pine, Chinese juniper, coral tree, photinia, pittosporum, Japanese aralia, etc.

Nitrogen-fixing plants: Robinia, Lonicera, Albizia, false indigo, Caragana, soybean, Lespedeza, Melilotus, pea, bean, bayberry, Elaeagnus, Cycas

Nectar-source, bird-attracting and butterfly-attracting plants: dwarf yew, Buddhist pine, Torreya, Japanese holly, camphor tree, bayberry, privet, ternstroemia, viburnum, aucuba, mahonia, firethorn, boxwood, pittosporum, Japanese aralia, etc., butterfly bush, Chinese pistache, and other fragrant-flowering plants (such as plants of the Citrus genus in the Rutaceae family)

Perennial (herbaceous) flowers: torch lily (red-hot poker), lupine, blue fescue, astilbe, coreopsis, loose strife, oregano, large-flowered hibiscus, red-flowered mint, variegated star jasmine, creeping ice plant, hellebore, lycoris, daylily, iris, spiderwort, hosta, variegated canna, red-leaved canna, Michaelmas daisy, Japanese butterbur, bletilla, perennial verbena

Flowering trees and shrubs of the four seasons:

Spring: various cherry blossoms (early cherry, late cherry, weeping cherry, etc.), various crabapples (Malus micromalus, Malus halliana, Malus spectabilis, etc.), Magnoliaceae (southern magnolia, white magnolia, Magnolia soulangeana, purple magnolia, red magnolia, Michelia, Michelia maudiae, etc.), redbud, red-leaf

plum, peach blossom, camellia, winter jasmine, lilac, etc.

Summer: crape myrtle, hibiscus, hydrangea, Michelia, summer azalea, pomegranate (flower), gardenia, trumpet creeper, albizia, acacia Autumn: osmanthus, crape myrtle, hibiscus, flowering pomegranate, cotton rose, trumpet creeper, etc.

Winter: honeysuckle, heavenly bamboo, plum blossom, Michelia, camellia, sasanqua, etc.

Classification diagram of common greening tree species:

(I) Evergreen conifers

1. Tree category: deodar cedar, Korean pine, black pine, dragon juniper, masson pine, Chinese juniper, sago palm, Norfolk Island pine, Japanese cedar, Torreya

2. Shrub category: (Buddhist pine), oriental arborvitae, creeping juniper, creeping juniper, Japanese cedar, five-needle pine

(II) Deciduous conifers (no shrubs):

Tree category: dawn redwood, golden larch, pond cypress, bald cypress

(III) Evergreen broadleaf trees:

1. Tree category: camphor tree, southern magnolia, privet, windmill palm

2. Shrub category: coral tree, large-leaved boxwood, small-leaved boxwood, sparrow-tongue boxwood, holly, orange tree, photinia, pittosporum, osmanthus, oleander, yellow jasmine, winter jasmine, golden-spotted coral, heavenly bamboo, serissa, small-leaved privet, Japanese aralia, gardenia, mosquito plant, camellia, hypericum, azalea, yucca (pineapple flower, arrow hemp), sago palm (iron tree), mahonia

(IV) Deciduous broadleaf trees:

1. Tree category: weeping willow, upright willow, Chinese wingnut, dragon-claw willow, Chinese tallow, pagoda tree, Chinese parasol tree (Chinese parasol

tree), plane tree (French plane), pagoda tree (Chinese pagoda tree), coiled pagoda tree, albizia, ginkgo, chinaberry (bitter chinaberry), catalpa

2. Shrub category: cherry blossom, white magnolia, peach blossom, wintersweet, crape myrtle, redbud, maple, green maple, red-leaf plum, Malus spectabilis, bell-flower crabapple, hydrangea, oak-leaved hydrangea, golden bell flower (golden strip), cotton rose, hibiscus (hibiscus tree), mountain hemp (cinnamon tree), pomegranate

(V) Bamboo category: Ci-xiao bamboo, moso bamboo, bamboo, purple bamboo, Guanyin bamboo, phoenix-tail bamboo, Buddha-belly bamboo, golden bamboo with green jade

(VI) Vines: wisteria, star jasmine, Boston ivy (Boston ivy, climbing ivy), ivy, grapevine, winter creeper

(VII) Flowers: portulaca, tansy, scarlet sage, canna, colorful amaranth, kale (ball cabbage), chrysanthemum, orchid

(VIII) Lawn: velvet grass, zoysia grass, lilyturf, four-season evergreen grass, tall fescue, Manila grass, clover, dichondra

Detailed Table of Common Plant Arrangements

General Table of Commonly Used Street Trees

Name Scientific name Family Tree shape Characteristics

Camphor tree Cinnamomun camphcra Lauraceae Spherical Evergreen large tree, alternate leaves, three-veined, double aroma, spherical berry.

Plane tree Platanus x acerifolia Platanaceae Oval Prefers warmth, pollution-resistant, tolerant of pruning. Large crown and dense shade, suitable as street tree and shade tree.

Maple Liquidamdar formosana Hance. Hamamelidaceae Conical Deciduous tree, gray smooth bark, triangular leaves, slow growth, beautiful tree form

Flamboyant tree Delonix regia Raffin Caesalpiniaceae Umbrella-shaped Sun-loving, prefers warm hot climate, not cold-tolerant, fast-growing, pollution-resistant, wind-resistant; beautiful red flowers, flowering period May to August

Albizia Albizia julibrissin Mimosaceae Umbrella-shaped Pink flowers, June to July, suitable as courtyard ornamental tree, street tree

Acacia Albizia farnesiana Wild. Mimosaceae Umbrella-shaped Deciduous sub-tree, fast-growing, dense branches and leaves, golden yellow flowers, excellent tree vigor

Weeping willow Salix babylonica Linn. Salicaceae Umbrella-shaped Deciduous sub-tree, suitable for low-temperature areas, lush and rapid growth, beautiful tree form

Banyan Ficus retusa Linn.. Moraceae Spherical Deciduous tree, broad crown, fast-growing, strong canopy density, suitable for various pruning styles

Camphor tree Cinnamomum camphora Ness. Lauraceae Spherical Evergreen tree, broad crown, large and round, robust growth, beautiful tree form

Chinese fan palm Livitonia chinensis R.Br. Palmae Umbrella-shaped Single upright trunk, dark green leaf surface, robust growth, very beautiful posture

Longan tree Euphoria longana Lanark. Sapindaceae Round Evergreen tree with round crown, strong canopy density, slower growth, very beautiful posture

Chinaberry (chinaberry tree) Melia azedarach Linn. Meliaceae Umbrella-shaped Deciduous tree, fast growth, irregular crown, slightly umbrella-shaped, light purple flowers

Chinese parasol tree Sterculia platanifolia L. Sterculiaceae Umbrella-shaped Evergreen tree, broad leaves, fast growth, upright when young, crown spreading when old

Paper mulberry Broussonetia papyrifera Vent. Moraceae Umbrella-shaped Evergreen tree, huge soft thin leaves, branches spreading in all directions, umbrella-shaped crown, also beautiful posture

Alder Alnus formosana Makino. Fagaceae Umbrella-shaped Evergreen tree, tolerant of moisture and heat, not suitable for dry land and hard soil, tall and beautiful tree form

Ash tree Faxinus insularis Hemsl. Oleaceae Umbrella-shaped Evergreen tree, robust, fast-growing, beautiful tree form and leaf shape Norfolk Island pine Araucaria cuninghamii Araucariaceae Conical Evergreen conifer, sun-loving, prefers warm hot climate, not cold-tolerant, prefers fertilizer, fast-growing, narrow conical crown, beautiful posture

Qinghai spruce Picea carassifolia Pinaceae Tower-shaped Evergreen conifer, neutral, shallow-rooted, suitable for Northwest China

Korean pine Pinus koraiensis Pinaceae Tower-shaped Evergreen conifer, weakly sun-loving, prefers cool humid climate and acidic soil, blue-green needles

Chinese juniper (Chinese juniper) Sabina chinensis Cupressaceae Conical Evergreen conifer, sun-loving, young trees slightly shade-tolerant, drought and barren-tolerant, cold-tolerant, slightly moisture-tolerant, pruning-tolerant, good dust-proof and sound-insulating effect

Southern magnolia Magnolia grandiflora L. Magnoliaceae Oval Evergreen tree, large white fragrant flowers, beautiful tree form,

Acacia confusa Merr. Fabaceae Umbrella-shaped Evergreen tree, bark smooth when young and rough when old, trunk often curved, strong growth vigor

Phoenix dactylifera L. Arecaceae Pinnate Evergreen broadleaf tree, trunk branching, strong heat resistance, robust growth, handsome form

Phoenix canariensis (Canary Island date palm) Phoenix dactylifera Arecaceae Pinnate Evergreen broadleaf tree, thick trunk, tall and majestic, dense and spreading pinnate fronds,

Royal palm (Oreodoxa regia) Oreodoxa regia H.B.K. Arecaceae Umbrella-shaped Single erect trunk, up to 18 m tall, slightly swollen at the middle, pinnate compound leaves, very strong vitality, great ornamental value

Ginkgo Ginkgo biloba Ginkgoaceae Umbrella-shaped Deciduous broadleaf tree, yellow autumn leaves, cold-resistant, deep-rooted, intolerant of waterlogging, resistant to many toxic gases

Chinese tulip tree (horse jacket tree) Liriodendron chinense Magnoliaceae Umbrella-shaped Deciduous broadleaf tree, prefers warm humid climate, fairly strong resistance, fertile acidic soil, rapid growth, long-lived, leaves shaped like a horse jacket, flowers yellow-green, large and beautiful.

Chinese white poplar Populus tomentosa Salicaceae Umbrella-shaped Deciduous broadleaf tree, prefers cool temperate climate, pollution-resistant, deep-rooted, fast-growing, fairly long-lived; form upright, trunk straight, bark grayish-white

Lombardy poplar Populus nigra var. italica Salicaceae Narrow cylindrical Deciduous broadleaf tree, cold- and drought-tolerant, slightly tolerant of saline-alkali and wet conditions, fast-growing

Chinese elm Ulmus parvifolia Ulmaceae Umbrella-shaped Deciduous broadleaf tree, prefers warm humid climate, tolerant of drought and poor soil, deep-rooted, fast-growing, long-lived, resistant to smoke, dust and toxic gases, strong dust-retention capacity

Box elder (ash-leaved maple) Acer negundo Aceraceae Umbrella-shaped Deciduous broadleaf tree, prefers fertile soil and a cool humid climate, tolerant of smoke and dust, dry cold, and light saline-alkali, tolerant of pruning, autumn leaves yellow{Maintenance measures for the southern plant date palm}.

Table of Traits of Commonly Used Landscape Trees

Name Scientific name Family Tree form Characteristics

Camphor Cinnamomun camphcra Lauraceae Spherical Large evergreen tree, leaves alternate, tri-nerved, doubly aromatic, berries spherical.

London plane Platanus x acerifolia Platanaceae Ovoid Prefers warmth, pollution-resistant, tolerant of pruning. Broad crown and dense shade, suitable as a street tree and shade tree.

Southern magnolia Magnolia grandiflora L. Magnoliaceae Ovoid Evergreen tree, flowers large white and fragrant, graceful form,

Yulan magnolia Magnolia denudata Magnoliaceae Umbrella-shaped Fairly cold-tolerant, afraid of waterlogging. Flowers large and pure white, blooms in March to April. Suitable for garden viewing.

Chinese tulip tree (horse jacket tree) Liriodendron chinense Magnoliaceae Umbrella-shaped Deciduous broadleaf tree, prefers warm humid climate, fairly strong resistance, fertile acidic soil, rapid growth, long-lived, leaves shaped like a horse jacket, flowers yellow-green, large and beautiful.

Chinese arborvitae Thuja orientalis Linn Cupressaceae Conical Evergreen tree, neat form when young, often curved when old, strong growth, long-lived, beautiful tree form

Ash tree Faxinus insularis Hemsl. Oleaceae Round Evergreen tree, robust constitution, rapid growth, graceful tree form and leaf shape Bischoffia javanica Blanco Euphorbiaceae Round Evergreen tree, very handsome when young leaves sprout, robust growth, beautiful tree form

Weeping willow Salix babylonica Linn. Salicaceae Umbrella-shaped Deciduous small tree, suitable for low-lying wet sites, luxuriant and rapid growth, beautiful tree form

Chinese incense cedar Calocedrus macrolepis Kurz Cupressaceae Umbrella-shaped Evergreen tree, bark grayish-brown, with irregular longitudinal fissures; branchlets alternate, green and flattened when young.

Royal palm Roystonea regia Arecaceae Umbrella-shaped Single erect trunk, up to 18 m tall, slightly swollen at the middle, pinnate compound leaves, very strong vitality, great ornamental value

Japanese euonymus Euonymus japonica Celastraceae Ovoid Prefers warm humid climate, resistant to toxic gases. Grown for foliage. Suitable for hedges and foundation planting.

Formosan sweetgum Liquidamdar formosana Hance. Hamamelidaceae Conical Deciduous tree, bark gray and smooth, leaves triangular, slow-growing, beautiful tree form

Chinese wingnut Pterocarya stenoptera Juglandaceae Umbrella-shaped Highly adaptable, tolerant of wet conditions, fast-growing. Suitable as a shade tree, street tree, and bank-protection tree

Creeping juniper Sabina procumbens Cupressaceae Evergreen creeping low shrub, branches spreading and trailing on the ground, leaves needle-like. Slow-growing, uniquely styled, with fresh green, flowing foliage. Suitable for ground cover and landscaping around courtyard stones, ponds, sand pits, and slopes.{Maintenance measures for the southern plant date palm}.

Golden dewdrop Duranta repens Verbenaceae Round Evergreen shrub. Suitable for large containers, flower troughs, and hedges. Golden dewdrop is grown mainly for its foliage, widely used, and can serve as ground cover, be pruned into shapes, form patterns, or be planted for color contrast, eye-catching and striking. Chinese holly Ilex cornuta Aquifoliaceae Round Resistant to toxic gases, slow-growing. Green leaves and red berries, very beautiful. Suitable for foundation planting. Paper mulberry Broussonetia papyrifera Vent. Moraceae Umbrella-shaped Evergreen tree, leaves huge, soft and thin, branches spreading in all directions, form also beautiful

Chinese elm Ulmus parvifolia Ulmaceae Umbrella-shaped Deciduous broadleaf tree, prefers warm humid climate, tolerant of drought and poor soil, deep-rooted, fast-growing, long-lived, resistant to smoke, dust and toxic gases, strong dust-retention capacity

Chinese juniper Juniperus Chinensis Linn Cupressaceae Conical Evergreen medium-sized tree, branches densely borne, dark green, robust growth, suitable for pruning, beautiful tree form

Japanese pittosporum Pittosporum tobira Pittosporaceae Round White flowers fragrant, blooms in May. Suitable for foundation planting, as a hedge or in containers. Date palm Phoenix dactylifera Linn Arecaceae Umbrella-shaped Trunk suckering, up to 20-25 m tall, leaves grayish-white with arched curvature, robust growth, beautiful tree form

Hankow willow Salix matsudana Salicaceae Umbrella-shaped Suitable as a shade tree, street tree, and bank-protection tree

Silk tree Albizia julibrissin Mimosaceae Umbrella-shaped Flowers pink, June to July, suitable as a shade ornamental tree and street tree

Japanese black pine Pinus Thumbergii Porl. Pinaceae Conical Evergreen tree, bark grayish-brown, branchlets orange-yellow, needles hard and borne two per cluster, long-lived

Purple-leaf plum Prunus cerasifera. F.arropurpurea Rosaceae Umbrella-shaped Deciduous small tree, branchlets smooth, reddish-brown, leaves ovate, entirely purplish-red, pale pink small flowers in April, drupe purple. Suitable for both specimen and group planting, as a backdrop.

Washington palm Washingtonia filifera Wend. Arecaceae Umbrella-shaped Single cylindrical trunk, swollen at the base, up to 4-8 m tall, leaf blade fan-shaped and round, robust growth, beautiful tree form{Maintenance measures for the southern plant date palm}.

Japanese pagoda tree Sophora japonica Fabaceae Umbrella-shaped Branches and leaves dense, crown broad, suitable as a shade tree and street tree

Glaucous cassia Cassia glauca Lam. Fabaceae Round Deciduous tree, even-pinnate compound leaves, flowers yellow, rapid growth, beautiful tree form

Box elder (ash-leaved maple) Acer negundo Aceraceae Umbrella-shaped Deciduous broadleaf tree, prefers fertile soil and a cool humid climate, tolerant of smoke and dust, dry cold, and light saline-alkali, tolerant of pruning, autumn leaves yellow

Japanese maple Acer palmatum Aceraceae Umbrella-shaped Leaves elegant in shape, autumn leaves red. Suitable for garden viewing and containers.

Golden larch Pseudolarix amabilis Rehd. Pinaceae Ovoid pagoda-shaped Evergreen tree, branches and leaves well spaced, leaves linear, alternate on long shoots, small leaves radiating, tree form vigorous and upright.

Bottle palm Hyophorbe amaricaulis Mart. Arecaceae Umbrella-shaped Trunk about 3 m tall, base oval and swollen, forming a bottle shape, very handsome form

Mandarin orange tree Citrus reticulata Rutaceae Round Flowers white, fruit yellow-green, fragrant. Suitable for group planting.

Chinaberry Melia azedarch Linn. Meliaceae Round Deciduous tree, bark grayish-brown, doubly odd-pinnate compound leaves, flowers purple, rapid growth

Snowbush (Serissa) Serissa serissoides Rubiaceae Round Evergreen small shrub. Leaf color dark green, flowers snow-white, slightly pale pink. Branches and leaves slender, fine texture, suitable for containers, low hedges, ground cover, flower beds, and pruning into shapes.

Dragon juniper Juniperus chinensis var. Kaituka, Hort Cupressaceae Upright pagoda-shaped Evergreen medium-sized tree, branches densely borne, dark green, robust growth, very long-lived, very beautiful tree form

Dragon-claw pagoda tree S. j. cv. Pendula Fabaceae Umbrella-shaped Branches drooping, suitable for garden viewing, planted in pairs or rows

Dragon-claw willow S. m. cv. Tortuosa Salicaceae Round Branches twisted like a roaming dragon, suitable as a shade tree and ornamental tree

Pygmy date palm Phehix Roebelenii Brien. Arecaceae Umbrella-shaped Trunk erect, 2 m tall, petioles thin and small, leaflets alternate or opposite, an excellent variety with beautiful leaves

Buddhist pine Podocaarpus macrophyllus D. Don Podocarpaceae Long conical Evergreen tree, plain and elegant in bearing, can be pruned as premium bonsai material, or shaped into round, conical, or tiered forms for garden landscaping and beautification.

Masson pine Pinus massoniana Lamb. Pinaceae Umbrella-shaped Evergreen tree, trunk bark reddish-brown, winter buds brown, large trees majestic in form

Nandina Nandina domestica Berberidaceae Umbrella-shaped Branches and leaves elegant, red berries in autumn and winter; for garden viewing, can be group-planted or grown in containers. Norfolk Island pine Araucaria ecelsa Br. Araucariaceae Conical Evergreen coniferous tree, branches whorled, lower ones drooping, leaves dark green, beautiful tree form, robust growth

Glossy privet Ligustrum lucidum Oleaceae Ovoid Flowers white, blooms in June. Suitable as a hedge or street tree.

Chinese fan palm Livistona chinensis R. Br. Arecaceae Umbrella-shaped Trunk erect, can reach 6-12 m tall, leaves round, petiole margins spiny, luxuriant growth, elegant form

Globe juniper Junlperus chinensis cv. Globosa. Cupressaceae Broadly round Shrub, no main trunk, branches clustered.

Green maple Acer serrulatum Aceraceae Umbrella-shaped conical Deciduous tree. Trunk erect. Tree form light and graceful, can be trained into noble bonsai, an elegant street tree, landscape tree, and forest-bathing tree.

Boxleaf euonymus B. bodinieri Buxaceae Ovoid Branches and leaves fine and dense, suitable for garden viewing. Can be group-planted, used as a hedge or grown in containers. Japanese cedar Cryptomeria japonica D. Don Taxodiaceae Conical, ovoid, round Evergreen tree. Branches whorled, graceful

Chapter Eight: "Cultivation and Maintenance of Arecaceae Plants"

The Arecaceae is a very distinctive group of evergreen plants in the monocotyledon class, with stems single or clustered, erect or climbing; leaves clustered at the top of the stem, root systems well developed, tolerant of drought and poor soil, strongly resistant to pests and diseases, and outstanding for creating tropical-style garden landscapes. This section introduces their introduction, transplanting, and disease control.

Brief Introduction to the Introduction Process

There are 183 genera and about 2,400 species of Arecaceae plants worldwide, widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical humid regions of the world. High temperature and high humidity are important conditions for the normal growth and development of most palm plants, while a few palms have unique adaptability to adverse environments, such as the silver date palm (wild date palm) distributed in extremely arid areas at the edge of deserts, and quite a few palm species that can withstand long-term waterlogging, such as the swamp palm. Most palm plants are rich in fiber, with tough stems and well-developed root systems, giving them strong wind resistance, such as the Alexander palm and the Chinese fan palm.

Since the 1940s, in the construction of numerous tropical and subtropical cities around the world, the landscape value of palm plants has been recognized, and they have been used as key species for urban greening and beautification, such as in Miami in the United States, Jakarta in India, Bangkok in Thailand, as well as Cape Town in South Africa and Singapore.

Some landscape companies in Guangdong began the work of introducing and applying palm plants in the early 1980s. Over the following more than twenty years, southern provinces and regions such as Guangxi, Fujian, and Yunnan, and later Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Chongqing, and Yunnan, successively set off a wave of introducing, producing, and applying palms.

Several units led by the Guangdong Palm Landscape Company, based on theories of plant geography and ecology, through observational research on the growth and mortality rates of introduced and acclimatized Arecaceae plants, found that plants native to the Northern Hemisphere generally possess cold-tolerance potential because they experienced ancient glacial climates, while species native to high latitudes and high altitudes in the Southern Hemisphere also have relatively strong cold tolerance. Through research on the cold tolerance and cold-tolerance mechanisms of palm plants, researchers found that the main factors affecting introduction and acclimatization are: temperature, light, humidity, moisture, and soil. The most significant effect of the temperature factor is governing plant growth and development, and low winter temperatures are the leading factor determining the success or failure of palm introduction and acclimatization; through research on salt tolerance and shade tolerance of palms, researchers screened out a group of varieties with relatively strong saline-alkali tolerance and shade tolerance; at the same time, through the control of pests and diseases such as palm Phytophthora blight, coconut leaf beetle, and red palm weevil, the incidence of palm pests and diseases was greatly reduced. In addition, researchers also studied the mechanisms of palm seed germination, summarized and invented techniques for accelerating palm seed germination, mastered the techniques for whole-crown transplanting of palm plants and cultivation of large-sized container seedlings, and did fruitful work on techniques such as soil improvement and winter cold protection and care.

At present, researchers have screened and promoted about 80 species of palm plants in South China, including the royal palm, Chinese fan palm, bamboo palm, South China palm, and fishtail palm; in Shanghai and surrounding areas, the Arecaceae plants successfully applied mainly include the Butia palm, hairy Washington palm, Canary Island date palm, Washington palm, and more than ten other species, and the related research techniques have been appraised by experts as reaching the world's advanced level.

Taking the Washington palm as an example

On the Occurrence and Control of Phytophthora Blight

Damage and General Symptoms of Palm Phytophthora Blight

This disease often occurs and causes damage on palm plants such as the royal palm, large Chinese fan palm, Washington palm, Mexican fan palm, and Canary Island date palm; in affected plants the central leaf cannot emerge normally, new leaves shrink and dry up, and in severe cases the whole plant withers in patches. The pathogen of Phytophthora blight is caused by Phytophthora, and can be identified by culture in an incubator. The pathogen mainly overwinters in the soil or on diseased plant residues. The bacteria spread through watering, rain splash, air movement, etc.

Occurrence Pattern of Washington Palm Phytophthora Blight

This disease occurs during the high-temperature, high-humidity period between summer and autumn. Drought followed by rain, or poor management after transplanting, such as heavy watering, causing soil moisture content to

suddenly increase, poor ventilation, or plants located in wind-gap positions, are prone to infection. The disease is severe in low-lying, poorly drained, and continuously cropped plots. In addition, the disease is often related to severe root damage caused during seedling digging, combined with long-distance transport.

When it occurs, the base of the unexpanded young central leaf rots, and the leaf turns grayish-green and droops, and it can be pulled out with slight effort. Dissecting the stem, one can see paste-like secretions and a foul odor at the growing point or even the entire central part of the plant, and white mold-like growth can appear on the infected tissue. In severely affected plants, the roots are also often seen to be damaged, with the main symptoms being blackened, rotted roots and a peculiar

odor. This disease mainly occurs at the seedling stage and in nurseries, and is less common in adult trees planted in green spaces.

Symptoms

In recent years, the damage has been relatively severe in nursery sites. In the early stage of the disease, yellowish-brown water-soaked lesions first appear near the ground, and the lesions rapidly expand and are slightly sunken, and when moist the surface is densely covered with white cottony mold, and the diseased part rots and smells foul. When it occurs on leaves, the diseased part is yellowish-brown, and white mold grows under moist conditions. When it occurs on stems, it is initially dark green, then expands, becomes moist and soft, and in the later stage the upper part appears withered. This disease can harm the entire palm plant. Sometimes purulent liquid oozes from cut roots and stems, and in severe cases the vein margins of young leaves bear large amounts of grayish-black mycelium. Phytophthora blight is a vascular bundle disease, and in severe cases the whole plant wilts, droops, dries up, and eventually dies, with a high fatality rate.

According to surveys, the peak period of this disease is mostly the high-temperature, high-humidity period, that is, the optimum temperature is 27°C to 35°C. For example, in 2006, the disease period in the coastal areas near the Pearl River Delta was July to October, in Xiamen August to November, in Shanghai June to September (also occurring in early spring), and in the mountainous areas of the western Pearl River Delta August to November, but in all places the disease could be seen within 1 to 2 months after typhoons and rainstorms, sometimes occurring sporadically and sometimes appearing in patches.

Control Methods

I. Preventive Cultivation Measures

1. Pay attention to ventilation, drying, and drainage in the nursery; the leaves can be moderately pruned each autumn and winter, and pits can be opened and soil mounded at the planting site to keep the nursery site dry. Usually potassium fertilizer can be applied additionally, and quicklime and superphosphate can also be applied separately, to enhance the density of plant tissues and resistance to infection, and improve the disease resistance of the plants.

2. Choose a good plot, selecting loam or sandy loam plots with high terrain and good drainage for planting.

3. Practice crop rotation; land that has grown Washington palms requires rotation of three to four years or more.

4. Strengthen field management, apply more organic fertilizer, promote robust plant growth with deep roots and lush leaves, and improve resistance. Practice high-ridge (bed) cultivation. Appropriately control watering during the rainy season, drain water promptly after rain so that the ground dries after rain; water promptly in drought, and when watering strictly prohibit flood irrigation, and do it on sunny afternoons or in the evening.

5. Achieve prevention first and integrated control. Observe regularly, often prune dead branches and fallen leaves, and when diseased plants are found, clean them up promptly, bury them deeply or burn them, and disinfect the diseased holes with lime.

II. Chemical Control

One to two months before the disease occurs in summer and during the disease period, use 64% Sandofan wettable powder (1:500 to 600), 80% fosetyl-aluminum (1:400), or other hymexazol-type products such as kameitong, also known as soil fungicide (usual dosage 600 to 700 times), lime-sulfur mixture (1:1:100), dexon (500 times), etc. for control. Specific control methods: when transplanting Washington palms, first spray the planting site and Washington palm roots with 600 to 700 times soil fungicide solution, or first dig pits and expose them to the sun for sterilization during consecutive sunny days, or sprinkle lime powder for disinfection, or use dexon 500 times solution for soil disinfection.

After a typhoon, promptly spray Sandofan (better) or fosetyl-aluminum (prone to developing resistance), adding 0.4% laundry detergent, into the heart or as a spray for both prevention and treatment. Also can spray 80% mancozeb 700 times solution, once every 7 to 10 days, spraying two or three times in succession, which can effectively prevent and control the occurrence of Phytophthora blight. After adopting this measure, the incidence rate of Washington palms and hairy Washington palms at the Shanghai base of the Guangdong Palm Landscape Company has dropped from 20% in 2004 to below 10%.

Control Experience

The control effect of using carbendazim and the like is not obvious. In the early stage of the disease, if all leaves are cut off and the plant is transplanted elsewhere, about 30% can successively revive after 2 to 3 years, but the growth vigor is poor.

It is understood that this disease rarely occurs in high-temperature dry areas such as Los Angeles, so this disease is related to high temperature and high humidity, and the infection route is through surface water, groundwater, and rainwater, etc. When the plant's roots, trunk, leaves, etc. are damaged, the pathogen invades and multiplies massively when moisture is sufficient, ultimately causing blockage of the vascular conducting tissue, and the plant wilts and dies from water loss. The heart rot disease described in some literature is actually also Phytophthora blight, only occurring at the central leaf part.

This disease is different from anthracnose, which occurs on leaves, with water-soaked small spots appearing when the disease occurs, then expanding into larger lesions, and is easily found, and can generally be controlled with agents such as carbendazim. As for leaf spot disease, it refers to diseases occurring on leaves, with common pathogens being Phyllosticta, Pestalotiopsis, etc., often causing leaf blight, but anthracnose and leaf spot disease rarely cause plant death. Transplanting Techniques for Large Single-Trunk Seedlings

Preparation Before Transplanting

1. Root-prune the seedlings to be transplanted in advance; after root pruning, the soil ball size is twice the ground diameter, and the root pruning depth is 50 cm to 60 cm. Stones and broken roots should be removed from the root-pruned soil and it should be backfilled promptly, and moisture should be maintained: the purpose is to exercise the adaptability of the seedling and promote new root growth. After root pruning, it is best to keep them for more than 30 days, and transplant only when new roots begin to sprout. If heeled-in seedlings are used, the effect is even better.

2. Dig holes and prepare the ground. Dig holes at the planting site 20 days before transplanting, and the hole size is generally 1.5 times the soil ball. Let the soil from the holes be exposed to the sun in the open for a period, and the backfill soil is best a pre-prepared mixed soil: pond mud + farmyard manure or mushroom soil + an appropriate amount of matured phosphate fertilizer + an appropriate amount of river sand, with sand: mud at 4:6.

Planting Time

In the Pearl River Delta region, transplanting can be done year-round, with spring and autumn being the best, and summer and winter should be avoided as much as possible, especially January and July. Most Arecaceae plants prefer warmth and humidity; in summer the air temperature is high, seedlings evaporate water quickly, easily causing excessive water loss that affects survival; in winter the temperature is low, and some places even have frost, and strong north winds easily cause frostbite or even death of seedlings.

Moving Seedlings

Some large single-trunk Arecaceae seedlings have relatively thick stems, the workload of moving seedlings is large, and the seedlings are very easily injured; therefore, when moving seedlings, the trunk should be wrapped with burlap sacks or rice straw, especially the green wrapped part at the boundary between the trunk and the petiole. First, it protects the trunk, and second, it maintains moisture and prevents sunburn. In addition, when lifting seedlings, combine this with pruning leaves, removing old leaves and retaining 40% to 45% of the leaves (specifically depending on the vigor of the tree). At the same time, cut off the leaves together with the petiole by 1/5, to minimize water evaporation.

Planting

Seedlings are best dug and planted on the same day; if the time is too long, the seedlings evaporate a lot of water and are prone to survival problems due to water loss. If they cannot all be planted the same day, they should be covered with shade netting and a small amount of water sprayed on the leaves every day, with good shading and moisture retention.

1. Backfilling soil Once the seedling is positioned, backfill the soil. When the backfill reaches half the height of the soil ball, first compact the loose soil. After backfilling is complete, shape the soil mound into a "water storage basin" that is slightly higher around the edges and slightly lower in the middle, to facilitate watering and moisture retention.

2. Watering After backfilling, immediately water thoroughly to settle the roots; before watering, first use bamboo poles, etc. to poke and firm the loose soil around the soil ball until the loose soil no longer sinks.

3. Fixing There are many kinds of supports; using three bamboo poles to form a triangular support is the most economical and practical one. The tying height is at 2/3 of the trunk.

Post-Planting Management

1. Moisture retention Spray the leaves and trunk wrapping twice a day, except on rainy days, just enough to wet the leaves and trunk wrapping. Do not water at the roots, because excess water will flow downward, and water accumulation causes root rot. Cover the area around the tree base with rice straw to prevent sunburn, prevent soil compaction caused by excessive temperature differences in the soil, and keep the soil around the soil ball loose, moist, and aerated, which is conducive to the sprouting of new roots.

2. Wind protection Because transplanted large single-trunk palm plants are generally taller, and after transplanting are often affected by thunderstorms and strong winds, the supports should be checked regularly after planting to see whether they have come loose, and especially after strong winds, if the trunk is found to be leaning, it should be righted and re-tied promptly.

3. Topdressing About one month after planting, urea water can be used as foliar topdressing by spraying, with topdressing about once every half a month. After the first new leaf grows and matures, use fully decomposed peanut cake for hole fertilization. The hole position is a ring-shaped trench opened outside the edge of the soil ball, with the trench width and depth each 30 cm, and the fertilizer must be mixed evenly with the backfill soil.

4. Pest and disease control Newly transplanted large single-trunk Arecaceae seedlings are relatively weak in vigor and highly susceptible to pests and diseases, especially the young leaves and central leaf. For insect control, 5% methamidophos plus 5% omethoate can be applied. At present, the invasive pest "coconut leaf beetle" is quite serious in its harm to Arecaceae plants; adults and larvae concentrate in the overlapping spaces of the not-yet-unfolded central leaf and gnaw the leaf flesh, causing part or all of the newly emerged leaves to die, and affected plants grow slowly or even die. The control methods include the following: ① 81% malathion emulsifiable concentrate 1000 times solution; ② cypermethrin 500 times solution; ③ use "Yejiaqing", all of which can achieve good control effects. Based on practical operation, the author believes that the simplest, most convenient, and long-lasting method is to hang a packet of "Yejiaqing" on the central leaf in combination with tying during planting for control.

For large single-trunk Arecaceae seedlings, about one month after planting, whether they have survived can be roughly determined based on whether the leaves remain green, but to truly determine survival, one generally must wait one growing season and use whether new shoots and new roots have emerged as the standard. After the author adopted the above transplanting techniques in construction, the transplanting survival rate increased from the original 75% to over 90%, and the above techniques are highly operable and worth promoting and applying.

Transplanting Techniques for Seedlings, Large Trees, and Clustered Seedlings

Key Techniques for Transplanting Seedlings

Palm plants are most suitable for transplanting during the period after they germinate and take root. At this time the seedlings are smaller and can be transplanted with the seed, and in addition they have few fibrous roots, so the root system is not easily damaged when moving seedlings. Use nutritional bags for raising seedlings, with the size depending on the time for cultivating the seedlings; generally speaking, for 1-year-old seedlings a 16 cm × 18 cm container is suitable, and for 2-year-old seedlings 19 cm × 20 cm; nutritional bags that are too small are not conducive to rapid seedling growth. The nutritional soil is prepared with loose topsoil, burned soil, and wheat bran, mixed evenly in a 5:2:1 ratio with a small amount of phosphate fertilizer, then bagged. First fill half the bag with the mixed soil, then place the seedling, then straighten the seedling and fill it full and compact it, so that the seedling root system is pressed tightly against the mixed soil, and water thoroughly. Palm plants must not be planted too deep, otherwise it will affect seedling growth. If too deep, the seedling should be lifted upward so that the seedling root system spreads out.

Key Techniques for Transplanting Large Trees

Arecaceae plants are cultivated in nurseries for 5 to 10 years, and most require several times of bed-to-bed transplanting, so selecting robust seedlings grown at wide spacing gives a relatively high survival rate.

Reduce damage to the root mass Palm plant root tissues are tender, with many lateral roots and capillary roots; when digging, carry as large a soil ball as possible, and prevent it from loosening and cracking. Minimize the degree of root mass damage as much as possible, so as to maintain normal respiration and water absorption capacity and improve the transplanting survival rate. During construction, accurately set out lines and fix hole positions to avoid rework and prevent the soil ball from loosening.

Leaf pruning The amount of leaves retained at transplanting should be comprehensively determined according to different species, the climate at transplanting, and transplanting and maintenance conditions, etc.

Generally about 40% of the original leaf count should be retained. Retaining too many leaves will cause the leaves to yellow and dry due to high water evaporation; retaining too few leaves makes plant recovery difficult and the cycle long, and the initial landscape effect is also poor.

Protect the plant's stem and its pseudostem During the process of digging, carrying, loading and unloading the plant, the stem should be protected from damage, and the pseudostem part should not be squeezed or bent; this is the guarantee of the plant's health and rapid recovery.

Soil at the new planting site Palm plants suffer damage to root tips during transplanting, and it is difficult for new root tips to sprout within one month after transplanting, so water absorption capacity is weak. At this time, good soil permeability and aeration are conducive to seedling survival, so when planting, large holes should be dug and attention paid to the quality of foreign soil, adding peat soil and compound fertilizer, to facilitate palm recovery after planting.

Maintenance Within one month after planting, the plant has poor adaptability and the seedlings should be carefully maintained; be sure to replenish water promptly and provide appropriate shading, striving to have new leaves emerge within three months. If continuous rainy weather occurs for several days after transplanting, palm seedlings recover better, because rainy days can avoid the adverse effects of scorching sun exposure and other factors.

Key Techniques for Transplanting Large Clustered Seedlings

Clustered species of palms have multiple growing points. Once they develop into a multi-stemmed clumping form, they can grow new roots relatively quickly after transplanting. However, clustered palms also have drawbacks: the trunks are heavy, and the large leaf area causes high water evaporation; their poor wind permeability also makes them vulnerable to strong winds. Therefore, in addition to the transplanting measures used for single-stem palms, the following technical measures should be added:

1. Implement the "fibrous root method" of transplanting: after digging out a relatively large root ball, use a small shovel to remove some soil along the outer edge of the root ball, retaining more fibrous roots and a moderate-sized root ball, then immediately wrap it with a lightweight moisture-retaining material. This reduces the weight of the root ball while ensuring survival. For example, this method can be used for transplanting slow-to-recover clustered palms such as the fishtail palm (Caryota) and the three-stemmed areca (Areca triandra).

2. Implement bare-root heeling-in or pot planting for centralized care until new roots sprout and the plant is stable, then formally plant in the ground. This method is suitable for robust clustered palms such as the areca palm (Dypsis lutescens), the strange wrinkled-seed palm, and the Hawaiian bamboo palm (Chamaedorea). It can reduce transport costs and facilitate construction.

In summary, the transplanting of large palm seedlings and mature trees comes down to five key aspects: selecting strong seedlings; digging good root balls and transporting them carefully; moderate pruning of leaves; ensuring good aeration and drainage at the planting site; and carrying out post-planting care such as sun protection and moisture retention. The sign of successful transplanting of large seedlings and mature trees is being able to retain most of the leaves and sprout new leaves within half a year after planting, with the sprouting of three healthy new leaves being complete success.

Drainage: First understand the hydrological conditions of the planting site. Try to place the very bottom of the root ball at a position 100-150CM above the year-round groundwater level of the planting site, with deep fertile soil. At the same time, a drainage layer for the root ball underground and a surface runoff drainage network should be established to prevent water accumulation around the root ball after planting. If the hydrological conditions do not meet the requirements, the raised root ball planting method can be used: first pile up the planting site with loose medium mixed with fertile soil or coarse sand, trying to meet the above requirements, then place the plant on the mound and fill in around the root ball with mixed loose soil or planting soil mixed with humus. Remove debris from the soil around the planting site, or appropriately improve the soil with loose medium, so as to achieve loose and breathable conditions for the plant roots. Strengthen inspections during the rainy season, promptly clear drainage facilities and appropriately loosen the soil around the roots to prevent waterlogging and drain accumulated water. Moisture retention: After planting, immediately water once with settling water to ensure the root ball roots are moist and closely integrated with the surrounding soil, promoting root development. Then water three more times thoroughly and promptly cover the root ball to prevent the surface soil from cracking. In hot summer, spray water on the ground and canopy more often to increase environmental humidity and reduce transpiration. Leaf moisture retention treatments include: a. Newly planted seedlings should have their leaves appropriately pruned to reduce the transpiration area of the leaves; b. Appropriately spray anti-transpirants on the leaves to inhibit the plant's physiological metabolism and reduce physiological water loss; c. In sunny weather, spray atomized water on the leaves as much as possible to enhance the leaves' absorption of water and weaken transpiration; check the moisture status of the root ball and roots at any time and replenish water promptly to ensure the root ball remains moist and the roots can breathe freely. Fertilization: After planting, in addition to maintaining moisture for the plant, appropriately spray low-concentration foliar fertilizer to strengthen post-planting nutritional supplementation. Frequently check the root sprouting status of the plant. If new roots are found growing, consider increasing root fertilization. Generally, choose the season when the monthly average temperature is above 2O°C, apply mainly organic fertilizer, and appropriately add compound fertilizer with high P and K content, to promote balanced nutrition for the plant and ensure its rapid recovery and healthy growth. Pest and disease control: Spray pesticides to prevent pests and diseases before the seedlings leave the nursery. After arriving at the site, the plants also need to be sprayed with pesticides before unloading from the truck, and ensure that within one month after planting, pesticides are applied three consecutive times at intervals of one week to ten days. Afterwards, a reasonable pest and disease control plan should also be formulated. Special

Chapter Nine: "Maintenance Plan"

Shidalien (Nanjing) Optoelectronics Co., Ltd. Greening

Main

ten

ance

Plan

Nanjing Gensen Flowers and Trees Co., Ltd.

October 8, 2010

Project Overview

"Shidalien (Nanjing) Optoelectronics Co., Ltd." is located at No. 31 Hengfei Road, Nanjing Economic and Technological Development Zone, with a green space area of 28,186 square meters. The plant configuration in the factory greening is relatively reasonable, with rich colors and obvious seasonal changes, forming a distinct layered and natural ecological plant community that basically displays the natural landscape of the plants. The configuration of flowering shrubs and hedges between the factory buildings gives each factory area a different landscape style. Dozens of plant varieties have been planted in the factory area, including camphor trees (Cinnamomum camphora), southern magnolias (Magnolia grandiflora), zelkova trees (Zelkova), osmanthus (Osmanthus fragrans), and crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia indica). Among them are a tree-lined avenue composed of large-specimen camphor trees, and scenic spots at the gatehouse composed of ancient red maples, pomegranates (Punica granatum), Malus spectabilis, ginkgos (Ginkgo biloba), and Canary Island date palms (Phoenix canariensis).

In view of the existing situation of the factory greening landscape, we believe that the initial construction was relatively extensive and the understanding of plant habits was insufficient. In particular, the replacement of planting soil in the green areas was not thorough, and in some areas the garbage soil was not replaced, resulting in poor plant growth.

Greening Maintenance Plan Schedule

January (Minor Cold, Major Cold)

1. Shaping and pruning of fruit trees.

2. Frequently check cold-protection equipment, facilities, and seedling cold-protection wrappings.

3. Turn the soil for winter plowing and apply sufficient winter fertilizer.

4. Prune dead, damaged, diseased and pest-infested branches; thoroughly remove overwintering bagworm cases, slug moth cocoons, and latent overwintering pests.

February (Start of Spring, Rain Water)

1. Continue winter pruning of deciduous trees and fruit trees.

2. Continue pruning diseased and pest-infested branches, and pay attention to observing the occurrence of pests and diseases (such as cottony cushion scale, globose scale, etc.).

3. Continue collecting and making compost, preparing culture soil, and continue applying winter fertilizer to various deciduous trees. March (Awakening of Insects, Spring Equinox)

The weather gradually warms up, and many pests and diseases are about to occur. Maintain and repair various pest and disease control equipment and prepare medications. Pay attention to the occurrence of aphids and globose scale, and achieve timely control. April (Pure Brightness, Grain Rain)

1. Carry out control of pests such as scale insects, mites, cutworms, white grubs, and mole crickets, as well as powdery mildew and rust disease.

2. Do well in loosening soil, weeding, and pre-flowering fertilization. Apply dilute fertilizer weekly to perennial flowers and spring-sown herbaceous flowers.

3. Do well in bud removal and pruning of trees. Remove excess tender buds and branches growing in inappropriate positions at any time.

4. Dredge and repair the drainage system.

May (Start of Summer, Grain Full)

1. Carry out post-flowering pruning of spring-blooming shrubs and hedge pruning. According to technical operation requirements, carry out bud removal and pruning of trees, and prune and remove root suckers from seedlings at any time.

2. Continue to strengthen tree maintenance and management, do well in replanting, thinning, and final spacing of seedlings, apply additional topdressing, and apply dilute fertilizer frequently.

3. This month the temperature gradually rises, and pests and diseases cause extensive damage to trees and flowers. Attention should be paid to pest forecasting and doing well in pest and disease prevention.

4. Carry out lawn mowing and continue removing weeds from the lawn.

June (Grain in Ear, Summer Solstice)

1. This month enters the plum rain season, with high temperatures and high humidity. Replanting should be carried out promptly.

2. Carry out post-flowering pruning and fertilization of flowering shrubs, and pinch and prune some spring-sown herbaceous flowers.

3. Continue removing weeds and continue mowing.

4. Do well in pest and disease control. This month focus on controlling pests such as bagworms, slug moths, tussock moths, inchworms, and soft scale insects, as well as leaf spot disease, anthracnose, and sooty mold.

July (Minor Heat, Major Heat)

1. This month the weather is hot and weeds grow quickly. Continue intertillage weeding and loosening the soil.

2. Pests such as bagworms, slug moths, longhorn beetles, soft scale insects, armored scale insects, the second generation of cottony cushion scale, and mites occur in large numbers. Attention should be paid to their control, while continuing to control anthracnose, powdery mildew, leaf spot disease, etc.

3. During the dog days with high temperatures and little rain, irrigation is needed to combat drought. This month is also a month with more heavy rain, so attention should be paid to preventing waterlogging.

4. This month enters the typhoon and tidal flood season. Do well in typhoon and flood prevention work, inspect frequently, and promptly right wind-toppled trees.

August (Start of Autumn, End of Heat)

1. Continue intertillage weeding and loosening the soil.

2. Continue doing well in drought prevention and drainage to ensure normal growth of seedlings.

3. This month seedlings grow vigorously, so topdressing should be applied promptly. For small seedlings, apply dilute fertilizer frequently.

4. Continue doing well in typhoon and flood prevention work, and promptly right wind-toppled trees when found.

5. Continue doing well in pest and disease control, earnestly controlling the main pests harmful to trees (bagworms, second-generation slug moths, longhorn beetles, mites, etc.) and main diseases (powdery mildew, anthracnose, leaf spot disease, etc.).

September (White Dew, Autumn Equinox)

1. Continue to do well in pest and disease elimination work; in particular, frequently check the occurrence of aphids, wood borers, etc., and control immediately once found.

2. Continue intertillage weeding, continue removing lawn weeds, carry out lawn mowing, and carry out shaping and pruning of topiary balls and hedges.

3. Continue to do well in pest and disease control. In particular, check the pest and disease situations that occur more frequently, such as aphids, bagworms, slug moths, brown spot disease, and sooty mold on flowering shrubs, and control them promptly.

October (Cold Dew, Frost's Descent)

1. Do well in pest and disease control, eliminating various adult insects and eggs.

2. Continue intertillage weeding.

3. After seedlings stop growing, check the survival rate, get a clear picture of the situation, and ensure the smooth progress of winter and spring greening work.

November (Start of Winter, Minor Snow)

1. Do well in cold protection work. Whitewash some trees, or wrap them with straw rope.

2. Carry out winter tree pruning, cutting off diseased branches and dead branches; branches with insect eggs as well as competing branches and ex

A Preliminary Study on Villa Courtyard Landscape Design

Therefore, in-depth research on villa courtyard design is inevitably necessary. This paper explores the materials currently used in Beijing villa courtyards and analyzes some examples of villa courtyards that have been created.

1. Current Status of Villa Courtyard Landscape

1.1 Current Scope of Villa Courtyard Design

A villa usually refers to a single-family residence built in a beautiful environment for people to live in and rest. It generally consists of a living room, dining room, kitchen, study, bedroom, bathroom, etc. Its area is not large, but it can accommodate the basic contents of daily life and has a certain degree of comfort, and its supporting courtyard also has its own characteristics.

The general villa greening environment includes two parts: private courtyards and public green space. The two complement each other and neither can be dispensed with. Real estate developers must not only maintain the public green space well, but also guide and assist owners in doing well in private courtyard greening, so that the entire community can form an excellent ecological environment.

1.1.1 Private Courtyard

The villa courtyard is a private space belonging to the owner, and the owner can arrange various landscape plants or garden features in it according to personal preference. Current developers often first lay turf on it to achieve a good appearance before sale, and at little cost. There are two key points here: first, it should be durable to look at, and because the area is not large, the grass species should not be too coarse (such as tall fescue), which would be labor-intensive and unattractive; second, there should be a drainage slope, generally draining toward the four sides of the residential building, so that the building's terrain appears higher and the facade effect is good. A small number drain toward an open ditch along the outer wall of the residential building. Although this is direct, it is unfavorable to the overall environment.

1.1.2 Public Green Space

The public green space here mainly refers to the boundaries between each household's private land. Some use simple railings or boundary stakes to indicate the division; some use hedges or shrubs as boundaries; and some consider it in more detail, with the entrance part of the courtyard having no special boundary, appearing very open and natural, while the rear courtyard has a clear separation, emphasizing privacy and serving as an outdoor extension of indoor activities. The practice of enclosing the entire courtyard with walls is becoming less and less common, reflecting people's open, outward-looking mentality and social progress. If greening is used as a separation, consider plants that are non-toxic, without thorns, and with a relatively neat appearance. At the same time, because a large quantity is needed, generally use relatively inexpensive tree species, such as boxwood (Buxus) and Chinese juniper (Sabina chinensis).

2. Characteristics of Villa Courtyard Landscape

2.1 Privacy

Courtyard space is a relatively private space that is enclosed on the outside and open at the center. In this space, there is a strong sense of place, so people are happy to gather and interact there. Traditional Chinese courtyard space carries people's daily and leisure activities such as eating, washing clothes, repairing things, chatting, playing cards, playing chess, reading newspapers, sunbathing, and listening to the radio. The courtyard space of modern architecture carries a broader range of people's activities, especially allowing people under intense work pressure to obtain passive activities through the senses of sight, hearing, and smell from the courtyard space while completing activities aimed at their own behavior. For example, when watering flowers and cutting grass, they enjoy the sunlight, fresh air, and the fragrance of flowers and plants; when entertaining, they feel the comfort and relaxation of leisure facilities, appreciate the natural beauty of flowers, plants, and trees, and listen to the sound of flowing water.

2.2 Extension of Indoor Space

The courtyard is an artificially created natural space and an extension of the building's indoor space. In addition to activities in indoor space, people also need to go to outdoor space to breathe fresh air, receive the comfort of sunlight, appreciate natural beauty, and engage in activities integrated with nature, as well as daily leisure activities such as chatting, walking, and entertaining. Courtyard space happens to provide an ideal place for these activities.

3. Key Points of Villa Courtyard Landscape Design

The first step in creating a beautiful courtyard is to do well in planning and design. First, the style of the courtyard should be decided, and a plan should be made according to environmental conditions, family composition, and maintenance capacity.

3.1 Selection of Courtyard Style

Courtyards have many different styles, and generally the basic style is determined according to the owner's preferences. Courtyard styles can be simply divided into two major categories: formal and natural. At present, in terms of style, private courtyards can be divided into four major schools: the Asian Chinese style and Japanese style, and the European French style and English style. Architecture, however, has many different styles and types, such as the gap between classical and modern, the contrast between avant-garde and traditional, and the difference between Eastern and Western. The common practice is mostly to roughly determine the courtyard type according to the architectural style. In the past, mixed-wood garden-style courtyards and tea gardens with typical Japanese courtyard style often integrated natural scenery into the courtyard, giving people a sense of elegance and quietness. However, Japanese-style courtyards and Western-style architecture are difficult to unify, and Japanese-style architecture and formal courtyards also feel incompatible. Therefore, the coordination between courtyard style and architecture must be considered.

Courtyard color is also one of the factors affecting courtyard style. One technique for color planning is to determine the main color tone of the courtyard according to the architectural color and surrounding environment. Foliage plants are very important in garden design. In European countries such as the United Kingdom, planting some foliage plants in flowerbeds is considered a very natural thing. Variegated plants with white spots embedded in green have higher brightness than pure green species, such as silver-leaved dusty miller (Senecio cineraria) and Artemisia, which can make flowerbeds appear brighter. Other colored-leaf plants with orange, red, and purple leaves can form strong contrasts and increase the brightness of the color tone. In addition, changes in leaf shape and differences in texture can also be considered.

Summer is a season with a great variety of flowering plants, so diverse color combinations can be made, dotted with wild-looking perennial herbaceous flowers. In summer, even using combinations of multiple flower colors with high brightness will not create a sense of clutter. For example, bright snapdragons (Antirrhinum) of different color series can be paired into multiple lively color blocks, among which some silver-leaved plants or white-flowered snowball viburnum (Viburnum) can be dotted in to neutralize them.

3.2 Influence of Courtyard Drainage and Lighting Conditions

Drainage, lighting, ventilation, and soil quality affect the quality of plant growth and development. In particular, whether there is sufficient light is an important condition determining which flowers can be cultivated. Generally speaking, it is most ideal to build a garden in a place with good lighting conditions and facing south, so the geographical conditions of the villa courtyard must first be clarified, such as the duration of sunshine in a day and the treatment of shaded and sunny sides. On this basis, select plant species suitable for these environments. Shaded areas can also be used to build distinctive courtyards, such as creating a shade garden for viewing.

3.3 Needs of Family Members

Courtyard style can also reflect the lifestyle of the family living there. For a two-person household of working professionals, because they have no time to maintain flowers and plants, the courtyard often only plants some flowering trees or perennial flowers. For a family with young children, the courtyard should be laid with lawn where toys can be placed, and some brightly colored annual and biennial herbaceous flowers and bulb flowers should be planted. If someone in the family is interested in plant maintenance and management, then seasonal herbaceous flowers for all four seasons can be planted to create a perfect ornamental garden. In short, courtyard style and the plant species cultivated should be selected according to family composition and age structure.

3.4 Size of the Courtyard Area

Larger residences can choose from a broader range of courtyard styles, because the larger the area, the more plant species can be selected and the more complex the combinations can be. However, when planting, overall consistency must be taken into account to avoid mutual conflict. A narrow residence has limited usable area, so a thorough configuration plan is needed, and fewer plant species should be planted.

Regardless of the size of the courtyard, paving of paths is indispensable. General courtyard paths can be paved with natural stone or various colored floor tiles, or black-and-white cobblestones. The layout of the courtyard is very critical. Those who advocate simplicity can plant some flowers and plants in the courtyard, or make it into a nursery of green plants. If a more ideal landscape effect is desired, many people will invite professional designers to design and build the courtyard. For example, using winding paths with tall trees creates a feeling of "deep courtyard"; while using curved archways, carved railings, and column volutes with carefully pruned low shrubs vividly reproduces European continental style.

4. Landscape Elements in Villa Courtyards

The art of arranging courtyard elements is the most important in gardening, and the overall layout is a guiding artistic concept. Whether the layout succeeds or not is the key to whether the created courtyard is beautiful.

Generally, courtyard design should differ according to the amount of experience in cultivating plants and the different amounts of time available for flower management. Because maintenance and management consume a great deal of time, it is recommended that busy people build a garden mainly of flowering trees and perennial flowers, while people with maintenance experience and time can build a garden where seasonal herbaceous flowers of all four seasons can be enjoyed. Although it consumes time and energy, the plants will surely bring corresponding returns.

Generally speaking, the number of plant species in the courtyard should not be too many. One or two kinds of plants should be used as the main landscape plants, and then one or two kinds should be selected as complements. The selection of plants should match the overall courtyard style, and the plant layers should be clear, with a concise and beautiful form. Evergreen plants are relatively suitable for northern regions.

Water is an indispensable spirit in many courtyards. It can form a beautiful waterscape picture together with all the elements in the courtyard. Wood can be said to play a finishing touch role in villa courtyards. Made into outdoor furniture, flower troughs, flower stands, swing chairs, and fences, no matter where it is used in the courtyard, it will create a warm, comfortable, natural, and harmonious atmosphere for people, satisfying people's urgent desire to return to nature. In a courtyard covered with cobblestones, placing a simply shaped wooden table and chairs can let you fully integrate into the natural atmosphere. Especially in the north, wood products keep northern winters from being unapproachably cold. The colors of wooden tables and chairs are relatively rich, including natural wood color, white, green, and so on. In short, they should match the overall courtyard style. It should be noted that because wood will change with wind and rain when exposed outdoors, giving these wood pieces a new coat every spring has become a required course for some families.

There are no fixed rules for the use of courtyard materials, but an exquisite courtyard is formed by the artistic combination of various materials such as plants, stone, sculptural landscape features, and waterscapes. Therefore, if the materials are used well, the result can be very outstanding. For example, in Japanese-style courtyards, the combination of trees with turf, various sizes of wild mountain stones, earth mounds, and gravel is very particular. All kinds of techniques are simulations of natural artistic conception and charm, and can all give people spiritual cultivation and pleasure. Techniques unique to Japan such as dry landscape can truly let people appreciate the artistic conception of Zen Buddhism. In contrast, the mountain-making landscapes using ornamental stones such as Taihu stones and Lingbi stones, famous throughout the world in China, are even more admirable for the perfect combination of the beauty of nature's uncanny workmanship and the elegance of the profound cultural heritage in Chinese courtyard art.

4.1 Plants

Plants are the main material for creating garden landscapes, so whether a villa can achieve practical, economical, and beautiful effects depends to a large extent on the selection and configuration of garden plants.

Garden plants are diverse in kind and form. There are giant trees over a hundred meters tall, and there are lawns and groundcover plants as short as a few centimeters; some are upright, and some are climbing or creeping; tree forms also differ, such as conical, oval, umbrella-shaped, and spherical. The leaves, flowers, and fruits of plants are even richer in color and more brilliant and varied. Because we have such good materials, in our villa courtyard design we can use plants extensively to add scenic spots, and can also use plants to screen private spaces. At the same time, because of the diversity of plants, we can also create the four-season appearance of the courtyard. We should be able to feel the changes of the four seasons in the courtyard, which better reflects the value of the courtyard. Garden plants play the following roles in creating courtyard landscapes:

4.1.1. Expressing seasonal sequence landscapes

Garden plants show different seasonal characteristics as the seasons change: abundant flowers in spring, shady green trees in summer, abundant fruits in autumn, and gnarled branches in winter. This life rhythm of flourishing and decline provides conditions for us to create a temporal landscape of the courtyard's four-season evolution. According to the seasonal changes of plants, planting plants with different flowering periods together makes the same spot in the courtyard produce a certain unique landscape at different times, giving people different feelings and allowing them to experience the changes of the seasons.

To use garden plants to express seasonal sequence landscapes, one must have an in-depth understanding of the growth and development patterns of plant materials and their landscape expression in the four seasons. According to the different colors of plant materials in different seasons, courtyard scenery is created for people to appreciate, arousing different feelings. The color changes of flowers, plants, and trees in nature are very rich. Plants that bloom in spring are the most numerous, and with the sprouting of leaves and buds, they give a landscape effect of blooming mountain flowers and full vitality. There are also relatively many plants that bloom in summer, but the more prominent seasonal feature is shade covering the ground and lush forests and grass. In golden autumn, there are fewer flowering plants, but there are also fragrant osmanthus and frost-defying autumn chrysanthemums, while the rich and colorful autumn leaves and fruits make autumn scenery even more beautiful beyond description. In deep winter, vegetation withers, mountains are cold and waters are thin, presenting a bleak and solemn landscape. The succession of the four seasons makes plants present different seasonal appearances, and applying the different seasonal appearances of plants to garden art constitutes a temporal landscape of four-season succession.

4.1.2. Creating ornamental scenic spots in the courtyard

As the main material for creating a beautiful courtyard, garden plants themselves have unique posture, color, and charm. Different garden plants have different forms and endless variations. They can be planted alone to display individual beauty, or configured according to a certain composition method to express the collective beauty of plants. They can also be reasonably arranged and cleverly matched according to their respective ecological habits to create a community landscape combining trees, shrubs, and grass.

Take trees for example. Ginkgo has a straight trunk and an imposing manner, Chinese pine (Pinus tabuliformis) is twisted and vigorous, and magnolia appears noble. These trees, when planted alone, can constitute the main scenery of a villa. Autumn color-changing tree species such as trident maple (Acer truncatum) and ginkgo can be planted to form a landscape of "frosted leaves redder than February flowers." Many fruit-viewing tree species such as crabapple, hawthorn, and pomegranate present an abundant harvest scene with their heavy fruits.

Colorful herbaceous flowers are even better materials for creating ornamental villa landscapes. Because there are many kinds of flowers, rich colors, and short plant bodies, they are very commonly used in gardens, and the forms are also diverse. They can be planted in the open ground, and can also be placed in pots to form flowerbeds and flower belts, or use various forms of planting containers to decorate the environment in front of villa windows, creating a pleasing natural landscape, heightening a festive atmosphere, and adorning people's lives.

Many garden plants are pleasantly fragrant and can give people a joyful feeling. There are many kinds of fragrant garden plants, such as osmanthus, wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), lilac (Syringa), orchid, and Chinese rose. In villa design, various fragrant flower plants can be used for configuration to create a "fragrance garden" landscape, or they can be planted separately to form specialized gardens, such as a lilac garden or a rose garden. They can also be planted in places where people often gather, such as planting jasmine around a place for enjoying the cool on a midsummer night, where the breeze brings fragrance and refreshes the heart.

4.1.3. Creating artistic conception

Using garden plants to create artistic conception is a typical landscaping style of traditional Chinese courtyards and a precious cultural heritage. China has a long history of plant cultivation and a splendid culture. Many poems, lyrics, songs, and fu, as well as folk customs, have left beautiful passages praising plants, and have endowed various plant materials with personified content, elevating from appreciating the formal beauty of plants to appreciating the beauty of their artistic conception, achieving the ideal realm of harmony between heaven and humanity.

In creating courtyard landscapes, plants can be used to express feelings, lodging emotion in scenery and blending emotion and scenery. The pine is vigorous and ancient-elegant, unafraid of the harsh environment of frost, snow, and severe cold, and can stand upright at the summit of high mountains in severe cold; plum blossoms are unafraid of severe cold and bloom proudly in snow; bamboo "has nodes before emerging from the soil, and remains modest even when reaching the clouds." All three plants have the character of steadfastness and noble integrity, so they are called the "Three Friends of Winter." Their configuration form has a noble and distinct artistic conception and is often used in the courtyards of literati and upright officials. Orchids grow in secluded valleys, with elegant leaf posture, delicate fragrance, and quiet elegance; green leaves are lush, and soft stems stand alone, without a delicate appearance and without vulgar intent. Placed indoors or planted in a corner of the courtyard, how elegant the artistic conception is.

4.1.4. Playing a role in complementing the villa

The branches and leaves of plants present soft curves. Different plant textures and colors have different differences in visual perception. In villas, soft plant materials are often used to soften the rigid geometric architectural forms, such as foundation planting, corner planting, and wall greening. Generally, around villas with a larger body, solemn facade, and open sightlines, tree species with tall trunks, thick branches, and broad crowns should be selected; around exquisite and delicate villas, tree species with light branch posture and small, dense leaves should be selected. Garden plants matched with rocks can express the natural charm of undulating terrain and wild interest; matched with water bodies, they can form reflections or shield water sources, creating a sense of depth.

Grasping these roles of plants in creating villa landscapes is the prerequisite for smoothly carrying out plant landscaping work, and various plant materials are the cornerstone of plant landscaping.

Commonly used plants in courtyard greening are as follows: ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), spruce (Picea), Chinese pine (P. tabulaeformis), lacebark pine (P. bungeana), Armand pine (P. armandi), dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides), yew (Taxus cuspidata), magnolia (M. denudata), Chinese tulip tree (Liriodendron chinense), Spiraea, pearl bush (Sorbaria kirilowii), rugosa rose (Rosa rugosa), yellow rose (R. xanthina), Chinese rose (R. chinensis), kerria (Kerria japonica), plum (Prunus salicina), apricot (P. armeniaca), Japanese apricot (P. mume), peach (P. persica), mountain peach (P. davidiana), flowering almond (P. triloba), downy cherry (P. tomentosa), Japanese flowering cherry (P. serrulata), Cotoneaster, hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida), Chinese quince (Chaenomeles sinensis), Japanese quince (C. speciosa), apple (Malus pumila), plum-leaved crabapple (M. prunifolia), showy crabapple (M. spectabilis), pear (Pyrus), wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), redbud (Cercis chinensis), Chinese honey locust (Gleditsia sinensis), Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis), Peking mockorange (Philadelphus pekinensis), deutzia (Deutzia scabra), hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla), red osier dogwood (Cornus alba), Chinese abelia (Abelia chinensis), beautybush (Kolkwitzia amabilis), weigela (Weigela florida), elderberry (Sambucus), Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), London plane (Platanus acerifolia), Chinese boxwood (Buxus sinica), common box (B. sempervirens), eucommia (Eucommia ulmoides), Chinese tamarisk (Tamarix chinensis), Mongolian linden (Tilia mongolica), Chinese parasol tree (Firmiana simplex), rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), pomegranate (Punica granatum), Chinese holly (Ilex chinensis), winged euonymus (Euonymus alatus), Bunge's euonymus (E. bungeanus), Japanese euonymus (E. japonicus), jujube (Zizyphus jujuba), grape (Vitis vinifera), Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata), persimmon (Diospyros kaki), Chinese toon (Toona sinensis), trident maple (Acer truncatum), Japanese maple (A. palmatum), Chinese buckeye (Aesculus chinensis), winter jasmine (J. nudiflorum), lilac (Syringa oblata), forsythia (Forsythia suspensa), Chinese trumpet creeper (Campsis grandiflora), tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa), Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii), crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens).

4.2 Water Bodies

As a part of courtyard design, courtyard water bodies are a form that often appears in single villas of 500 square meters. Modern people relatively long for places with water, but such places are too few, so people create water bodies. The characteristic of courtyard water bodies is that they are small. But they must be made very exquisite. When making a pool, it should be neither too deep nor too shallow. This depends on the user's requirements. For example, if there are children at home, consideration should be given mainly to the children's safety.

The uses of courtyard water bodies are very extensive and can be roughly summarized into the following 3 aspects:

1. As the main body of the landscape. Fountains, waterfalls, ponds, etc. all take water bodies as their theme. Water has become an important constituent element of villas and also inspires endless poetic and picturesque charm. Ice lanterns and ice sculptures are also a form of water viewed under non-normal temperature conditions. 2. Improve the courtyard environment, regulate climate, and control noise. Mineral water has medical effects, and negative ions have cleaning effects, both of which cannot be ignored. 3. Provide growth conditions for ornamental aquatic animals and plants in the courtyard, creating the necessary environment for biodiversity. For example, the planting of various aquatic plants such as lotus, water lily, and reed, and the raising of swans, mandarin ducks, and koi fish.

The above content is not exhaustive. Each garden water feature has one or two main functions, and the most important and most common of these is its role in villa landscapes. Although villa water features are small, their role cannot be ignored. The following discussion covers the formation of water landscapes, engineering design, requirements for water quality and water volume, and landscape design.

Water is a liquid at normal temperature. It has no fixed shape of its own, and its ornamental effect depends on the shape of the container holding it, the water quality, and the surrounding environment. The various shapes and postures of water are all related to the container. Once the container is well designed, the desired water posture emerges. Of course, this is also related to the nature of the water itself. Generally speaking, water is required to be transparent, colorless, and odorless, and different water features have different uses and therefore different water quality requirements. In a few cases, some people also dye the water for ornamental purposes. Natural factors such as wind, temperature, and light in the environment around the water body also affect the ornamental effect. For example, when the wind rises and waves surge, the reflection on the water surface cannot be enjoyed; and when the temperature drops and the water freezes, a lake surface that once shimmered with rippling light becomes a smooth, glaring ice rink, and both the ornamental interest and the direction of use change abruptly. Light has an even more obvious effect on the ornamental quality of water. To achieve the desired effect, artificial lighting is often added within the water body. At this time, the ornamental effect is often better than the best daytime landscape effect.

There are two major distinctions between the containers on which garden water bodies depend: first, water bodies in a natural state, such as natural lakes, ponds, and streams, whose banks and bottoms are naturally formed. Second, water bodies in an artificial state, such as fountain pools and swimming pools, whose sides and bottoms are artificial structures.

When constructing the artificial environment for a water body, some situations require special attention. For example, when the design elevation of the water body is much higher than the local natural normal water level, and the soil at that location is loose (sandy soil) and does not readily hold water, a waterproof layer must be constructed to keep the water body at a relatively stable elevation and meet the landscape design requirements. An example is the European-style ornamental pool commonly built today. There are also water bodies with high water quality requirements in their design, such as swimming pools and paddling pools, which must maintain water quality through filtration and circulation, or replace the water periodically. In such cases, a waterproof layer must be constructed to isolate them from the outside.

From the above requirements, the first point emphasizes the "quantity" of the water body. Maintaining the design elevation actually means maintaining the water volume, also free from the influence of natural water level fluctuations. The second point emphasizes the "quality" of the water body. Therefore, at this time the water body in an artificial environment must have certain limits on area and capacity, in order to control construction cost and maintenance expenses. Therefore we believe: it is best if garden water bodies can hold water by natural means, first because it saves investment and treatment costs; second because it achieves ecological balance, which is a very important concept. If it is decided to adopt an artificial water body, its scale must be strictly controlled so as not to take on a long-term burden.

4.3 Garden paths

Garden paths in villa gardens mainly emphasize: narrowness, seclusion, and elegance. Narrowness is the main characteristic of garden paths, because the people served are mainly family members and close friends, so there is no need to make them so wide; otherwise it is not only wasteful but also makes the garden look cramped. Seclusion is achieved through winding forms, creating an illusion that makes people feel the garden is deep and quiet, and making the garden appear more spacious. Elegance is the highest realm of a garden: achieving abundance without disorder, sparseness without emptiness, being both enjoyable and practical. The range of materials for garden paths is very wide, and a detailed explanation is given below. Because garden space is limited, relatively few paths are made, and we can use terrain changes and extensions to increase garden paths. The following is some specific analysis of garden paths:

4.3.1 Line form design of garden paths

The line form design of garden paths should combine with terrain, water bodies, plants, buildings, paved areas, and other facilities to form a complete scenic composition and create spaces for continuously displaying the garden landscape or sightlines for appreciating the scenery ahead. The line form design of garden paths should have clear primary and secondary distinctions, organize traffic and touring, be well spaced, and be orderly in its twists and turns. In order to organize scenery, lengthen touring routes, and expand space, garden paths should have appropriate twists and turns in space. A better design is based on the undulations of the terrain and the requirements of the surrounding functions, making the main path seem both separated from and connected to the water surface. It intersects among the various scenic areas, and along the main path visitors can enjoy the main scenery. The path should be created as part of the scenery. The layout of garden paths should be sparse or dense as needed and must avoid being parallel to each other, but curves cannot be applied as easily as straight lines. Appropriate curves can free people from a tense atmosphere and give them a sense of comfortable beauty.

4.3.2 Layout of garden paths

The layout of paths should be determined according to the contents of the villa green space and the capacity of users. Primary and secondary distinctions should be clear, measures should suit local conditions, and close coordination is required. For example, where the terrain undulates, garden paths should encircle mountains and water, but should not be parallel to the water. Because facing mountains and near water, there are many visitors and many facilities; where the terrain is gentle, garden paths should be curved and soft, and density may be greater, but a square grid pattern should not be formed.

The entrance of a garden path plays the role of guiding visitors into the courtyard. A successful entrance design, while guiding people forward, also creates different atmospheres. A broad garden path will make you want to stroll in, while a narrow garden path will make people walk faster. A plaza set in the middle of a garden path provides visitors with a place to enjoy the scenery, rest, and change direction. Because courtyard paths have the function of expressing design intent, the form and texture of the materials paving garden paths are very important. Moreover, the paving form and route play the role of conveying the courtyard designer's intent. Straight lines, angled turns, and geometric forms embody the intent of formal design. Natural curves, loose paving, some irregular shapes, and natural design methods express the characteristics of informal design.

4.3.3 Functionality of garden paths

In addition to their decorative role, garden paths also have functionality. For example, in order to let tools such as lawn mowers and handcarts pass, the main path of the courtyard must also have a certain width and load-bearing capacity. Steps and small paths close to the residence should meet people's various usage requirements; for example, they should be convenient for children, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Paths that are rarely used do not need to be so wide, can have fewer facilities, and the surface should remain level; even paths paved with stone must ensure that tables and chairs on the surface remain balanced. Paving materials with good friction resistance can be used on relatively slippery slopes.

Whether an open space or a private space, horizontal ground plays an important role in the courtyard. The balance of the paving surface plays a great role in creating the garden atmosphere. The same kind of garden may appear open in one area, while in another area it may feel cramped. Therefore, the design of paving in different environments will bring out different senses of balance. An open area appearing in a narrow path will give people a sense of spaciousness and form a comfortable rest area.

4.3.4 Selection of paving materials

In the same space within a garden, and for the same direction of garden path, it is better to use one style of paving. In this way, several different paving treatments in different places form the whole garden, achieving the goal of seeking variation within unity. In fact, this uses the paving of garden paths to express the different natures, uses, and areas of the paths.

Within one type of paving, blocks of different sizes, materials, and assembly methods can be used. The key is what paving is used and where. For example, main paths and places with strong traffic function should be firm, flat, slip-resistant, wear-resistant, simple and generous in line, and easy to construct and maintain. For example, use the same kind of stone but vary the size or the laying method. Small paths, small spaces, and leisure tree-lined walks can be richer and more varied, as in Chinese classical gardens. It is necessary to study in depth the characteristics of the other garden elements where the garden path is located, in order to create distinctive and widely praised paving. For example, the bamboo path leading to seclusion in Hangzhou, and the crane design between the Wufeng Immortal Hall and the Crane Lodge in Suzhou blend harmoniously with the environment, full of poetic and pictorial charm. Ming dynasty Ji Cheng already discussed this in "Yuan Ye": "Only in broad halls and great houses should all be paved with polished bricks; for winding paths, long stretches are often laid with various random stones; the central courtyard should preferably be arranged as layered scenes, and nearby paving may also form a palindrome pattern; octagonal insets with square selections are laid with pebbles to form Shu brocade."

The size and shape of the blocks should not only coordinate with the environment and space, but also be suitable for free and winding linear paving, which is the key to simple construction; the surface should be moderately coarse or fine. Coarse enough for children's carts and high heels to pass, fine enough not to cause slipping and injury on rainy days. The modular size of the blocks should coordinate with the width of the path; when blocks of different materials are assembled, the contrast in color, texture, and shape should be strong. It is recommended to use more natural material blocks. Close to nature, plain and unadorned, cheap and fine, and durable. Even old materials and waste materials can be used as treasures after slight processing. In Japan there is a type of paving made of loosely spread coarse sand, and we also had coal cinder paving in the past; crushed marble and granite slabs are also widely used, and stone chips are even more commonly used as filler.

4.4 Garden ornaments

Garden ornaments in courtyard landscapes refer to rockeries, pavilions, flower trellises, sculptures, tables and stools, and various other objects that can be placed in a garden. Generally these are small in volume, but in a garden they can produce the effect of adding the finishing touch. Whether these ornaments are attached to scenery or relatively independent, they should all be carefully polished through artistic treatment in order to suit the specific environment of the courtyard, forming a garden scene that is appropriately proportioned, well arranged, small but not mean, subordinate but not servile, and mutually enhancing. Using ornaments to organize the surrounding environment and outside scenery makes the artistic conception of the courtyard more vivid and more poetic and picturesque. From the perspective of shaping environmental space, they are skillfully used in scene composition to achieve the goal of enhancing both the overall environment and the ornamental value of the ornament itself.

4.4.1 Courtyard rockeries

The art of piling mountains is different from architectural design, which can be expressed with drawings and then constructed according to the drawings to achieve the designer's original intent. The art of rockery stacking lies in the fact that the stones used must be ready-made natural stones, and cannot be processed with axes and chisels, otherwise they will not be natural. Therefore, rockery stacking can be described as applying methods according to the materials. Chen Congzhou said in "On Gardens": "Stones have no fixed form, mountains have fixed methods." This is the key to piling mountains. The "rockery" referred to here is relative to naturally formed "real mountains." There are two kinds of rockery materials. One is natural mountain stone material, merely using cement as the binding material and concrete as the foundation when artificially stacking. The other is rockery made from cement mixed mortar, wire mesh, or GRC (low-alkali glass fiber cement), molded with artificial plastic molds, also called "plastic stone" or "plastic mountain."

4.4.1.1 Key points for commonly used garden stones in villa courtyards

1. Ornamental standing stones: often choose antique and elegant, form-and-spirit stones such as Taihu stones, axe-cut stones, and stone bamboo shoots, placed in the main positions of the courtyard for people to admire. Besides their own ornamental value of being thin, perforated, porous, wrinkled, and ugly, these ornamental standing stones, because they have been handed down over the years, also have great humanistic value and often become a scene in the garden. "The stone moved from Genyue stands towering; the remnants of a thousand years evoke much feeling." Examples include the "Jade Exquisite" in Shanghai's Yu Garden, the "Auspicious Cloud Peak" in Suzhou, the "Crepe Cloud Peak" in Hangzhou, and the "Green Mushroom Peak" in Beijing. It is said that the "Jade Exquisite" is a surviving piece from the Huashigang in "Water Margin," and it is famous because "when incense is placed under the stone, smoke comes out from every hole; when a bowl of water is poured on top of the stone, spring water flows from every hole." "Green Mushroom Peak" originally belonged to the Song dynasty calligrapher Mi Zhizhang, and the stone now bears a seven-character poem composed by Emperor Qianlong. Of course, there are also cases where a stele is erected on a solitary stone to form a scene, such as the monument to Mr. Fujino of Japan in the Peony Garden in Luoyang, Henan. Japanese dry landscape stones, on the other hand, emphasize the group effect of the layout and differ from China's ornamental standing stones.

2. Cliff stones: Ming dynasty Ji Cheng said in "Yuan Ye": "A cliff mountain is a wall texture; using a whitewashed wall as paper and stones as painting." English stones, Taihu stones, axe-cut stones, and others are often used with plants, reliefs, and flowing water. Arranged against courtyard whitewashed walls or in hotel lobbies, they become a landscape painting that occupies little space and shines brightly.

3. Scattered point stones: using yellow stones, Taihu stones, English stones, thousand-layer stones, axe-cut stones, stone bamboo shoots, granite, and so on, placed in small groups beside paths, under trees, at the foot of hills, at the edges of steps, and at building corners, coordinating with the terrain and planted with flowers and trees, sometimes becoming natural seats, sometimes bases for potted plants, and sometimes transitions for local height differences and material changes. This is a very natural embellishment and hint, and is the most widely used application of mountain stones in gardens.

4. Revetment stones: yellow stones, Taihu stones, and thousand-layer stones are commonly used, stacked along the water surface or along the foot of slopes where height changes, high and low in irregular arrangement, front and back varied, serving as revetment and also as retaining walls, while at the same time making them natural and beautiful.

5. Mountain stone waterfalls: based on the garden terrain, yellow stones, Taihu stones, granite, and thousand-layer stones are piled up, and water is led from above to below to form waterfalls and falling water. This practice is commonly called "earth wrapping stone" and is currently the most common practice.

4.4.1.2 Key points for stacking mountain stones

1. The selection of mountain stones must comply with the requirements of the overall plan and coordinate with the entire terrain and landforms. "A mountain is boned by stone, cushioned by forest, and ensouled by water." The materials and methods used for mountain stones actually indicate the existence of a certain type of geological structure. When covered by soil, gravel, and vegetation, people can only perceive the outer form and direction of the mountain forest. If the covering is removed, then the "mountain bones" are fully revealed.

2. In the same area, do not mix multiple types of mountain stones. When stacking, it is difficult to achieve coordination and consistency in quality, color, grain, face, body, and posture.

3. For the stacking and modeling of mountain stones, there are the traditional "Mountain Stone Zhang" ten major techniques: an, jie, kua, xuan, dou, ka, lian, chui, jian, pin. What is more important is to uphold nature and plainness without ostentation. Especially in places using thousand-layer stones and granite, the requirement is the overall effect rather than the appreciation of isolated stones. The overall modeling must conform to natural laws, be within reason, and yet be highly generalized and elevated, beyond expectations.

4. The foundation of the rockery. Because ornamental standing stones and mountain stone caves and gullies have concentrated loads, attention must be paid to the firmness of their foundations. If a mountain stone waterfall is built on old soil (where soil was piled to create a mountain several years ago), a layer of reinforced concrete can be poured as a foundation on compacted plain soil and crushed stone. If it is built on newly piled earth mounds, then more care is needed to prevent cracks caused by settlement, soil erosion caused by water leakage, gradual deformation and loss of truth, and danger. The safety of mountain stones is the first major point in rockery stacking.

5. A modeling design combining real materials (natural stone) and fake materials (GRC, etc.) can indeed be a good strategy and an innovation. Especially at turns and inverted hanging places that are difficult to construct, and in places people cannot reach, using artificial rockery can often occupy less space, reduce load, and achieve a good overall effect. For CRC materials, special attention must be paid to the quality of the glass fiber. If the cost is calculated at 800 yuan per sq m, it is almost the same as real materials.

6. Mountain stones are natural objects, with natural grain, contours, and shapes, and their texture is pure and unadorned, but they belong to the category of inanimate building materials. Therefore mountain stones are a transition and an intermediate body between the natural environment and architectural space. "No garden without stones," but they can only be used as local scenic embellishments, hints, sustenance, and supplements. Do not apply them excessively, causing costs to rise and losing the ecological significance of garden making.

4.4.1.3 Basic techniques for courtyard mountain piling

The modeling of a rockery should be appropriately balanced between solid and void. For example, the rockery in Suzhou's Yi Garden has a sense of peaks and cliffs and also the idea of caves and gullies; the rockery in Suzhou's Huanxiu Villa can be called an excellent work, and its handling of solid and void is where its excellence lies. The rockery in Suzhou's Lion Grove has no primary or secondary handling of solid and void, and is not a fine work. Therefore Shen Sanbai of the Qing dynasty said of it: "Viewed on the whole, it is actually like a random pile of coal cinders, accumulated with moss, pierced with ant holes, and completely lacking the momentum of mountain forest."

The first is stone selection. The stone quality must be uniform; yellow stones and Taihu stones cannot be mixed. If further subdivided, there are Taihu stones, Kunshan stones, Yixing stones, Longtan stones, Lingbi stones, Yanshan stones, English stones, yellow stones, and so on, as detailed in "Yuan Ye," section nine, "Stone Selection." Uniform stone quality also comes from nature. Natural mountains necessarily have uniform stone quality. And the first principle of artistic law is "change and unity." Uniform stone quality with varied modeling conforms to artistic rules.

The second is modeling. So-called rockery is actually not false; its temperament may even surpass real mountains. People say "scenery is like a painting," meaning that the scenery in a painting can be selected and omitted, surpassing the actual scenery, and the principle is the same. But if the rockery is poorly stacked, then it does not belong in this category. In rockery modeling, the contour lines must have variation, and within the variation, balance must be achieved. "A mountain is not valued for its height, but for its layers..." (Chen Congzhou, "On Gardens"). The beauty of layers in art lies in veiling and in subtlety. To stack a mountain with a sense of layers, the most critical thing is that the peaks and cliffs must have a three-dimensional layout. Producing front-and-back veiling seems to express a sense of "high mountains and lofty ridges." If what is behind is hidden by what is in front according to a method, then the towering momentum of the mountain can be displayed even more, with great force. The autumn mountain in Yangzhou's Ge Garden can be called a superior work among yellow-stone rockeries. It is solid but not stuffy, high and steep yet strangely perilous. As for specific techniques, even more emphasis should be placed on the word "void"; attention should be paid to the concave and convex changes of the mountain form and the matching of cave and gully sizes.

The third is steepness and peril. A rockery imitates a real mountain in temperament, not by making a model of a real mountain. It is necessary to discard the dross and take the essence. The beauty of a real mountain lies first in its towering majesty and robustness, and second in its steepness and uprightness. Although a rockery is small, its posture and temperament are not inferior to the grandeur and peril of a real mountain. To achieve a steep and perilous effect, one method is that the lower part should be small rather than large, and should be open and transparent rather than closed and solid. One reason a piled mountain looks bad is that the lower part of the mountain is too fat and stuffy, lacking a sense of steepness.

In particular, standing peaks and single stones must place even more importance on the beauty of steepness and peril. Generally, precious single stones and standing peaks all possess the beauty of steepness and peril. The three famous stones of Jiangnan: the Auspicious Cloud Peak in Suzhou, the Jade Exquisite in Shanghai (Yu Garden), and the Crepe Cloud Peak in Hangzhou, are in modeling not inferior to the "three famous stones of Jiangnan." Whether in contour lines or solid-void relationships, they all conform to the aesthetic standards of mountain stones, but they are even more beautiful in their steepness and peril.

The fourth is artistic conception. The artistic conception of mountains has different categories. People often say Mount Tai is famous for majesty, Mount Huang for wonder, Mount Hua for peril, Mount Emei for elegance, and Mount Lu for mystery; their aesthetic characteristics differ. Rockeries are likewise divided into these types, so one aesthetic tendency must be chosen and then deliberately pursued. A rockery is a kind of art, and its artistic conception should be a mountain, not something that tries to resemble dragons, tigers, and the like. Making such figurative forms inevitably becomes vulgar.

4.4.2 Garden pavilion design

The garden pavilion here refers to exquisite and delicate small buildings in garden green spaces. They can be divided into two categories: one is the pavilion for people to rest and enjoy the view, and the other is storage cabins, sunlight greenhouses, and so on with practical functions. The main usable space is in courtyards of 500 sq m or more.

4.4.2.1 Selection of location

The Ming dynasty "Yuan Ye" says: "A pavilion means stopping. It is where one stops to rest while touring." This shows that a garden pavilion is a place for people to rest and take a break. In a courtyard, the key to placing a pavilion is its location. Because a pavilion is the "finishing touch" in a garden, it is mostly placed where sightlines meet. A garden pavilion should be built in a place with good courtyard scenery, so that people who enter to rest have scenery to enjoy and are encouraged to stay, and at the same time it must be considered that after the pavilion is built it becomes a beautiful garden scene. Here the garden pavilion can often play the role of the finishing touch. "Yuan Ye" contains an outstanding description: "A pavilion hidden among flowers, a pavilion placed by the water; thus does a garden gain refinement. Yet a pavilion is only hidden among flowers; how can a pavilion be confined to the water's edge? It may lead to springs in the bamboo, or be placed on a mountain top according to the scene; or in a bend where green bamboo is dense; or at the foot of a coiled and luxuriant old pine; or borrowed above the Haopu, where one may think of watching fish; if set amid the Canglang, it is not only for singing while washing one's feet. The placement of a pavilion has its rules; its foundation has no fixed basis." For example, in Suzhou's Master of the Nets Garden, entering the garden from the Sheya Corridor, across the pond is the "Moon Arrives and Wind Comes Pavilion," forming the center of the composition. Another example is the "Lotus Wind on All Sides Pavilion" in the pond of the Humble Administrator's Garden. The water surface is open on all sides, forming a visual focus here, and with curved bridges connecting to it on two sides, its image naturally stands out. Of course, the image of this pavilion can also bear such treatment; if the image of this pavilion were hard to look at, that would be called "spoiling the scenery." Another example is the Canglang Pavilion, located on a rockery, forming the center of the whole garden and making "Canglang Pavilion" (the garden name) truly worthy of its name; the Xiuyi Pavilion in the Humble Administrator's Garden, the Shuxiao Pavilion in the Lingering Garden, and the Wangjiang Pavilion in Shanghai's Yu Garden are all built in high, prominent places, with the sky as their background, their images exposed, their contour lines complete, and very worth viewing.

4.4.2.2 Selection of style

Should the garden pavilion being designed be traditional or modern? Chinese or Western? Naturally rustic or luxurious and wealthy? The differences among these styles are not difficult to understand.

But within the same style, there are also great differences in plan, elevation, and the size, shape, and complexity of the decoration, which must be considered carefully. For example, among Chinese classical garden pavilions in the same botanical garden, the peony garden and the maple garden differ. The peony pavilion must have double eaves with upturned corners and bright red columns; for the maple pavilion, white walls and gray tiles are enough. This varies because the temperament of the environment in which they are located differs. Likewise, for European classical domed pavilions, the sizes in golf courses and private residence courtyards differ greatly, because the openness or enclosure of the environments in which they are located differs. Similarly for natural rustic style, playing with fish by a bamboo raft at the water's edge differs from watching birds from a tree fork nest, because the functional requirements of the environment differ.

Second, all forms, functions, and building materials are in the process of evolution and progress, and are often interwoven, so emphasis must be placed on creation. For example, on the beam frame of a Chinese classical garden pavilion, using polycarbonate sunlight panels as the roof instead of traditional tiles, with the ancient within the modern and the foreign used for our purposes, can achieve very good results. Using four solid walls with the outer contour of a Chinese classical garden pavilion to form a virtual pavilion is also a kind of creation. Using suspension cables, fabric screens, glass, sunlight panels, and so on, new ideas emerge endlessly.

Only by deeply considering these key points can one innovate and avoid falling into conventional patterns. This is by no means comparable to merely "applying a single formula" and doing something perfunctorily.

4.4.2.3 Consideration of plan and elevation

Garden pavilions are small in volume and rigorous in plan. From point-like umbrella pavilions, to triangular, square, rectangular, hexagonal, octagonal, and even circular, begonia-shaped, and fan-shaped, from simple to complex, they are basically regular geometric forms, or further combined and transformed. Based on this principle, other shapes can be conceived, and they can also be combined with other garden buildings such as flower trellises, long corridors, and waterside pavilions to form a group of buildings.

The plan composition of a garden pavilion is relatively simple. Apart from columns, sitting benches (chairs), and railings, there are sometimes also a section of wall, a table, a stele, a well, a mirror, a plaque, and so on. The elevation of a garden pavilion, however, differs greatly because of different styles. But one point is common: internal and external spaces interpenetrate, and the elevation appears open and transparent. In a few cases, doors and windows are installed on all four sides, such as the Pagoda Shadow Pavilion in Suzhou's Humble Administrator's Garden, which shows that its function has gradually shifted toward the practical.

The elevation of a garden pavilion can be divided into several types. This is the main factor determining the style of the garden pavilion. For example: Chinese classical and Western classical traditional styles. These types all have formulas to follow, and the difficulty is that construction is very complicated. Modern-style garden pavilions have various new forms such as flat roofs, slopes, and curves. Roof variations can be greater, such as folded plates, arcs, and wave shapes, or new building materials, tiles, and panels can be used; or emphasis can be placed on a certain component and decoration to enrich the outer elevation of the garden pavilion.

4.4.3 Courtyard flower trellises

At the mention of flower trellises, it is easy to think of bean and melon trellises in front of and behind houses; first for production, and then for growing flowers. Today's flower trellises have two roles. On the one hand, they provide people with a place to rest and enjoy the scenery; on the other hand, they create conditions for climbing plants to grow. Therefore it can be said that flower trellises are the garden ornaments closest to nature. A group of flower pots, a climbing trellis, a lattice wall for plants to cling to, an opening formed by a projecting flower trellis board, or even a grape canopy on the roof garden of a high-rise building, in a restaurant, or at a dance floor, are often simple in material but profound in meaning, playing the role of the finishing touch and creating an effect in which indoor and outdoor, architecture and nature, interpenetrate and form one integrated whole.

4.4.3.1 Key points in courtyard flower trellis design:

1. A flower trellis must look good and be usable under green shade, and must also look good and be usable after the leaves fall. Therefore the flower trellis should be designed as a work of art, not merely as a structure, and attention should be paid to proportions and dimensions, material selection, and necessary decoration. The size of a flower trellis should not be too large. If too large, it is not easy to make it light; if too high, it is not easy to shade and appears empty. It should be as close to nature as possible.

2. The four sides of a flower trellis are generally relatively transparent and open. Apart from supporting walls and columns, there are no enclosing walls, doors, or windows. The upper and lower planes of the flower trellis (paving and eave line) also do not necessarily have to be symmetrical or similar. They can freely expand, contract, and intersect, extending into one another, so that the flower trellis is placed within the garden and merges into nature without obstruction.

3. Conceive the form of the flower trellis according to the characteristics of the climbing plants and the environment; design the structure, materials, and so on of the flower trellis according to the biological characteristics of the climbing plants.

Generally, one flower trellis is matched with one kind of climbing plant, and configurations of 2-3 mutually complementary kinds can also be seen. The ornamental value and growth requirements of various climbing plants differ, so before designing a flower trellis, one should have some understanding of them. For example, in Beijing's Prince Gong's Mansion there is a wisteria trellis from two or three hundred years ago; in the "Ciyun Puhu" section of the Old Summer Palace illustrations there is the line "a path divides the layered lakes, wisteria flowers hang over the trellis." To design a wisteria flower trellis, load-bearing, permanent materials should be used, with an antique and concise form. Another more frequently used type is the grape trellis. Grape berries have many thought-provoking fables and fairy tales, which can serve as references for conception. Growing grapes requires sufficient ventilation and light, and also vine turning and pruning, so reasonable planting spacing must be considered. For climbing plants with herbaceous stems, such as gourds, cypress vine, and morning glory, they often need strings to climb upward, so the planting bed should be close; support and fixation are also needed between the columns, beams, and boards of the flower trellis so that they can cover the whole canopy.

4.4.3.2 Common types of flower trellises

1. Double-column flower trellis: like a rest corridor roofed with climbing plants. It is worth noting that the flower trellis boards for plants to climb on may be arranged in plan at equal spacing (generally about every 50 cm) or at unequal spacing, with flower trellis anchors inserted between the boards to achieve changes in light, shadow, solid, and void; its elevation is also not necessarily straight, and may be curved or zigzagged, or even extend from the top surface to the ground on both sides, like a "rolling dragon."

2. Single-column flower trellis: when the width of the flower trellis is reduced and the two columns come close together to become one column, the flower trellis board becomes centrally supported with both ends cantilevered. For overall stability and beauty, a single-column flower trellis should preferably be made in curved or zigzag form in plan.

3. Various flower walls, flower vases, flower pots, and flower columns used for climbing.

4.4.3.3 Commonly used flower trellis building materials

The construction of flower trellises is recorded in China's late seventeenth-century "Working Section Construction Record": "The frame is measured by square chi for labor. Materials use fir poles, willow and poplar strips, xun bamboo poles, yellow bamboo poles, vitex wattle, zhou bamboo strips, and flower bamboo strips." These are no longer easy to see now, but in pursuit of a certain artistic conception or form, steel pipes can be bound and externally plastered, or concrete can be used to imitate the above natural materials. In recent years, treated wood has also become popular as a material, in pursuit of authenticity and warmth. Nowadays concrete materials are mostly used, and this is also the most common material. Foundations, columns, and beams can all follow design requirements, but because flower trellis boards are numerous and closely spaced, and are affected by the section of the wooden structure, it is advisable to use smooth formwork and high-grade concrete poured and formed in one operation, in order to achieve lightness and thinness. There are also metal materials, often used for independent flower columns and flower vases. Their forms are lively, transparent, varied, modern, and beautiful, but they require regular maintenance and painting, and the temperature is relatively high under direct sunlight. New materials such as fiberglass-reinforced plastic and CRC are often used for flower pots and flower basins.

4.5 Ancillary facilities

4.5.1 Courtyard walls

There are two types of courtyard walls: one is the dividing wall around the periphery of the courtyard; the other is the wall arranged within the garden to divide space, organize scenery, and guide touring. This situation is often seen in Chinese traditional gardens. With social progress and the improvement of people's material and cultural levels, examples of "breaking walls to reveal greenery" can be found everywhere. This shows that requirements for walls are changing.

4.5.1.1 Key points in courtyard garden wall design

1. Where a wall can be omitted, omit it as much as possible, so that people can be close to nature and cherish the greenery. 2. Where separation can be achieved by spatial means and natural materials, use them as much as possible. Changes in ground level, both sides of a water body, and hedges and tree clusters can all achieve the goal of separating without dividing. 3. Where a wall must be set, make it as low as possible and as transparent as possible; only a small number of places that must conceal privacy should use closed walls. 4. Make walls that are set in green space become part of the garden scenery, reduce opportunities for contact with people, and transform from enclosing walls into scenic walls. Being good at unifying the separation of space with the penetration of scenery, seeming to exist yet not exist, existing and arousing feeling, is truly superior design.

4.5.1.2 Selection of courtyard wall materials

1. Brick wall: the spacing between wall columns is 3-4 m, with various openwork flower windows in the middle. This is a method that saves money and is easy to construct and maintain. The disadvantage is that it is relatively enclosed. 2. Concrete wall: first, precast lattice bricks are used to build the wall, with rich variations in pattern but easy to climb over; second, concrete is precast into sheet form, which can reveal greenery and is also easy to manage and maintain. The advantage of concrete walls is that they are done once and for all; the disadvantage is that they are not transparent enough. 3. Metal wall

Those made of shaped steel have smooth surfaces and are tough, easy to bend, and not easy to break. The disadvantage is that they must be painted once every 2-3 years. Those made of cast iron can be made into various flower patterns. The advantages are that they are not easy to rust and not expensive; the disadvantages are that they are brittle and not smooth enough. When ordering, attention must be paid to differences in composition. There are also materials such as wrought iron and cast aluminum, as well as various metal mesh materials, such as galvanized and plastic-coated wire mesh, aluminum plate mesh, and stainless steel mesh. These are high in quality but expensive, and are used in local floral decorations or indoors.

Now several materials are often combined, taking their strengths and making up for their weaknesses. Concrete is often used for wall columns and plinth walls. Shaped steel is used for the frame of the open part, and cast iron is used for decorative components. Wrought iron and cast aluminum are used for local and minute details. A wall is a long structure. In the length direction, expansion joints must be set according to requirements, column positions arranged according to turns and gate positions, and the elevation adjusted according to changes in ground elevation; in the transverse direction, it relates to the strength of the wall and affects the size of materials used. Using the planar concavity and convexity of brick and concrete walls, and the staggered front-and-back positions of metal wall components, actually amounts to enlarging the transverse section dimensions of the wall, which can eliminate wall columns and make the wall more natural and transparent.

4.5.2 Courtyard railings

Railings play a role in green spaces of separating and guiding, making green space boundaries clear. Well-designed railings are highly decorative, like the lace on clothing. Railings are not the main component of the garden landscape, but as building ornaments with large quantity and long extension, they have considerable influence on garden cost and scenery, and must be carefully considered and weighed before putting pen to paper brilliantly. As Li Yu said: "The making of window railings changes with each passing day and renews with each month; all are produced by variation from established methods. Rotten grass becomes fireflies; this is indeed a profound truth. If so, then the creator's bringing forth humanity has not wasted a single measure of heart and mind."

4.5.2.1 Height of railings

Generally low railings are 0.2-0.3 m high, medium railings 0.8-0.9 m, and high railings 1.1-1.3 m. They should be chosen according to local conditions and needs. With social progress and the improvement of people's spiritual and material levels, what is more needed are beautifully shaped guiding railings and ecological separators. Do not replace management with the height of railings, abruptly separating green space. On the contrary, when the goal of separation can be achieved by natural and spatial means, use fewer railings. For example, use hedges, water surfaces, mountain stones, and natural terrain changes.

Generally speaking, low railings are used at the edges of lawns and flower beds to clarify boundaries, and are also a very good decoration and embellishment; medium railings are used in spaces with restricted entry, crowded gates, and amusement areas, emphasizing guidance; high railings are used on ground with great height differences, animal enclosures, and outer walls, playing a separating role.

4.5.2.2 Composition of railings

A railing is a long, continuous structure. Because of design and construction requirements, it is often divided into units for fabrication. The composition of a railing must make the unit look good; even more, it must be beautiful as a whole. Continuous repetition over a long distance produces a sense of rhythmic beauty, so certain specific patterns and symbols, such as animal images and text, often give people a weaker impression than abstract geometric lines.

The composition of a railing must also comply with the requirements of the environment. For example, for bridge railings, the railings of a flat curved bridge are sometimes only two horizontal lines, echoing the form of the flat bridge over water, while the railings of an arched bridge follow the arch shape of the bridge body. The same principle applies to the choice of whether railing colors are hidden or revealed; they must never overshadow the host. Besides beauty, the composition of a railing is also closely related to cost. It should alternate density and sparseness and use appropriate materials. Saving a little per unit adds up to a considerable amount overall.

4.5.2.3 Design requirements for railings

Low railings must prevent sitting and stepping, so the outer form of low railings is sometimes made wavy, and sometimes the vertical bars point upward. As long as the form is attractive and the structure is firm, a larger distance between bars is no problem, which both saves cost and makes maintenance easier; for medium railings, in places where drilling through must be prevented, the clear opening should not exceed 14 cm. In places where drilling through need not be prevented, the beauty of the composition is key, but this is not suitable for dangerous places or places over a drop, and special attention should be paid to children's safety. In addition, the upper rail of a medium railing should be considered for use as a handrail; leaning on the railing and gazing into the distance is also a kind of enjoyment; high railings must prevent climbing, so there should not be too many horizontal bars below.

4.5.2.4 Materials and components of railings

Railings can be made of stone, wood, bamboo, concrete, iron, steel, and stainless steel. At present, the most commonly used is a combination of shaped steel with cast iron and cast aluminum. Bamboo and wood railings are natural, plain, and inexpensive, but their service life is not long. If there are places emphasizing this artistic conception, real materials must be treated with preservatives, or a "imitation" real method can be adopted. Concrete railing components are relatively clumsy and not much used; sometimes they are used as railing posts, but no matter what kind of railing, concrete is always indispensable as the foundation material. Cast iron and cast aluminum can be made into various floral components; they are beautiful and transparent, but the disadvantage is brittleness; once broken, they are not easy to repair. Therefore shaped steel is often used as the frame, taking the advantages of both. There is also a kind of wrought iron product; the outer form and cross-section of the bars can have many variations, and the workmanship is also exquisite, elegant, and beautiful, but the price is high, so it can be used locally or indoors. In addition to the needs of composition, the selection of materials and construction of the railing bars themselves are also very particular. First, make full use of the section height of the bars to increase strength and facilitate construction; second, the outer form of the bars must be reasonable. For example, between two points, the straight-line distance is the shortest, and the bar is also most stable. With more bends, the size of the bar must be enlarged to obtain the same strength; third, the direction of force transmission in the railing must be direct and clear. Only by understanding some mechanics can one unify art and technology in design and produce railings that are beautiful, durable, and inexpensive.

5. Analysis of villa courtyard design

5.1 Front courtyard:

The front courtyard is the main passage from the front of the residence to the main road. It mainly consists of pedestrian and vehicle entrances and exits, lawns, trees and flowers, and building ornaments, and so on. This is the necessary place for the owner and guests to enter the residence, and it is also the part that gives guests their first impression of the residence. The front courtyard can play an important role for both the residence itself and the streetscape of the main road. In a common front courtyard, the garage directly faces the main road, and residents enter the residence via a pedestrian path beside the driveway.

At the entrance of the front courtyard, various evergreen shrubs and ornamental flowers are often planted, which can play a decorative and beautifying role. Several ornamental trees are also often planted on the front or side of the front courtyard. In spring they are full of blooming flowers, and in autumn they are laden with fruit. Some ornamental trees have leaves of different colors in all four seasons, which can play an even greater beautifying role. Some front courtyard entrances also have flower trellises, flower canopies, and flower gates as symbols of the entrance. Here there may also be no enclosing wall, with only a relatively low hedge defining the boundary of the residence. Some have only a circular flower trellis as the gate. Some have only a low wall as a symbolic gate. They mainly play the role of decorating the space.

The front courtyard and back courtyard of a residence should be coordinated with the architectural style of the residence, which helps create a personalized courtyard.

5.2 Back courtyard

This is the largest outdoor living space of the residence, and also the main place for family leisure. The use functions of the back courtyard are relatively complex. Besides providing family leisure and amusement, it is also a good place to entertain relatives and friends, and can also provide space for children's play, physical exercise, and so on.

The contents of the back courtyard vary according to the different hobbies of the residents. In the back courtyard there are wooden deck platforms for rest and activities, hard surfaces and children's facilities, and in addition ornamental flower beds and various trees and shrubs and building ornaments used for screening and beautifying the environment. Some back courtyards can also have facilities such as sunrooms and swimming pools according to the owner's preferences.

The concise approach of modern courtyards is relatively practical and simple to maintain. The approach of relatively large private courtyards includes mountains and water, returning to nature. The sunken courtyard is a commonly used method for modern villa back courtyards, which can improve space utilization. Walls paired with stone materials and plants greatly increase privacy.

6. Conclusion

At the current stage, construction is still in the starting, experimental, and wait-and-see stage. It is necessary to promptly discuss and summarize the experiences and lessons regarding planning and design, construction and building, and maintenance and management, and to actively promote its healthy development, avoiding economic losses and waste of time.

In short, garden landscape design must fully understand the specific situation and suit local conditions, so that the landscape design achieves the expected effect and people live in a comfortable, convenient, and beautiful environment. Let a beautiful environment be created by our own hands.

In recent years, with the rise of the real estate industry and the improvement of modern living standards, numerous residential communities composed of small detached villas have appeared around Beijing. This type of housing features distinctive architecture, scattered and independent distribution, and high environmental requirements. Compared with other types of housing, its greatest advantage lies in having a larger green space. The level of environmental landscaping has become one of the important indicators of a villa's quality. Villa development today no longer focuses solely on architectural design; the supporting environment has become the focus of developers' sales efforts. Current villa design often starts with the environmental landscape, laying underground pipelines according to the plan, then digging lakes and piling hills, planting grass and trees, and only after the landscape takes shape do they let homeowners choose a location and villa according to the plan. Because the main selling point of this type of villa is the environment, it and the villa architecture coordinate with and complement each other, jointly creating a high-quality living environment. Examples such as Longwan Villas and Wangfu Garden in Shunyi are good illustrations.

Therefore, conducting in-depth research on villa garden design is an obligatory necessity. This thesis explores the materials used in current Beijing villa gardens and analyzes some examples of villa gardens that have been created.

1. Current Status of Villa Garden Landscapes

1.1 Current Scope of Villa Garden Design

A villa usually refers to a single-family residence built in a beautiful environment for people to live in and rest, generally composed of a living room, dining room, kitchen, study, bedroom, bathroom, and so on. Although the area is not large, it can accommodate the basic contents of daily life and offers a certain degree of comfort, and its supporting garden also has its own characteristics.

The general villa landscaping environment includes two parts: private courtyards and public green space, which complement each other and are indispensable. Real estate developers must not only maintain the public green space well but also guide and assist homeowners in landscaping their private courtyards, so that the entire community can form an excellent ecological environment.

1.1.1 Private Garden

The villa garden is a private space belonging to the homeowner, who can arrange various landscaping plants or garden features in it according to personal preference. Today's developers often first lay turf on it to achieve a good appearance before sale, and at little cost. There are two key points here: first, it must be pleasant to look at over time, and because the area is not large, the grass species must not be too coarse (such as tall fescue), which would be labor-intensive and inelegant; second, there must be a drainage slope, generally draining toward the four sides of the residential building, so that the building stands higher and the facade effect is good. A small number drain toward the open drain along the outer wall of the residential building; although this is direct, it is unfavorable to the overall environment.

1.1.2 Public Green Space

The public green space here mainly refers to the boundaries between each household's private land. Some use simple railings or boundary stakes to indicate the division; some use hedges or shrubs as boundaries; and some consider it in finer detail, with no special boundary in the entrance courtyard, making it appear very open and natural, while the rear courtyard has a clear separation, emphasizing privacy and serving as an outdoor extension of indoor activities. The practice of enclosing the entire courtyard with walls is becoming less and less common now, reflecting people's open, outward-looking mentality and social progress. If landscaping is used as a separation, consideration must be given to plants being non-toxic, not thorny, and having a relatively neat appearance. At the same time, because a large quantity is needed, tree species that are not too expensive are generally used, such as boxwood and Chinese cypress.

2. Characteristics of Villa Garden Landscapes

2.1 Privacy

Courtyard space is a relatively private space that is enclosed on the outside and open at the center. In this space there is a strong sense of place, so people are happy to gather and socialize there. Traditional courtyard spaces in our country carry people's daily and leisure activities such as eating, washing clothes, repairing things, chatting, playing cards, playing chess, reading newspapers, sunbathing, and listening to the radio. The courtyard space of modern architecture carries an even broader range of human activities, especially allowing people under tense work pressure, while completing activities aimed at their own behavior, to obtain passive activities from the courtyard space through senses such as sight, hearing, and smell. For example, when watering flowers and mowing grass, they enjoy the sunlight, fresh air, and the fragrance of flowers and plants; when entertaining, they feel the comfort and relaxation of leisure facilities, appreciate the natural beauty of flowers and trees, and listen to the sound of flowing water.

2.2 Extension of Indoor Space

The courtyard is an artificialized natural space and a continuation of the building's indoor space. In addition to activities in indoor space, people also need to go into outdoor space to breathe fresh air, receive the comfort of sunlight, appreciate natural beauty, and engage in activities integrated with nature, as well as daily leisure activities such as chatting, walking, and entertaining. Courtyard space happens to provide an ideal place for these activities.

3. Key Points in Villa Garden Landscape Design

The first step in creating a beautiful courtyard is to do a good job of planning and design. First, the style of the courtyard should be decided, and a plan should be made according to environmental conditions, family composition, and maintenance capacity.

3.1 Choice of Garden Style

Courtyards have many different styles, and their basic form is generally determined according to the homeowner's preferences. Garden styles can be simply divided into two major categories: formal and natural. At present, in terms of style, private courtyards can be divided into four major schools: the Asian Chinese style and Japanese style, and the European French style and English style. Architecture, however, has many diverse styles and types, such as the gap between classical and modern, the contrast between avant-garde and traditional, and the difference between Eastern and Western. The common approach is mostly to determine the type of garden roughly according to the style of the building. In the past, mixed-wood gardens and tea gardens with typical Japanese courtyard styles often blended natural scenery into the garden, giving people a sense of elegance and quiet seclusion. However, Japanese-style courtyards and Western-style buildings are difficult to unify, and Japanese-style buildings and formal courtyards also feel incompatible, so the coordination between garden style and buildings must be considered.

Garden color is also one of the factors affecting garden style. One technique for color planning is to determine the main color tone of the garden according to the building color and surrounding environment. Foliage plants are very important in garden design. In European countries such as the United Kingdom, planting some foliage plants in flower beds is considered a very natural thing. Variegated plants with white patches embedded in green have higher brightness than pure green species, such as silver-leaved dusty miller and Artemisia, and can make flower beds appear brighter. Other colorful-leaf plants with orange, red, and purple leaves can form strong contrasts and increase the liveliness of the color tone. In addition, changes in leaf shape and differences in texture can also be considered.

Summer is a season with a great variety of flowering plants, so diverse color combinations can be made, embellished with wild-looking perennial herbaceous flowers. In summer, even using combinations of many flower colors with high brightness will not create a sense of clutter. For example, bright snapdragons of different color series can be paired into several lively color blocks, and some silver-leaved plants or white-flowered snowball viburnum can be interspersed to neutralize them.

3.2 Influence of Garden Drainage and Light Conditions

Drainage, light, ventilation, and soil quality affect the quality of plant growth and development. In particular, whether there is sufficient light is an important condition determining which flowers can be cultivated. Generally speaking, it is most ideal to build a garden in a place with good light conditions and facing south, so the geographical conditions of the villa garden must first be clarified, such as the number of sunlight hours in a day and the treatment of shady and sunny sides. On this basis, plant species suitable for these environments should be selected. Shady areas can also be used to build distinctive gardens, such as a shade garden for viewing.

3.3 Needs of Family Members

Garden style can also reflect the lifestyle of the family living there. For a two-person household of working couples, because they have no time to care for flowers and plants, the courtyard often only grows some flowering shrubs or perennial flowers. For a family with young children, the courtyard should be laid with lawn where toys can be placed, and some brightly colored annual and biennial herbaceous flowers and bulb flowers should be planted. If someone in the family is interested in plant maintenance and management, seasonal herbaceous flowers for all four seasons can be planted to create a perfect ornamental garden. In short, the courtyard style and the plant species cultivated should be selected according to family composition and age structure.

3.4 Size of the Courtyard Area

A larger residence can choose from a broader range of garden styles, because the larger the area, the more plant species can be chosen, and the combination methods can also be more complex, but during planting, overall consistency must be taken into account to avoid conflicts with each other. A narrow residence has limited usable area, so a careful arrangement plan is required, and fewer plant species should be planted.

Regardless of the size of the garden, paving for paths is indispensable. General garden paths can be paved with natural stone or various colored floor tiles, or black-and-white cobblestones. The layout of the courtyard is very critical. Those who advocate simplicity can plant some flowers and plants in the courtyard, or make it into a nursery of green plants. If a more ideal landscape effect is desired, many people will invite professional designers to design and make the courtyard. For example, using winding paths with tall trees can give people the feeling of a "deep courtyard"; while using curved arches, carved railings, and column volutes combined with carefully pruned low shrubs vividly reproduces a European continental style.

4. Landscape Elements in Villa Gardens

The art of arranging courtyard elements is the most important in garden-making; the overall layout is a guiding artistic concept. Whether the layout succeeds or not is the key to whether the created garden is beautiful.

Generally, depending on the amount of experience in cultivating plants and the different amounts of time available for flower management, garden design should differ. Because maintenance and management consume a great deal of time, it is recommended that busy people build a garden mainly of flowering shrubs and perennial flowers, while those with maintenance experience and time can build a garden where seasonal herbaceous flowers of all four seasons can be enjoyed. Although time and energy are consumed, the plants will surely bring corresponding rewards.

Generally speaking, the plant species in the courtyard should not be too many. One or two kinds of plants should be used as the main landscape plants, and then one or two kinds should be selected as accompaniments. The selection of plants should match the overall courtyard style, and the plant layers should be clear, with a concise and beautiful form. Evergreen plants are relatively suitable for northern regions.

Water is an indispensable spirit in many courtyards; it can form a beautiful waterscape picture together with all the elements in the courtyard. Wood can be said to play a finishing touch role in villa courtyards. Used for outdoor furniture, flower troughs, flower stands, swing chairs, and fences, no matter where it is used in the courtyard, it will create a warm, comfortable, natural, and harmonious atmosphere and satisfy people's urgent desire to return to nature. In a courtyard paved with cobblestones, placing a simple wooden table and chairs can let you fully integrate into the natural atmosphere. Especially in the north, wood products keep northern winters from being unapproachable. The colors of wooden tables and chairs are relatively rich, including natural wood color, white, green, and so on; in short, they should match the overall courtyard style. It should be noted that because wood will change appearance when exposed to wind and rain in the open air, giving these wood pieces a new coat every spring has become a required course for some families.

There are no fixed rules for the use of garden materials, but an exquisite garden is formed by the artistic combination of various different materials such as plants, stone, sculptural landscape features, and waterscapes. Therefore, if the materials are used well, they can be very outstanding. For example, in Japanese gardens, the combination of trees with turf, various sizes of wild mountain stones, earth slopes, and gravel is very particular. All kinds of techniques simulate natural mood and charm and can give people spiritual cultivation and pleasure. The dry landscape, a garden-making technique unique to Japan, can truly let people appreciate the mood of Zen Buddhism. In contrast, the simulated mountain landscaping with ornamental stones such as Taihu stones and Lingbi stones, famous throughout the world in our country, is even more admirable for the perfect combination of the beauty of nature's uncanny workmanship and the elegance of the profound cultural heritage in Chinese garden art.

4.1 Plants

Plants are the main material for creating garden landscapes, so whether a villa can achieve practical, economical, and beautiful effects depends to a large extent on the selection and arrangement of garden plants.

Garden plants are extremely diverse and varied in form. There are giant trees over 100 m tall, as well as lawns and groundcover plants only a few cm tall; some are upright, and some are climbing or creeping; tree shapes also differ, such as conical, oval, umbrella-shaped, and spherical. The leaves, flowers, and fruits of plants are even richer and more gorgeous in color. Because we have such good materials, in our villa garden design we can use a large number of plants to add scenic spots, and we can also use plants to screen private spaces. At the same time, because of the diversity of plants, we can also create four-season seasonal aspects in the garden. We should be able to feel the changes of the four seasons in the garden, which better reflects the value of the garden. Garden plants play the following roles in creating courtyard landscapes:

4.1.1. Expressing Seasonal Sequence Landscapes

Garden plants show different seasonal characteristics as the seasons change: in spring, flowers bloom in profusion; in summer, green trees provide shade; in autumn, fruits are abundant; in winter, branches are gnarled and strong. This life rhythm of flourishing and decline provides the conditions for us to create a temporal landscape of the garden's four-season evolution. According to the seasonal changes of plants, planting plants with different flowering periods together makes the same place in the garden produce a certain unique landscape at different times, giving people different feelings and allowing them to experience the changes of the seasons.

To use garden plants to express seasonal sequence landscapes, one must have an in-depth understanding of the growth and development patterns of plant materials and their landscape expression in the four seasons, and create garden scenery for people to appreciate according to the different colors of plant materials in different seasons, arousing different feelings in people. The color changes of flowers, grasses, and trees in nature are very rich. Plants that bloom in spring are the most numerous, and with the sprouting of leaves and buds, they give a landscape effect of mountain flowers in full bloom and full of life. There are also relatively many plants that bloom in summer, but the more prominent seasonal feature is dense green shade and flourishing forests and grasses. In golden autumn, there are fewer flowering plants, but there are still fragrant osmanthus and autumn chrysanthemums braving the frost, while the rich and colorful autumn leaves and fruits make autumn scenery even more beautiful. In deep winter, vegetation withers, mountains are cold and waters are thin, presenting a bleak and solemn landscape. The succession of the four seasons makes plants present different seasonal aspects, and applying the different seasonal aspects of plants to garden art constitutes a temporal landscape of four-season succession.

4.1.2. Creating Ornamental Scenic Spots in the Garden

As the main material for creating a beautiful garden, garden plants themselves possess unique beauty of posture, color, and charm. Different garden plants have different forms and infinite variations. They can be planted alone to display individual beauty, can be arranged according to a certain compositional method to express the collective beauty of plants, and can also be reasonably arranged and cleverly matched according to their respective ecological habits to create a community landscape combining trees, shrubs, and grasses.

Take trees for example: ginkgo has a straight trunk and an imposing manner, Chinese pine is twisted and vigorous, and magnolia displays wealth and nobility. These trees, if planted individually, can constitute the main scenery of a villa. Autumn color-changing tree species such as truncate maple and ginkgo can be planted to form a landscape of "frosted leaves redder than February flowers." Many fruit-viewing tree species such as crabapple, hawthorn, and pomegranate present a scene of abundant harvest with their heavy fruits.

Colorful herbaceous flowers are even better materials for creating ornamental villa landscapes. Because flower species are numerous, colors are rich, and plants are short, they are very commonly used in gardens and in diverse forms. They can be planted in the open ground, or potted and placed to form flower beds and flower borders, or various forms of planting containers can be used to embellish the environment in front of villa windows, creating a pleasing natural landscape, heightening a festive atmosphere, and decorating people's lives.

Many garden plants are fragrant and pleasant, able to give people joyful feelings. There are many fragrant garden plant species, such as osmanthus, wintersweet, lilac, orchid, and Chinese rose. In villa design, various fragrant flower plants can be used for arrangement to create an "aromatic garden" landscape, or they can be planted separately to form specialized gardens such as a lilac garden or a Chinese rose garden. They can also be planted in places where people often gather, such as planting jasmine around a place for enjoying the cool on a summer night, so that the breeze carries fragrance and refreshes the heart.

4.1.3. Creating Artistic Conception

Using garden plants to create artistic conception is a typical landscaping style and precious cultural heritage of traditional Chinese gardens. China has a long history of plant cultivation and a splendid culture. Many poems, lyrics, songs, fu, and folk customs have left beautiful passages praising plants, and have endowed various plant materials with personified content, elevating from appreciating the beauty of plant form to appreciating the beauty of plant artistic conception, achieving the ideal realm of harmony between heaven and humanity.

In creating courtyard landscapes, plants can be used to express feelings, lodging emotion in scenery and blending emotion with scenery. Pine is vigorous and elegant, unafraid of the harsh environment of frost, snow, and severe cold, and can stand upright at the summit of high mountains in severe cold; plum blossoms are unafraid of severe cold and bloom proudly in the snow; bamboo is "possessed of integrity before emerging from the soil, and even when reaching the clouds remains humble." All three plants possess the character of firmness, unyieldingness, and noble integrity, so they are called the "Three Friends of Winter." Their arrangement forms are elegant and distinct in artistic conception, and they are often used in the gardens of literati and upright officials. Orchids grow in deep valleys, with elegant leaf posture, delicate fragrance, and understated elegance; lush green leaves and graceful solitary stems, without delicate weakness and without vulgarity. Placed indoors or planted in a corner of the courtyard, their artistic conception is most elegant.

4.1.4. Serving to Set Off the Villa

The branches and leaves of plants present soft curves, and the texture and color of different plants differ in visual perception. In villas, soft plant materials are often used to soften rigid geometric architectural forms, such as foundation planting, planting at wall corners, and wall greening. Generally, around a villa with a relatively large volume, solemn facade, and open sightlines, tree species with tall trunks, thick branches, and spreading crowns should be selected; around a delicate and exquisite villa, tree species with light branch posture and small, dense leaves should be selected. When garden plants are matched with rocks, they can express the natural charm of undulating terrain and wild interest; when matched with water bodies, they can form reflections or screen water sources, creating a sense of depth.

Grasping these roles of plants in creating villa landscapes is the premise for smoothly carrying out plant landscaping work, and various plant materials are the cornerstone of plant landscaping.

Commonly used plants in courtyard greening are as follows: ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), spruce (Picea), Chinese pine (P. tabulaeformis), lacebark pine (P. bungeana), Armand pine (P. armandi), dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides), yew (Taxus cuspidata), magnolia (M. denudata), Chinese tulip tree (Liriodendron chinense), Spiraea, pearlberry (Sorbaria kirilowii), rugosa rose (Rosa rugosa), yellow rose (R. xanthina), Chinese rose (R. chinensis), kerria (Kerria japonica), plum (Prunus salicina), apricot (P. armeniaca), mei (P. mume), peach (P. persica), mountain peach (P. davidiana), elm-leaved spirea (P. triloba), Nanking cherry (P. tomentosa), Japanese cherry (P. serrulata), Cotoneaster, hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida), Chinese quince (Chaenomeles sinensis), Japanese quince (C. speciosa), apple (Malus pumila), plum-leaved crabapple (M. prunifolia), showy crabapple (M. spectabilis), Pyrus, wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), redbud (Cercis chinensis), Chinese honey locust (Gleditsia sinensis), Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis), Peking mockorange (Philadelphus pekinensis), deutzia (Deutzia scabra), bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla), red osier dogwood (Cornus alba), Chinese abelia (Abelia chinensis), beautybush (Kolkwitzia amabilis), weigela (Weigela florida), Sambucus, Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), London plane (Platanus acerifolia), Chinese boxwood (Buxus sinica), common box (B. sempervirens), eucommia (Eucommia ulmoides), Chinese tamarisk (Tamarix chinensis), Mongolian linden (Tilia mongolica), Chinese parasol tree (Firmiana simplex), rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), pomegranate (Punica granatum), Chinese holly (Ilex chinensis), winged euonymus (Euonymus alatus), winterberry euonymus (E. bungeanus), Japanese euonymus (E. japonicus), jujube (Zizyphus jujuba), grape (Vitis vinifera), Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata), persimmon (Diospyros kaki), Chinese toon (Toona sinensis), truncate maple (Acer truncatum), Japanese maple (A. palmatum), Chinese buckeye (Aesculus chinensis), winter jasmine (J. nudiflorum), lilac (Syringa oblata), forsythia (Forsythia suspensa), Chinese trumpet creeper (Campsis grandiflora), tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa), Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii), crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens).

4.2 Water Bodies

As a part of garden design, garden water bodies are a form that often appears in individual villas of 500 sq m. Modern people relatively long for places with water, but such places are too few, so people create water bodies. The characteristic of garden water bodies is that they are small. But they must be made very exquisite. When making a pond, it can be neither too deep nor too shallow. This depends on the user's requirements. For example, if there are children in the family, safety for children should be considered first.

The uses of garden water bodies are very broad and can be roughly summarized in the following 3 aspects:

1. As the main landscape subject. For example, fountains, waterfalls, ponds, and so on all take water bodies as their theme. Water has become an important constituent element of villas and also inspires endless poetic and picturesque charm. Ice lanterns and ice sculptures are also an ornamental form of water under non-normal temperature conditions. 2. Improving the courtyard environment, regulating climate, and controlling noise. Mineral water has medical effects, and negative ions have cleaning effects; neither can be ignored. 3. Providing growth conditions for ornamental aquatic animals and plants in the courtyard and creating the necessary environment for biodiversity. For example, planting various aquatic plants such as lotus, water lily, and reed, and raising swans, mandarin ducks, koi, and so on.

The above contents are not meant to cover every aspect. Each garden water body needs only one or two main functions, among which the most important and most common is the role of villa landscape. Although villa water bodies are small, their role cannot be ignored. The following discusses the formation of water body landscapes, engineering design, requirements for water quality and water quantity, and landscape design.

Water is a liquid at normal temperature. It has no fixed shape itself, and its ornamental effect depends on the shape of the water container, water quality, and the surrounding environment. Various shapes and postures of water are all related to the container. If the container is well designed, the desired water posture will appear. Of course, this is also related to the quality of the water itself. Generally speaking, water is required to be transparent, colorless, and odorless. Different water bodies have different uses, and their requirements for water quality also differ. In individual cases, some people also dye water for ornamental needs. Natural factors such as wind, temperature, and light in the environment around the water body also affect the ornamental effect. For example, when wind rises and clouds surge and waves are turbulent, reflections on the water surface cannot be appreciated; and when the temperature drops and water freezes, a lake surface with shimmering waves becomes a smooth, glaring ice rink, and the interest in viewing and the direction of use suddenly become completely different. Light has an even more obvious effect on the ornamental effect of water bodies. In order to achieve the effect, artificial lighting is often added in the water body. At this time, the ornamental effect is often better than the best landscape effect in daytime.

The containers on which garden water bodies depend have two main differences: first, water bodies in a natural state, such as natural lakes, ponds, and streams, whose slopes and bottoms are all naturally formed. Second, water bodies in an artificial state, such as fountains and swimming pools, whose sides and bottoms are all artificial structures.

When constructing the artificial environment of a water body, some situations require special attention. For example, when the designed elevation of the water body is much higher than the local natural normal water level elevation, and the soil at that place is loose (sandy soil) and not good at holding water, a waterproof layer must be constructed to keep the water body at a relatively stable elevation and meet the landscape design requirements. For example, the European-style ornamental pools often made now. Some water body designs also have relatively high requirements for water quality, such as swimming pools and paddling pools, which must maintain water quality by filtration and circulation, or replace the water body regularly. At this time, a waterproof layer must be constructed to isolate it from the outside.

From the above points, the first is to emphasize the "quantity" of the water body. Maintaining the design elevation actually means maintaining the water quantity, also unaffected by the rise and fall of natural water levels. The second is to emphasize the "quality" of the water body. Therefore, at this time the water body in an artificial environment must have a certain limit on area and capacity to control project cost and maintenance expenses. Therefore we believe: it is best if garden water bodies can hold water by natural means; first, it saves investment and management costs; second, it achieves ecological balance, which is a very important concept. If it is decided to use an artificial water body, its scale must be strictly controlled so as not to take on a long-lasting burden.

4.3 Garden Paths

Garden paths in villa gardens mainly emphasize: narrowness, seclusion, and elegance. Narrowness is the main characteristic of courtyard garden paths, because the users served are mainly family members and relatives and friends, and there is no need to make them so wide; otherwise it is not only wasteful but also makes the garden appear cramped. Seclusion is achieved through winding forms, creating illusions and making people feel that it is deep and secluded, so that the courtyard appears broad and spacious. Elegance is the highest realm of a courtyard: achieving much without disorder and little without emptiness, both enjoyable and practical. The sources of garden path materials are very wide, and a detailed explanation is given below. Because courtyard space is limited, relatively few garden paths are made, and we can use terrain changes and extensions to increase garden paths. The following is some specific analysis of garden paths:

4.3.1 Linear Design of Garden Paths

The linear design of garden paths should be combined with terrain, water bodies, plants, buildings, paved areas, and other facilities to form a complete scenic composition and create a space for continuously displaying garden landscapes or a sightline for appreciating the scenery ahead. The linear design of garden paths should have clear primary and secondary distinctions, organize traffic and touring, be well spaced, and be winding and orderly. In order to organize scenery, extend touring routes, and expand space, garden paths should have appropriate winding in space. A better design is based on the undulation of the terrain and the requirements of surrounding functions, making the main path seem both separated from and close to the water surface. It intersects among the scenic areas, and along the main path visitors can appreciate the main scenery. The path should be created as a part of the scenery. The arrangement of garden paths should be well spaced according to need and must avoid being parallel to each other, but curves cannot be used as easily as straight lines. Appropriate curves can free people from a tense atmosphere and give them a comfortable aesthetic feeling.

4.3.2 Layout of Garden Paths

The layout of paths should be determined according to the contents of the villa green space and the capacity of users. It should have clear primary and secondary distinctions, adapt to local conditions, and coordinate closely. For example, in places with undulating terrain, garden paths should surround the landscape and water, but should not be parallel to the water. Because facing water with mountains behind and having many visitors and many facilities, garden paths in gently sloping places should be curved and soft, and density can be greater, but they should not form a square grid.

The entrance of a garden path plays the role of guiding visitors into the courtyard. A successful entrance design, while guiding people forward, also creates different atmospheres. A broad garden path will make you want to go in and stroll. A narrow garden path will make people walk faster. A plaza set in the middle of a garden path provides visitors with a place to enjoy scenery, rest, and change direction. Because courtyard paths have the function of expressing design intent, the form and texture of the materials paving garden paths are very important. Moreover, the paving form and route play the role of conveying the courtyard designer's intent. Straight lines, curved corners, and geometric forms reflect the intent of formal design. Natural curves, loose paving, some irregular forms, and natural design methods express the characteristics of informal design.

4.3.3 Functionality of Garden Paths

Besides having a decorative role, garden paths also have functionality. For example, in order for tools such as lawn mowers and handcarts to pass, the main path of the courtyard must also have a certain width and load-bearing capacity. Steps and small paths close to the residence should meet people's various use requirements, such as convenience for children, the elderly, and disabled people. Some paths that are seldom used do not need to be so wide, and fewer facilities can be installed. The road surface should remain level; even on some stone-paved surfaces, tables and chairs on the path must be kept balanced. Paving materials with relatively good friction resistance can be used on relatively slippery slopes.

Whether it is an open space or a private space, horizontal ground plays an important role in the courtyard. The balance of the road surface plays a great role in creating the courtyard atmosphere. The same kind of courtyard may appear open in one area, while in another area it may feel cramped. Therefore, the design of road surfaces in different environments will bring out different senses of balance. An open area appearing in a narrow path can give people a sense of spaciousness and form a comfortable rest area.

4.3.4 Selection of Paving Materials

In the same space in the courtyard and for the same direction of garden paths, it is better to use one type of paving. In this way, different paving in several different places forms the whole garden and achieves the goal of seeking change within unity. In fact, this uses the paving of garden paths to express the different nature, use, and area of the garden paths.

Within one type of paving, blocks of different sizes, materials, and assembly methods can be used to form it. The key is what paving is used and where. For example, main roads and places with strong traffic function should be firm, flat, anti-slip, wear-resistant, with simple and elegant lines, and convenient for construction and management. For example, use the same kind of stone but vary the size or masonry method. Small paths, small spaces, and leisure tree-lined walks can be richer and more varied, such as in Chinese classical gardens. It is necessary to deeply study the characteristics of other garden elements where the garden path is located, so as to create distinctive and widely praised paving. For example, the bamboo path leading to seclusion in Hangzhou, and the crane picture between the Wufeng Immortal Hall and the Crane Place in Suzhou, which blends harmoniously with the environment, full of poetic and picturesque charm. Ming dynasty. Ji Cheng discussed this long ago in Yuan Ye: "Only in the main hall and broad buildings, pave generally with polished bricks; where paths wind and twist, lay long stretches of various chaotic stones; the middle courtyard style should pile up wins; near the paving, one may also make palindrome patterns; octagonal insets and square selections are made into Shu brocade with goose eggs."

The size and shape of the blocks, besides needing to coordinate with the environment and space, must also be suitable for freely winding linear paving; this is the key to simple construction. The surface should be moderately coarse or fine: coarse enough for children's carts and high heels to pass, fine enough not to cause slipping and falls in rainy weather. The modular size of the blocks should coordinate with the width of the road surface. When using blocks of different materials for combined paving, the contrast in color, texture, and shape should be strong. It is recommended to use more natural material blocks. Close to nature, plain and unadorned, cheap and fine, durable. Even old materials and waste materials can be turned into treasures after slight processing. In Japan there is a kind of road surface spread with coarse sand; in the past we also had coal cinder road surfaces; crushed marble and granite slabs are also widely used, and stone chips are even more commonly used as filler.

4.4 Garden Features

Garden features in courtyard landscapes refer to rockeries, pavilions, flower stands, sculptures, tables, stools, and various other items that can be placed in the courtyard. Generally these are very small in volume, but in the courtyard they can produce a finishing touch effect. Whether these features are attached to scenery or relatively independent, they should be carefully polished through artistic processing before they can suit the specific environment of the courtyard and form a garden scene that is well-proportioned, appropriately arranged, small but not base, subordinate but not servile, and mutually enhancing. Using garden features to organize the surrounding environment and outside scenery makes the courtyard's artistic conception more vivid and more full of poetic and picturesque charm. From the perspective of shaping environmental space, they are cleverly used in composing scenery to achieve the purpose of improving the appreciation value of both the overall environment and the features themselves.

4.4.1 Courtyard Rockeries

The art of piling mountains is different from architectural design, which can be expressed with drawings and then constructed according to the drawings to achieve the designer's original intent. The art of stacking rockeries lies in the fact that the stones used for stacking must be ready-made natural stones and cannot be processed with axes and chisels, otherwise they will not be natural. Therefore, the matter of stacking rockeries can be described as applying methods according to the materials. Chen Congzhou said in On Gardens: "Stones have no fixed form; mountains have fixed methods." This is the key to piling mountains. The "rockery" referred to here is relative to naturally formed "real mountains." There are two kinds of rockery materials: one is natural mountain stone material, merely using cement as a binding material and concrete as a foundation when artificially stacking; the other is rockery made of cement mixed mortar, steel wire mesh, or GRC (low-alkalinity glass fiber cement), formed by artificial plastic molds, also called "plastic stone" or "plastic mountain."

4.4.1.1 Key Points for Mountain Stones Commonly Used in Villa Gardens

1. Solitary ornamental stones: often selected from antique and elegant, form-and-spirit-combining Taihu stones, axe-cut stones, stone bamboo shoots, and so on, placed in the main position of the courtyard for people to admire. Besides their own ornamental value of being slender, porous, leaky, wrinkled, and ugly, these solitary ornamental stones also have great humanistic value because they have been passed down over the years, and often become a scene in the garden. "The stone moved from Genyue towers steeply; the thousand-year remnants evoke much feeling." Examples include the "Jade Exquisite" in Shanghai Yu Garden, the "Ruiyun Peak" in Suzhou, the "Zhouyun Peak" in Hangzhou, and the "Qingzhi Xiu" in Beijing. It is said that "Jade Exquisite" is a survivor of the Huashigang in Water Margin, famous because "when incense is placed under the stone, smoke comes out from every hole; when a bowl of water is poured on top of the stone, spring water flows from every hole." "Qingzhi Xiu" originally belonged to the Song dynasty calligrapher Mi Zhizhang, and the stone now bears a seven-character poem composed by Emperor Qianlong. Of course, there are also cases where a stele is erected on a solitary stone to form a scene, such as the monument to Mr. Fujino of Japan in the Peony Garden in Luoyang, Henan. Japanese dry landscape stones, by contrast, focus on the group effect of the layout and differ from our country's solitary ornamental stones.

2. Cliff stones: Ming dynasty Ji Cheng said in Yuan Ye: "Cliff mountains are wall principles; using a whitewashed wall as paper and stones as painting." Commonly used with Ying stones, Taihu stones, axe-cut stones, and so on, matched with plants, reliefs, and flowing water. Arranged at courtyard whitewashed walls and hotel lobbies, they become a landscape painting that occupies little space and shines brightly.

3. Scattered point stones: using yellow stones, Taihu stones, Ying stones, thousand-layer stones, axe-cut stones, stone bamboo shoots, granite, and so on, in groups of three or five, scattered beside paths, under trees, at mountain foots, at the edges of steps, and at building corners, matching the terrain and planted with flowers and trees. Sometimes they become natural stools, sometimes the base of potted plants, and sometimes a transition for local height differences and material changes. This is a very natural embellishment and hint, and it is the most widely used application of mountain stones in gardens.

4. Revetment stones: commonly using yellow stones, Taihu stones, and thousand-layer stones, stacked along the water surface or along mountain foots with height differences, high and low in irregular order, changing front and back, serving as revetment and also as retaining walls, while at the same time making them natural and beautiful.

5. Mountain stone waterfalls: based on the garden terrain, piling yellow stones, Taihu stones, granite, and thousand-layer stones, and guiding water from above downward to form waterfall drops. This practice is commonly called "soil wrapping stone" and is currently the most common practice.

4.4.1.2 Key Points for Stacking Mountain Stones

1. The selection of mountain stones must meet the requirements of the overall plan and coordinate with the entire terrain and landforms. "A mountain is boned by stone, bedded by forest, and ensouled by water." The materials and methods of mountain stones actually indicate the existence of a certain type of geological structure. When covered by soil layers, gravel, and vegetation, people can only feel the outer form and direction of the mountain forest. If the covering is removed, the "mountain bones" are fully revealed.

2. In the same area, do not mix multiple types of mountain stones. When stacking, it is difficult to achieve coordination and consistency in quality, color, texture, face, body, and posture.

3. For the stacking and shaping of mountain stones, there are the traditional "Mountain Stone Zhang" ten major techniques: an, jie, kua, xuan, dou, ka, lian, chui, jian, pin. What is valued more is advocating nature and being plain and unadorned. Especially in places using thousand-layer stones and granite, the requirement is the overall effect, not the appreciation of solitary stones. The overall shape must both conform to natural laws and be within reason, and also be highly generalized and elevated, beyond expectation.

4. The foundation of rockeries. Because solitary ornamental stones and mountain stone caves and gullies have concentrated loads, attention must be paid to the firmness of their foundations. If a mountain stone waterfall is built on old soil (past soil piling to make mountains has already been done for several years), a layer of reinforced concrete can be pounded as a foundation on compacted plain soil and crushed stone. If it is built on newly piled earth mounds, more care is needed to prevent cracks caused by settlement, and soil and water erosion caused by leakage, gradually deforming and losing truth and creating danger. The safety of mountain stones is the first major point in rockery stacking.

5. A design that combines real materials (natural stone) with artificial materials (GRC, etc.) is a good approach and an innovation. Especially at difficult-to-build turns and overhanging sections, in places people cannot reach, using artificial rockery can often occupy less space, reduce load, and still achieve a good overall effect. With CRC materials, particular attention must be paid to the quality of the glass fiber; if the cost is calculated at 800 yuan per sq m, it is about the same as real materials.

6. Rockery stone is a natural thing, with natural texture, outline, and form, and its material is pure and unadorned, but it belongs to the category of inanimate building materials. Therefore, rockery stone is a kind of transition, an intermediate body, between the natural environment and architectural space. "No garden without stone," but it can only serve as a partial scenic accent, hint, token, or supplement. Do not apply it excessively, causing costs to rise sharply and losing the ecological significance of gardening.

4.4.1.3 Basic techniques of courtyard mound-building

The form of a rockery should be appropriately balanced between solid and void. For example, the rockery in the Garden of Cultivation in Suzhou has a sense of peaks and ridges, and also the idea of caves and gullies; the rockery in the Mountain Villa of Secluded Beauty in Suzhou can be called an excellent work, and its handling of solid and void is where its excellence lies. The rockery in the Lion Grove Garden in Suzhou has no primary-secondary handling of solid and void and is not a fine work. That is why Shen Sanbai of the Qing dynasty said of it, "Judged by its overall momentum, it is actually like a disorderly pile of coal cinders, accumulated with moss, pierced with ant holes, entirely lacking the grandeur of mountain forests."

The first is stone selection. The stone material must be uniform; yellow stone and lake stone cannot be mixed. If further subdivided, there are Taihu stone, Kunshan stone, Yixing stone, Longtan stone, Lingbi stone, Yanshan stone, Ying stone, yellow stone, and so on, as detailed in "Stone Selection," section nine of The Craft of Gardens. Uniform stone material also comes from nature. In natural mountains, the stone material is necessarily uniform. And the first rule of artistic law is "variation and unity." Uniform stone material with varied forms conforms to artistic principles.

The second is form. So-called rockery is in fact not false; its temperament can even surpass that of real mountains. People say "scenery is like a painting," meaning that the scenery in a painting can be selected and omitted, surpassing the actual scenery, and the principle is the same. But if a rockery is poorly piled, then it does not qualify. In rockery form, the outline must have variation, and within variation there must be balance. "A mountain need not be high; what is valued is its layering..." (Chen Congzhou, On Gardens). The beauty of layering in art lies in screening and suggestion. To pile a mountain with a sense of layering, the key is that the peaks and ridges must have a three-dimensional layout. This produces foreground-background screening, as if expressing a sense of "lofty mountains and steep ridges." If what is behind is blocked by what is in front with method, then the towering momentum of the mountain can be shown even more, with great force. The autumn mountain in the Ge Garden in Yangzhou can be called a top-grade yellow-stone rockery. It is solid yet not dull, high and steep yet also unusually perilous. As for specific techniques, even more emphasis should be placed on the word "void"; attention should be paid above all to the concave-convex variation of the mountain form and the matching of cave sizes.

The third is steepness and peril. A rockery imitates a real mountain in temperament, not as a model of a real mountain. It should discard the dross and take the essence. The beauty of a real mountain lies first in its towering majesty and robustness, and second in its steepness and uprightness. Although a rockery is small, its posture and temperament are no less than the grandeur and peril of a real mountain. To achieve a steep and perilous momentum, one method is that the lower part should be small rather than large, and open and transparent rather than closed and solid. One reason a piled mountain looks bad is that the lower part of the mountain is too fat and too dull, lacking a sense of steepness.

In particular, standing peaks and single stones must place even more emphasis on the beauty of steepness and peril. Generally, precious single stones and standing peaks all possess the beauty of steepness and peril. The three famous stones of Jiangnan: the Ruiyun Peak in Suzhou, the Yulinglong in Shanghai (Yu Garden), and the Zhouyun Peak in Hangzhou, are, in terms of form, no less than the "three famous stones of Jiangnan"; whether in outline or in solid-void relationships, they all conform to the aesthetic standards of rockery stone, but their beauty lies even more in steepness and peril.

The fourth is artistic conception. The artistic conception of mountains has different categories. People often say Mount Tai is known for majesty, Mount Huang for wonder, Mount Hua for peril, Mount Emei for elegance, and Mount Lu for mystery; their aesthetic characteristics differ. Rockeries are likewise divided into these types, so one must choose an aesthetic tendency and then pursue it deliberately. A rockery is a kind of art, and its artistic conception should be that of a mountain, rather than making a pseudo-approximation of dragons, tigers, and the like. Making such figurative forms inevitably appears vulgar.

4.4.2 Garden pavilion design

The garden pavilion here refers to refined and delicate small buildings in garden green spaces. It can be divided into two categories: one is the pavilion for people to rest and enjoy the view, and the other is storage cabins, sunlight greenhouses, and other structures with practical functions. The main usable space is in courtyards of 500 sq m or more.

4.4.2.1 Selection of location

The Ming dynasty Craft of Gardens says, "A pavilion is where one stops. It is where one pauses to rest in wandering." This shows that a garden pavilion is a place for people to rest and take a break. In setting a pavilion in a courtyard, the key is location. Because a pavilion is the "finishing touch" in a garden, it is mostly placed where sightlines meet. A garden pavilion should be built in a place with fine courtyard scenery, so that those who enter to rest have scenery to enjoy and are willing to stay; at the same time, even more consideration should be given to making the pavilion a beautiful garden scene after it is built. Here the garden pavilion can often play the role of the finishing touch. The Craft of Gardens has an outstanding passage: "A pavilion hidden among flowers, a pavilion placed at the water's edge, thus the garden gains refinement. Yet a pavilion is only hidden among flowers; why must a pavilion be confined to the water's edge? It may thread springs among bamboos, sit atop a hill according to the view, or be in a nook of dense green bamboo; at the foot of a coiled, luxuriant old pine; or borrowed above the Hao and Pu, to inspire thoughts of watching fish; if set amid the Canglang waters, it is not for singing while washing one's feet. Pavilions are placed according to pattern; their foundations are established without fixed rule." For example, in the Master of the Nets Garden in Suzhou, entering the garden from the Duck-Shooting Corridor, across the pond is the "Moon Arrives with the Wind Pavilion," forming the compositional center. Another example is the "Lotus Wind on All Sides Pavilion" in the pond of the Humble Administrator's Garden; the water surface is open on all sides, forming a visual focus here, and with curved bridges connecting to it on two sides, its image is naturally prominent. Of course, the image of this pavilion can also bear such treatment; if the image of this pavilion were hard to look at, that would be called "spoiling the scenery." Another example is the Canglang Pavilion, located on a rockery, forming the center of the whole garden, making "Canglang Pavilion" (the garden name) live up to its name; the Xiuxi Pavilion in the Humble Administrator's Garden, the Shuxiao Pavilion in the Lingering Garden, and the Wangjiang Pavilion in Shanghai's Yu Garden are all built in high, prominent places, with sky as their background, clearly visible in image, complete in outline, and highly worth viewing.

4.4.2.2 Selection of style

Should the garden pavilion being designed be traditional or modern? Chinese or Western? Naturally rustic or luxurious and wealthy? The differences among these styles are not hard to understand.

But within the same style, the size, form, and complexity of the plan, elevation, and decoration also differ greatly, and must be weighed. For example, among Chinese classical garden pavilions in the same botanical garden, the peony garden and the maple garden differ. The peony pavilion must have double eaves with upturned corners and bright red columns; the maple pavilion is enough with white walls and gray tiles. This varies because the temperament of their environments differs. Likewise, for European classical domed pavilions, the size differs greatly between a golf course and a private residential courtyard, because the openness or enclosure of their environments differs. Likewise for natural rustic style, playing with fish by bamboo rafts at the water's edge and birdwatching in a tree fork nest differ, because the functional requirements of the environment differ.

Second, all forms, functions, and building materials are in the process of evolution and progress, and often interwoven, so emphasis must be placed on creation. For example, on the beam frame of a Chinese classical garden pavilion, using polycarbonate sunlight panels as the roof instead of traditional tiles, with the ancient containing the modern and the foreign used for our purposes, can achieve very good results. Using four solid walls, with the outer outline of a Chinese classical garden pavilion as the frame, to compose a virtual pavilion is also a kind of creation. Suspended cables, cloth curtains, glass, sunlight panels, and so on emerge endlessly.

Only by thoroughly considering these key points can one innovate and avoid falling into conventionality. This is by no means comparable to merely "applying a set pattern" and muddling through.

4.4.2.3 Consideration of plan and elevation

A garden pavilion has a small volume and a rigorous plan. From point-like umbrella pavilions, triangles, squares, rectangles, hexagons, octagons, up to circles, begonia shapes, and fan shapes, from simple to complex, they are basically regular geometric forms, or further combined and transformed. According to this principle, other external forms can be conceived, and they can also be combined with other garden buildings such as flower trellises, long corridors, and water-side pavilions to form a group of buildings.

The plan composition of a garden pavilion is relatively simple; besides columns, sitting benches (chairs), and railings, there are sometimes also a section of wall, tables, steles, wells, mirrors, plaques, and so on. But the elevation of a garden pavilion differs greatly because of different styles. Yet one point is common: inner and outer space interpenetrate, and the elevation appears open and transparent. A few have doors and windows on all four sides, such as the Pagoda Shadow Pavilion in Suzhou's Humble Administrator's Garden, which shows that its function has gradually shifted toward the practical.

The elevation of a garden pavilion can be divided into several types. This is the main factor determining the style of the garden pavilion. For example: Chinese classical and Western classical traditional styles. These types all have formulas to follow; the difficulty is that construction is very complicated. Modern-style garden pavilions have various new forms such as flat roofs, slopes, and curves. Roof variation can be greater. For example, making folded plates, arcs, or wave shapes, or using new building materials, tiles, or panels; or emphasizing a certain component and decoration, to enrich the exterior elevation of the garden pavilion.

4.4.3 Courtyard flower trellis

At the mention of a flower trellis, it is easy to associate it with the bean and melon trellises in front of and behind houses; first for production, and then for planting flowers. Today's flower trellis has two aspects of function. On the one hand, it provides people with a place to rest and enjoy the scenery; on the other hand, it creates conditions for climbing plants to grow. Therefore, it can be said that the flower trellis is the garden feature closest to nature. A group of flower pots, a climbing trellis, a lattice wall for plants to cling to, an opening formed by projecting flower trellis boards, or even a roof garden along a high-rise building, or a grape canopy over a dining room or dance floor, are often simple in material yet profound in meaning, playing the role of the finishing touch and creating an effect in which indoor and outdoor spaces interpenetrate and architecture and nature merge into one.

4.4.3.1 Key points in courtyard flower trellis design:

1. A flower trellis should look good and be usable under green shade, and should also look good and be usable after the leaves fall. Therefore, the flower trellis should be designed as a work of art, not merely as a structure, and attention should be paid to proportions and dimensions, material selection, and necessary decoration. The size of the flower trellis should not be too large. If too large, it is not easy to make light and convenient; if too high, it is not easy to shade and appears empty. It should be as close to nature as possible.

2. The four sides of a flower trellis are generally relatively transparent and open; apart from supporting walls and columns, there are no enclosing walls, doors, or windows. The upper and lower planes of the flower trellis (paving and eaves) also do not necessarily have to be symmetrical and similar; they can freely extend, contract, and interpenetrate, so that the flower trellis is placed within the garden and merged into nature without obstruction.

3. Conceive the form of the flower trellis according to the characteristics of the climbing plants and the environment; design the structure, materials, and so on of the flower trellis according to the biological characteristics of the climbing plants.

In general, one flower trellis is configured with one kind of climbing plant, though configurations of 2-3 mutually complementary kinds can also be seen. The ornamental value and growth requirements of various climbing plants are not the same, and this should be understood before designing a flower trellis. For example, in Beijing's Prince Gong's Mansion there is a wisteria trellis from two or three hundred years ago; in the Yuanmingyuan illustration, the section "Ciyun Puhu" contains the line "A path divides the layered lakes, wisteria flowers hang over the trellis." To design a wisteria flower trellis, load-bearing, permanent materials should be used, with a simple and antique form. Another more commonly used one is the grape trellis; grape berries have many thought-provoking fables and fairy tales, which can serve as reference for conception. Growing grapes requires sufficient ventilation and light conditions, and also turning vines and pruning, so reasonable planting spacing must be considered. For climbing plants with herbaceous stems, such as gourds, cypress vine, and morning glory, they often need the aid of strings to climb, so the planting bed should be close; support and fixation are also needed between the columns, beams, and boards of the flower trellis so they can cover the whole canopy.

4.4.3.2 Common flower trellis types

1. Double-column flower trellis: like a rest corridor roofed with climbing plants. It is worth noting that the flower trellis boards for plants to climb on may be arranged in plan at equal spacing (generally about every 50 cm) or at unequal spacing, with flower trellis blocks inserted between the boards to obtain variations of light, shadow, solid, and void; its elevation is also not necessarily straight, and may be curved or zigzag, or even extend from the top surface to the ground on both sides, like a "rolling dragon."

2. Single-column flower trellis: when the width of the flower trellis is reduced and the two columns come close together to become one column, the flower trellis boards become centrally supported with both ends cantilevered. For overall stability and beauty, a single-column flower trellis should be made in a curved or zigzag form in plan.

3. Various flower walls, flower vases, flower pots, and flower columns for climbing.

4.4.3.3 Commonly used flower trellis building materials

The construction of flower trellises is recorded in China's late seventeenth-century Gongduan Yingzao Lu: "The trellis is measured by square sections in calculating labor. Materials use fir poles, willow and poplar strips, smoked bamboo poles, yellow bamboo poles, vitex woven fencing, zhou bamboo strips, and flower bamboo strips." These are now not easy to see, but in pursuit of a certain artistic conception or form, steel pipes may be tied and externally plastered, or concrete may be used to imitate the above natural materials. Recently, treated wood has also become popular as a material, to seek authenticity and warmth. At present, concrete materials are mostly used, and this is also the most common material. Foundations, columns, and beams can all follow design requirements, but because flower trellis boards are numerous and closely spaced, and affected by the wood member section, they should use smooth formwork and high-grade concrete cast in one operation, to achieve lightness, thinness, and stiffness. There are also metal materials, often used for independent flower columns, flower vases, and so on. They are lively, transparent, varied, modern, and beautiful in form, but require frequent maintenance and painting, and the temperature is relatively high under direct sunlight. New materials such as fiberglass-reinforced plastic and CRC are often used for flower pots and flower basins.

4.5 Ancillary facilities

4.5.1 Courtyard walls

There are two types of courtyard walls: one is the separating wall around the perimeter of the courtyard; the other is the wall arranged within the garden to divide space, organize scenery, and guide visitors. This situation is often seen in Chinese traditional gardens. With social progress and the improvement of people's material and cultural levels, examples of "breaking walls to reveal greenery" can be found everywhere. This shows that requirements for walls are changing.

4.5.1.1 Key points in courtyard garden wall design

1. Where a wall can be omitted, omit it as much as possible, so that people can approach nature and care for greenery. 2. Where spatial methods and natural materials can achieve the purpose of separation, use them as much as possible. Changes in ground level, the two sides of water bodies, and hedges and tree clusters can all achieve the purpose of separating without dividing. 3. Where a wall must be set, make it as low as possible and as transparent as possible; only where a small amount of privacy must be concealed should an enclosed wall be used. 4. Make walls in green spaces become part of the garden scenery, reducing opportunities for contact with people, and transform from boundary walls into scenic walls. Skillfully unifying the separation of space with the interpenetration of scenery, appearing to exist yet seeming not to, existing and evoking feeling, is truly superior design.

4.5.1.2 Selection of courtyard wall materials

1. Brick wall: with wall column spacing of 3-4 m, and various openwork window patterns set in between, it is a method that saves money and is easy to construct, manage, and maintain. The shortcoming is that it is relatively enclosed. 2. Concrete wall: first, a wall built with prefabricated lattice bricks, with richly varied patterns but easy to climb over; second, concrete prefabricated into sheet form, which can reveal greenery and is also easy to manage and maintain. The advantage of a concrete wall is that it is done once and for all; the shortcoming is that it is not transparent enough. 3. Metal wall

Those made of shaped steel have smooth surfaces and are tough and easy to bend without breaking; the shortcoming is that they must be painted once every 2-3 years. Those made of cast iron can be made into various patterns; the advantage is that they are not easy to rust and not expensive, while the shortcoming is that they are brittle and not smooth enough. When ordering, attention must be paid to differences in composition. There are also wrought iron, cast aluminum, and other materials, as well as various metal mesh materials, such as galvanized, plastic-coated wire mesh, aluminum sheet mesh, stainless steel mesh, and so on, which are high in quality and price and are used in local decorative details or indoors.

Now several materials are often combined, taking their strengths and making up for their weaknesses. Concrete is often used for wall columns and plinth walls. Shaped steel is used for the openwork framework, and cast iron for decorative components. Wrought iron and cast aluminum are used for local and delicate details. A wall is a long structural object. Along its length, expansion joints must be set according to requirements, column positions arranged according to turns and gate positions, and the elevation adjusted according to changes in ground elevation; transversely, it concerns the strength of the wall and affects the size of materials used. Using the concave-convex plan of brick and concrete walls, and the staggered front-back positions of metal wall components, actually amounts to enlarging the transverse section dimensions of the wall, which can eliminate wall columns and make the wall more natural and transparent.

4.5.2 Courtyard railings

Railings play a role in green spaces of separating and guiding, making green space boundaries clear and distinct. Well-designed railings are highly decorative, like the lace on clothing. Railings are not the main constituent of garden landscape, but as building features that are large in quantity and long in direction, they have considerable influence on garden cost and scenery, and must be carefully weighed and considered before writing or building, so as to produce brilliance. As Li Yu said: "The making of window railings changes with each passing day and renews with each month, all produced by variation from established methods. Rotting grass becomes fireflies; this is truly a profound principle. If so, then the Creator's bringing forth people does not waste a single piece of heart and mind."

4.5.2.1 Height of railings

Generally, low railings are 0.2-0.3 m high, medium railings 0.8-0.9 m, and high railings 1.1-1.3 m, to be chosen according to place and need. With social progress and the improvement of people's spiritual and material levels, what is needed more is beautifully formed guiding railings and ecological partitions; by no means should railing height replace management, sharply dividing green space. On the contrary, when natural and spatial methods can achieve the purpose of separation, use fewer railings. For example, use hedges, water surfaces, rockery stones, and natural terrain changes.

Generally speaking, low railings are used at the edges of lawns and flower beds to clarify boundaries, and they are also a very good decoration and accent; medium railings are used in spaces with restricted entry, crowded main gates, amusement parks, and so on, to emphasize guidance; high railings are used on ground with great height differences, animal cages, outer walls, and so on, to play a separating role.

4.5.2.2 Composition of railings

A railing is a long, continuous structure, and because of design and construction requirements, it is often divided into units for production. The composition of a railing must make the unit look good; even more, it must be beautiful as a whole. Continuous repetition over a long distance produces a sense of rhythmic beauty, so certain concrete patterns and symbols, such as animal images and text, often give people a weaker impression than abstract geometric lines.

The composition of a railing must also obey the requirements of the environment. For example, for bridge railings, the railings of a flat curved bridge are sometimes only two horizontal lines, echoing the form of the flat bridge over water, while the railings of an arch bridge follow the bridge body in an arch shape. The choice of whether railing color is hidden or visible follows the same principle, and must never overpower the host. In addition to beauty, the composition of a railing is also closely related to cost; it should alternate density and spacing and use materials appropriately. Saving a little per unit can amount to a great deal overall.

4.5.2.3 Design requirements for railings

Low railings must prevent sitting and stepping, so the outer form of low railings is sometimes made wavy, and sometimes the straight bars face upward; as long as the form is good-looking and the structure firm, a larger distance between members does not matter, thus saving cost and making maintenance easier. Medium railings, where drilling through must be prevented, should have a clear opening not exceeding 14 cm; where drilling through need not be prevented, the beauty of the composition is key, but this is not suitable for dangerous places or places adjacent to drops, and particular attention must be paid to children's safety. In addition, the upper rail of a medium railing should be considered for use as a handrail; leaning on the railing and gazing into the distance is also a kind of enjoyment. High railings must prevent climbing, so there should not be too many horizontal members below.

4.5.2.4 Materials and components of railings

Railings may be made of stone, wood, bamboo, concrete, iron, steel, and stainless steel. At present, the most commonly used is a combination of shaped steel with cast iron and cast aluminum. Bamboo and wood railings are natural, plain, and inexpensive, but their service life is not long. If there are places emphasizing this artistic conception, genuine materials must be treated against decay, or a method of imitating the real may be adopted. Concrete railing components are relatively clumsy and not much used; sometimes they are used as railing columns, but no matter what kind of railing, concrete as a base material is always indispensable. Cast iron and cast aluminum can be made into various decorative components; they are beautiful and transparent, but the shortcoming is brittleness; once broken, they are not easy to repair, so shaped steel is often used as the frame, taking the advantages of both. There is also a kind of wrought iron product; the shapes and cross-sections of the members can vary in many ways, the workmanship is also refined, and it is elegant and beautiful, only the price is not low, so it can be used locally or indoors. In addition to compositional needs, the selection of materials and construction of the railing members themselves are also very particular. First, make full use of the section height of the members, increasing strength and also facilitating construction; second, the outer shape of the members must be reasonable. For example, between two points, the straight-line distance is the shortest and the member is also most stable; with several more bends, the dimensions of the member must be enlarged to obtain the same strength; third, the direction in which the railing transmits force must be direct and clear. Only by understanding some mechanics can one unify art and technology in design and create railings that are good-looking, durable, and inexpensive.

5. Analysis of villa courtyard design

5.1 Front court:

The front court is the main passage from the front of the residence to the main road. It mainly consists of pedestrian and vehicle entrances and exits, lawns, trees and flowers, and architectural features, and so on. This is the necessary route by which the owner and guests enter the residence, and it is also the part that gives guests their first impression of the residence. The front court can play an important role for the residence itself and for the streetscape of the main road. In a common front court, the garage faces the main road directly, and residents enter the residence via a pedestrian path beside the driveway.

At the entrance of the front court, various evergreen shrubs and ornamental flowers are often planted, which can serve to decorate and beautify. Several ornamental trees are also often planted on the front or side of the front court; in spring they are full of blossoms, and in autumn they are laden with fruit. Some ornamental trees have leaves of different colors in all four seasons, which can beautify even more. Some front court entrances also have flower trellises, flower canopies, or flower gates as symbols of the entrance. Here there may also be no wall at all, with only a relatively low hedge defining the boundary of the residence. Some have only a circular flower trellis as the gate. Some have only a low wall as a symbolic gate. They mainly play the role of decorating the space.

The front court and backyard of a residence should be coordinated with the architectural style of the residence, which helps create a personalized courtyard.

5.2 Back court

It is the largest outdoor living space of the residence, and also the main place for family leisure. The use functions of the back court are relatively complex. In addition to providing family leisure and amusement, it is also a good place to entertain relatives and friends, and can also provide for children's play, physical exercise, and so on.

The contents of the back court vary according to the different hobbies of the residents. In the back court there are wooden deck platforms for rest and activities, hard surfaces, and children's facilities. In addition, there are ornamental flower beds and various trees and shrubs and architectural features for concealment and environmental beautification. Some back courts, according to the owner's hobbies, can also have facilities such as sunrooms and swimming pools.

The concise approach of modern courtyards is more practical and simple to maintain. The approach of relatively large private courtyards has mountains and water, returning to nature. The sunken courtyard is a commonly used method for modern villa back courts and can improve space utilization. Walls paired with stone and plants greatly increase privacy.

6. Conclusion

At the present stage, construction is still in the starting, experimental, and wait-and-see stage. It is necessary to promptly discuss and summarize experience and lessons regarding planning and design, construction and building, and maintenance and management, and to actively promote its healthy development, avoiding economic losses and wasted time.

In short, courtyard landscape design must fully understand the specific situation and adapt to local conditions, so that the landscape design achieves the expected effect and people live in a comfortable, convenient, and beautiful environment. Let a beautiful environment be created by our own hands.