soft

1. RHS Level 2 Certificate
Soft Landscaping:
function and plant type
choices

2. Learning objectives
2.1 Describe how elements of soft landscaping should be
selected and used to ensure that a design is cohesive.
2.2 Lawns - state the use of a lawn in a garden design
2.3 Name appropriate grass species for the following types of
lawn: hard wearing utility; high quality ornamental; shade
tolerant.
2.4 Trees and hedges - state the uses of trees and hedges in a
garden design [shade, vertical interest, windbreak, shelter belt,
seasonal interest]
2.5 State the purpose and use of shrubs in garden design
2.6. State the purpose and use of herbaceous perennials in
garden design
2.7 State the purpose and describe the use of biennials in garden
design

3. Soft Landscaping
 The term refers to the plants and living
elements of the garden.
 Chosen to suit the design and the conditions.
 There are so many ornamental plants that it
is better to decide on the design and effect
required and then decide on the plants that
produce it best in the conditions that apply.

4. Soft landscaping considerations
 Plants have colour, volume, form, line and texture.
 All of these may change over the seasons – so
these variations need to work with the design.
 Repeated combinations of plants can be used to
give rhythm and unity to a design.
 Limited palettes of genera, colours, shapes etc can
simplify a planting design.
 Chose the effect required, then look for the plants
that deliver it.

5. Soft landscaping - horizontals
 Easy to overlook but the horizontal plane
links the design.
 Grass – as a lawn or rough cut is the
cheapest and can be very effective.
 Low ground cover planting can also link
design elements, for example under trees.
 Plants often grown as climbers, eg
Hedera can also be used in this way.

6. Grass
 Provides a linking horizontal. Restful natural
colour that goes well with most planting and
hard landscaping.
 Need not be a mown lawn; use of rough
grass either as a low maintenance planting
area (bulbs and wildflowers) or to control
movement.
 Variable height in cuts on lawns can create
patterns and textures – not just stripes!

8. Verticals - Trees and Hedges
 Can be used to provide focal points, to create a
journey or control movement.
 Hedges can define boundaries or divide space.
 Permanent structure visible all year round though the
appearance may change.
 Provide the ‘bones’ of the garden.
 Provide shade, both as a planting zone and for
seating etc.
 Can create a windbreak – microclimate for plants
and comfort for people.

9. Verticals - shrubs
 Provide permanent structure, can be used to
control movement or direct sight lines.
 Can provide year round interest.
 Either as specimens, in shrub borders or in
mixed borders.
 Can also create a windbreak, define a
boundary etc.

10. Verticals - Herbaceous perennials
 Die back to the ground each winter and grow
again late spring.
 Therefore if cleared as is traditional in
autumn the site can lack interest until the
next summer.
 Use in Prairie planting, cottage style planting
or mixed borders avoids this issue.
 Enormous range of heights, colours and
forms to suit any design purpose provided
the lifecycle is taken into account.

11. Verticals - biennials
 Germinate and grow in one season, overwinter
and then flower, set seed and die in the next
year.
 Means that they take up space whilst growing
without adding to the effect that year.
 Can grow in nursery beds and transplant or in
informal planting where the successors can self
seed
 Note that some short lived perennials are usually
grown as biennials

12. Learning outcomes
2.1 Describe how elements of soft landscaping should be
selected and used to ensure that a design is cohesive.
2.2 Lawns - state the use of a lawn in a garden design
2.3 Name appropriate grass species for the following types of
lawn: hard wearing utility; high quality ornamental; shade
tolerant.
2.4 Trees and hedges - state the uses of trees and hedges in a
garden design [shade, vertical interest, windbreak, shelter belt,
seasonal interest]
2.5 State the purpose and use of shrubs in garden design
2.6. State the purpose and use of herbaceous perennials in
garden design
2.7 State the purpose and describe the use of biennials in garden
design