what is a garden?
The garden, public or private, is still today the link between man and nature: an intermediate state, that is, between the natural, spontaneous aspect of the terrestrial world and human creation.
The nature (or parts, elements of it) domesticated, in other words. Referring to the garden, we, therefore, speak of a nature shaped by man, made more suited to one’s needs. Regardless of the style adopted, one must think of a garden as a space designed and created by the human mind, which has replaced nature.
Already in the design phase, man can dispose of some of the natural components at will, making a series of choices regarding: – the plant species to be used; – planting densities; – the position of the plants within the site; any agronomic interventions to be performed. But the emphasis must be placed on the fact that the choices made in the design phase can only be effective if the coupling between plant and natural environment has been appropriate. not always respected.
Even during the construction and maintenance of the garden, man intervenes on the natural components, modifying them, often improving them. other times, unfortunately, making them worse.
The definition of a garden as “domesticated nature” appears even more appropriate if one thinks of the introduction of artificial components into the garden. The following are to be considered artificial components: – architectural elements; – the flooring; – furnishings: – earthworks; – the plants.
Their introduction is necessary, as it is not always possible to meet the functional, technical, and aesthetic needs that may arise exclusively with the use of plant material. Therefore the garden can be considered, to all intents and purposes, a place of synthesis between natural and artificial elements.
The natural components should be predominant, but not unique: they should rather be seen as the only ones capable of adequately
characterizing a garden. In this regard, the initial definition speaks of domesticated nature, precisely to give primary importance to the elements of the natural environment, which are to be considered essential.
Having said that, it is necessary to bring attention back to the artificial elements, which are however important, but can be considered as something that completes the garden, improves its use, helping to make it more livable and enjoyable. While, therefore, for natural components, in particular for plants, the adjective to be used is undoubtedly “fundamental”, for artificial components the adjective “complementary” can be used.
It, therefore, seems appropriate to introduce the concept of ecosystem, since a garden is mainly made up of natural elements among which living beings and physical-chemical factors of the environment are distinguished. An ecosystem is “the set of all living organisms in a given area, which interact (with each other and) with the physical environment, in such a way that a flow of energy leads to a well-defined trophic structure, to a diversity biotic and cycles of matter (ie exchanges of matter between living and non-living) within the system “.
From a biological point of view, an ecosystem can be divided into two distinct components: abiotic components (solar radiation, heat, water, air, wind, soil, nutrients) and biotic components (plants, animals, decomposers, man). The former can be further distinguished in the physical factors that determine the climatic regime and in the substrate.
In this part of the volume, some of these components will be treated, in particular, we will see how they can influence the life of the plants that make up the garden and how, in turn, the presence of plants can influence the perception of some of these components.
In a garden or park, there is generally a tendency to recreate in a small way what already exists in nature within the same territory or in different environments.
We also try to recreate landscapes or glimpses that have aroused pleasant sensations in us, which remind us, for example, of childhood, holidays, or seen in a magazine. You copy what your neighbor is doing, follow the fashion of the moment, or adapt to the designer’s aesthetic sensibility.
Plants are thus considered mostly as static objects, furnishing accessories, often forgetting that each plant has its own specific characteristics which are the final result of a complex adaptation to precise environmental conditions and that in nature it occupies a very precise hierarchical position in the share the available space.
In thinking about our garden, it will be necessary to take into account the characteristics of the environment and choose plants whose specific needs are in accord with it, not only on an individual level but also in the relationship with others within the group.
A garden is a place to disconnect. In it, we usually find plants, as well as ponds, fountains, statues, or other artificial elements, such as lattices. But depending on the style you have, sometimes we may not find a single plant element, as in Zen gardens.
In this regard, the initial definition speaks of domesticated nature, precisely to give primary importance to
the elements of the natural environment, which are to be considered essential. Having said that, it is necessary to bring attention back to the artificial elements, which are however important, but can be considered as something that completes the garden, improves its use, helping to make it more livable and enjoyable.
While, therefore, for natural components, in particular for plants, the adjective to be used is undoubtedly “fundamental”, for artificial components the adjective “complementary” can be used. It, therefore, seems appropriate to introduce the concept of ecosystem, since a garden is mainly made up of natural elements among which living beings and physical-chemical factors of the environment are distinguished.
An ecosystem is “the set of all living organisms in a given area, which interact (with each other and) with the physical environment, in such a way that a flow of energy leads to a well-defined trophic structure, to a diversity biotic and cycles of matter (ie exchanges of matter between living and non-living) within the system “.
From a biological point of view, an ecosystem can be divided into two distinct components: abiotic components (solar radiation, heat, water, air, wind, soil, nutrients) and biotic components (plants, animals, decomposers, man). The former can be further distinguished in the physical factors that determine the climatic regime and in the substrate. In this part of the volume, some of these components will be treated, in particular, we will see how they can influence the life of the plants that make up the garden and how, in turn, the presence of plants can influence the perception of some of these components.
Types of gardens
Gardens are classified in different ways, as there are different climates and different types of soil on Earth, so not just any plant can be grown everywhere. Furthermore, according to the culture and tastes of each country, there are also different types of gardens.
For example, according to their use, we distinguish public gardens from private ones. If it’s old and interesting, let’s say it’s a historic garden. But if a type of plant predominates in it, let’s say it is one:
- Rose garden or rose garden
- Palm garden or palm grove
- Cactus garden
- fern garden
- Vegetable garden
Based on its origin, we distinguish:
- Spanish garden
- Japanese garden.
- English garden
- Tropical garden.
- Alpine garden
And, depending on your organization:
- Flowerbed or raised garden
- Test garden
- Potted garden.
- Hydroponic garden
- Vertical garden.
How do you design a garden?
Every project starts with an idea, and in order to have one, the most advisable thing is to visit the botanical or private gardens – when possible, of course – in your area, as this way you will know which plants to put and how to organize them.
This draft is very important as you have to put where you will put the trees, the palms, the rock gardens, the relaxation areas, … well, everything “big” that you want to have, yes or yes, in your garden . You can leave the details for later, as you always have time to insert, edit or remove things. But the basic project has to be on that program or sheet.
Then you have to prepare the ground. Remove the wild herbs and stones with the help of a tiller and a hoe, then make a hole of about 50 x 50 centimeters and fill it with water. If you see that it absorbs quickly, perfect; but if it takes more than half an hour then it will be important to install a drainage system.
When this problem is solved, rake everything up. It does not need to be perfectly leveled, as it is now highly recommended to fertilize the soil with manure, for example by pouring a thick layer of about ten centimeters, and then mixing it with the help of the rake. This way the plants will grow well.
Then, you can start planting. Start with the ones that will be bigger: trees, palm trees. Think that they will be, so to speak, the “pillars” of your garden. Keep them at a safe distance from walls and walls, and also between the samples. Palms do not have invasive roots, but there are some trees such as ficus or elm that need to be planted away, at least ten meters from walls, pipes, and other large plants.
Now you can “compile”; that is, plant the bushes, bushes and flowers so that your garden has color. You can even combine them, creating rock gardens or flower beds. The latter are great for defining roads and paths.
Finally, install a sprinkler system. The most recommended is drip irrigation, especially for areas where it rains little and is hot, such as in the Mediterranean, where temperatures exceed 30 degrees several weeks in summer.
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