LANDSCAPING FEATURES
unfinished or weathered texture, like reclaimed
Coarse Texture:
 Gravel pathways: Creates a rugged and natural
feel while providing stability and visual impact.
 Large stones as accents: Adds a sense of
ruggedness and can serve as focal points in the
landscape.
Smooth Texture:
 Polished stones: Provides a modern and refined
look, evoking elegance and tranquility.
 Sleek outdoor furniture: Enhances a
contemporary or minimalist design with a
smooth and sophisticated texture.
Soft Texture:
 Lush grass: Offers a gentle and inviting feel,
providing comfort and contrasting with rougher
textures.
 Moss or low ground covers: Creates a soft and
carpet-like texture, especially suitable for shady
areas.
Fine Texture:
 Delicate flowers: Adds intricacy and detail to
the landscape, creating visual interest and focal
points.
 Fine foliage: Incorporates plants with fine
leaves, such as ferns or ornamental grasses, for
a layered and textured effect.
Foliage Texture:
 Broad-leaf plants: Features plants with bold
and large leaves, like hostas or banana plants,
to create a visual impact and texture.
 Feathery foliage: Incorporates plants with
delicate and wispy foliage, such as ferns or
ornamental grasses, for a light and airy texture.
Rough Texture:
 Tree barks: Utilizes the natural texture of tree
trunks, such as birch or cedar, to enhance the
rustic and organic feel of the landscape.
 Rough-cut wood: Incorporates wood with an
timber or logs, for a natural and textured look.
Hardscape Texture:
 Brick pathways: Provides a textured surface
with its rough and uneven edges,
complementing the surrounding landscape.
 Natural stone walls: Features the inherent
texture of stones like limestone or slate,
creating visual interest and adding a sense of
authenticity.
Importance of Textures in Landscaping:
 Creates visual interest and variety, making the
landscape more engaging.
 Evokes emotions and establishes a harmonious
balance between different elements.
 Enhances the sensory experience by
incorporating tactile and visual textures.
 Contributes to the overall composition and
aesthetics of the landscape, ensuring a cohesive
design.
 Creates a well-rounded landscape by combining
different textures for a visually appealing result.
VEGETATIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES
Palm Trees:
Coconut Palm (Cocos nucifera): Iconic and widely
cultivated palm tree in the Philippines, known for its tall
stature and distinctive fronds.
Buri Palm (Corypha elata): Large palm tree with fan-
shaped leaves often used in landscaping for their
tropical appeal.
Ornamental Trees:
Acacia (Acacia spp.): Fast-growing trees with attractive
foliage and yellow flowers, commonly used for shade
and landscaping purposes.
Banaba (Lagerstroemia speciosa): Showy tree known
for its clusters of purple flowers and glossy leaves, often
planted as an ornamental tree.
Flowering Shrubs and Plants:
Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spp.): Vibrant and colorful
flowering shrubs that thrive in the Philippine climate,
adding a splash of color to landscapes.
Ixora (Ixora spp.): Compact shrubs with clusters of
bright flowers in various hues, commonly used in
hedges or as border plants.
Tropical Foliage Plants:
Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae): Striking plant with
vibrant orange and blue flowers resembling a bird in
flight, commonly used as a focal point in landscapes.
Philodendron (Philodendron spp.): Lush and tropical
foliage plants with large, glossy leaves, popular for
adding greenery and texture to gardens.
Ground Covers:
Dwarf Papyrus (Cyperus prolifer): Low-growing plant
with grass-like stems often used as a ground cover near
water features or in moist areas.
Asiatic Pennywort (Centella asiatica): Spreading ground
cover with rounded leaves, suitable for filling in gaps or
as a border plant in shaded areas.
Climbing Vines:
Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spp.): Besides being used
as shrubs, Bougainvillea also works as a climbing vine
with its vibrant colors and thorny branches.
Golden Shower Vine (Cassia fistula): Climbing vine
known for its cascading clusters of golden-yellow
flowers, often used to cover fences or pergolas.
Aquatic Plants:
Water Lily (Nymphaea spp.): Floating aquatic plants
with beautiful flowers, commonly found in ponds and
water features, adding a touch of serenity.
It's worth noting that the selection of vegetation for
landscaping in the Philippines can vary depending on
the specific climate, location, and personal preferences.
It's advisable to consult with local horticulturists or
landscape professionals who have knowledge of
regional conditions and plant suitability to ensure
successful landscaping endeavors.
MODERN LANDSCAPING
Straight lines and geometric shapes: Modern
landscaping embraces clean, straight lines and
geometric patterns in pathways, hardscape elements,
and plant beds.
Minimalist plantings: Utilizes a restrained plant palette
with simple arrangements, focusing on a few key plant
species for a clean and uncluttered look.
Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Features:
Native and drought-tolerant plants: Incorporates plant
species that are adapted to the local climate, reducing
water usage and maintenance requirements.
Rainwater harvesting systems: Collects and reuses
rainwater for irrigation, reducing reliance on traditional
water sources.
Permeable paving: Uses porous materials for
driveways, patios, and walkways to allow rainwater to
infiltrate the soil, minimizing runoff.
Integrated seating areas: Includes built-in benches,
seating walls, or outdoor furniture arrangements that
seamlessly blend with the landscape design.
Outdoor kitchens and dining areas: Creates functional
spaces for cooking and entertaining with features like
built-in grills, countertops, and dining sets.
Fire pits and fireplaces: Adds warmth and ambiance to
outdoor spaces, extending their usability during cooler
seasons.
Concrete and steel: Utilizes these materials for
pathways, patios, and retaining walls, providing a
modern and industrial aesthetic.
Composite decking: Offers a low-maintenance and
durable alternative to traditional wood decking, often
featuring sleek and minimalist designs.
Lighting: LED lighting: Uses energy-efficient LED fixtures
to highlight focal points, illuminate pathways, and
create dramatic effects.
Linear and recessed lighting: Incorporates clean-lined
fixtures that blend seamlessly into hardscape elements,
emphasizing architectural features.
Reflecting pools: Creates a calm and serene
atmosphere with still water surfaces that mirror the
surrounding landscape.
Modern fountains: Integrates contemporary fountain
designs with sleek lines and minimalist forms, adding
movement and sound to the outdoor space.
Vertical Gardens, Green walls or living walls: Utilizes
modular systems or planted structures to create vertical
gardens, adding a dynamic and sustainable element to
the landscape.
Pergolas and shade structures: Offers architectural
interest and provides shade while maintaining an open
and airy feel.
Modern gazebos: Features sleek and minimalist
designs, often incorporating clean lines and open sides.
Contemporary trellises: Uses geometric patterns or
linear designs to support climbing plants and create
visual interest.
Art installations: Incorporates modern sculptures or art
pieces to add focal points and create visual intrigue.
Statement planters: Uses oversized or uniquely shaped
planters as sculptural elements, showcasing
architectural plants.
Sustainable Design:
Green roofs: Implements vegetated roofs, providing
insulation, reducing stormwater runoff, and creating
wildlife habitat.
Permaculture gardens: Integrates edible plants,
rainwater catchment systems, and composting to create
sustainable and self-sufficient landscapes.
Technology Integration:
Smart irrigation systems: Utilizes weather-based
sensors and controllers to optimize water usage and
conserve resources.
Outdoor audio systems: Incorporates discreet speakers
throughout the landscape to provide an immersive
audio experience.
Automated lighting: Controls outdoor lighting fixtures
with programmable timers or sensors for convenience
and energy efficiency.
Contrast and Texture:
Mixed materials: Combines various textures and
finishes, such as smooth concrete with rough stone or
sleek metal with natural wood, to create visual interest.
Contrast in plant forms: Incorporates a mix of plants
with different shapes, sizes, and textures to create
dynamic compositions.
Sustainable Materials:
Recycled or reclaimed materials: Utilizes materials with
recycled content, such as composite decking made from
recycled plastics or reclaimed wood for furniture or
accents.
Sustainable paving options: Uses permeable pavers
made from recycled materials to promote water
infiltration and minimize heat buildup.
Outdoor Art and Lighting:
Light sculptures: Incorporates artistic lighting fixtures
that create dramatic effects or illuminate specific
features.
Projection mapping: Uses projectors to cast dynamic
images or patterns onto walls, trees, or other surfaces
for captivating visual displays.
Renovating a school landscape in a tropical ground, reducing runoff and promoting
country offers a wonderful opportunity to groundwater recharge.
design a sustainable and enjoyable
Incorporate shrubs like hibiscus, heliconia,
environment for students.
or firecracker plant for vibrant pops of
When selecting plants for the school color. Use groundcovers like creeping fig or
landscape, it is important to choose native lily turf to create green carpets that fill in
and tropical species. These plants are well- gaps and add texture.
suited to the local climate and require less
Install living walls or vertical gardens using
maintenance. Use colorful flowering shrubs
local ferns, such as maidenhair fern or
like bougainvillea or ixora to add pops of
staghorn fern, to add a lush and tropical
vibrant colors.
feel to vertical surfaces like walls or
To provide protection from rain and harsh columns.
sun, covered walkways can be integrated
into the landscape design. These walkways
can be designed with a combination of
sturdy structures and natural elements.
Covered structures made of materials like
bamboo or timber can provide shade and
shelter along the main pathways, ensuring
comfortable movement across the campus.
For a tropical touch, the structures can be
adorned with hanging plants or vines to
create a lush and inviting atmosphere.

Provide shaded seating areas throughout

the landscape using pergolas or shaded
structures like decks. Place outdoor tables
and chairs strategically in shaded areas for
students to study or gather for group
discussions. Choose durable and weather-
resistant materials like teak or rattan.

Use green pavers into the design to add a

sustainable and visually appealing element.
Green pavers are permeable paving systems
that allow rainwater to infiltrate the