INTERIOR DESIGN

MODULE IV | 03 | 10 | 2019
PLANTSCAPING – INTRO
• “Plantscaping“ = bringing plants to indoors.
• It's actually about the strategic placement and selection of plant
species within an architectural project to highlight and enhance
aspects of spatial design. Ways of plantsaping : Planting beds ,
box planters , green walls etc.

DEVELOPMENT
• The Chinese - First evidence of plantscaping ,3,000 years ago.
• The Greeks - Origin of the true pot gardening.
• The Egyptians and the Babylonians - The Hanging Gardens of
Babylon.
• The Romans - The first use of plants in architecturally confined
spaces.

MODULE IV | 03 | 10 | 2019
• Renaissance Development - Revival of pot gardening;
Orangeries and Greenhouses were a common feature of the
wealthy estates.
• The discovery of America (1492), India (1498) and Java (1511)
led to the introduction of new plants into Southern Europe.
• First botanical garden - Padua, 1545,Italy.
• Eighteen Century - Over 5,000 species were introduced;
improvements in glass manufacture resulted in clear panels,
transmitting more light.
• The first American hothouse was built in New England in 1737
by Andrew Faneuil.
• Victorian Pursuits (1841 - 1903) – English interest in exotic
plants at its peak; by 1820 the Kew Botanic Garden had 8,000
species.

MODULE IV | 03 | 10 | 2019
PURPOSE OF PLANTSCAPING

• Plants provide a human scale factor and help articulate spatial

volume.
• Plants help improve worker morale and efficiency.
• Plants provides warmth and color to the indoors.
• Tall plants can be used in large spaces to produce focal
hierarchies, or groups of plants can create areas for chilling out
and/or resting. MODULE IV | 03 | 10 | 2019
BENEFITS
• A Cost effective means of removing air pollution, two plants per
100 sq ft keep the air pure and healthy.
• Psychological impact of plants in shopping environment - The
urban forest is an essential component of viable retail space
interior plantscape helps to create powerful business image.
• Workers who spend atleast 4 hours per day inside plantscaped
room show a significant improvement in their efficiency and
concentration (Berg, 2001) and problem solving skills.
• Increases employee productivity by 12 % when compared with
rooms without plants.
• Provides herbs for cooking, fragrance, or medicine.

MODULE IV | 03 | 10 | 2019
 • A recent study out of Washington State University demonstrates
that plant transpiration in office environment releases moisture,
creating a humidity level exactly matching the recommended
human comfort range of 30-60 %.
• Associated Landscape Contractors of America report suggest
proper selection and placement of plant materials can lower
heating and cooling costs by as much as 20% .

Reasons for purchasing | use statistics

MODULE IV | 03 | 10 | 2019
DISADVANTAGES
• Damage from heating, air conditioning, and cleaning chemicals.
• Watering system may create problems like drainage, moisture
etc.
• Limitation of using only indoor plants
• Maintenance required – watering , cleaning , adding artificial
fertilizer etc.

MODULE IV | 03 | 10 | 2019
TYPES OF PLANTS … foliage

• Variety in shape : The most dependably attractive feature of

their foliage is its display of variety shapes. Eg: Heptapleurum
arboricola, Asplenium nidus, Aeonium arboreum, Chamaerops
humilis and etc.
• Texture and Form : One of the most distinctive qualities of any
leaf is its texture. Most of the leaves are simply smooth surfaced.
Eg; Pellaea rotundifolia, Nephrolpis exaltata, Peperomia
caperata and Ficus elastica.
• The pattern on leaves : The decorative effect of foliage can be
heightened and dramatized by endless variations of pattern. In
some plants sometimes there are areas where chlorophyll is
missing and these parts do not look green. The resultant color
pattern is known as variegation. Eg; Fittonia sp, Dieffenbachia
variegate, Pelargonium, Agave, Calathea makoyana.
MODULE IV | 03 | 10 | 2019
 • The drama of color : Although most variegated leaves have
markings in shades of white, gray, and yellow, coloration is
sometimes for more brilliant. Variegation is not confined to
smooth leaves. Eg Rhoeo discolor, Codiaeum sp, Begonia rex,
Bromeliads.
TYPES OF PLANTS … beauty of flowers
• Simple and Familiar Forms: Not all house plants produce
flowers, but those that do are often surprisingly generous with
quantity, size and color. May be annual or occasional bonus of
the flowers can be well worth for. Eg Clivias sp, Hippeastrum
sp, Jasminum sp, Fuchsia sp.

MODULE IV | 03 | 10 | 2019
• Unusual Blooms : In some plants the true flowers are less
notable than the bracts surrounding them. Sometimes, though
bracts and flowers have similar visual impact, but the bracts
usually remain attractive long after the flowers have died. This is
why such plants as Aechmeas and Aphelandras, Beloperone
guttata, Anthurium sp.
• The orchids : For intriguing color combinations and durability
there is nothing like an orchid flower . Eg Cattleyas, Miniature
Cymbidiums, Paphiopedilums w. Churchill, Cymbidium,
Invergarry lews.
• The Cactus : Cactus bear flowers which
are often beautiful and always stalk less,
brilliantly colored, and long-lasting. Eg
Epiphyllum, Aporocactus flagelliformis,
Cleistocactus.

MODULE IV | 03 | 10 | 2019
PLANTING PROCESS … major factors

The major factors to be considered during the interior plantscaping

are ,
• Lighting
• Water supply
• Drainage
• Temperature
• Air pollution
• Air movement and
• Nutrients or fertilizers

MODULE IV | 03 | 10 | 2019
Lighting …
• most limiting factor to grow indoor plants . Lighting for plant
maintenance must be analyzed in terms of its three components of
intensity, duration and quality.
• either select plant for light levels or change light intensity to suit
the plant chosen.
• Native habitat plants , are able to tolerate lower light conditions
than other plant varieties.
• Artificial lighting : Recommended types are those with
predominantly blue- light energy emissions, such as fluorescent
lamps. Standard cool white fluorescent lamps have proven superior
to ‘plant growth’.
• Natural lighting : Designing as per geographical location and
building orientation, with sky lights , vertical glazing and more
window openings, natural lighting can be achieved inside the
building indoors.
MODULE IV | 03 | 10 | 2019
Water supply …
• Can be made Manuel or automatic systems.
• Watering of interior plants takes place every 7, 14, or 20 days.
• Soil moisture to be maintained.
• While designing : water supply outlets and moisture resistant floor
surface can be provided near indoor plantsaping.

Drainage…
• Three types of interior plantscaping exists;
• large planting beds - In a large open planter, it is recommended that
the plant material be direct planted in to the soil in nursery pots.
When this is done, however, the surrounding support soil is the
only drainage vehicle available.

MODULE IV | 03 | 10 | 2019
• box planting - Box planters can be used as divider partitions and
railing planters. In these planter types, a drainage reservoir must be
provided. If the planter is small, catch basin area will be provided
which allows the water to evaporate between watering.
• movable planters -
Movable planters made of aluminium,
fiberglass, ceramics, plastics and such should
always be specified with an excess water
reservoir in the planter bottom. This not only
assures that will have adequate drainage, but
also helps reduce maintenance costs .

MODULE IV | 03 | 10 | 2019
Temperature …
• Most interior foliage plants thrive well in the human comfort range
of 21.5 degree C to 24 degree C during the day or light period and
prefer a 10 degree C cooler night or dark period temperature.
• Excess temperature and rapid temperature changes of 10 to 20
degree can damage plants.

Air pollution …
• Pollution is not a major problem when working with interior foliage
plants , however thoughtful selection of interior finishes can prevent
air pollution problems.
• Harsh cleaning chemicals like strong ammonia and carbon
tetrachloride used in cleaning floors around planters , can kill plants
or turns foliage black , which can be avoided.

MODULE IV | 03 | 10 | 2019
Air movement …
• Ventilation, around the foliage plants reduces the vapour pressure
build up, and hence transpiration continues normally.
• Good ventilation then, is necessary to maintain a normal
transpiration rate, which, in turn, is necessary for a normal
photosynthesis rate. Ventilation also require to keep the surrounding
temperature in line.

Fertilizers …
• Fertilizers must be present in the soil mass for good plant
growth ,The basic nutrients required are ,
• Nitrogen : for vegetative and reproductive stages of growth
• Phosphorous : Changes of starches in to sugar, cell division and
seed development are the major functions
• Potassium : increasing the plant’s resistance to certain diseases.
• Calcium : Growth of new tissue
MODULE IV | 03 | 10 | 2019
PLANT PROBLEMS …
• Environment : Temperature , light , humidity
• Water level , fertilizer level etc
• Pests – aphids, mealy bugs, spider mites , whitefly etc
• Disease – Root rot , stem and leaf diseases etc

MODULE IV | 03 | 10 | 2019
PRIVATE PLANTSCAPING …
• Living halls , dinning rooms , private gardens etc

MODULE IV | 03 | 10 | 2019
PUBLIC PLANTSCAPING …
• Malls , Offices , Hotel lobby , restaurants etc

MODULE IV | 03 | 10 | 2019
 THANK YOU
|

MODULE IV | 03 | 10 | 2019