Plants are the unique materials of landscape architecture, and, as any landscape architect will attest, the first question likely to be posed by a new acquaintance will be about a plant. Today's world offers landscape architects more and more opportunities and demands requiring a broad and thorough understanding of the unique characteristics of plants — to be plantsmen. Yet, the curricula of landscape architecture education programs nationwide are deficient in plant knowledge requirements, and by and large the state registration examinations for professional licensing do not include tests of plant knowledge. This thesis explores the idea that in addition to allowing the landscape architect to respond to those demands, plantsmanship also contributes positively beginning in the earliest stages of the design process when the landscape architect can represent plants in ways that allow him or her to cue into accumulated plant knowledge. / Master of Landscape Architecture

Traditional formalism of planting design within landscape architecture has two central faults; the objectification of plants and a focus on visual perception. This thesis proposes the correct appreciation of planting design is an aesthetic of engagement founded on interaction with the sublime in nature. Plants are the materiality of nature and design seeks to engender a phenomenological experience of landscape perceived through a series of events or encounters with the sublime. The aesthetic of engagement in planting design is articulated in four ways; direct engagement, indirect engagement, ethical engagement, and therapeutic engagement. Examples from contemporary projects verify an aesthetic of engagement for planting design. This thesis fills a gap in knowledge by providing a philosophical conceptualization of the aesthetics of planting design and a language through which to carry on dialogue over its presence. / The formalist tradition -- Sublime foundations of contemporary planting design -- The aesthetics of engagement -- A concluding example. / Department of Landscape Architecture

Landscape architects and designers have the ability to construct plantings in a landscape with native or non-native plants, or a combination of both plant types. The question at hand is, why choose one over the other? This study explores what might impact the plant choice decisions of practicing landscape architects in the southeast United States. A survey is utilized to understand how respondents make plant choice decisions and perceive native plants. Comparisons between previous studies are made focusing on their distribution methods, survey populations and major findings. The findings of this study are not conclusive due to a small response rate; however, they can be applied to the survey population. The results may indicate that the most common obstacles when using native plants are limited availability of natives and difficulty sourcing them, aesthetics and negative client perception, and the maintenance requirements and lack of maintenance knowledge of native plants.

As conservation subdivisions increase in popularity, large tracts of community open spaces are being created. The typical landscape treatment is usually reminiscent of the English Landscape School: acres of turf providing little wildlife habitat or environmental benefits. Many homeowners are sold on the idea of great expanses of turf similar to a golf course. The open spaces are generally left to the homeowners association to maintain. In some cases it is donated to local municipalities. Maintenance is often expensive and places a burden on local governments. This study will show that creating more sustainable open spaces can correct this problem. This can be accomplished through the use of an ecologically based planting design. The following thesis project focuses on an alternative landscape planting treatment for these large open spaces, a treatment that has a significant cost savings and offers a different experience. / Master of Landscape Architecture

Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Mary Catherine (Katie) Kingery-Page / This project explores the potential of gardens as specific physical places where humans cultivate vegetation. Humans are increasingly separated from natural systems, particularly vegetation, in their daily lives. Such a disconnect results in a failure to build emotional ties to and deep care for the natural world. To address this disconnect, landscape architects and planting designers need to understand how to design public gardens as ambiguous landscapes, landscapes that refer to natural ecosystems while also clearly revealing the human role in their design and care. Design choices involve environmental components and their articulation. Designers currently lack a vocabulary to identify the components of transformative experiences between people and plants. They also lack a visual understanding of how relationships between components can be articulated to establish ambiguity in specific sites. Synthesis of literature in experiential learning, dynamic vegetation, and planting design establishes a vocabulary of component cues to set up conditions for transformative experience in public gardens. Critical drawing of ambiguous landscapes by contemporary planting designers augments the researcher’s understanding of experiential cues. In order to explore the potential formal impact of designing for ambiguity throughout the design process, this project’s design application spans two sites: Chapman Botanical Garden in Apalachicola, Florida, and the Meadow on the Kansas State University campus, Manhattan, Kansas. Designing Chapman Botanical Garden offers the potential to be involved with the conceptual phases of site design: site planning, programming, and planting design. Designing at the Meadow offers the opportunity to be involved in the implementation phase of design: stakeholder involvement, selection and growing of plants, and design interpretation. Together, the two planting design explorations represent a complete design process for transformative experience.