PLANTING IN URBAN AREAS NOTES

In urban landscapes, while balancing aesthetic design with their ecological functions, the understanding of plants in respect of their ecozones*, microhabitats, and species plays a crucial role. Native plants offer ecological benefits but face challenges in urban environments. There are some pragmatic considerations in this regard.

- Karmavir Bhatt

The very first thing one should keep in mind while doing planting plans is to understand the ecozone* of the working area. Secondly, within the ecozone microhabitat(s) should be understood. Thirdly, it is important to assess the site’s management capability to tackle/ manage each critical element of habitat. Plants in nature inhibit community, so while making a planting plan/palate one should also take care of the plant’s compatibility with the existing plant community at the site. One should not get dependent or biased with reference images provided by the client or any other source. Secondly, within the ecozone microhabitat(s) should be understood. When we design new landscapes, microhabitat requirements (which are specific for each species) are not taken care of for every species. Generally, we take all the factors “at par” for all the species in an area. Again, factors like aesthetics, availability, personal likes and dislikes, etc. have prevented natives from carving in position in the mainstream planting concept. For example, in an arid region, the “habitat” below a shady tree or shrub has a unique set of light and water regimes which, sometimes is capable of supporting “non-arid” varieties of plants too.

Thirdly, it is important to assess the site’s management capability to tackle/manage each critical element of habitat. The more the varieties of plants one includes in the planting list, the more of the sets of parameters one has to manage.