Natural design principles are a series of design strategies which attempt to incorporate and enhance natural systems in the effort to get needs and yields from your garden
Technical site evaluation uses a series of tools which basically incorporate the first rule in the natural design problems of 'observe.' Except for 'understanding succession' which requires the ability to abstract in time
Climate zone will generally refer to the zones designated by Sunset magazine and the USDA. The main criteria being precipitation and temperature. Napa is USDA zone 8 and Sunset zone 14 for the most part. These zones are useful since many publications will refer to these zones when describing individual species or varieties of plants ability to adapt in various zones
Base maps are usually referred to as elevation maps which show the elevation of the land, but there are other types of maps that account for the angles of the sun, wind patterns, soil types, and even plants and trees
Soil tests are usually done by labs, but there are some techniques that can be done by individuals themselves. Lab tests can test for soil PH, various nutrients, mixture of silt and clay particles, compaction, chemical pollutants, overall microbial activity as well as bacterial to fungi ratio
Micro climates can include things like the special climates that occur under large trees, at the bottom of hillsides, along rivers and water, along south facing walls of buildings, etc
Understanding succession- This is basically understanding that nature tends to move from degraded or primitive landscapes towards more mature ones over time. therefore a successful landscape designer accounts for these tendencies by planning in space and time
Technical site evaluation uses a series of tools which basically incorporate the first rule in the natural design problems of 'observe.' Except for 'understanding succession' which requires the ability to abstract in time
Climate zone will generally refer to the zones designated by Sunset magazine and the USDA. The main criteria being precipitation and temperature. Napa is USDA zone 8 and Sunset zone 14 for the most part. These zones are useful since many publications will refer to these zones when describing individual species or varieties of plants ability to adapt in various zones
Base maps are usually referred to as elevation maps which show the elevation of the land, but there are other types of maps that account for the angles of the sun, wind patterns, soil types, and even plants and trees
Soil tests are usually done by labs, but there are some techniques that can be done by individuals themselves. Lab tests can test for soil PH, various nutrients, mixture of silt and clay particles, compaction, chemical pollutants, overall microbial activity as well as bacterial to fungi ratio
Micro climates can include things like the special climates that occur under large trees, at the bottom of hillsides, along rivers and water, along south facing walls of buildings, etc
Understanding succession- This is basically understanding that nature tends to move from degraded or primitive landscapes towards more mature ones over time. therefore a successful landscape designer accounts for these tendencies by planning in space and time