Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Plant Composition focuses on the actual selection of plants for use in the landscape. The plants' physical characteristics and growth requirements will be the basis for selecting and grouping plants for landscape designs. Lab projects will allow students to develop several graphic styles for exploring plant arrangements and making presentations.

Upon completion of the course students will be able to :

• Select plants for design problems to:
       + Achieve optimum growth requirements in given macroclimates and microclimates.
       + Meet the criteria of use in the landscape scheme.
       + Form aesthetically pleasing plant groups relative to the basic principles of art in design.
• Present plant combinations in sketch, drafted landscape drawing and picture collage formats.
• Orally discuss the concepts used in plant selection projects.
• Demonstrate the ability to work as an individual and as part of a group.

The Instructor prepares hands-on labs before class (e.g. resource and modify landscape design projects). During the lab period, the Instructor guides students through presentation and peer evaluation of previous week's landscape design projects. With remaining lab time, students start the following week's lab work with the Instructor's guidance and receive verbal feedback as they work. Students draft and complete landscape designs outside of classtime. Drafted projects are submitted and draft the project (written and with photographs). Students draft maps on the projects detailing site specifications and limitations and offer analysis of the site with respect to the project design program. Plans and associated analysis are submitted and the Instructor evaluates the work outside of class time - providing a score and feedback on technical accuracy, completeness and professionalism.

This a pass/no-pass course. A passing grade will require completion of 5 of the 6 assigned projects; a 70% or higher score on the midterm and final exams; and completion of the notebook. Passing level on the projects will be at a level commensurate with 70% completion of the requirements of the project. Evaluation will be based on the following:
1 - In-class midterm written short answer quiz
1 - In-class final essay exam
6 - Lab projects
1 - Sketchbook/notebook, graphic and written reference notes and ideas

1. Understand the relationship of a plant°s successful growth to its total environment
2. Demonstrate the selection and arrangement of plants based on landscape use
3. Demonstrate the selection and arrangement of plants based on basic art principles
4. Record observations of plant usage, in both written and graphic formats
5. Use graphic techniques to develop criteria for plant selection
6. Utilize traditional and current technologies for researching plants for landscape use
7. Make oral presentations of your plant selections and arrangements

COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS:

1. Discuss ( and explain ) the macroclimates of the Pacific Northwest and their impact on plant selection
2. Discuss the microclimates of the greater Portland Area. Recognize and select plants for, nine microclimates.
3. List the 8 basic principles of "Xeriscaping"
4. Design a plant arrangement for our area using "Xeriscaping" principles
5. Define plant associations, regionalism and style as applied to landscape design
6. Draw a series of sketches and plans illustrating plant observations
7. Be able to list the principles of art; creating unity through the use of simplicity, variety, balance, emphasis, sequence and scale as applied to plant selection for landscape design
8. Use the "backward process" to study the art aspect of plant selection and develop plant combinations from it
9. As part of a design team, select plant arrangements for specific landscape styles; i.e. formal, natural, oriental
10. Make an oral presentation illustrating the plant selection criteria used for a project and how the plants chosen fit that criteria
11. Utilize graphics to illustrate the use of plant physical characteristics in plant arrangement