Different kinds of plants (trees, shrubs, flowers, grass etc.) can be used in the design of urban squares for different purposes such as aesthetics, shading, or visual screening.
Plants also help to soften the strong and sometimes disturbing effects of hard surfaces or sharp lines.
Flowering plants may also add variety to the perceived environment in terms of color and scent. Green is known for its calming and relaxing effect; hence plants might be used in order to create places for relaxation and resting. In hot climates, trees provide users with shade areas.
If there is a focal point within the square like a monument, plants can be used to create a background to emphasize its visual effect.
However designers should avoid using too many plants to preserve the square’s main character.
Plant material should be selected based on the climate. This will reduce the maintenance costs and increase the success of plantation.
There are many plants which present aesthetically pleasing and attractive changes in color and texture (like Acer species), in different seasons.
Some trees have appealing visual effects in winter because of their geometry or color of trunks and branches, such as Betula alba and Cornus alba. Plants with poisonous fruits (e.g. Taxus baccata, Aucuba japonica, Viburnum lantana etc.) should not be used, especially within the reach of children.
Plants can also be used for creating enclosure or dividing the space into subareas.
"Advances in Landscape Architecture", by M. Özyavuz , ISBN 978-953-51-1167-2, Published: July 1, 2013 under CC BY 3.0 license. ©