Having spent some time in England and Northern Ireland on my last vacation, it became apparent that the “landscape”, in general, is a metaphor encompassing any area that has been “made green”.

It is similar in many parts of the world with developing projects — be they offices, housing, open plots of land or whatever, the need for a green area is a must; the problem is what type of green area and what is expected of this green area in the future. Even small areas become focal points, especially when planted; the problem appears with the thereafter, and attention given to the aesthetic value of the product.

It is often the case with difficult areas that people tend to just plant things on them because they don’t know what else to do. The actual implementation is left to others, who are not necessarily proficient in the demands of the exercise, and create a statement that is not aesthetically pleasing or functional.

With a little thought, and in some cases creativity, such areas can be enhanced to become focal points of visual interest and, in the right situations, passive interest. In the city or built-up area, the size becomes the determining factor and, to a degree, the location.

I recall one area in, if I remember correctly, St Petersburg, where in a wide alley between two buildings there was a triangular water feature of various heights with a marble or similar stone globe rotated by the water pressure as it gently cascaded down to the recycling pump. The pedestrian way was also stone, but of a different composition and texture, and in its totality was an eye-catching feature. The proportion and scale fit well without disrupting the flow of traffic and more especially the “watchers”.

Combinations of plants with stone can also be functional and attractive if kept in perspective and, of course, maintained.

Although benches and statuary are popular elements when creating a design, it is important to keep the scale of plants to hard landscape as a dominant feature. Wood and plants are also an attractive organic combination with a similar concept of keeping scale as a focal point.

In such layouts it is important to select plant material that will not outgrow its area too quickly or, worse still, encroach on its neighbouring element to the distraction of the whole. In areas that encroach public activity, it is important to include litter bins that can be readily seen when sitting or walking in near proximity to the area of use.

In more open suburban and rural areas, plantings of season varieties can be used if maintenance is at hand and adds a floriferous appeal to an otherwise mundane area. Slow-growing plants are a blessing in such areas as the simplicity of the foliage hues makes an interesting mosaic if done properly. Cacti and succulents are not, by any means, everyone’s “cup of tea”, but they do have interesting shapes and coloured foliage with flowers being an added bonus.

On larger areas in a more open environment a mix of endemic plants can be made to look naturally attractive which, after a time, should need less maintenance when a combination of ground cover and taller subjects are incorporated.

In such areas, location will make selection more critical as to survivability.

Whatever the style used from a planting perspective, the required elements for good, healthy looking plants is maintenance, which includes pruning, weeding, pest and disease control with sufficient rainfall and fertiliser to assist in the plants becoming established in quicker time.