Landscape Architecture Glossary

A vegetated, shallow channel designed to capture, convey, and filter stormwater runoff using soil and plants.

A previously developed site, often contaminated, that is available for redevelopment and ecological remediation.

An intensive, collaborative design workshop that brings together stakeholders, designers, and community members to develop solutions for a project.

A line on a topographic map connecting points of equal elevation, used to represent the shape of the land surface.

An area of land where all precipitation drains to a common outlet, such as a river, stream, or lake.

A legal right to use another person's land for a specific purpose, such as utility access or stormwater conveyance.

The combined process of water evaporation from soil and plant surfaces and transpiration through plant leaves into the atmosphere.

The process of reshaping land surfaces by cutting and filling soil to achieve desired elevations, slopes, and drainage patterns.

A roof system covered with vegetation and growing medium that manages stormwater, provides insulation, and creates habitat.

A strip of natural landscape connecting separate habitat areas, allowing wildlife to move between them safely.

The non-living, constructed elements of a landscape, including paving, walls, steps, and structural features.

A surface that does not allow water to infiltrate, such as concrete, asphalt, or compacted soil, increasing stormwater runoff.

Non-native plants or animals that spread aggressively and displace native species, disrupting local ecosystems.

The localized climate conditions in a small area that differ from the surrounding region due to factors like shade, wind exposure, and reflected heat.

A plant species that occurs naturally in a particular region and has co-evolved with local ecosystems and wildlife.

A design philosophy that creates sustainable, self-sufficient agricultural and living systems modeled on natural ecosystems.

Paving materials that allow stormwater to infiltrate through the surface into the ground, reducing runoff and recharging groundwater.

A shallow, planted depression designed to absorb stormwater runoff and filter pollutants through soil and plant roots.

The transitional area between a body of water and the adjacent upland, typically characterized by moisture-loving vegetation.

The proportional relationship between a design representation and the actual site, or the perceived size of landscape elements relative to the human body.

A drawing that shows a vertical cut through a landscape or structure, revealing grade changes, spatial relationships, and underground conditions.

The living, horticultural elements of a landscape, including trees, shrubs, perennials, groundcovers, and lawns.

The planning, design, and control of rainfall runoff to prevent flooding, erosion, and water pollution in developed areas.

The three-dimensional shape of the land surface, including its elevation, slope, and landform characteristics.

The entire land area that drains water to a common point such as a river, lake, or ocean.