Quick answer: This glossary explains the landscaping and gardening terms used most often in India — from soft landscaping and hardscape to drip irrigation, AMC, charbagh and hydrozoning — in one or two plain sentences each, so you can follow a landscape designer's proposal or plan your own garden with confidence.
Landscape design terms
- Landscape design
- The planning of an outdoor space as a whole: layout, levels, paths, planting, shade, water and lighting, drawn before anything is built.
- Garden design
- Designing a garden's layout and planting; usually used for smaller or residential spaces, while landscape design covers larger sites.
- Landscape architect
- A professional trained in designing outdoor spaces, often on larger public, commercial or hospitality projects; usually holds a degree in landscape architecture.
- Landscape designer
- A designer who plans gardens and outdoor spaces; the term is often used for studios that design and plant residential, hotel and estate gardens.
- Soft landscaping
- The living parts of a landscape: trees, shrubs, hedges, lawns, groundcover, climbers and the soil they grow in.
- Hardscape (hard landscaping)
- The built parts of a landscape: paths, paving, walls, steps, pergolas, water features and edging.
- Master plan
- A drawing that sets out the whole site's layout and how it will develop, often built in phases.
- Planting plan
- A drawing showing which plants go where, with species, sizes and quantities.
- Charbagh
- A traditional four-part garden layout divided by paths or water channels, common in Mughal and Rajput palace gardens.
- Focal point
- A single feature, such as a tree, sculpture or water bowl, that draws the eye and anchors a view.
Planting terms
- Native plants
- Plants that grow naturally in a region; usually need less water and care once established.
- Climate-adapted plants
- Plants, native or not, that cope well with a region's heat, rainfall and soil.
- Groundcover
- Low, spreading plants that cover soil instead of lawn or bare earth, keeping it cool and reducing weeds.
- Specimen plant
- A single plant chosen to stand out, such as a mature plumeria in a courtyard.
- Succession planting
- Choosing or sowing plants so something is always in flower or ready to harvest.
- Deadheading
- Removing spent flowers to encourage more blooms.
- Topiary
- Shrubs clipped into formal shapes.
Soil and water terms
- Drip irrigation
- A watering system that delivers water slowly to the base of each plant through pipes and emitters, wasting very little.
- Emitter (dripper)
- The small outlet on a drip line that releases water at a set rate.
- Irrigation zone
- A group of plants watered together on one valve because they need similar amounts of water.
- Hydrozoning
- Grouping plants by their water needs so each zone can be irrigated correctly.
- Mulch
- A layer of bark, leaves, straw or gravel on the soil surface that keeps moisture in, keeps roots cool and suppresses weeds.
- Growing medium
- The soil mix used in pots, raised beds and terrace gardens, often compost, coco peat and drainage material.
- Hard water
- Water high in dissolved minerals; common from bore wells in Rajasthan, and can block emitters and stress some plants.
- Rainwater harvesting
- Collecting rain from roofs and paving to store or recharge groundwater.
Terrace and structure terms
- Terrace garden
- A garden built on a terrace or flat roof, in containers or raised beds on top of waterproofing and drainage.
- Rooftop garden
- A garden covering a building's top roof; needs a check of the roof's load capacity first.
- Root barrier
- A membrane laid over waterproofing to stop roots from damaging it.
- Load capacity
- The weight a roof or slab can safely carry, including wet soil, plants and people.
- Pergola
- An open frame of posts and beams that gives partial shade and supports climbers.
- Vertical garden (green wall)
- Plants grown up a wall or frame, in pockets, modules, pots or as climbers on a trellis.
Maintenance terms
- AMC (annual maintenance contract)
- A yearly agreement for scheduled garden care, setting out the scope, visit frequency, standards and how plant losses are handled.
- Establishment period
- The first months after planting, usually 12 to 18, when plants need close care to root properly.
- Structural pruning
- Pruning to shape a tree or shrub's framework, usually done in late winter.
- Lawn aeration
- Making small holes in a lawn to relieve compaction and let air and water reach the roots.
- Integrated pest management
- Controlling pests with the least harmful methods first, such as natural predators and neem-based sprays.
For practical guides, see our journal, including the terrace gardening guide, landscaping ideas and garden maintenance checklist.
Planning a garden or landscape? We design, build and maintain landscapes in Udaipur and across India. See our landscaping services.
Talk to the studioAsked often.
What is soft landscaping?
The living parts of a landscape: trees, shrubs, hedges, lawns, groundcover, climbers and the soil they grow in.
What is hardscape?
The built parts of a landscape: paths, paving, walls, steps, pergolas, water features and edging.
What is a garden AMC?
An annual maintenance contract for scheduled garden care, setting out scope, visit frequency, standards and plant replacement.
What is hydrozoning?
Grouping plants by water need so each zone can be irrigated correctly.
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