Flowers – Sunshine for the soul! How does floral colour influence preference,feelings of relaxation and positive up-lift?

The natural environment is increasingly valued for its positive effect in retaining/restoring good mental health. Landscape architects are now challenged to embed therapeutic aspects within certain landscape designs, but what does this mean in practice? Flower colour has been one area that has attracted attention as potentially improving the restorative aspects of a designed landscape. In this research, 670 UK residents were surveyed to examine their preferences and emotional responses to flower colour using computer-generated images of ‘daisy-like’ flowers in 8 separate colours. Results showed that white, blue and orange were the most preferred flower colours. The data suggested, however, two separate phenomena were determining the psychological benefits associated with flower colour. The first is that there are some generic responses associated with key floral colours – flowers in blue play an effective role in relaxation/stress reduction; and warm colours - orange, yellow and red evoke uplifted emotions and deliver better positive affect. Interestingly, white was a colour that could both relax and provide uplifted emotions. The second phenomenon though, suggests that additionally and independently, an individual preference for a particular colour can also elicit positive psychological benefits, irrespective of what that particular colour is. In effect, favoured colours have a separate restorative effect that acts at a personal level. This finding has significance for landscape architects in that certain flower colours can be used to promote ‘generic’ therapeutic responses in appropriate locations, but that components of any designed landscape still need to take some account of personal responses and preferences.     

Relationships between nature connectedness,biodiversity of private gardens,and mental well-being during the Covid-19 lockdown

Private gardens have an enormous impact on urban biodiversity, making individual householder behavior critical to the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity in urban areas. Nature connectedness is considered to be a prerequisite for proenvironmental behavior, but how it manifests in private gardens is largely unexplored. Nature connectedness has also been found to be associated with several well-being dimensions. The present study investigates the associations between nature connectedness, biodiversity of private gardens, and mental well-being during the Covid-19 lockdown, a stressful period in many people’s lives. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to analyze data from an online survey of private gardeners in two cities, one in Germany and one in New Zealand, in May 2020, approximately two months after the beginning of the first Covid-19 lockdown. Garden characteristics explained a significant amount of variance in depression symptoms during the Covid- 19 lockdown. In light of rising pressures on urban green spaces, the findings point to the importance of private garden qualities for mental health and well-being. Nature connectedness emerged as a significant predictor of feature richness, a measure of the heterogeneity of habitats that support wildlife, and plant growth form richness in people’s gardens in both city samples. Nature connectedness was also a significant predictor of the extent to which people experienced positive emotions during the Covid-19 lockdown but not negative emotions and depression symptoms. Our results suggest that nature connectedness can provide benefits for both the environment and people through its positive association with private garden biodiversity and positive emotions.     

Healing gardens in children’s hospitals: Reflections on benefits,preferences and design from visitors’ books

There is increasing interest in the use of healing gardens in healthcare settings to provide therapeutic benefits. However it is not yet well understood how people who spend time in these gardens use these spaces, and whether the intended benefits are experienced. This paper evaluates visitor feedback about healing gardens at the Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital in Brisbane, Australia, to gain insight into end-user experiences compared with existing literature about experiences of healing gardens and natural contexts. We have coded and analysed unsolicited comments left in visitors’ books over a period of four weeks immediately after the hospital was opened. Several themes have been identified relating to reasons for which people access the healing gardens; benefits they perceive from spending time in these spaces; and features and aspects of the gardens that are most appreciated. We conclude that the gardens at the Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital provide emotional respite to visitors, through appreciation of the views, being able to have time out, being in nature, restorative experiences, and access to outdoor air. The visitor feedback suggests that the original intention of the garden design has been largely successful, and provides insight into particular aspects of the garden design that are critical to enhancing visitor benefits.     

满族文化在现代园林中的应用

基于设计实践，分析满族文化中的皇城文化、图腾文化、民俗文化、满族文字、满族文化遗留等文化元素应用于现代园林中的方法，探讨提升满族自治区域园林意境的途径，以期为满族自治区域的现代园林设计提供借鉴。     

山西园林与江南园林风格影响因素的比较

山西园林和江南园林虽是中国古典园林的一部分,由于地理环境和地域文化的不同,它们又有着本质的不同。文章就影响其发展的物质、精神两方面的因素进行比较,由此分析找出造成它们园林风格上面异同的深层次的原因。     

Canberra''s Urban Forest: Evolution and planning for future landscapes

Canberra, Australia's national capital, is a planned city established on grazing lands in the southern tablelands of New South Wales. Over the past nine decades it has grown into a garden city of 300,000 people. Landscaping was an early priority as much of the chosen site for the city was a treeless plain. Major tree planting began in the 1920's and today the urban forest on public lands contains 400,000 trees from over 200 species in streets and parklands. The species used have changed over time with exotic deciduous trees and conifers dominating early plantings. By the 1970's native species, mostly eucalypts, were planted. Today fewer species comprising an equal mix of native and exotics are used. Trees in the earlier plantings are now mature and given the harshness of the local climate many will come to the end of their ‘safe life’ in the early decades of this century. This provides new challenges for urban tree managers as to how to effect tree replacement that is aesthetically pleasing, ecologically sound and socially acceptable. To assist in this planning a tree data base and modeling system has been assembled. This system – Decision Information System for Managing Urban Trees or DISMUT – facilitates the development of forest-level management programs by allowing the projection of change and work requirements that the result from historical and current plantings over the entire urban forest.     

传统造园手法在现代景观设计中的应用——以上海静安雕塑公园现代梅园为例

中国传统园林精妙绝伦的造景手法及所蕴含的崇尚自然的精神为世人所称道,但在当代景观设计潮流中却充满盲目照搬西方园林的各种案例。文章通过对中国传统造园手法的分析,并结合具体实践案例的应用,对如何将中国传统造园手法结合现代景观设计建设进行探索。     

中国古典园林实用功能浅析

中国古典园林是全人类宝贵的历史文化遗产,其中优秀的部分对于现代园林设计仍有重要的指导意义。文章对中国古典园林的实用功能进行分析,提出实用性在园林中的重要性,最后提出中国新时代的新园林应重视实用功能。     

Outdoor environments in healthcare settings: A quality evaluation tool for use in designing healthcare gardens

This article presents the first outline of a quality evaluation tool (QET) to be used in the process of designing outdoor environments in healthcare settings, e.g. healthcare gardens. Theory triangulation is used to integrate theories and evidence from selected research on people's health/well-being and the outdoor environment. The results first present the theoretical principles underlying the tool and justifying its practical construction. Then, 19 environmental qualities constituting the backbone of the practical tool are presented, including six qualities based on the need to be comfortable in the outdoor environment and 13 qualities based on the need for access to nature and surrounding life. Furthermore, this work presents suggestions of how the tool might include concepts dealing with how users can become involved in the design process, as well as general design guidelines corresponding to the various needs and wishes users may have. The paper ends with a discussion that, among other things, relates the QET to evidence-based design, salutogenesis and pathogenesis.     

西安地区农业观光园的规划设计研究

文章针对陕西西安地区资源条件的特点,提出西安地区农业观光园规划设计的指导思想和设计原则,即将农业、园林、旅游结合在一起,以形成独具陕西特色的农业观光园。     

Beetle’s responses to edges in fragmented landscapes are driven by adjacent farmland use,season and cross-habitat movement

Context

Farming practices influence the degree of contrast between adjoining habitats, with consequences for biodiversity and species movement. Little is known, however, on insect community responses to different kinds of edges over time, and the extent of cross-habitat movement in agricultural landscapes.

Objective

To determine temporal changes in beetle responses to different farmland-woodland edges, and document cross-habitat movement.

Methods

We examined species richness, abundance, and movement across edges between remnant woodlands and four farmland uses (plantings, fallow, annual crops, woody debris applied over crops post-harvest) in southeastern Australia. We used directional pitfall traps to infer movement, and sampled at edges, and 20 and 200 m on both sides of edges, during spring and summer.

Results

Detritivore and predator abundance varied between seasons across the edge between woodlands and all farmlands, but seasonal differences were weaker for fallow-woodland and woody debris-woodland edges. Detritivores moved from farmlands towards woodlands, but not across fallow-woodlands and woody debris-woodlands edges during summer. During summer, predators showed short-range movement towards edges from all farmlands except plantings, and towards woody debris from woodlands. Edges showed temporally stable predator richness and higher herbivore richness than adjoining habitats.

Conclusions

Farmland use and season interactively affect beetle abundance across farmland-woodland edges. Woody debris can reduce seasonal fluctuations in beetle edge responses and increase permeability for cross-habitat movement, while plantings provide habitat during summer. Edges provide important resources for beetles in adjoining habitats, however, seasonal movement of predators specifically into edges may affect prey assemblages—a link requiring further study.

     

中国古典园林景观设计中的灵芝意象

中国古典园林是在一定的物理空间范围内,运用各种装饰技术,使山水、风景、建筑有机组合。中国古典园林景观蕴含的美学思想广泛应用于现代园林景观设计中,是现代园林景观设计的思想源泉。园林造景离不开灵芝真菌资源的选择,灵芝真菌在园林构造中不仅具有外在的美学观赏作用,而且更体现出其深藏的中国古典文化意境及内涵,其中灵芝作为中国观念中重要的一种吉祥真菌,在我国古典园林景观设计中具有重要的一席之地。     

Assessing regulating ecosystem services provided by the Ege University Rectorship Garden

Urban ecosystem services are generated in a diverse set of natural and managed urban green areas, including parks, urban forests, cemeteries, vegetated corridors, vacant lots, gardens, yards, and campus areas. Private gardens are generally undervalued for the ecosystem services they provide along with the other urban green areas.This paper aims to calculate three regulating ecosystem services; runoff retention, carbon storage and sequestration generated by the Ege University Rectorship Garden, which is one of the few former Levantine gardens remaining in the highly urbanized Bornova district in İzmir. The carbon storage and sequestration capacity of the trees in the area was calculated based on allometric equations. Runoff retention was computed by using the SCS-CN method. Findings show that pervious surfaces cover approximately two-thirds of the garden with 1203 trees. The estimated carbon storage of both the above and below-ground parts of the trees in the garden is 648.25 t. The total annual carbon sequestration rate is estimated to be 7.87 t year⁻¹ (0.10 kg m⁻²). The potential storm water runoff value was predicted to be approximately 7,018.9 m³. This indicates that the garden has a high value of runoff retention and substantial capacity carbon storage and sequestration.It can be concluded that private gardens and associated ecosystem services in urban landscapes can play an important role in enhancing the quality of life in cities. Therefore, an integral approach is needed where all types of green areas are planned and managed in a systematic way, so that they can provide maximum services.     

“诺特尔式”在中国现代园林中的顾虑性分析

从东西方美学以及哲学自然观角度,分析法式古典园林中的"现代设计观"在中国传统观念下产生的审美经验,得出两国在传统园林审美方面的差异,并分析这种差异下法式风格在中国现今园林设计中可能存在的消极反应,了解其顾虑存在的原因,有助于我国现代园林建设中更好地吸收和融合外来园林文化。     

新中式景观初探

通过对新中式景观的认识,从源、衍、意三方面分析中国古典园林造景的现代演绎,探析新中式景观对中国古典园林的传承。     

城市森林环境对正负情绪状态影响的Meta分析

明确城市森林环境对正负情绪状态的影响程度及影响因素，为城市森林建设提供科学依据。对Web of Science和CNKI数据库进行检索，对最终纳入的文献采用Meta分析的方法，研究城市森林环境对正负情绪状态的影响。结果表明，纳入的17篇文献中有13项随机对照试验，21项自身前后对照试验，文献质量一般；进入森林对积极情绪影响的总效应量SMD=0.33,I²=33%,95%置信区间Cl[0.23,0.44];进入森林环境对消极情绪影响总效应量SMD=-0.35,I²=0,95%置信区间Cl[-0H46,-0.25];与城市环境相比，处于城市森林对积极情绪状态总效应量SMD=0.59,I²=42%,95%置信区间Cl[0.44,0.75];对消极情绪的影响总效应量SMD=-0.45,I²=0,95%置信区间Cl[-0.61,-0.30],城市森林对积极情绪影响效果的异质性来源主要为心理健康程度和城市森林自然环境。综上所述，城市森林环境对人的心理健康有积极促进效果，进入森林环境后可降低人的消极情绪，心理健康状态和城市森林自然环境影响城市森林对积极情绪的提升效果。     

中国古典园林中的被动式景观设计

从山、水、植物、建筑四大要素出发挖掘中国古典园林中的被动式景观设计,希望能够重拾人类文明的宝贵财富,给现代园林景观设计带来启发.     

Urban green space interaction and wellbeing – investigating the experience of international students in Berlin during the first COVID-19 lockdown

This qualitative study explores the topic of mental health/wellbeing with reference to exposure to urban green space (UGS). It builds on previous research, which has highlighted the potential for green space interaction for supporting positive emotional and mental wellbeing, particularly in times of stress and uncertainty. Using this basis, the paper explores whether UGS interaction also helped to mitigate the negative mental health impacts brought about by the first COVID-19 lockdown. The specific focus is on students and expatriates living in Berlin, Germany as this population groupbecame increasingly vulnerable during this time as a result of uncertainty and restrictions in their daily lives brought about the enforced lockdown measures. More specifically, this paper investigates how a change in their daily routines created opportunities to interact with and experience UGS differently and how their emotional response and perception towards these spaces changed. Semi-structured interviews allowed for stories, experiences and emotions to unfold, which revealed that the participants’ gained an appreciation for the potential of UGS to support their wellbeing during a stressful and isolating time. UGS interaction also allowed them to form tangible memories of summer 2020 as it provided a safe arena for them to maintain social contact with friends outdoors, or to escape their home environment and experience respite and relaxation in a natural setting. The findings demonstrate that for this sub-group of the population UGS became a reliable constant and a valuable public health resource, which may also help to mitigate the long-term adverse mental health impacts of the pandemic.     

Farmland bird responses to intersecting replanted areas

Despite increasing revegetation of cleared landscapes around the world, there is limited research on the implications of different types of plantings for birdlife. We examined the “intersection effect”, whereby species richness is higher at the intersection of “corridors” or vegetation strips for birds inhabiting replanted areas. We also examined individual species responses. Replicated sites at the intersections of plantings were compared with “internal controls” (located in the same plantings ∼100 m from intersections), “external controls”(sites in isolated linear plantings), and block plantings. We surveyed the 39 sites in our experimental design repeatedly – on different days by different observers and in different seasons. We found no significant difference in species richness between intersections and block plantings, but intersections had higher species richness than isolated linear strips and the internal controls. Similar results were found for bird assemblage scores derived by correspondence analysis. We found evidence of extra-variation at the farm-level for species richness and derived assemblage scores, suggesting a farm-scale response. This suggests the importance of other (often unmeasured) factors at the farm level (e.g. baiting for feral animals). Our results suggest that replanting programs aimed at maximizing bird species richness may benefit from consideration of planting geometry. In particular, linking strip plantings to create intersections and/or establishing block plantings appear to be superior to isolated strips for aggregate species richness.     

Active student engagement within a university’s therapeutic sensory garden green space: Pilot study of utilization and student perceived quality of life

Green spaces serve as environmental sources to improve physical, mental and social health and wellbeing. Studies indicate that university students, when actively engaged in the use of green spaces, experience improved health and well-being. This study highlights the lived experience of two student participants and investigates student perceptions of a university campus therapeutic sensory garden on the quality of life based on the utilization of the green space. Quantitative and qualitative measures were used to assess student use of the therapeutic sensory garden as well as student perceived quality of life related to social, mental, and physical well-being. Quantitative results included varied responses regarding the number of hours spent in the garden, number of visits to the garden, and types of sensory elements utilized in the garden. Qualitative results on student perception of quality of life identified three themes between the two participants: 1) connectedness, 2) positive emotional responses, and 3) active engagement sensory responses. The findings resulting from quantitative and qualitative analysis of the lived experiences of two student participants are consistent with that of current evidence literature indicating a positive association between time spent in a green space/natural environment and student perceptions of quality of life. These pilot study findings present structure and hypotheses related to time utilization, anticipated outcomes, and active ingredients for therapeutic sensory garden intervention with larger sampled groups of University students.