Synthesis

Previous chapters isolated and emphasized the individual elements of landscape -- landform, vegetation, water and atmosphere. But in real landscapes, and most modeled ones, these elements are combined and interact. Water in the landscape is inherently related to the landform, whether held in a basin, like a pond, or running in a channel formed by sloping banks. Trees and other plants in the natural landscape are located partly by preferences for sunlight, slope, aspect, soil type and moisture, and other plants. In a designed landscape, these elements are carefully composed to reinforce design ideas, visual effects, and choreographic sequences. Animals, including people, inhabit ... more...