| Research on theory and practice of plant design for urban landscape is a disciplinary field that highly associates with landscape ecology, woody landscape plants, and urban planning on green space. With pressure of urbanization, it is very important and practical to study plant design for urban landscape based on a polluted industrial city with de-fragmental landscape. Better plant design for urban landscape is one of key factories for enhancing urban ecological systems and increasing urban biodiversity. Currently, natural ecological system is seriously damaged and cultivated green spaces are misled by lawns, high-density planting, and old trees. Plant design for urban landscape is the key issue for continuous development of our urban landscape.With support of Department of Construction under Hunan Province and Zhuzhou City, the author has conducted "research on selection of shade trees and their companion plants", "establishment of geographical information system for Zhuzhou landscape plants using 3S technology", "Grass and groundcover plants for Zhuzhou city", and "landscape plant design for Zhuzhou City." From previous studies and literature review, the development and function of plant design for urban landscape have been addressed. Plant design for urban landscape should utilize updated information, interpret our environment, and combine multi-disciplinary technology. The combination of 3S technology and landscape ecology made it possible to determine ecological impact, function, harmony, style, culture, and diversity of plant design for urban landscape. We could better understand the origin and development, fundamental theories, research methodology of plant design for urban landscape based on the knowledge of botany, ecology, plant community, landscape ecology, and 3S technology. From a case study of plant design for urban landscape in Zhuzhou city, we investigated the plant selection and their characteristics and addressed them in the following three sections.Chapter 1 mentioned the importance of this study, research methodology, and geographical information of Zhzhou City. From history, current status, and future trend, we concluded that Zhuzhou is a modern city surrounded by hills and divided by Xiang River. It is also the center of Chinese transportation and industrialized city nearby Changsha (capital city of Hunan) and Xiangtan. Majority of population is immigrants. Owing to the geographical complication, it is expensive to lay out the basic supply systems. The city consists of one downtown and two satellite centers with one major street from east to west and two major streets from north to south. Administratively, it has city, county, town governments. There are seven districts of business in Zhuzhou city, such as marketed place, mining areas, trading posts, and tourist destinations. Each district demands different plant design for its specialty landscape, especially plant matrix, plant corridor, and plant patch. The philosophy of plant design for urban landscape is ecology; the principle is renewable and low-management; and the methodology is traditional designs and modern 3S technology. Historical design, guidelines, planning, and pitfalls of plant design for urban landscape had been illustrated. Generally, plant design for urban landscape started with practical nurseries, ornamental gardens, green space and shade trees, and parks. It has been changed with economic development, cultural practice, and advancement of science and technology. In addition to the traditional botany, ecology, Geobotany, plant community, art, we also include landscape ecology, continued development,3S technology, psychology, and etc. The leading schools of plant design for urban landscape are traditional Chinese, Japanese, European, England,America,and Russian designs. To summary, plant design for urban landscape should begin with overall planning of the city, planning of green spaces, regionalization of green spaces, management of green spaces, detailed planning of green spaces, allocation of green spaces with plant types, and selection of landscape plants. The overall planning should reflect the characteristics of the city. The balance of gardening and art, functional and practical needs, ornamental and ecological requirements, quantity and quality have been investigated. The basic considerations of plant design for urban landscape should adapt local culture and be environmental friendly, practical, and artistic.Chapter 2 and 3 evaluated landscape of green spaces in Zhuzhou city.1). From high-resolution of QuickBird statellite data, the green spaces of Zhuzhou city could be divided into 15,385 patches. Among them, there are 5,801 in Hetang District,2,681 in Lusong District,1,646 in Tianyuan District, and 5,257 in Shifeng District. In November 2002, three major indexes for evaluating city green spaces are average green space 5.99m2/person, cultivated green spaces 32.87%, and covered green spaces 36.03%. The results also indicated that much more green spaces in Zhuzhou distributed in Hetang and Shifeng Districts, plant diversity was low, less shrub (with the highest of 2.3%) and abundant trees and lawn. Obviously, natural landscape has been de-fragmented and cultivated landscape has been isolated owing to the urbanization. The plant diversity for urban landscape is decreased. we should educate both designers and gardeners on plant design for urban landscape.2). Zhuzhou locates subtropical zone with rich flora. However, there are only 500 species, which belongs to 187 genera and 73 families, and 16 zonal communities. To date, there are 36 aged trees, which are from five genera and five families if angiosperm. Among them, two plants are more than 500 years old, four are 300-500 years, and 30 are 100-299 years. These plants are the living specimen for urban landscape in Zhuzhou.3). Zhuzhou has 494 species of cultivated plants, which are from 285 genera and 102 families. The representative plants are Cycas revoluta, Ginkgo biloba, Cedrus deodara, Ketelerria davidiana, Pinus parviflora, Pinus elliottii, Pinus massoniana, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, Cryptomeria japonica, Pseudolaris amabilis, Podocarpus macrophylla, Chamaecyparis pisifera, Magnolia grandiflora, Magnolia denudata, Parakmeria lotungensis, Michelia figo, Manglietia fordiana, Liriodendron tulipfera, Photinia serrulata, Ligustrum lucida, Euonymous fortunei, Liriope spicata, and etc. The cultivated plant communities in Zhuzhou could be classified into 45 subgroups,19 groups, 8 subtypes, and 3 types.4). In comparison with natural plant communities, the succession of cultivated communities was not considered and the plant selection and their companion species were not studied. The cost with higher density planting is expensive and creates potential problems, which limits the further development of cultivated plant communities. 5). There are 40 species of grasses in Zhuzhou, which belongs to 37 genera and 20 families. The major grass species is warm grass and the potential of lawn utilization is tremendous. 6). The areas with high percentage of green spaces (from high to low) are Electrical Locomotive Company, Yan Emperor Square, Xiangshi Square, Southern Engine Company, Changjiang Square, Hongqi Square, East Xinghua Road to East Huan Road, and Central Square. The problems of Zhuzhou landscape are de-fragmented, un-even distribution, and difficulty to make connection. Also, the basic transportation and supply systems are far-behind satisfaction, which limit further development of green spaces, especially the connection among districts.7). In the future planning of modern city, we should think about green spaces and natural landscape. It is important that the green spaces should be in high priority for urban design and planning. In term of plant species, indigenous species from local and adjacent areas should be consideration for mimicking natural or climax plant communities. Finally, the green spaces in Zhuzhou should increase yearly with focus on both banks of Xiang River. The establishment of plant corridor should begin with main streets and the plant matrix from suburb areas with diversity of plant groups. To do so, we can increase percentage of green spaces and their distribution in all districts of Zhuzhou.The rest of the chapters 4 and chapters 5 dealt with plant design for urban landscape under the current conditions.1). Based on the index of national gardening city. The landscape of Zhuzhou city should focus on one river, two loop roads, three mountains, four ports, five satellite districts, and six beltways. Under considerations of natural conditions, we can fully protect our city and her natural landscape, diversity, as well as water resource. Since Zhuzhou locates in subtropical zone, the selection of landscape plants should be indigenous species of Fagaceae, Lauraceae, and Theaceae. The city tree should be Cinnamomum camphora and the city flower should be Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum. With careful consideration of plant design for urban landscape, we can reach the harmony between nature and human-being, human-being and society and make the Zhuzhou city is one of the better gardening city for our daily life.2). Nine main streets of Zhuzhou should be included for re-planting with consideration of ornamental, ecology, art, and environmental factors. These new plantings will serve as models for future plant design for urban landscape. A total of 30 plants were selected and analyzed using AHP, the best species for Zhuzhou is Cinnamomum boddinieri. The others are Ginkgo biloba, Cinnamomum camphora, Michelia chapensis, Koelreuteria bipinnata, Bischofia polycarpa, Liriodendron tulipfera, Elaeocarpus glabripetalus, Phoebe zhennan, Magnolia denudate, Rhodoleia parvipetala, Castanopsis fargesii, Osmanthus fragrans, Elaeocarpus sylvestris, Magnolia grandiflora, Schima superba, Helicia cochinchinensis, Michelia foveolata, Sapindus mukorosii, Cedrus deodara, Parakmeria lotungensis, Michelia macclurei, Michelia platypetala, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, Keteleeria davidiana, Taxodium ascendens, Manglietia insignis, Comptotheca acuminate, Phoebe pauhoi, and Symplocos lucidae. Plant selection for Zhuzhou city should also consider the pollution. We investigated the polluted areas and selected plants that better adapted polluted conditions. 3). Research on plant patches and corridor was based on Yan Emperor Square, Shifeng Park, and both banks of Xiang River. The sample groups of plant design for urban landscape will provide guidance for further studies.4). Resource of variegated foliage plants is abundant in Zhuzhou. However, only a few taxa were applied in the landscape. Majority of variegated foliage plants are in wild. It is important that we should utilize local variegated foliage plants. Also, aquatic plants, allelopathic plants, and other specialty plants should not be forgotten. The companion plants are Pinus massoniana and Cinnamomum camphora, Liquidambar formosana and Phoebe bournei, Parakmeria lotungensis and Liquidambar formosana, Platycladus orientalis and Cinnamomum camphora; Sabina chinensis and Liquidambar formosana, Chamaecyparis pisifera and Cinnamomum camphora, Podocarpus nagi and Murraya paniculata, Citrus reticulata,Kalopanax septemlobus, and Lindera glauca, Cryptomeria japonica and Michelia maudia; Taiwania cryptomerioides and Magnolia denudata. Forty grass species were recommended for urban landscape and their cultural requirements were described.The uniqueness and creativity of this study could be summarized as the following: 1). Study Zhuzhou city as an ecological system and analyze systematically using 3S technology. Also, establish patch-corridor-matrix landscape systems based on plant selection and cultural requirement with consideration of dominant species and companion plants.2). Harmony between plant design for urban landscape and its environmental factors, harmony between ornamental plants and their function, connection among patches, corridors, and matrix, and plant communities and their continued development.3). Plant design for urban landscape should emphasize its practical application, especially the advantage of natural plant communities. With aid of literatures and investigation of Zhuzhou flora, we should fully explore the utilization and development of indigenous plants for future urban landscape.
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