MS Landscape flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Scale ratio

On a 1:50 drawing, one unit on paper represents 50 of the same units in reality, so 20 mm measured on the sheet equals 1000 mm, or one metre, on site.

Slope percentage formula

Slope percent equals rise divided by run, multiplied by 100. A 150 mm rise over a 3000 mm run gives 5%, which exceeds a 2% walkway cross-slope target.

Accessible ramp slope

Maximum running slope is 1:12, about 8.33%, with landings at least every 9.1 metres of run and at every change of direction. Cross slope may not exceed 1:48.

Bubble diagram purpose

A bubble diagram arranges functional zones and adjacencies as circles before any hardline geometry, letting designers test relationships, circulation, and public versus private separation quickly.

Shadow length calculation

Shadow length equals object height divided by the tangent of solar altitude. A 10 m tree with the sun at 45 degrees casts a shadow 10 m long.

USDA hardiness zone

Zones are defined by average annual extreme minimum temperature in bands of about 5.6 degrees Celsius. Zone 7 spans roughly minus 17.8 to minus 12.2 degrees Celsius.

AHS heat zone

Heat zones rate the average number of days per year above 30 degrees Celsius, from zone 1 with fewer than one day to zone 12 with more than 210 days.

Soil pH nutrient lockup

Above pH 7.0 iron and manganese become less available, causing interveinal chlorosis. Below pH 5.5 phosphorus binds and many nutrients become less soluble.

Root flare planting depth

Set the root flare at or slightly above finished grade. Burying the flare suffocates roots and encourages girdling roots that cause decline years later.

Hydrozoning definition

Hydrozoning groups plants with similar water demand onto the same irrigation valve, so scheduling matches plant needs instead of bed shape or convenience.

Balled-and-burlapped root ball size

Root ball diameter should be roughly ten to twelve times trunk caliper for deciduous shade trees. The planting hole is two to three times wider but no deeper than the ball.

Concrete flatwork mix ratio

A common landscape flatwork mix is one part cement to two parts sand to three parts coarse aggregate by volume, typically reaching 20 to 25 megapascals at 28 days.

Control joint spacing

Control joints are cut at intervals of about 24 to 30 times slab thickness. A 100 mm slab therefore needs joints roughly every 2.4 to 3.0 metres.

Paver base depth

Compacted crushed stone base is typically 100 to 150 mm for pedestrian pavers and 200 to 300 mm for vehicle loads, placed and compacted in 75 to 100 mm lifts.

Retaining wall drainage

A washed stone drainage column about 300 mm wide, filter fabric, and perforated pipe at the footing relieve hydrostatic pressure, which is the leading cause of wall failure.

Expansion joint location

Expansion joints isolate flatwork from structures and other slabs and are placed every 2.4 to 3.0 metres, allowing thermal movement without random cracking.

Frost line footing depth

Deck and wall footings must extend below the local frost line. Shallow footings heave when soil freezes, lifting framing and distorting the structure.

One-third mowing rule

Never remove more than one-third of the grass blade height in a single cut. Scalping stresses turf, thins the canopy, and invites weed invasion.

Pruning by flowering wood

Shrubs flowering on old wood are pruned right after bloom; those flowering on new wood are pruned in late winter or early spring before growth begins.

Mulch depth and clearance

Apply mulch 50 to 75 mm deep and keep it 50 to 100 mm away from trunks. Deeper mulch or volcano mulching reduces oxygen and promotes stem rot.

IPM control hierarchy

Integrated pest management applies cultural, mechanical, and biological controls before chemicals, treating only when monitoring shows pest levels exceed an established threshold.

Tree risk assessment

Risk equals likelihood of failure multiplied by consequence. Assessors rate defects, species failure profile, and the targets below, such as people, vehicles, and structures.

Irrigation precipitation rate

Precipitation rate in millimetres per hour equals total emitter flow in litres per hour divided by the area covered in square metres, since one litre over one square metre is one millimetre.

Distribution uniformity

Distribution uniformity compares the driest quarter of catch-can readings to the average. Values below about 70% indicate clogged, misaligned, or poorly spaced hardware needing service.

Evapotranspiration scheduling

Plant water use equals reference evapotranspiration multiplied by a crop coefficient. Controllers replace a set fraction of that demand, adjusted for species and season.

Drip versus spray zoning

Drip and spray heads deliver very different precipitation rates and operating pressures, so they must never share a valve; mixing them makes uniform scheduling impossible.

Backflow protection requirement

Any irrigation system connected to a potable water supply needs approved backflow protection, such as an air gap or reduced-pressure zone assembly, per local plumbing code.

Overhead recovery formula

Overhead percentage equals total annual overhead divided by total annual direct cost. Applying that percentage to every estimate ensures fixed costs are recovered in each job.

Labor burden rate

Burden adds payroll taxes, insurance, and benefits to base wage, commonly 25 to 45 percent. Estimates must use the burdened rate or labor is systematically underpriced.

Change order discipline

Every change is documented in writing with price and schedule impact and signed before work proceeds. Verbal changes are a leading source of disputes and lost profit.

Retainage definition

A client withholds a percentage, commonly 5 to 10 percent, of each payment until substantial completion. Contractors must track it as a receivable, not spendable cash.

Plant warranty condition

Plant warranties typically run one year and are void unless the owner follows required watering and maintenance. Document installation and provide written aftercare instructions.