ROADSIDE PLANTING PRINCIPLES:
Air in urban area contents higher percentage of pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, Sulphur trioxide and nitric acid, which are very harmful for human health. This polluted air along with suspended partials of dust makes life further difficult.
Broad leaves deciduous tree plantation helps in holding and absorbing the pollutants, thus these trees reduce pollution level in air and during leaf fall and the absorbed pollutants are released and transferred into the soil during rains. Leaves with rough texture have more pollution and dust holding capacity compared to leaves with glossy texture.
Jet air crafts, automobiles, Industries, workshops etc. are responsible for increase in noise level. Earth moulds with grass or ground cover planting and trees with shrubs underneath helps in cutting and reducing noise level in urban areas. Foliage with course texture has higher capacity of absorbing the noise
LANDSCAPING OF ROADS :
Road landscape would:
• Closely relate spatial dimensions of the road cross section with the landscape treatment to achieve an appropriate sense of scale and enclosure, and thus to give each road its own distinctive character.
• Provide a substantial vegetation mass on either of the major roads to fully express them as important linear landscape elements of the townscape.
• Clearly differentiate Main road from sector roads through landscape treatment, and to create visual variety through careful choice of species.
• Organize the road cross-section so take account of services and other requirements so as to ensure sufficient space for healthy tree growth.
• Reinforce the tree planting schemes with planting of hardy shrubs in functionally appropriate locations such as verges and zones.
PLANTATIONS:
The choice of plantation species for each road would be based on the following:
• Selection of tall, spreading trees of regular growth habit with dense foliage to provide shade and visual definition. Species native to the region for better survival %.
• A differentiation to treatment between roads by suggesting the different pattern of species (thematic approach) on the basis of their Height, Visual appearance, crown shape-size, flower size-shape-fragrance and colour along with the flowering season.