[Kōken] : creating functional habitat for an ecoregion in a Japanese-style garden

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Authors
Dunaway, Lisa M.
Advisor
Blalock, Joseph C.
Issue Date
2019-07-20
Keyword
Degree
Thesis (M.L.A.)
Department
Department of Landscape Architecture
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Abstract

Japanese gardens are popular throughout the world and usually include plant species native to Japan, regardless of where the gardens are installed. Plants used outside of their native region can become invasive, killing local flora, costing millions of dollars in remediation, and contributing little to the local ecosystem. Incorporating native plants in landscape architecture has become more common because of environmental concerns such as increased climate change; air, soil, and water pollution; the die-off of bees and other pollinators, and lack of natural habitat due to urban sprawl. The purpose of this project is to design a Japanese-style garden in Columbus, Indiana, using only plants native to southern Indiana. The native plants used will be analogous in terms of form and habitat to over 200 of the most commonly used plants from Japanese gardens in Japan itself. A nine-acre site in Columbus was chosen for its ease of access, location near the interchange of a highway and interstate, and proximity to several Japanese-owned companies. In addition, Columbus is well-known for its many sites of architectural and landscape architectural interest. The addition of a large Japanese-style garden to the city would fit well within the history and culture of Columbus.