Timber for landscape architecture

Timber for landscape architecture

Date Published

12 August 2022

Document Type

Category

Audience

Author

TRADA
Summary

Timber has always featured widely in landscape design, due both to its physical properties and to its attractive appearance, which harmonise naturally with the landscape.

This Wood Information Sheet (WIS) gives guidance to designers and specifiers of landscape architecture by providing a working knowledge of the factors which must be considered when using timber outdoors.

Key Information

Timber products are frequently for urban environments, such as parks, gardens and pedestrian precints, as well as for countryside locations.

Hardwoods offer extended durability, better resistance to wear and tear, and higher strength.

Increasing the frequency of fixings will reduce wood’s tendency to warp.

Case studies

Two radical timber buildings at the National Arboretum in Gloucestershire demonstrate how timber from trees felled in the routine maintenance of the estate were processed on site into structure and cladding, and constructed by volunteers and trainee carpenters.

The Baden Powell Outdoor Centre was commissioned by The National Trust and the Brownsea Island Scout and Guide Committee to celebrate the centenary of this first scout camp.