NewZNew (Chandigarh) : Landscaping Human Habitat, which brings out the essential elements primarily used for landscaping was launched here today by the UT Adviser Vijay Kumar Dev at Chandigarh College of Architecture. The book elaborates all aspects of landscaping and would serve as a model for the present and future generations.

This 171-pages book by Hardial Singh Johl and Sarbjit Bahga serves as a useful resource for greening, beautifying and improving physical environmental conditions. The book, published by White Falcon Publishing, is rich in content and visuals to give reader a fine experience, and a must buy for those into landscaping and town planning. It is available online on Amazon.In and will be shortly seen in city book stores.

The authors had last year released Trees in Urban Habitat, an encyclopedia of knowledge on methods and techniques to solve the intricate problems of urban planning with tree plantation. It was an excellent reference guide that cites New Delhi and Chandigarh as examples of cities where tree plantation was a priority.

Johl is an experienced and renowned landscapist. Having got a Masters degree from the Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana in 1955, he worked in Chandigarh for over two decades where he revitalized the landscape plans of the city, before having worked for Punjab government as head of landscape circle. Bahga is a Chandigarh based architect, urbanist, author and photo-artist. He was conferred with Doctorate in Architectural Science in 2000 and currently works as senior architect in the Punjab Mandi Board.

Addressing media persons here, Johl said, “This is a groundbreaking book for town planners, architects, landscapists and city planners and is a product of several decades of his observation, knowledge and experience in landscaping and salient features of plants have been described along with high quality colour photographs, which will help in choosing the right kind of species for proper landscaping.” This book is beneficial to professionals who are responsible for creating outstanding habitat for the people, he added.

Johl said, “Important aspects emphasized in this book are about trees, their usefulness of growing them close to road curbs, importance of correct spacing for planting trees and appropriate planning for pedestrian paths. Large structured trees are useful for roadside plantation and fascinating flowering trees for public and private buildings, parks, open spaces and homes. The book also talks about flowering shrubs and creepers.

While speaking on the occasion the Adviser said he was an avid lover of plants and has always laid focus on greening and beautifying the city. “I am glad that such a book has been written, which gives the true picture of state’s capital Chandigarh, and has been so beautifully depicted pictorially by someone who has spent his entire life shaping up this beautiful city”, he added.

One entire chapter in the book is dedicated to Bougainvillea. Winter and summer flowering annuals, which are an important part of landscaping have also been described in the book. A chapter on Bonsai gives useful hints to develop large, medium and small sized Bonsai. Two exclusive chapters are on developing cactus and succulents, besides bulb plants which are also important for landscaping human habitat.

      The book has been divided into following chapters:

1. Trees
2. Flowering Shrubs
3. Flowering Creepers
4. Decorative Indoor Plants
5. Roses
6. Bougainvillea
7. Flowering Annuals
8. Developing Lawns
9. Developing Bonsai
10. Growing Cacti and Succulents
11. Growing Bulbous Plants