Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture

Two types of landscape architecture bachelor's degrees exist for aspiring professionals: a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Landscape Architecture and the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture. Although both degree programs are similar in nature, the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture can take up to 5 years to complete and includes more hands-on courses than the B.S. in Landscape Architecture, which typically takes 4 years. Students explore topics in architecture, design, horticulture, ecology, construction and engineering, and extensive fieldwork is usually required. Those enrolled in either landscape architecture bachelor's programs are required to maintain a certain grade point average and complete prerequisite courses before participating in professional training fieldwork. Both of these programs can prepare students for professional licensure.

Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture

The Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture combines courses in the major with studies in the biological and physical sciences and liberal arts. Students learn to design public and private outdoor spaces accompanying homes, parks, buildings, gardens, playgrounds, golf courses, shopping centers and college campuses. Through internships, seminars and fieldwork, students learn to coordinate landscape architecture projects with contractors, vendors, surveyors and engineers. Some landscape architecture schools have limited enrollment and admission is selective. Classes in landscape architecture bachelor's of science degree programs cover disciplines from soil science to computer-aided design, and courses may include:

Plant selection and design
Landscape design and history
Ecology
Graphic design
Landscaping plans
Construction landscapes

Bachelor of Landscape Architecture

Typically, students in this program must participate in design studios, create a work portfolio, serve in internships and complete a senior project. Candidates learn to create landscape projects by working with architects, urban planners, engineers, ecologists and other professionals. Coursework for the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture is similar but not identical to that required by the Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture. Typical courses include the following:

Site construction and engineering
Plant materials
Landscape architecture history and preservation
Open space and park design
Housing landscape design
Urban design

Popular Career Options

Landscape architects work for real estate development and construction companies, government agencies and architectural firms. Students who earn a landscape architecture bachelor's degree may pursue entry-level jobs in the field and eventually advance to management. Common career options include those below:

Landscape designer
Landscape project manager
Landscape consultant
Landscape architect supervisor
Senior landscape architect

Employment Outlook and Salary Info

Employer demand for landscape architects is expected to grow 5% from 2014-2024, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov). Employment opportunities will increase as the nation requires more landscape architects to design spaces associated with new construction and demand rises for sustainably designed projects. Landscape architects earned a median annual salary of $63, 810, according to the BLS in May 2015.

Source: study.com

Landscaping Tips

Though your home is your castle, there is no necessity to surround it with a moat. Here are 5 tips that will help you to make your landscaping feel more warm, welcoming and cozy.

1. Put some flowers nearby your entrance. Flowers make any area look more welcoming and attractive, so greeting your guests with Petunia, Snapdragon, Lily-of-the-Nile or some other garden flowers is always a great thing to do. What is more, to add some space between your house and the entrance, you can consider adding a little white fence. It will create an illusion that your front yard is bigger than it actually is. What is more, adding fence will create a great space for planting flowers to add some color and coziness.

2. Add rambling vines to make your yard look absolutely lovely. You can not deny that rambling vines always create romantic and even magical atmosphere. So why not to use this tip while decorating your yard?

3. To hide the unattractive driveway, consider adding some color, texture, and height. You can easily do it by adding various sorts of flowers. To start, create an island of green lawn right in the hub of a drive. Then add a couple of low boxwood hedges with flowers toward the back of your island.

4. If you want your yard to blossom and flourish bust still do not have enough time to maintain it, consider planting low-fuss lilies. Such flowers look absolutely gorgeous and come in the variety of rainbow hues, so you can pick the one you love most. What is more, low-fuss lilies do not care about the sort of soil, they love the sun and welcome hot, they do not afraid of drought. In other words, Crinums is an ideal flower for all those who are looking for low-maintenance solutions.

5. The last tip also touches the low-maintenance aspect. To make your life easier, group plantings into beds and islands. This will help you to avoid mowing and trimming around each individual plant, save a lot of time and even money.