LANDSCAPING WITH NATIVE PLANTS IN OMAN
Landscapes have traditionally been used to add aesthetic value to our homes and
buildings.
With the growing concerns of the effects of climate change, deteriorating
natural resources, frequent droughts, declining soil fertility, and the threat of pests and
diseases, among other issues, particularly in arid regions of the world, actions are
needed to ameliorate these effects on residential dwellings and urban landscapes.
Ornamentals
in the landscape need to evolve and be modified to perform specific functions
beyond their aesthetic value, including shading, air filtration, cooling via transpiration,
and the abatement of insolation.
In many ways traditional landscape designs do address
some of these functions.
For example, in arid areas, plants can play a crucial role in
mediating solar radiation and the heat island effect.
In countries like Oman, landscape
plants are usually exotic species, which have been selected and cultivated for their
performance.
In recent years, however, the focus has shifted more to the use and benefits
of native species in arid landscapes.
Native plants have the potential to tackle many of
the aforementioned issues that face landscaping in hot-arid climates, while remaining
aesthetically appealing, and also help preserve the natural resources and provide
ecological benefits to their surroundings.
This paper reviews the criteria used for
selecting plants for landscaping in Oman with emphasis on the native species and their
aesthetic, ecological and functional values.
Hopkins, E. and Al-Yahyai, R. (2015). LANDSCAPING WITH NATIVE PLANTS IN OMAN. Acta Hortic. 1097, 181-192
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2015.1097.22
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2015.1097.22
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2015.1097.22
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2015.1097.22
heat island, arid landscapes, xeriscaping, xerophyte, oasis agriculture, indigenous plants
English
1097_22
181-192