Site-specific planting design: Linking soil texture analysis to ecological landscape design strategies

Abstract

Despite the growing emphasis on sustainable campus landscapes, planting decisions often rely on generic species palettes that overlook micro-site soil variability, resulting in poor plant performance and increased maintenance demands. Additionally, insufficient consideration of soil analysis during the landscape design process affects overall landscape performance by disrupting the intended design concept, ultimately hindering the spatial aesthetic, ecological, and functional goals. Addressing this gap, the study explores the use of basic and cost-effective soil texture analysis as an educational tool to inform site-responsive planting strategies. Two accessible soil analysis techniques, namely the soil jar test and the ribbon method, were used to assess soil texture collected as composite samples across eight selected zones (n = 8) within Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, specifically on the Bachok and Jeli campuses. By combining visual sedimentation and tactile assessment, the study translated the findings into site-based planting recommendations for landscape design. The results reveal distinct differences on both campuses, which yielded two soil texture classes with contrasting plant species selections. Bachok’s campus soils tend toward sandy loam, which supports drought-tolerant and fast-draining species such as Casuarina equisetifolia. Moisture conservation practices, including the application of mulch and frequent shallow irrigation during the establishment phase, are crucial for sustaining plant growth. On the other hand, Jeli campus soils exhibit a higher clay content, which favors moisture-retentive species like Syzygium myrtifolium. Implementing contour planting and incorporating raised planting beds enhances soil aeration and improves root zone condition. The outcome of this study provides practical and site-specific plant recommendations tailored to each campus’s soil conditions, confined particularly to rapid textural-based analysis. By aligning planting design strategies with local soil conditions, this study implied the contribution to ecologically grounded planting practices and promoted greater awareness of soil-responsive design strategies in campus environments.