Water Systems and Hardscape Integration

This unit focuses on designing, managing, and maintaining water-harvesting, irrigation, and drainage systems while preparing sites and integrating basic hardscape elements to support sustainable landscapes. Students build on foundational plant and soil knowledge to create practical site plans and prepare for installation and advanced system implementation in subsequent units.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze site topography, soil infiltration rates, and microclimates to identify water-harvesting opportunities and drainage challenges
• Apply irrigation and drainage principles to select, size, and document appropriate components and create a basic water-harvesting and irrigation plan for a small landscape site
• Demonstrate routine maintenance, troubleshooting, and winterization procedures for water-harvesting and irrigation systems to ensure long-term functionality
• Evaluate hardscape elements and outdoor-room features for compatibility with sustainable water management, recommending materials, placement, and supplementary features (e.g., permeable pavers, rain gardens, berms) to enhance function and aesthetics