Difference Between Conventional Landscaping and Restoration Landscaping

The main deviation between conventional landscaping and restoration landscaping is that conventional landscaping aims to inspect a plant for the use or purpose it provides while restoration landscaping aims to inspect ecological relationship of the plant with the site and other plants.

In Conventional landscaping, "groundcover" plant is used for covering the ground. A groundcover is usually a plant that disturbs or uproots other plants and dominates an area. This may be preferred in conventional landscaping to provide a certain look or for easy identification of weeds. But groundcover is not preferred in restoration landscaping because it contributes to loss of biodiversity and provides very less nutritional and habitat benefits.

Other features of conventional landscaping which are not favored in restoration landscaping includes cover placing plants in well rows (or other geometric arrangements that needs more maintenance to preserve the desired geometry), planting in monoculture (planting a group of the same plant). In addition, developing pruning or shaping practices that makes a geometric shape and removes the food or shelter contributions of that plant are also key elements in conventional landscaping.