4 min
Earthworks and ground modelling: giving shape before planting
Ground modelling defines how you move through the garden and how water moves. It also determines walls, steps, the volume of fill and the relationship with the…
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Diaplant · Blog · Page 2 of 7
What we know about trees.
159 articles written by the people who grow, plant and maintain mature trees — from choosing the species to the works and maintenance. Filter by topic or by type of content.
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25–48 of 159 articles · page 2 of 7
Showing articles 25 to 48 of 159. Page 2 of 7.
Natives, cultivars and climate
Exotic, naturalised or invasive: terms that do not mean the same thing
Exotic, naturalised and invasive do not mean the same thing. An exotic occurs outside its natural range through human action.
Read5 min
Fertilising after planting: the method and its limits
Diaplant uses slow-release NPK at planting. Find out how to apply it, adjust the rate and avoid corrections that do not fix soil or watering.
Read7 min
Field-grown or container-grown trees: what changes?
Open ground and container influence the roots, the size, the season and the planting. Compare the two systems without assuming that one is always better.
Read7 min
Fine roots, structural roots and water uptake
Not all roots do the same job. We explain the difference between absorbing roots, transport roots and structural roots.
ReadFlowering lawn and multi-species lawn: between intensive use and the meadow
Between the intensively managed lawn and the tall meadow there is a middle ground: multi-species lawns, mixes with low-growing plants and areas mown less often.
ReadFlowering meadows in Portugal: where they make sense and why they can fail
A flowering meadow makes sense in areas with little foot traffic, with enough scale and maintenance able to keep up with establishment, cuts and weed control.
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Selection packSeasonality and phenology
Four-season pack: trees and large shrubs that extend the garden’s interest
A four-season collection combines flower, fruit, autumn colour, bark, evergreen foliage and form to spread interest through the year.
ReadBehind the scenes4 min
From field to garden: why knowledge should travel with the tree
A mature tree spends several years in the nursery before it is chosen for a project. During that time, the team monitors its roots, crown, vigour and response…
ReadBehind the scenes4 min
From sketch to video: how we make the design visible before construction
Sketches, moodboards, 3D models, renders and video answer different questions. Find out the role and the limits of each format.
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Biodiversity
Fruit through the year: how to design a food sequence for birds
Designing fruit through the year means avoiding the whole supply being concentrated in late summer or autumn.
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Natives, cultivars and climate
Functional diversity or number of species: what makes a planting more resilient?
A planting does not become resilient simply by having many species. If they all share the same sensitivity to heat, drought, compaction or disease, the risk…
Read4 min
Garden drainage: diagnosis, design and construction
Drainage manages excess water without drying out the ground. The design starts by identifying source, route and destination.
ReadGarden services and disservices: weighing benefits without hiding costs
A garden produces benefits and also costs or risks. Shade, cooling, infiltration, habitat and well-being can coexist with water consumption.
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Species sheetSelecting species and forms·4 min
Ginkgo biloba: size, male trees and use in the garden
Ginkgo biloba is a large tree with fan-shaped leaves and yellow autumn colour. Find out why male clones are chosen for streets.
Read4 min
Girth, girth size, height and pot volume: how to read plant measurements
Girth, girth size, height, crown and pot volume describe different aspects. Learn to read the measurements and avoid incomplete comparisons.
Read4 min
Grafted trees: what it means and where the graft union is
A grafted tree combines a rootstock and a cultivar. Learn to recognise the graft union, assess the union and set the correct depth.
ReadGreen roofs in Portugal: choosing the system and the vegetation
Green roofs in Portugal should be chosen as complete systems: structure, waterproofing, root protection, drainage, substrate, vegetation.
ReadSelection pack
Ground-cover pack with subshrubs: solutions for sun, shade and banks
Ground cover with subshrubs has to be chosen by microclimate. Dry sun, cool shade and banks call for different plants.
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Biodiversity
Host plants and nectar plants: two functions that should not be confused
Host plants and nectar plants perform different functions. The former feed larval stages or support specific relationships; the latter provide floral resources…
Read5 min
How a landscape architecture project is developed
A landscaping project goes through briefing, analysis, concept design, planning consent, detailed design and site works. Find out the role of each stage.
Read5 min
How a large tree is transported
Transporting a mature tree means calculating the weight, protecting the rootball, trunk and crown, and preparing the route and the unloading.
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Production and training in the nursery·10 min
How a mature tree is formed
A mature tree is formed over years of production, transplanting, pruning and selection. Discover the work done in the nursery before planting.
ReadBehind the scenes
How a mature tree travels from Amarante to your site
When a Liquidambar 8 metres tall leaves our 33 hectares in Amarante bound for a site in Lisbon, Munich or Amsterdam, it is not just being transported — it is…
ReadLooking for a short answer?
100 frequently asked questions on selection, planting, transport, soil and maintenance, answered in a few lines.