Landscapers A–Z dictionary

C

Composite decking

Composite decking uses manufactured boards, often incorporating wood and polymer, within a suitable deck assembly. Products vary in profile, composition, support and fixing requirements. The boards are not the complete structure, and the label composite does not guarantee freedom from movement, maintenance, slipping or every weather-related issue.

E

Edging

A boundary detail restraining or separating a landscaped surface. Adequacy depends on loading, levels and the surface system.

F

Fence installation

Fence installation forms a specified boundary treatment using suitable posts, panels, rails or other components. It is separate from determining legal boundary ownership or designing a retaining structure. Height, exposure, ground, access and the intended use affect the proposal; a familiar panel size is not a complete specification.

Finished level

The intended final surface elevation. It needs coordination with drainage, thresholds and the building's moisture protection.

French drain

A French drain is a gravel-filled drainage trench, often containing a perforated pipe, used to collect and redirect water. Its effectiveness depends on a suitable route and destination for that water.

G

Geotextile

A permeable fabric used for a specified separation, filtration or protection role. One product does not perform every function.

Getting into fencing

Fencing is the setting out, installation and repair of boundary and barrier systems. Domestic timber panels, agricultural fencing and specialist security or highway barriers have different demands. A career route should develop site assessment and the designed system rather than assume every job is posts and panels.

Getting into gardening

Gardening develops plant knowledge, seasonal care and safe use of tools for living landscapes. It overlaps with landscaping but does not automatically include structural work, tree surgery or every pesticide activity. A good route combines horticultural understanding with practical experience rather than treating all garden work as mowing and tidying.

Getting into landscaping

Landscaping turns a plan into usable outdoor space through preparation, planting and constructed features. Soft landscaping and hard construction overlap but require different skills. A career route should explain its emphasis rather than suggest that every gardener is also competent in drainage, retaining structures and plant operation.

H

Hard landscaping

Built garden elements such as paving, steps and walls, distinct from planting and other soft landscaping.

P

Permeable construction

A complete build-up managing water movement through and beneath the surface. Porous-looking paving alone is insufficient.

Permeable paving

Permeable paving allows rainwater to pass through the surface or its joints into a designed drainage layer. The whole build-up matters: laying ordinary paving over a dense, poorly draining base does not create a functioning permeable system. Some designs infiltrate water into the ground; others store it before controlled discharge.

R

Resin bonded gravel

Resin bonded gravel applies aggregate onto a resin-coated suitable base, creating a textured finish. It differs from resin bound surfacing, where aggregate and resin are mixed before placement. Bonded surfacing should not be assumed porous; the complete drainage and support arrangement needs assessment for the intended use.

Resin bound gravel

Resin bound gravel mixes suitable aggregate with resin before laying a specified surface. It differs from resin bonded surfacing, where aggregate is scattered onto a resin layer. A suitable bound surface can be porous, but drainage performance depends on the complete construction and destination for water, not the finish label alone.

Root zone

The growing environment supporting plant roots. Compaction and poor drainage can matter even where the topsoil looks good.

S

Sub-base

A prepared support layer below a surface. Material and compaction need to suit loading and drainage requirements.

T

Topsoil

Soil intended to support plant growth. Its quality and suitability cannot be established by dark colour alone.

Turf laying

Turf laying establishes a lawn using prepared sections of living grass and soil. It gives an immediate green surface but not an instantly rooted, fully usable lawn. Ground preparation, suitable turf, weather and aftercare determine establishment; laying over an unresolved soil or drainage problem does not remove its cause.

Type 3 sub-base

Type 3 sub-base describes a specified open-graded aggregate used in suitable construction, including some permeable paving arrangements. It differs from simply ordering any rubble or ordinary Type 1 material. Grading, source, condition and the complete pavement design determine suitability; the name alone does not establish load capacity or drainage performance.

Sources and further reading

Linked article sources support the technical background; informal usage is editorial and varies by region. Full specification and legal requirements must be checked in the original.

• GOV.UK: open-graded sub-base and drainage principles
• GOV.UK: Approved Document H
• GOV.UK: sub-soil drainage and moisture resistance
• National Careers Service: occupational routes and duties
• HSE: avoiding danger from underground services
• GOV.UK: front-garden surfacing
• Resin Mill: commercial comparison and stated cost range
• HSE: safe construction and equipment context