Water is an essential component of plant tissues. The water content of the plant’s stem body ranges from 75 to 85% of their fresh weight, which proves the importance of water. The water content depends on the rate of absorption and the rate of transpiration. This can be explained simply by the fact that some of the water that it absorbs the plant from the root system through the soil, is released into the atmosphere through the leaves of the plant. Therefore, when water is in excess it means that the absorption rate prevails, while if the transpiration rate prevails, the transpiration rate prevails, leads the plant to wilt.
Water is a crucial factor for the function of plant cells as osmotic systems and the existence of a complex. In addition, it regulates the temperature of the plants, especially its increase. Transpiration lowers the temperature due to evaporation of the tissues. In short, it mitigates the negative effect of temperature extremes that may cause cellular changes. Another function that makes water extremely important for plants is its ability to participate in a multitude of biochemical reactions. It is a medium for dispersing colloidal protoplasm substances, where these biochemical reactions take place. Water is also a medium for the movement of various substances in the intracellular compartments and between cells. Water is used as a reagent in photosynthesis to form carbohydrates, and is an excellent solvent for electrolytes and non-cellular components. Finally, water has the ability to form hydrogen bonds with O and N atoms.
Water is a source of life for plants too, and they will only survive if there is enough water to absorb whenever they need it.
Water in Landscape Architecture
The need for communication between people prompted the inhabitants of the riparian areas to build the first bridges and later the aqueducts, which carried water to the city. Water was also used as a key element in architectural design in corridors, gardens, shops and libraries.
In Sicily, on the island of Pantelleria, the typical rural houses, originating from the Arab domination, have domed roofs, which facilitated both the cooling of the interior of the buildings and the collection of rainwater and its collection in slightly elevated underground tanks. On the Cycladic islands, the different heights of the rooms of each dwelling served to collect rainwater in tanks or cisterns. In the architecture of B. Africa there are systems, the qala, integrated into the building structure to cool the interior of buildings in the arid and hot climates of the Sahara desert.
Water refreshes, cools and is a prerequisite for creating a garden. The presence of water in the garden has an almost magical effect on everyone and brings about or enhances our psycho-physical balance.
The water calms and soothes and, functioning complementarily with other decorative elements (sculptures, streams with natural stones), can be a point of reference for the overall design of our garden or terrace. The size, shape and form of the water elements you can incorporate into this design vary from a small marble water basin on a balcony, to the creation of a small marble water basin on a balcony. natural pond with water lilies or a swimming pool in a large garden.
The water, being calm and transparent, acts as a mirror, reflecting reality, which a landscape architect can exploit in order to magnify and emphasize various architectural and natural features within the garden.. It symbolizes transparency, youth and beauty. The effect of “doubling” through the reflection works as a means of impressing. In addition, this function of water is used from Roman times to the Baroque and from Romanticism to modern architecture. Consequently, a balance and grandeur is created in the space, as well as an illusionistic effect, accompanied of course by appropriate lighting. Finally, the non-moving water can bring a sense of calm and contemplation for the users
A lake with aquatic plants, with calm water that reflects and offers peace and tranquility to the viewer. Balboa Park, Lily Pond, California, USA, San Diego, photo by Naya Frentzou
Another characteristic of water that makes it interesting in landscape architecture is its movement, achieved by the use of fountains or waterfalls. Flowing water is a sign of well-being and cleanliness. It is known that the sound of splashing water is used by experts as a means of relaxation and tranquility, as they believe that water was the first music of the earth and that its sound accompanied man from the moment of his creation and gradually inspired him to develop his spirit on the sounds of water through various activities. The water can move in linear lines, flow irregularly and naturalistically or with an artificial flow. Such examples are waterfalls, water curtains or even water that imitates movement by flowing in steps, in a horizontal flow, in a sloping or vertical flow, depending on the shape that the landscape architect wants to give. Thus, the moving water calms and relaxes and sometimes surprises and awes.
Finally, from antiquity to the present day, water acquires a sculptural character with the appearance and disappearance of water symbolized by fountains. Fountains tend to imitate nature, the natural weather phenomena represented by the launching of a water jet. Fountains, for example, played a dominant role in the gardens of ancient Greece and the Arabic gardens, containing all the phases of the water cycle, representing vitality and symbolism.
Fountain at Petergof, with sculptures, and water jets that awe and surprise the viewer, as well as possibly soothe them by listening to the water splashing
