# Landscaping terminology question?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/landscaping-terminology-question/223618>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 9, 2004, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/landscaping-terminology-question/223618 "2004-01-09T10:44:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/landscaping-terminology-question/223618/1 "2004-01-09T10:44:27Z")

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…What do you call a flowerbed-thingy that’s in an “island” in the middle of a pedestrian walkway? Like the Mickey Mouse flowerbed at the entrance of Disneyland?

Is there even a special name for it, or would you just call it a “flowerbed-thingy”?

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**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/landscaping-terminology-question/223618/2 "2004-01-09T13:21:49Z")

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A ‘island form’, or an ‘island’ or ‘island bed’.

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**Author:** ![VernWinterbottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c67d28/32.png) [@VernWinterbottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VernWinterbottom)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/landscaping-terminology-question/223618/3 "2004-01-09T14:18:18Z")

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I s’pose Philster’s answers are okay, but each of them could have an interpretation that isn’t related to flowers.

All my gardening books are on a shelf I can’t reach right now. . .

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**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/landscaping-terminology-question/223618/4 "2004-01-09T14:33:35Z")

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landscape island

In parking lots, they’re often there because they’re required under the local zoning ordinance.

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/landscaping-terminology-question/223618/5 "2004-01-09T14:38:21Z")

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Are you talking about a flower bed where a pattern or picture is formed by arranging plants with different coloured flowers and/or leaves?

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**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/landscaping-terminology-question/223618/6 "2004-01-09T15:19:52Z")

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Sorry, I misunderstood the question.

According to Parks: Design and Managment, by Phillips, they’re called “mass plantings,” but that can also apply to large beds in the landscape as well, not just in pedestrian areas.

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**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/landscaping-terminology-question/223618/7 "2004-01-09T23:18:19Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Mangetout \*  
> \*\*Are you talking about a flower bed where a pattern or picture is formed by arranging plants with different coloured flowers and/or leaves? \*\*

No, just the “island” on which such a flower bed might be placed.

Thanks for the replies, all!

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**Author:** ![Quint\_Essence](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/54ee81/32.png) [@Quint\_Essence](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quint_Essence)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/landscaping-terminology-question/223618/8 "2004-01-10T00:54:23Z")

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if the point is to divide traffic into two directions then it would be referred to as a median or median strip.