Greening urban landscapes: A systematic literature review of planting design for resilient and livable cities

Planting Design is one of the landscape architects' main activities in constructing and defining landscapes. The art of composing landscapes, including urban parks and gardens, through vegetation arrangement, is an ancestral practice translating each era's needs and political, environmental, and social context. However, the ecological paradigm and the emergency and worsening of urban problems have introduced new challenges to traditional approaches to planting design that need to be clarified to uncover how they respond to challenges such as climate change, urban residents' health and well-being, and the scarcity of resources and trained technical staff to maintain and manage public green spaces. In this context, a systematic review was developed to (1) explore bibliographic details and spatial context of Planting Design, (2) identify the main focus, emerging topics, strategies, and outputs in planting design research, (3) identify key components and processes involved in Planting Design, and (4) to explore further correlations between previous goals. Following the guidelines from Collaboration for Environmental Evidence and a pre-tested search string, a final database of 127 records published between 2000 and 2023 was reviewed. Results showed that Planting Design publications increased substantially in 2016 with a continued positive trend in subsequent years. Most publications focus on urban settings and are geographically targeted in Asia and Europe. The majority of the analyzed records are driven by an aesthetic and ecological focus and provide guidelines for Planting Design. Climate change and environmental challenges are trending topics of research. Traits, principles, functions, and hazards regarding Planting Design were also analyzed to provide useful insights into future research and practice in the field. • Planting design is key to green spaces´ ecological, aesthetic, and social performance. • Review of a database of 127 Planting Design records published between 2000 and 2023. • Most publications focus on urban settings and geographically target Asia and Europe. • Climate Change and Environmental Challenges are trending topics of research. • Digital Technologies and Plant Selection and Maintenece need to be further explored.