Some projects will have a mulched area that is very sparsely planted. At what point does a planting bed become individual plants with bare mulch between the plants? In other words, where is the line between an area that can be considered vegetated and an area that should be considered non-vegetated? Is there a minimum planting density for an area to be considered “vegetated”? Would it depend on factors such as climate / region, type of plantings, etc.?
Landscape professionals are expected to use their judgment in determining whether an area is fully vegetated, rather than a series of individual plantings. Professionals may take into consideration various factors, including: foliage at maturity, root systems, typical natural density of plants in the region, etc.