Urban Green Areas – their functions under a changing lifestyle of ...

and/or vegetables, usually enclosed by a fence, hedge or other opaque vegetative screen for
privacy (EVERT 2001: 239).
Table 2.1: Basic definitions of UGAs
Park (p.463), in Europe, area of open space characterized by tree cover and extensive
areas of lawn or meadow, which has been designated for preservation of natural features
and/or for public or private recreational use.
In the US: a natural or man-made area with trees and lawns/meadows which is preserved
and managed for its scenic and recreational benefits
Botanic Garden (p.241) is a specialized public or private garden, where indigenous and
exotic plants are grown and arranged according to taxonomic and systematic criteria for
educational and scientific purposes.
Garden (p. 239) is an area of land planted and cultivated with ornamental plants, fruits
and/or vegetables, usually enclosed by fence, hedge or other opaque vegetative screen for
privacy.
Green space (p. 287) is generic term covering primarily planted public and private open
spaces in urban areas. Synonym: Green area
Source: EVERT (2001)
This classification of EVERT is easy to follow, useful for practical purposes and applicable
to scientific discussion.
In Vietnam
In 1982, the Vietnamese law of construction was made applicable to parks&gardens.
According to this law, parks & gardens are the natural areas within an urban environment
designed to satisfy the demand for a range of leisure and entertainment functions that meet
the spiritual academic, sport and aesthetic demands of the residents (BA 1982).
Three years later, THUY (1985: 11) in a PhD in construction (specifically in garden art)
defines:
Garden: is a plantation following a certain layout.
Park: is a green area formed in accordance with art rules, for residential recreation.
Garden-park: is a garden with architectural constructions and other art works, which
are arranged to specific layout; for the relaxation and entertainment of the residents.
In 2005, Vietnamese construction law extended the law of 1982, to provides a system of
concepts defining UGA at different levels, and assigning responsibility for planning and
design standards. Thus in some specific sites such as streets, gardens and parks individual
trees will be registered. This detailed classification helps in the management of the quality
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