AESTHETICAL-FUNCTIONAL EVALUATION OF NEVŞEHİR URBAN ROADS PLANTING AND DETERMINATION OF USED PLANT SPECIES

Today, with the growing number of buildings, cities move away from nature and green spaces remain trapped between the building masses. As cities turn into artificial environments, longing for nature and green increases every day. Planted roads which play an important role in the urban identity constitute the foundation of urban open-green space. Moreover, urban road plantation makes aesthetic, functional, ecological, psychological and economic contributions to the city.In the scope of this study, seven important routes in Nevşehir City have been examined. The plant species which are used in road sides, central refuge and intersections along these routes have been identified. In addition, contributions of the road plants to the city and to urban open-green area systems have been evaluated within the framework of the plantation principles. With obtained data, by defining each route, dominant plant species have been identified and plant keys of the related roads have been established. As a result, there has been efforts to create characteristic roads with plantations in the Nevşehir City but it is determined that wrong plant type selection and improper planting techniques have been used in these practices. Therefore, plant species which have suitable diameter, form and size should be preferred in applications within the framework of urban road planting design techniques.