More than buying a home, homeowners look forward to a surrounding that is able to enrich their everyday lives. Essentially, a home’s surrounding is just as crucial as the building itself — making landscape design an essential part of what makes a township successful.

As one of the most progressive and successful townships in Negeri Sembilan, Seremban 2 by IJM Land has managed to set the scene since more than two decades ago, and is now known for its grace and serenity of a country atmosphere due to exceptional landscape planning.

One with Space and Nature

Before considering built homes, the best developers lead their planning with the available landscape. While Seremban 2 continues to attract homebuyers due to the factors of connectivity, convenience, safety and quality, residents in the township appreciate the well-built landscapes that encourage people to meet and congregate, ultimately cultivating a tight-knit community.

Throughout its 3,800 acres, the landscape design in Seremban 2 has witnessed a few stages of evolution in responses to natural factors. However, the wide spaces and rich natural life found throughout the township have been an integral experience within the lives of Seremban 2’s community.

“As a developer, incorporating elements of green design and innovation in landscape is crucial as it has been proven that proper landscape planning and designs, coupled with the sustainability factors, help to create a stimulating environment for residents to call home. Additionally, landscaping offers the opportunity to generate more value for homebuyers and completely change the perception of a township,” said Dato' Hoo Kim See, Senior General Manager (Central Region) of IJM LAND.

The first thing one notices upon entering the Seremban 2 township is the wide roads that can measure up to 132 feet for the main road and 50 feet for internal roads. In terms of road shoulders, footpaths and cycle paths are requirements set by the Local Authority. Currently, a wide 2.4-metre concrete walkway cum cycle path embellishes the roads across the township. With these larger spaces, IJM Land has succeeded in implementing greener efforts in its landscape planning.

Planning and Planting

Green initiatives such as rooftop gardens, recreational parks, and designated green sanctuaries have made their way into the local development scene over recent decades. Besides being attractive selling points, green architecture and sustainable developments are also sustainable ways to make up for the depleting green spaces within our concrete jungles.

Through extensive landscape planning, Seremban 2 is able to adorn the streets and green spaces with over 40,000 trees and plants that not only add to the countryside sensation but are also adaptable to the local climate. Covering mostly streetscapes and open spaces, the trees and shrubs are selected based on very specific criteria set by local authorities — require less maintenance, thornless, non-poisonous and fruitless trees.

Primarily, the plant selected would ideally provide shade and barrier from the harsh Malaysia weather, making them more functional than they are aesthetic. Plants are also picked by their survivability when faced with harsh soil conditions — compacted, waterlogged, and nutrient and water deficient. They would also require the least to none assisted watering, fertilizing, and also minimal trimming. Some unique examples that can be found in and around the township are the Dwarf Geometry Tree, Rainbow Red Gum, River Red Gum and Bungor Langkawi.

One plant that truly stands out in Seremban 2 is the Pongamia pinnata which is often planted as a shade tree. Apart from its ornamental effects, this species is also one of the very few nitrogen-fixing trees with the rare ability to convert atmospheric gas into usable compounds. The converted compounds, such as ammonia, can be used to supplement the plant or to be added into the soil to nourish and support other plant lives.

“The trees and shrubs planted in Seremban 2 are required to follow the guidelines provided by Majlis Bandaraya Seremban (MBS). Moreover, every single development is required to be covered by a minimum of 10% of green areas,” said Dato’ Hoo. “While landscape planning is conducted based on specific guidelines, we still try to imbue our elements that are able to showcase the personality of Seremban 2, such as the Rainbow Red Gum and Yellow Flame trees that accentuate the countryside.”

Cultivating Appreciation and Ownership

As landscape development continues to become an imperative part of property development in Malaysia, up and coming townships are required to allocate adequate land for more green spaces and parks. For Seremban 2, its signature 30-acre Hill Park and 15-acre S2 City Park are township landmarks where community activities are held, and humankind and nature thrive together.

“More than providing quality life and a serene environment, landscape planning needs to be the first consideration of any modern development to ensure consistent progress as for a township. The real potential of landscape design lies in its ability to compel residents in attaching a sense of pride and ownership to the place they call home,” Dato’ Hoo added.

For more information about Seremban 2, please visit here. 

(27 March 2021)