A primary goal of urbanization is to develop a harmonious region between natural landscapes and human habitation. However, urbanized ecosystems and urban human populations are expanding around the world, causing many negative environmental effects. Urban landscape design concerns the arrangement, appearance and functionality of landscapes, and in particular the shaping and uses of urban public space, such as streets, plazas, parks and public infrastructure. Urban landscape design is derived from but transcends planning and transportation policy, architectural design, development economics, engineering and landscape. A challenge for achieving sustainable urban social-ecological systems is to understand how urbanized landscapes can be designed and managed to minimize negative outcomes. Urban ecological landscapes are products of ecological planning and design which engages landscape pattern and its associated ecological processes across a range of spatial scales. Landscape designers often collaborate with related disciplines such as architecture and geography, soils and civil engineering, surveying, landscape contracting, botany, and artisan specialties. Therefore, uniform definition and evaluation indices are of great importance for urban ecological landscapes in urban planning and design. First, this paper presents the basic merits and main features of ecological landscapes. Ecological landscape can be defined as an anthropogenic or managed landscape with a deliberate form of human intervention, and with a careful protection to improve natural conditions or repair environmentally destructive impacts. Among various features of urban ecological landscapes in related references, three basic merits are summarized in this study including sustainability, eco-economic benefits, and harmoniousness. Second, guidelines and evaluation indices are developed according to three basic merits of urban ecological landscapes. Eight guidelines are included, i.e., natural grades of landscapes, species diversity and security, rainwater collection and management, contamination effluent and treatment, green materials and products, microclimate regulation, visual enjoyment of landscapes, and spiritual and educational values. Quantitative indices are selected and grouped from references and technique regulations, whereas their values and weights are needed to be quantified by an in-depth research. Third, this paper presents general methods which need to be focused in the further research of urban ecological landscape, such as landscape evaluation, planning, design, and management. In addition to these methods, we emphasize three key technologies in urban ecological landscape design including resource protection and saving, integration of landscape structure and ecosystem service, and ecosystem service values optimization. Lastly, discussions of challenges for the future of ecological landscape research and practice are concluded in this paper, and how information being gathered and used in the development of a landscape design, and a list of preliminary guidelines for ecological landscape design and planning are also provided. This paper could provide a theoretical framework for urban landscape studies, and could also serve as a base for applications of urban ecological landscapes.