tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13940439Fri, 17 Jul 2009 07:14:41 +0000Musings on garden and landscape design, gardening, urban planning, man, nature, human nature, and basically life as we know it.http://verdancedesign.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (John)Blogger217125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13940439.post-7375928444028774258Wed, 15 Jul 2009 05:09:00 +00002009-07-14T22:12:35.462-07:00specimen plantsclimate changeweatherenvironmentWhat a difference four degrees makes.That's the difference in latitude between my office in Palo Alto, Calif. (37.4 degrees, just south of San Francisco) and my current vacation spot in Carlsbad, Calif. (33.1 degrees, just north of San Diego).Up north, we can't grow Jacaranda mimosifolia very successfully due to our typically frosty and occasionally freezing winters. Down here, the tree's vibranthttp://verdancedesign.blogspot.com/2009/07/four-degrees-of-separation.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13940439.post-4864744486751068054Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:27:00 +00002009-07-01T11:05:51.070-07:00creativityhome valuedesign principlesLast week I met with a client whose landscaping was recently completed. As we sat poolside in the shade of an umbrella, he told me, "this is my favorite place in the world. I just step outside and I'm on vacation." Who was I to disagree?Even if we're not attempting to recreate Bali in our backyard, don't we landscape in hopes of making a destination for ourselves, a getaway that's more "get" thanhttp://verdancedesign.blogspot.com/2009/06/your-backyard-vacation.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13940439.post-4169707033752919287Wed, 24 Jun 2009 06:41:00 +00002009-06-24T15:46:16.928-07:00sustainabilitydesign industryenvironmentgardeningToday marks the fourth year of this blog, and it's incredible to look back and note how much has changed since that first post. It appeared almost a full year before the venerable Garden Rant, a month before the venerable Pruned. House & Garden was still in publication. There were still gardening shows on HGTV."Social media" really wasn't, yet. There was no public Facebook, no Twitter. (Given http://verdancedesign.blogspot.com/2009/06/happy-anniversary-blog.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13940439.post-4371477290970753336Tue, 16 Jun 2009 05:49:00 +00002009-06-18T10:10:29.112-07:00plantingservicesDIYdesign processdesign industrybudgethardscapedesign principleslightingI wrote previously on when and why to take on your own project. In a nutshell: do what you love because you love to do it, not to save money — then hire a pro for the rest. But if you're inclined to do any of it yourself, you probably are conscious of the money. So whether you work with a designer first or go straight to the contractor, here are a few ways any homeowner can work more efficiently http://verdancedesign.blogspot.com/2009/06/getting-your-moneys-worth.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13940439.post-1697272527448984793Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:16:00 +00002009-06-18T10:00:24.196-07:00specimen plantsseasonsbutterfliesI can't tell you how to pronounce it, but I will tell you the 'Lochinch' butterfly bush (pictured here with pink Cistus 'Victor Reiter') is one of my favorite Buddlejas for the garden. Its light blue-gray foliage is a wonderful foil for almost any other color—burgundy Berberis, purple Limonium, white 'Iceberg' rose, orange poppies or Gaillardia—the list goes on. So, too, do the fragrant blooms, http://verdancedesign.blogspot.com/2009/06/whos-blooming-today-buddleja-lochinch.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13940439.post-7521081084398553034Wed, 10 Jun 2009 04:01:00 +00002009-06-10T20:25:28.057-07:00specimen plantsdesign processdesign industrybudgetlightingNot low cost—just high valueI went to a presentation today sponsored by a couple of my favorite suppliers, Bamboo Pipeline and Monrovia Growers. And one of the executives, whose job it is to understand things like business cycles, described our current era as "the Age of Value": consumers obviously aren't throwing money around indiscriminately; but despite our economic woes, neither are they http://verdancedesign.blogspot.com/2009/06/age-of-value.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13940439.post-1277009757004969366Wed, 27 May 2009 16:51:00 +00002009-05-27T10:27:56.176-07:00DIYhorticultureinspirationshome valuebudgetdesign principles…sigh…Apparently, I'm obsolete. Not as in outdated; just as in, well, redundant. It's a shame, really, This was going to be a good career. It seemed to have everything I wanted: the chance to create beauty, inspire people, help the planet, soak in a little sun and learn a little Latin.Sure, I wasn't going to get rich at it. But affording the mortgage by drawing pretty pictures and tromping http://verdancedesign.blogspot.com/2009/05/our-services-are-no-longer-needed.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13940439.post-9090339708154366387Tue, 19 May 2009 05:52:00 +00002009-05-19T00:36:20.929-07:00design processseasonsdesign industrybudgetIt's that time of the year when perfectly good landscape designers seem to vanish into thin air. Gone are the witty blog posts. Gone are the tweets. Emails languish. Voicemails vanish.Where is everybody?!Most likely, we're at one of three places:Our computers and/or drafting tablesOur clients' homesThe local nursery, rockyard, or furniture storeIn other words, we're in our primetime, working likehttp://verdancedesign.blogspot.com/2009/05/incredible-disappearing-designer.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13940439.post-6725059773683900091Fri, 15 May 2009 16:37:00 +00002009-05-15T09:49:35.166-07:00specimen plantsnativesOne of my absolute favorite California native plants, Romneya coulteri or Matilija poppy, began throwing out its huge fried-egg blooms a couple of days ago. At 7' tall and even wider in just its second year with me, this perennial is too large for many gardens (including mine, but that hasn't deterred me). And unfortunately, it resents being transplanted, and is notoriously difficult to propagatehttp://verdancedesign.blogspot.com/2009/05/whos-blooming-today-romneya-coulteri.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13940439.post-7671780195993358281Sat, 11 Apr 2009 18:20:00 +00002009-04-11T13:02:50.021-07:00specimen plantsplantingurban spacesdesign principlesSome of the knowledge we lose living in urban and suburban areas is how plants naturally grow. As in, how BIG. As a result, we put big shrubs in the garden where little shrubs should go (I tend to make this mistake with Viburnum); and place trees too close to structures or crowd them together.In this example at a Peninsula elementary school, two redwoods and one Atlas cedar have been triangulatedhttp://verdancedesign.blogspot.com/2009/04/learning-from-big-guys-pt-2.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13940439.post-3517204323152428228Wed, 08 Apr 2009 23:39:00 +00002009-04-08T17:19:29.845-07:00specimen plantsseasonsdroughtgardeningToday the purple (or orchid) rockrose, Cistus purpureus, began its show. This is one of my favorite shrubs: drought tolerant, evergreen, resinously aromatic foliage, and of course these flowers that go with any color I can imagine. I especially enjoy it with silver companions such as Salvia chamedryoides, Santolina, and Lavandula stoechas. In fact, my only problem with the Cistus is that it gets http://verdancedesign.blogspot.com/2009/04/whos-blooming-today-cistus-purpureus.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13940439.post-2371921653611008852Wed, 01 Apr 2009 07:07:00 +00002009-04-01T00:26:53.811-07:00turfpolicyirrigationdroughtwater managementSACRAMENTO, Calif. - April 1, 2009 - Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) today lifted the state's year-long drought emergency order on the news that an enormous water reservoir has been discovered along California's western border. Although the exact size of the aquifer has yet to be determined, reports indicate it may be hundreds of miles across http://verdancedesign.blogspot.com/2009/04/massive-water-discovery-ends-california.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13940439.post-6615513724375630541Mon, 23 Mar 2009 05:51:00 +00002009-03-23T01:06:46.165-07:00plantingediblesbudgetgardeningRaymond in Sonoma County, who believes the return of circa-1998 wealth is more likely than romantic evenings in his hot tub, writes:"I have a 10' x 10' concrete slab that was designed for a hot tub, but in these troubling economic times, we've decided to simplify and use the space for a vegetable garden. My question: Can I build a planter box directly over the concrete? And if so, how deep would http://verdancedesign.blogspot.com/2009/03/q-planter-boxes-on-concrete.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13940439.post-5308856891666124280Fri, 20 Mar 2009 21:12:00 +00002009-03-20T15:06:07.112-07:00policyediblesenvironmentgardeningIn trying economic times, folks are inclined to grow their own produce. George Ball (of Heronswood Nursery, Burpee Seed Co., The Cook's Garden et al.) recently wrote that, despite declining sales of ornamental plants, "we’re awash with early orders of herb and vegetable seeds, transplants and fruit bushes." And yesterday we learned that the First Family is putting in a little plot as well. (http://verdancedesign.blogspot.com/2009/03/growing-your-own.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13940439.post-2568442348058941122Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:13:00 +00002009-03-20T14:50:34.574-07:00specimen plantsinspirationseventsdesign principlesgardensIf you were following me on twitter yesterday you know I was at the SF Flower & Garden Show. It's an interesting show for a number of reasons: the new venue, the specter of finality (since lifted), and — I'm sorry, I have to say it — the meh-ness of the gardens themselves.Why do people go to garden shows? In a word, for inspiration. We want to see the newest plants, the prettiest pots, the http://verdancedesign.blogspot.com/2009/03/best-in-show.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13940439.post-7940008332129131517Thu, 19 Mar 2009 18:35:00 +00002009-03-19T21:29:35.265-07:00urban spacespolicyinspirationsdesign principlesSeriously? You're going to build this big beautiful shallow stream, connect it to a pedestrian mall with an enticing sun-drenched lawn... then say "no water contact allowed"?Nice.http://verdancedesign.blogspot.com/2009/03/dont-touch-water.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13940439.post-1022528688523879735Wed, 18 Mar 2009 22:27:00 +00002009-03-19T21:30:40.115-07:00specimen plantsseasonsgardeningNot to be left behind, the first few Tulipa 'Juan' started blooming today. In addition to the name and the fantastic hot orange/yellow flower, I really like the purple variegation on the foliage. This has naturalized quite nicely here in Palo Alto; again, from www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com .http://verdancedesign.blogspot.com/2009/03/whos-blooming-today_18.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13940439.post-3989218051751054023Mon, 16 Mar 2009 17:06:00 +00002009-03-19T21:30:27.616-07:00specimen plantsseasonsgardeningThe first buch of Tulipa 'Lady Jane' opened up today, one year naturalized. (That's fragrant Narcissus 'Falconet' in the background.) Both from www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com.http://verdancedesign.blogspot.com/2009/03/whos-blooming-today.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13940439.post-2664236182524558940Sat, 14 Mar 2009 03:18:00 +00002009-03-13T22:02:26.911-07:00sustainabilityseasonsinvasive speciesintegrated pest management (IPM)organicgardeningThe sun's been shining for a week now, so it's officially spring around here no matter what the calendar or thermometer say. If you need further proof: both my neighbor and I busted out our lawn mowers in the last week for the first time in months; my broccoli, which I swear I just planted, has bolted and gone to flower; the annual weeds like dandelion and Italian ryegrass have kicked it into http://verdancedesign.blogspot.com/2009/03/sights-sounds-and-synthetic-compounds.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13940439.post-8055054780150097518Tue, 03 Mar 2009 08:50:00 +00002009-03-03T02:00:52.924-08:00irrigationdroughtnativeswater managementRain or no rain, it's officially a drought emergency. I hate being right about things like this.So: are you ready to cut your water consumption by 20%? Even before you kill your lawn, schedule a house call: water agencies in San Francisco, the East Bay, Redwood City, and most* of Santa Clara County offer free basic inspections that calculate water usage and point out opportunities for http://verdancedesign.blogspot.com/2009/03/i-hate-being-right-about-this.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13940439.post-3425244595742089944Tue, 24 Feb 2009 20:24:00 +00002009-02-26T00:02:40.215-08:00rainirrigationdroughtdesign principleswater managementgardening“unless the next six weeks deliver rains of biblical proportions, Californians will face major shortages this summer”So writes Kelly Zito in today's Chronicle. When I wrote about the drought a couple of weeks ago, Lake Shasta was at 31% of capacity. After two weeks more or less full of rain... Lake Shasta is at 32% of capacity. For us down here at ground level, it seems like things have really http://verdancedesign.blogspot.com/2009/02/more-rain-please.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13940439.post-6244380925811093585Thu, 19 Feb 2009 01:02:00 +00002009-02-19T00:24:16.154-08:00inspirationsdesign principleswater managementI never really take off my designer's hat, and so I'm always seeing examples of good and not-so-good designs. Two of my favorite places to look for both are corporate campuses and public works: not only do they have to satisfy technical requirements far beyond anything I'll have to deal with in a home garden, they also have the budget to do it right (not perfect, just right). If one of these http://verdancedesign.blogspot.com/2009/02/learning-from-big-guys-pt-1.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13940439.post-4428047493117176775Tue, 17 Feb 2009 16:56:00 +00002009-02-17T10:59:42.876-08:00specimen plantsrainhabitat gardenenvironmentwater managementvernal poolsTwenty-four hours later, the billabong has percolated most of its contents back to the groundwater. I would guess there's about five gallons remaining here, and that's even with a steady light rain over the period.And that's what makes this a detention basin more than a billabong, a vernal pool, or even a rain garden: its function is to slow down urban runoff, not trap it for months, just enough http://verdancedesign.blogspot.com/2009/02/happiness-part-ii.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13940439.post-1951578948830410261Mon, 16 Feb 2009 15:51:00 +00002009-02-17T10:59:59.195-08:00sustainabilityrainhabitat gardenwater managementvernal poolsNow that's more like it...This is probably 70 gallons of rainwater from the past 2 days. I am very pleasantly surprised that the "pond" is keeping pace with the rain; Palo Alto has had close to 3 inches so far.Not that a rain garden is the perfect solution for everybody's front yard, but I do get a warm fuzzy feeling knowing I kept this water (a) away from our foundation and (b) out of the gutter.http://verdancedesign.blogspot.com/2009/02/happiness-is-full-billabong.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13940439.post-5304358077312638543Mon, 16 Feb 2009 06:27:00 +00002009-02-15T22:33:02.319-08:00inspirationsenvironmentchildrenBrian Doyle at Orion Magazine recently reviewed Rick Van Noy's A Natural Sense of Wonder: Connecting Kids with Nature through the Seasons.Brian gets it. And I need say nothing more.http://verdancedesign.blogspot.com/2009/02/natural-sense-of-wonder.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)0