Designers on Design

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Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:51:00 -0800

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In Consideration of Cutting Down a Rather Large Tree

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 16:16:00 -0800

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Is the “idea” of something, the romance of it, enough reason to hold on to it?

We have a cottonwood, center stage of our back yard. It’s a Winnie the Pooh sort of tree, with a rather large trunk- wide enough in girth to hold a small door, maybe even with a small den beyond it… filled with honey jars, of course. That’s my fantasy, anyway.

When a summer breeze ruffles her one million shiny leaves, they flutter about on their stems, creating a glimmer across her entire being. You can bask in this glimmer. You can bask in the whisper even, as they go about their glimmering. This is our cottonwood at its magical best.

There’s a flip side. When her swelling buds cast their winter protection of a bazillion resinous bud scales, the brown particles litter our patios and sift into the grass. The dogs track them inside, all over the carpets and wood floors. They gum up our patio furniture. They stick to our heinies even, gumming up the furniture inside, too.

The next wave of detritus is her red tassels, fluffy crusts that carpet the entire property. I sweep the mess every three or four days, knowing very well, it’s not over. Spring showers cause a downpour of twigs and branches. Autumn brings car-sized piles of leaves. Each year I contemplate...How much would it cost to remove her? What would that feel like?

Then I remember my dream of a swing, made perhaps from the old snowboard leaning against the garage wall. I picture it gliding through the air, Juniper’s feet and hair swinging free, her giggles flying in the wake…Thoughts of removal disperse, like clouds over Sopris.

Like the ocean, the cosmos, life, even- our cottonwood ebbs and flows. She too has her moods and cycles.

She can be ferocious. Sometimes that whisper of her million heart-shaped leaves becomes a bellow. Gusts from nowhere whip across the pasture, up into the yard, in a fury. Her entire canopy lurches first this way, all her leaf tops a dull, mad olive. Her canopy then arcs that way; the underbelly of those million leaves flashing angry silver white. Such displays are fierce, overwhelming.

Mostly though, our cottonwood “just is.” Her presence is a comforting constant we might take for granted. That magnificent silver trunk of hers thrusts from the earth, fifty years in the making. Fifty years! She is truly humongous. She extends her boughs in all directions, her beneficent presence cooling the afternoons of high summer. Pete might sit beneath, without thought for her, as he plays guitar for Juniper. I watch Juju tear about in the shade-laced turf crossing my fingers she doesn’t peal out on a dog turd.

What would it be like without her shade?

My tree consumes a lot of water and casts a yard-filling shadow. My poor vegetable garden can’t compete with either. But what about the redwings and robins that fill her branches? What about their music and liveliness?

Some consider cottonwoods a “trash tree,” one more reason I go back and forth on cutting her down. Am I a tree snob? A honey locust has tiny leaves you don’t have to rake. A maple has showier fall color. An oak has better branching for the swing. A crabapple attracts more birds and have flowers.

But we have a cottonwood. That’s our reality. She is high maintenance. She is competitive. And yes, she generates a lot of shit- but do I consider tossing the cats out with the kitty litter because the pan needs daily cleaning?

Beyond all her madness, our dear cottonwood has her blessings. Inside her core there’s a mother lode of honey. I’ve made up my mind. She’s definitely worth keeping.

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Landscape design and politics 2012

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:00:00 -0800

Did you watch the State of the Union address last night? This year’s election is a critical one for all of us and in particular, landscape design professionals. Whether you are a red state conservative or a blue state liberal, one thing is for sure - you're a member of the Green-Industry. While most of us may have already made up our minds, there are a suprising few that are still sitting on the fence.

Yes, I know that what candidates say can vary with the direction of the wind, but how do the two major parties stand on some of the green-industry’s more important issues? It's unfortunate that we don't have a more rigorous dialogue within our industry. And we can’t go to many of our landscape contracting trade magazines to gain any clarity either. Many of their “opinion pages” simply can’t be trusted to present an open minded viewpoint and often just parrot the thinking of advertisers. So what’s an inquiring mind to do?

Fear not intrepid DonD readers, for I have distilled the issues down to three salient green industry areas and cut n' pasted some political propaganda for you to sift through from the respective party websites...

1. Business & taxes: Landscape designers not only weather the seasonal downturns, but often find themselves at the tail end of construction sequences or remodeling projects. Small design businesses in particular are dependent upon slim margins and have had difficulty staying in business during this economic downturn. Republican thinking points out that more taxation will stifle economic growth, while Democrats supports the idea government can guide and help stimulate growth. Will greater regulation possibly include stricter licensure standards for landscape designers? Who stands for what here?

Democrats: “Democrats are moving forward with a “Made in America” economic plan to strengthen American industries and create jobs for American workers by: Ending tax loopholes that let corporations hide profits overseas, and investing those dollars in small businesses that create jobs in America; Providing tax cuts to small businesses and expanding lending so that businesses can create new jobs; Investing in a clean-energy economy, and providing tax credits to spark manufacturing of windmills, solar panels, and electric cars here at home; and Putting Americans to work rebuilding roads, bridges, rails, and ports, strengthening our economy and our infrastructure across all 50 states”.

Republicans: “Cut taxes to stimulate economy and help families. Budget surpluses are the result of over-taxation of the American people. The weak link in the chain of prosperity is the tax system. Foster capital investment and savings to boost today’s dangerously low personal savings rate. Tax cuts & low interest rates lead to home ownership. Low interest rates open up more housing opportunities than any government program. Affordable housing is in the national interest. That is why tax reform should continue to encourage homeownership. We will turn over to communities abandoned HUD properties for urban homesteading, a citizen effort that has been successful in revitalizing neighborhoods. We affirm our commitment to open housing, without quotas, and we applaud the efforts by the housing industries to assure access for everyone”.

2 2. The environment: Most of us would define ourselves as ecologically minded, but how do we draw the lines between environmental regulation and business responsibility? Is it true that prohibiting the use of certain lawn & garden chemicals is destroying landscape businesses? Are regulations stifling growth or providing much needed environmental protections? Or both?

Democrats: “During the Obama Administration, the Department of Transportation issued new fuel-economy standards, the first mandated increases in fuel economy for cars in decades. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has taken the first steps toward regulating carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants. For the first time, the U.S. will catalogue greenhouse gas emissions from large emission sources-—an important initial step toward measurable and transparent reductions. Democrats have made investments in weatherization programs, energy efficiency, and renewable-energy research, as well as investments in public transit and new rail transportation. For decades it has been clear that the way Americans produce and consume energy is not sustainable. Our addiction to foreign oil and fossil fuels puts our economy, our national security, and our environment at risk. Democrats are working to develop comprehensive energy and climate legislation to protect our environment and grow our economy”.

Republicans: “Private property ownership key to environmental agenda. Republicans know that economic prosperity is essential to environmental progress. We link the security of private property to our environmental agenda because environmental stewardship has been best advanced where property is privately held. People who own the land also protect it. Republicans will safeguard private property rights by enforcing the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment and by providing just compensation whenever private property is needed to achieve a compelling public purpose. Economic prosperity and environmental protection must advance together. Environmental regulations should be based on science. The government’s role should be to provide market-based incentives to develop the technologies to meet environmental standards. We should ensure that environmental policy meets the needs of localities. Environmental policy should focus on achieving results processes”.

Environmental issues to watch and contact your legislators about:

Fertilizer & phosphorus runoff: The EPA has been a lightning rod for controversy, from banning pesticides to enforcing property regulations. Recent studies have shown that phosphorus runoff, largely from fertilizers, is negatively impacting Americas watersheds. What do you think? Should individuals be restricted in the amount of fertilizer they can apply and where? Should phosphorus be further restricted or even eliminated from fertilizer?

Pesticide use: Continuing disagreement will arise as more Americans try to limit chemical use on the basis of ‘The precautionary principle” and try to limit the use of legally available garden chemicals. What do you think? Do individual municipalities have the right to restrict the use of legal, but possibly harmful garden chemicals?

3. Labor & immigration: With record numbers of Americans out of work, will immigration reform be backburnered or become a primary issue in 2012? How does it affect your landscape design business? Are you concerned about illegal labor? Does illegal labor have any impact upon your projects? Will changes in labor standards, immigration amnesty or stricter enforcement affect the quality and costs of landscape projects?

Democrats: “Support comprehensive reform grounded in the principles of responsibility and accountability:Responsibility from the federal government to secure our borders: The Obama Administration has dedicated unprecedented resources to securing our borders and reducing the flow of illegal traffic in both directions.Responsibility from unscrupulous businesses that break the law: Employers who exploit undocumented workers undermine American workers, and they have to be held accountable. Responsibility from people who are living in the United States illegally: Undocumented workers who are in good standing must admit that they broke the law, pay taxes and a penalty, learn English, and get right with the law before they can get in line to earn their citizenship”.

Republicans: “Ensuring the integrity of our borders is vital to ensuring the safety of our citizens. We must know the identity of all visitors who enter the US, and we must know when they leave. We must strengthen our Border Patrol to stop illegal crossings, and we will equip the Border Patrol with the tools, technologies, structures, and sufficient force necessary to secure the border. We will seek stiff penalties for those who smuggle illegal aliens into the country and for those who sell fraudulent documents. The Republican Party supports reforming the immigration system to ensure that it is legal, safe, orderly and humane. To better ensure that immigrants enter the United States only through legal means that allow for verification of their identity, reconnaissance cameras, border patrol agents, and unmanned aerial flights have all been increased at the border. We support these efforts to enforce the law while welcoming immigrants who enter America through legal avenues. We oppose amnesty because it would have the effect of encouraging illegal immigration and would give an unfair advantage to those who have broken our laws”.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Yes, I know that I didn’t include any discussion regarding abortion, gay rights or many of the other important issues. I also didn’t include libertarian, tea party or green party views here. In the interest of brevity, I think you might generally know that when the election comes down to the two major parties, (which it will), in which direction these parties will skew.

That said, how are you voting…and why?

Info from websites such as:

http://www.issues2000.org/Republican_Party.htm#Environment

http://www.democrats.org/

For more on these issues and text go to: http://www.factcheck.org/.

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Size Matters or Aging Gracefully

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:33:00 -0800

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I was in Sydney, Australia over the holidays and had a chance to litterally smell the flowers, as it's summer there. Walking about with time to spare, especially in the Royal Botanical gardens I was so impressed by the trees, the natural skyscrapers that have grown up with the city.

Don't you just go into "AGH" mode when you see trees butchered to accommodate powerlines or worse when a ficus is stuffed into a small planter like an evil stepsisters foot into the proverbial glass slipper. Its downright....not right....right?

But there in the parks, Norfolk Island Pines held there cross-like leaders to the heavens and majestic Moreton Bay Figs spread shelter and shade for the citizens and birdlife. (and those frightening creatures called flying foxes, a bat creature that feasts on fruit) Its an impressive sight to see trees reach a mature height and size.

Along the rivers edge, eucalypts age gracefully swaying their tassled tops in the breeze, mirroring that beauty to the murky water. sigh. Not a nip or tuck in sight. Its a wonder to be awed by nature.

So take a look at these pics.

I did include one of a monsterous plumeria, taking up any airspace possible. Here this decades old plant enchanted me. I wanted to sit on that balcony inhaling the intoxicating perfume or pull up a cushion under it and have blossoms rain down on me-even if it was on the sidewalk. Trees like this should be untouchable for the strength they convey and the measure of time they convey.

A few others show a recently installed succulent/cactus garden of steel and spike and one of the entry gates with golden barrel cactus and bromeliad in bloom. Clearly not designs fearful of size or using space and mulch to enhance the beauty of form.

Enjoy.

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Where Are the Property Lines?

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:45:00 -0800

One of the most time consuming tasks of creating a landscape design often is locating property lines. My residential design clients seldom know the locations of these lines. Frequently, they think they know and are miss-informed. I am not concerned when working on large properties where my design encompasses a large area around the house and out buildings and where that area is a great distance from the edge of the property. Most projects, however, involve locations where the house takes up a great portion of the property.

Usually the property lines are close enough to the house, garage, shed, play structure, driveway, the street, trees and other existing features to create an edge to the design. The relationship of all elements in the landscape with the property lines is integral to the design. In addition, zoning and building regulations reference the property lines.

On rectangular lots I can usually with some detective work arrive at close approximations for the locations of the lines. With house dimensions (hopefully from house plans or plot plans filed with the city) and lot dimensions (filed with the city or on the county GIS site) I can locate the property lines and am able to draw and an accurate representation of the site plan. However, on oddly-shaped lots this is impossible. Usually, the building footprint with setbacks if available from the city is not accurate. The GIS images include roof lines, so do not represent the true dimensions of the houses.

Our local realtors do not provide their clients with accurate information about their property lines and do not advise them to add the location of pins as a contingency to their offer to buy contracts.

I have been considering adding to my design services contract a line stating that the client must provide the location of the pins, the property lines and the location of the house. If they are unable to do so, I will need to charge them for that service. I am interested in how other landscape designers handle this kind of situation. Do you require an accurate site plan before starting work on a project?

I currently have a new project where the house sits on an irregularly-shaped lot. There is no house plan and the new owners do not yet have access to the abstract which may or may not include a site plan. Both neighbors are fairly close and neither know the exact location of the property lines. The driveway, new shed and existing trees and hedges are very close to where the lines most likely are located. In addition, the house does not sit on a north-south or east-west axis. I need to be able to reference its location to a least two property lines. The photos are from this project.

All suggestions are welcomed!

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Using Standards, Part 2

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Vanessa Gardner Nagel, APLD, NCIDQ
Author of Understanding Garden Design
http://SeasonsGardenDesign.com

A contractor's set of plans is kept handy at the site for frequent reference.

Since writing about this topic last month, I chatted with a number of individuals about this issue. I spoke with a designer in California who was, well, fit to be tied because she was trying to cover her client and work around the restrictive laws in California. I’m not an expert on the California law, but it is my understanding that designers in that state need to stay within the realm of “conceptual design only”. Since my discussion with her, I consulted with a good friend who, after many years as an architect, recently retired. He grew up saturated with legal lingo too, because his father was a well-known attorney in Indiana. This comes in handy as an architect, because the profession is rife with liability issues. So he and I had a lengthy discussion over our annual Christmas dinner about “conceptual only” drawings.

What he told me is that a designer cannot stipulate requirements in a drawing when the plans are labeled “conceptual only”. I wasn’t happy about this so I pursued the issue. “What can we do to give our clients some recourse with contractors”, I asked him. He said that we can write a set of guidelines for our clients, not as notes on our plans, but as a document that our clients can attach to their contractor agreement. So while I strongly suggest that you verify, in your own state, whether you can use notes on your plans or not, this is a workaround that will help protect your clients. You may want to have an attorney review your notes to assure that you are not putting yourself in a libelous situation with your client. I would still recommend attaching your drawings to the contract, as well. Reminder: this is not an issue in states where designers do not need to include “conceptual only” on their plans.

As Alan Burke noted last month, PLANET may not be the perfect set of standards when it comes to anything to do with soil and plants. They include non-sustainable methods, but as the California designer suggested to me, we may want to consider the Sustainable Sites initiative to cover that. I would suggest reading through any standards you use to determine which sections you want to reference. Also, I suggest regular review of your referenced standards to make sure nothing has changed since the last time you referenced them. I heard through the grapevine that it’s possible Sustainable Sites may recommend use of only native plants (read: no other plants, not even friendly, non-invasive plants from realms beyond your region). This might be a deal changer as a reference. I know this would not work for me. Although Sustainable Sites didn’t ask my opinion, I offer it anyway. I think it’s an extremist approach. I’ll stop here before I get myself in trouble.

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Simple Outdoor Showers

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 06:27:00 -0800

By Jane Berger, APLD
www.gardendesignonline.com
@gdndesignonline
Facebook page: Garden Design Online

I'm writing an article about a garden in Rhode Island ... and while visiting late last fall, I was struck by the utter simplicity of two outdoor showers designed by the architect.

You enter from the side, step up onto a bluestone platform supported on blocks ... and ... yes ..the cool part about it is that it drains into a gravel pit beneath. What could be easier???

Then, at the guest house down the road, the shower is built directly into one side of the entrance, draining through deck boards (ipe, of course) into the garden bed below, which is planted with water-tolerant species.

Very simple. Very cool.

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Get The Picture?

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 03:31:25 -0800

By Danilo Maffei, APLD

Ever have a hard time getting the client to visualize the end product? Yup, me too and I am sure all of you are nodding your heads right now. In my on-going efforts to increase efficiency and productivity so I can make more money and still have a life, I made the decision earlier this year to take an offer from Vectorworks and test drive their CAD software. After nine months of use I have finally broken out of the 2D paradigm and into the virtual world of 3D design. It has not been all sunshine and lollypops, as I am still figuring out how some of the tools work (I am largely an autodidact, so I have yet to actually take one of their classes), but I have managed to circumnavigate this little issue by combining what I have learned about the program and combined it with the skills I already have. This has produced a nifty little work-around with which I am temporarily satisfied. The images here show how I have taken my 2D/3D plan (which are drawn simultaneously with one action. nice.) which lacks the detail that would otherwise be there had I known how to create it, printing that image out, trace it and add in the details freehand, then add color.

I am taking the long way around right now, but this sure is faster and more accurate than what I was doing before. This spring you can come to my office where I will be having a yard sale with Chartpack markers and trace paper going for cheap!

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Of holidays, horticulture and a deeper search for meaning

Sat, 24 Dec 2011 15:00:00 -0800

Christmas and this wintry season have me thinking about holidays, history and horticulture. It’s somewhat troubling to think about how far our national holidays have strayed from their original meanings, whether you consider the Coca-cola symbolism of Santa sliding down a chimney or the candy colored creation of Valentine’s Day, our holidays have lost almost all their true significance, from the corruption of harvest festivals into Halloween to the far from the Mayflower - bloat of Thanksgiving. And don’t get me started on Easter, either. What ‘peeps’ have to do with Christ’s resurrection is beyond me. These holidays were founded in the seasons and mythology, but flounder now as buying sprees from Madison Avenue.

But I digress.

In addition to the misplaced meaning of our national holidays, we have also lost a large piece of our botanical past. Within your garden lies a deeper, botanical layer of meaning and myth long forgotten, as surely as we don’t recognize the ancient Roman festival of ‘Saturnalia’, the precursor to this modern holy day. It’s fascinating to consider the hidden folklore that surround plants that we see every day. In my own small way, I’ve tried to merge these hidden histories into my efforts, in theatrical gardens and in select projects in which a client will work with me to embrace the spirit of place.

These hidden mysteries of horticulture lie under the leaf clutter of centuries, composting far from our memory. With a bit of careful investigation, I believe that we can open up a novel and new perception within landscape design and develop a fundamental understanding that will help us transcend the mundane and common knowledge of plant shape, color and placement. We malign the simple Juniperus horizontalis as commonplace, forgetting that it was discovered by Meriwether Lewis and brought to Thomas Jefferson. We roughly plant a Witch hazel without knowing that at its base, the faeries sleep in Irish mythology. Innocent daffodils remind us of spring, but are really a sign of death and rebirth. A world of history and mythic belief exists alongside our scientific botanical knowledge. Rich and steeped in magic, it informed our ancestors but we cannot hear it speak to us - of color, fragrance, healing and our past – a time when we were closer to the earth and to our gods than we are today.

A sampling of botanicals and historical belief:

Foxglove: As a “cure” for scarlet fever, foxglove leaves were placed in children’s shoes. Picking foxglove was unlucky and the plant was absolutely forbidden inside the house as this gave witches/the devil access.

Sage: This gypsy ‘toothpaste’ in the 40s and 50s was chopped sage and salt in an equal parts mix, rubbed on the teeth with Irish linen.

Boxwood: Unlucky to bring it indoors, it was said that if you ‘Bring box into the house, take a box out’ .

Daffodil: A funereal flower, Welsh families made a great effort to tidy family graves and dress them with daffodils.

Oak: It was said that when the leaves on the white oak were the size of a mouse’s ear you should plant your corn. A tree of stability, constancy and royal honor. Google “Merlin’s tree” to learn a fascinating story about an ancient oak in England.

Bayberry: Symbolizes illusions and appearances, it was believed to be useful for visions and divining.

Blackberry: This was considered by all to be the food of the faeries and it was extremely taboo to eat them within Celtic Britain.

Bluebell: These were enchanted plants and it was believed that their bells call the faeries to their midnight processions.

Elm: Is associated with shadows, darkness and depression and was used to mark off tainted areas of the countryside.

Lily: Symbolizes sorrow and is closely associated to death. It is used to symbolize danger, caution and deadly beauty.

Strawberry: Used for love spells, its symbolism is that of love, temptation, passion and rewarded effort.

Spruce: This tree represents growth, persistence, strength and endurance.

Hibiscus: Hibiscus symbolizes beauty and fertility, five-petal flowers speak of protection and its random growth that of chaos. It is used for spells involving randomness, glamour and repelling negativity.

Sources: plant-lore.com and uponreflection.co.uk

More here: https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&tbo=1&q=plant+lore&btnG=

As landscape designers search for deeper significance in this short-attention-span world, perhaps we can take a moment to stop this holiday season and look at the mark we are making. To be sure, we look to shape the earth and the spaces around us. We play at god in our little way, stab at a futile control of nature, in even the most native of our landscapes. But we do have a chance in our work to make more than gardens, to do something more meaningful than to simply place plant materials. We have an opportunity to inform more carefully those we come in contact with, impart deeper meaning into our projects and bring those that work with us closer to the earth and to our own past.

Feel the texture in a botanical name, learn the variegation of healing properties, study the past in a flower, find out more – and honor your plant material – by telling it’s story.

(Image: Study of Flowers by da Vinci 1452-1519)

Alan Burke, asla

Landscape architect
Classic Nursery & Landscape Company
Email: alan@classicnursery.com

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Cool Clear Water

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:35:00 -0800

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December 20, 2011

Cool Clear Water

Back in the 80's I was told by an entrepreneur that owning water was the future.

Little did I know, it wouldn't just be about having water but water quality.

My great grandparents built themselves a simple summer cottage on the shores of Georgian Bay, Ontario Canada in 1942. Homesteading of their generation. Nowadays, this "cottage country" has become more built up as descendants retire and move away from expensive Toronto living. They are winterizing the cottages or tearing down and building newer homes. The forested areas are thinning but it still feels quite rural. Everyone still uses septic tanks for waste water disposal and wells are drilled for water.

Back in the 40's Great-Granddad hand-dug a well and hit a natural spring that provided all their drinking water. Cool. Clean. Pure. They were proud of that. He also dug a second well closer to the shore that tapped into the lake itself and served for general household use. Access to water was never a problem. Today those wells are still productive though neither has healthy potable water now...according to my Mom, tests have shown it needs to be boiled first and currently all cottagers and year-rounders drive 10 minutes to a city spigot to fill up their jugs for drinking water. Reminds me of scenes from Africa.

Garbage is the likely culprit. For years everything went to the dump. Now the marshy dumpsites are overwhelmed and are blamed for the affected ground water supply. Locally, inhabitants have been fighting against the locations for new dumpsites that could contaminate more ground water springs that serve so many communities in this area north of Toronto. Recycling efforts have been implemented as well as a composting program.

A recent conversation with an oldtimer informed me that the springs eventually lead to the lake. He explained why when swimming in the lake you can sometimes see bubbles coming up from the rocky bottom and why the water is much cooler in some spots...wow...I never knew that.

A freshwater lake like Georgian Bay is a sensual experience to swim in...with eyes wide open. A rainbow of pre-cambrian granite cobble and lost golfballs are exquisite jewels in a land of loons and ducks. Waves one day and mirror calm the next. Its one of my favorite places on earth.

The water level has been 'receding' noticably since 10+ years....more beach but less water. Some of the locals believe Americans are draining the lake for their insatiable population. :-) Science reports evaporation and possibly a seismic shift like a tilting of a big bowl that creates flooding on one side of the lake and receding shore line on the other.

We have observed an interesting transition at this new water level though. Wetlands have sprouted up attracting more birdlife at the shore. Mom even has a photo of a beaver foraging around. Never saw that as a kid so it's interesting that we actually have nature taking over again, amidst more developments. From an eco view I am grateful for this wetland filtering and creation of new habitat. A funny situation is one of the 'city' neighbors who insisted on installing a beachfront lawn. He is frustrated by the intense grassy growth on his sandy beachfront not realizing it's the side effect of fertilizing his lawn. Elsewhere along the beach the new grassland is less agressive. Sometimes doing less is more.

As a designer, its nice to witness 'the way' of nature to take care of itself in areas that are just left alone. Makes me aware that no matter the imprint I wish to make with my designs-imposing geometry or plant families or color scheme...nature will go for the ride, but without more interference, like editing, weeding, irrigation and pruning..... it will have its own way and dance to its own drumbeat.

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Mind and Body

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 06:39:00 -0800

Frequently when I tell someone I am a landscape designer the response is how lucky I am to be working outside and presumably planting trees and flower beds. The opportunity then arises for me to explain what my job as a landscape designer includes, which hopefully is not digging many holes.

We do spend a great deal of time outside. I consider this a bonus to the job. The time I am on site by myself becoming familiar with its characteristics while measuring and photographing is pleasurable. My mind and body work together gathering information and formulating ideas. Sometimes the weather adds to the pleasure and sometimes subtracts. Discussing hardscape and plant placement with the contractor, making the incremental adjustments and walking through the landscape with the client define what I do when not in my office.

However, there is that other part. The part where I am glued to my computer screen (previously my drawing table), photographs, and internet and published sources can last for hours and may go on for days depending on the size of the project. In my four season climate winter shuts down the outdoor part. There is still plenty to do: projects to draw, research to complete, writing to start, taxes to work on. I can feel my shoulders start to hunch. I am continuing to feed my mind, but not my body.

These words lead me to why my post is two days late. I was feeding my mind and body, but not with design principles and footwork. I had the opportunity to take my horse to a dressage clinic at a local stable with Olympic hopeful Michael Barisone. It is as though for two days I was in another rhelm. The intensity I put my mind and body through takes all of my strength. The result is physical and mental exhaustion and exhilaration. Kind of like surviving a battle. I know this may not sound like fun to you, but I hope all landscape designers will spend time on something else that exercises our brains and our bodies.

I have one more property to measure today before the ice and snow arrive tomorrow and winter the next day.

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Using Standards

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 08:19:00 -0800

Vanessa Gardner Nagel, APLD, NCIDQ
Author of Understanding Garden Design
www.seasonsgardendesign.com

I live in Washington State, but I also work in Oregon because it is only 5 minutes from my house to the Columbia River, the border between the states. The difference between the two with regard to what I can draw for any given project is vast. Oregon has very restrictive laws that do not allow a landscape designer (only a landscape architect) to write specifications for a project. Thank goodness it isn’t an issue in Washington. I find this quite ridiculous as a former interior designer. Indeed, as an interior designer, I was expected to issue specifications AND details for the sake of project clarity. Any details I draw for an Oregon landscape project are restricted to ‘conceptual in nature’, meaning it is up to the contractor to interpret them. Fortunately, there are many good contractors who intelligently connect with the designer to gain a better understanding of the design intent. Unfortunately, there are the few contractors who don’t do that and disrespect the client’s design investment by reinterpreting the design, often with wretched results.

What I decided to do to assure that my clients have some basis of recourse if the installation quality is poor is to look for a set of standards that I could refer to that dictate a minimum level of quality. Contractors with bonds and licenses in each state typically belong to either the Oregon Landscape Contractors Association (OLCA) or the Washington Association of Landscape Professionals (WALP). To become certified these contractors are examined on the basis of PLANET, the Professional Landcare Network. PLANET creates standards and guidelines which are the basis for their examinations. Because they are an international group, it is very likely they are used in each state in the United States.

In my general notes, which are on the cover sheet of each set of working drawings that I issue, I now include a note that says that the contractor must meet all of the standard criteria dictated by PLANET for corresponding portions of the landscape installation on this project. I tell my clients to include the working drawings as part of the contract with their landscape contractor. This way, if the contractor does not meet their obligation to deliver at least the minimum standard of quality, my client has legal options. While this is usually not required of reputable contractors, it is helpful when the client hires a contractor you’ve never heard of or know nothing about. The bottom line is that your client gets the work they pay for (and no less) and that you get a project that accurately reflects the design that you and your client developed.

Photo depicts a contractor reading the working drawings to install a brick pattern for a labyrinth.

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What IS Success?

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 19:29:00 -0800

“The Social Animal- The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement.” Fascinating read!

We hear it often in APLD circles- encouragement to seek inspiration from other areas of interest. A winter goal of mine has been to branch out. Instead of Amazon dot.comming five or six design books (alas, no local bookstore) I went loco at the library, lining up several weeks of new reads to propel my mind to new places.

Since I started reading “The Social Animal,” by New York Times columnist David Brooks, it’s only with great discipline that I am able to put it down. I’m especially intrigued by the notion of “success” because despite my drive and fervor, success fails to be reflected in my annual income.

Sometimes I feel like I’m “just” a garden designer, not a landscape architect. I’m also “just” a sole proprietor, not a part of some dynamo team. As such, I often find myself A) filled with project envy and B) marveling at how some designers make it so big.

What’s the difference between them and me?

“The Social Animal” explores (redefines?) success and its roots through the story of Erica and Harold as they move forward in life, from infancy through marriage and all the pivotal points in between.

Rather than attribute success to outward concepts such as individualism, rationale, IQ, worldly accomplishments or wealth, Brooks tells their story from what he calls the Empire of Emotion- the inner mind. He proposes that it’s the unconscious that propels us towards success. He credits “emotions, intuitions, biases, longings, predispositions, character traits, and social norms” for building character and street smarts. All those touchy feely things? Really? I read on with delight.

Tracing the arc of Erica and Harold's lives, Brooks breaks down each scene to show the inner workings- how powerful the subconscious is in guiding us towards success or failure. Mining the latest research across many fields of study from institutions around the world, Brooks shares with us newer understandings of human nature.

We each define success differently. Over Thanksgiving, between reading, cooking, friends and food, I pondered all that I’m grateful for. I can’t believe I have the life I have- it’s full and rich in many ways. I consider myself successful and am enchanted with my life. Yet...

I still can’t help but marvel, as I work at growing my very small business, at how others seem to just launch right out of the gates. Perhaps Erica and Howard will shine a brighter light on the depths of that.

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Empathy for allelopathy

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:56:00 -0800

“Within the infant rind of this small flower,

Poison hath residence and medicine power".

(Shakespeare, Romeo & Juliet)

The lessons of companion planting and in counterpoint, the natural rivalries that transpire in botany through allelopathy represent a missed opportunity and, for those that look closely, a potential design tool. It seems to me that more research should be done in the realm of allelopathy in particular, as much can be learned here. This chemical process is a complex one, whereby a plant releases compounds into the soil or air to inhibit adjacent plantings and minimize competition. While we understand some allelopathic relationships, we are just beginning to scratch the surface. Understanding more about allelopathy and improving our ability to harmonize horticultural relationships will help us to become better plant designers and create healthy and successful designs based more closely upon natural associations.

Rooted in the Greek term for “harm”, allelopathy's most common example is the Walnut tree. Here, the chemical secretion of the chemical “juglone” into the soil inhibits understory plant growth, in effect creating a natural weed barrier. Particularly effective against acidic plants such as Azalea, Birch or Pine, allelopathic chemicals reduce plant growth by interfering with a nearby plant’s ability take in nutrient or perform cell division. These chemicals may also simply slow growth through by denying water or other nutrients. Plants can release these inhibitors through attached or fallen leaves, buds, flowers, roots or in support of a fungi or bacteria that in turn discharges the chemical. These chemical releases are typically juglone, cyanogenic glycoside, phenols, coumarins or terpenoides. Good drainage can minimize this kind of damage or conversely, assist in taking advantage of this effect, depending upon your orientation to it for your own particular plant layout.

(From the Virginia Cooperative Extension)

Marigolds, Red clover, Brassicas and some grains provide an allelopathic resistance to insects, benefitting plants that surround them and providing a natural IPM approach for those that wish to minimize use of garden chemicals. Herbs that can inhibit surrounding plant growth include Artemisia and Fennel. Primroses, Peppergrass, Wormwood and Milkweed all inhibit adjacent plants. In addition, Laurel, Forsythia, Asters, Digitalis, Rhododendron , Kinnikinnik, Roses, Lilac, Mock Orange, Elderberry , Pine, Eucalyptus and some Maples also have allelopathic properties as do Sunflowers, in this case inhibiting nitrogen fixation as well.

In a 2008 online article, Robert Dailey lists some plants with allelopathic relationships:

Salt Cedar inhibits almost every other plant

Sugar maple inhibits Yellow Birch, White spruce

Hackberry inhibits Herbs, Grasses

Eucalyptus inhibits Shrubs, Herbs, Grasses

Black Walnut inhibits Pines, Apple, Birch, Black Alder, Hackberry, Basswood, Azalea

Juniper inhibits Grasses

Sycamore inhibits Yellow Birch, Herbs, Grasses

Oak inhibits Red Maple, Red Pine

Sassafras inhibits Elm, Silver Maple, Box elder

Balsam poplar inhibits Green Alder, Southern red oak, Sweet gum,

Laurel inhibits Black Spruce

Manzanita inhibits Herbs, Grasses

Bearberry inhibits Pine,Spruce, Sumac, Douglas fir

Elderberry inhibits Douglas fir

Forsythia inhibits Kentucky bluegrass, Goldenrod, Sugar Maple, Bl. Cherry, Tulip Poplar, Red Pine

How can we use this information? Beyond understanding PH and soil compatibility, knowing a plant’s allelopathic properties can help us determine the best fit in a mix of botanicals, ensuring that the plant materials that we want to protect get a desired “assist” and those that we wish to inhibit are denied growth. Understanding allelopathy will provide a natural support in minimizing weed growth as well…

Alan Burke, asla
Landscape architect
alan@classicnursery.com

Bibliography: (from greenhands.com)

Plant Against Plant, by Ellen M. Silva, Extension Technician, Department of Horticulture, Virginia State University.

Black Walnut Toxicity to Plants, Humans and Horses, by Richard C. Funt and Jane Martin - Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet HYG-1148-93 -

Trees and Turf: are they Compatible?

Allelopathy: from concept to reality, by M. An, J. Pratley and T. Haig, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2650

International Allelopathy Society .

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The Sole Proprietor

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 06:04:00 -0800

I am sitting in my office on a cold, sunny, windy November morning. Iowa public radio classical, with NPR news on the hour, plays behind me. I will prepare to meet with a client this afternoon to deliver a final drawing and present an estimate for installation. I will reply to emails, pay a few bills, do some association work and try to clear my desk of some of the piles of papers, books and catalogues. I will do all of this in the peace and quiet of my office in my home. I love this aspect of being a sole proprietor.

However, in the back of mind I list the tasks I will still need to accomplish. Some have been waiting for months until the winter arrives and I will have all of that extra time. It always turns out that there is not enough time to accomplish it all before the new season is upon me.

A large box with a new printer, fax, scanner machine has been waiting so long outside the door to my office that it has become a surface on which to pile stuff. I cannot scan anything until I set it up. I did download Vectorworks 2012 and started to go through the getting started CD. I must finish that before the webinar I am taking in December about the program. I am still drawing in VW2011.

I must back up both of my computers in a more organized way. I most certainly need to organize my photos in a better way and be sure they are saved in additional places.

I need to put in place the steps I learned about in Chris Heiler's recent webinar on Search Engine Organization, update my Facebook business page, write a new blog post for my website, get out a newsletter, write thank you notes and holiday cards, catch up with LinkedIn and write this blog post.

It's time to start sponsorship calls for the 2012 APLD Sponsorship Program. I am now doing the same kind of work for the Johnson County Heritage Trust. And I want to write and draw, two activities that have great professional value and that I love to do.

And, oh yes, it is almost time to prepare for my 2011 tax return.

Life outside of work needs to be scheduled as well. Those pups are waiting.

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Trees - a love poem

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:39:00 -0700

Once again my beloved trees have been victims of the increasingly severe weather created by climate change. Fellow New Jersey poet, Joyce Kilmer said it better than I can. The trees here are broken and uprooted in devestation worse that that of hurricane's Irene's damage 2 months ago. I am not going to share photos of that damage, instead, Kilmer's poem and an image of the oldest living white oak which is about 10 miles from here. The oak has survived for more than 600 years and is older than the graveyard it shades.

Trees

I THINK that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree. --Joyce Kilmer

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Rethinking the Wild, Wild West

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 13:31:00 -0700

Yes, ruts are easy to drop a wheel into. It takes serious effort (and courage at times) to turn the handle bars, brave the deep lip and pop back out on the trail.

I get stuck in the western landscapes I've been designing for almost 15 years now. At times, I find myself slipping handwritten cards into the mail boxes of newly built contemporary homes, eager for a change, soliciting an opportunity to design something fresh. (An aside- I'm open to more professional approaches. Anyone? Anyone?)

Heading to the family ranch on vacations, we always stop in Pinedale, a po-dunk cow town on the Green River, south of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, at the foot of the might Windies. Western cliches abound in this seasonal tourist town: false log fronts; covered wagons and elk statues; endless racks mounted on endless walls, both inside and out...enough to turn me off of western Americana..forever. It was a delightful surpise to see the new landscaping at a bank located on the main drag.

It excited me. The wildness of it was too perfect for a frontier town. I loved the cascading, mounding plants spilling over onto the sidewalk- not a quality often associated with xeriscape in the West. The abundance of tall western sage, with it's burly, twisted wooden trunks and furry silver foliage, looked fabulous against the autumn color of the roses. The yellowing daylily foliage sprayed vibrantly in mounds at the feet of its larger companions. This surprising trio of plants was one I had never considered bringing together in one garden. Against the stone wall, it seemed perfectly suited to the wild, wild west. What saves this from looky "messy" is the organizing element of the raised curb and contrasting concrete colors. I felt my wheel grip level ground again.

Early Christmas shopping at The Cowboy Shop, one of the first things my little girl, Juniper, ran to was this truly funky, rather contemporary chair. More often than not, the common themes of "ranch land" furniture run along the lines of burled lodge pole pieces, antlers or hooves. Overpriced furniture made of cancerous pine trunks or dead animal parts has never tempted me, but the chair pictured above? Why did Bakelite come to mind? I imagined some artist rocking out to Gwen Steffani when they created this number.

And speaking of rocking out? The boot display was pretty crazy too. Long gone are the simple Tony LLamas and Justin Boots of the 80s. These and many others could have been custom made for Steven Tyler by Ed Hardy!

It was a fun detour that leaves me incredibly inspired to rethink western design. Next time I hit a rut, I'll be sure to pop a wheelie on the way back out.

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Yes, deer.

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 10:38:00 -0700

(It’s a plague of locusts, except they're cute & hairy 100 pound beasts)...

Years ago I was asked to design gardens and landscaping for a rustic log home in a remote area. Deer were constantly on the property foraging the vegetation, killing much of the owner’s ornamental planting. Researching the problem (and with a number of distracting jobs in the hopper), I quickly specified “deer-proof” plants from a list that I found in the Sunset Western Garden Book. A week after installation, I got a call from the client. “They’ve eaten everything” – and they had, almost all of the plants from the list. I realized then my mistake, one that has informed my thinking ever since. I had not “geomanced the site”, didn't understand the deer life cycle and I really hadn’t brought any eco-analytical skills to the task at hand. On the second round, we installed carefully specified natives and ornamentals that, though sometimes foraged, survived to offer seasonal color and re-establish habitat.

As we head into the winter season, you may notice increased plant damage due to deer and other animal browsing, as foliage and food sources diminish. Beyond the scourge of cranefly, aphids and other insect pests here in the northwest, our mammalian villians traditionally include moles & voles, mountain beaver, common beaver and the deer that wreak havoc on our gardens. Yes, deer may be cute but they can be devastating. (Kind of like my ten year old when she gets really mad). Deer may eat hundreds of different kinds of plants and close to 10 pounds of food daily, loosely browsing many different plants in a garden. Preferring new shoots and budding plants in spring, deer also are drawn to acorns, vegetables, grasses and other young and tender plants. A ruminant animal, deer swallow food quickly, then regurgitate and chew their cud later at a safer location. Extensive damage can be seen in autumn and winter, as deer browse evergreen boughs and hardy shrubs left untouched in spring and summer. Deer prefer to be near a protective natural canopy, typically a forested area or thick foliage.

Here in the Pacific Northwest we commonly encounter the common mule deer and two subspecies, black-tailed deer on the western side of the Cascade mountain range and the Columbian white-tailed deer, listed as endangered. White-tailed deer can be found in Oregon, along the Columbia river and in Southwestern Washington.

Beyond educating your clients to tolerate deer in a habitat that the animals may have become accustomed to, there are a number of approaches that landscape designers can take to reduce deer damage as they work to develop appropriate and sustainable habitat. You should of course specify deer-resistant plants. These may typically be spinier materials, tomentose or thickly leaved...and counter-intutively, plants with a stronger fragrance. A simple solution to minimizing deer activity is to allow a well-trained and unchained dog to “patrol the perimeter”. In my case, I do not advocate “invisible” dog fences, as I feel that these devices provide a cruel shock (and frankly are a form of animal abuse. Don’t agree? Well, try on a collar.)

Absent this, you might be designing a fence. The fence will need to be at least 6 feet in height and 8ft is better, should local rules permit. Suprisingly, an opaque fence that does not allow the deer to see a safe landing zone on the oposite side may be effectively as short as 5 1/2 ft in height. My particular economical choice is to install a 6ft. black vinyl coated welded-wire mesh fence, punctuated by 4x4 posts. This type of barrier tends to almost disappear when viewed from a distance, preserving the look of the natural character. In some cases, it may be advisable to “mark” the fence at regular intervals with nursery tape or cloth, so the deer can readily see it and learn to browse elsewhere.

The WA State Dept of Fish & Wildlife also recommends this natural spray deer deterrant. Simply mix the following in a 1-gallon tank sprayer:

Natural Deer Deterrent:

2 beaten and strained eggs— strain them to remove the white strings surrounding the yolk, which otherwise will plug up your sprayer).

1 cup milk, yogurt, buttermilk, or sour milk, 2 tsp. Tabasco sauce or cayenne pepper

20 drops essential oil of clove, cinnamon, or eucalyptus, found in small bottles at health food stores

1 tsp. cooking oil or dormant oil, 1 tsp. liquid dish soap

Top off the tank with water and pump it up. Shake the sprayer occasionally and mist onto dry foliage. One application will last for 2 to 4 weeks in dry weather.

There is a lot to know about these big fellas, so best to study up. You can find Pacific Northwest deer-related lists and more info here: http://green.kingcounty.gov/gonative/Article.aspx?Act=view&ArticleID=18 , http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/deer.html.

In the end, it may not be appropriate to completely deter deer, as we have to adopt innovative ways to integrate creative designs with the evolution of suburban habitat. As home sites reach further into natural animal corridors and development forces animals to range further for food, it is our responsibility to educate homeowners to better co-exist with the native character in all its facets – animal, vegetable and mineral.

(BTW, if you think deer are bad, we had a client last year that needed to keep BEARS out of his garden. Our solution? While carefully watching out for those pesky critters we built a 6 foot+ heavy guage galvanized steel mesh fence. You can see it here …)

Best to you all -

Alan Burke, asla
Landscape architect
alan@classicnursery.com

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Whom Do Awards Programs Serve?

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 20:28:00 -0700

As the winter approaches so does the time to looks at one's projects and collect drawings and photos to prepare to enter design competitions for the next year. At this point we realize we did not get the photos taken at the time we should have been out taking photos. Of course, we were busy meeting new clients or on installation sites. Or maybe the plants did not grow in enough, or the client moved, or the wall the building contractor built fell down.

In order to have projects to submit we need clients. We need stellar designs. We need to have those stellar designs installed. We need clients with the means to afford having the plans implemented. And then we need time for the landscapes to mature, particularly when they are largely plant driven.

In most of America, homeowners do not have the incomes to have entire landscapes installed. For them hiring a landscape designer to create a new entry or a new front yard is an enormous step. It is a serious commitment to hire the designer and find the money in their budget to pay for a design and installation. These people are very dear to me and I am grateful for the confidence they have in me. However, I will not find a project to submit among the yards of these hardworking Iowans.

Recently, APLD created a category for smaller gardens, which was a welcomed change. I was hopeful until I heard that an award winner's project cost only $15,000! For my clients that would be, not a small fortune, but an amount beyond their ability to spend.

I hope this does not sound like sour grapes. For full disclosure I will admit that I have entered two competitions and am batting 50/50. I am not sure it is worth the effort to do it again.

So, who benefits? Hopefully, the award winners and the profession of landscape design. I hope consumers are not thinking, "Wow, that is beautiful, but I could never afford it."

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Rocks in my Head

Sat, 15 Oct 2011 13:51:00 -0700

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Its Chaos out there..forgive me for posting early- I need help!....This is the situation.

My client and her husband collected rocks for years. What was once a lawn had grown in and appeared to be slowly ingesting an unfathomable heap of 'bones'. "No problem" I said...."I can work with them...a fine Japanese zen rock garden for your 100 year old Craftsman house frontyard you shall have".

Well, I got what I asked for. And it ain't pretty. A designer's challenge. A rock puzzle. Oh, where are those notes from my rock workshop at last conference in Cleveland?

We started by un-earthing a 'licorice allsorts' of Granite boulder and cobble, lavarock in black and red, sedimentary types- sandstone and...other?, crumbling, colorful, igneous, Schist! Even foundation stones from an old bank building! All sizes too. What's a gal to do?

A pressurewash got rid of blackwidows and revealed the true surface condition. I started with the separation and sizing of the foundation stones and elected to use those as a pathway as we had plenty. They were the most regular. The clients special rocks and ones I deemed sculpturally attractive were set aside for a future Andy Goldsworthy-esque cairn installation. The downright uglies-too battered and bruised would be given a decent burial and afterlife as foundation support for setting our bigger boulders in the main focus of the front yard-a dry creek installation. And the rest would find there way into the stream so to speak....

fast forward to yesterday. We are in the thick of it. Showtime.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to commune with the boulders, asking them where they might like to be in the landscape. It was like auditioning them. Where are you from? How long were you in the ground? What is your best side? and tell me or let me guess....what is your spirit? Oh yes now...I am getting a message....you are a turtle rock that wants to float in the quiet pond.....hmmmm no? ok then.....yes I know you are a standing stone, spirit reaching for the heavens and symbol of longevity and strength in adversity.

A crew of 4 were waiting for my command and the yinyang of stress and calm were circling. sigh. Nothing like onsite experience. Where do they go? How to organize this chaos. Natural rules do not apply.

I realized my conflict lies in that I wish to create something that feels authentic. That would usually mean that the rock is predominantly one type showing various signs of age and wear depending where that rock occurs in the setting. I would select boulders with scale. Rounded smoother lines would indicate windworn cliffs and water erosion over time while sheltered or northfacing ones would show signs of cleaving from frozen or constant water and moss.

However, my reality is a fantasyland where several rock types will exist in the same landform. It can't be 'authentic'. I don't have enough of any one type and purchasing large quantities is not an option. I forgot to mention that this is to be a memorial garden to the husband who recently passed. I need to showcase these memory stones.

I have a few days to consider. Input is welcome.

I don't want it to look like a disneyland mini-golf in a westernized version of a japanese garden. Or would that be ok? and run with it. ommmmmm.

thankyou any thoughts are welcome

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