The Designer – Spring 2017

thedesıgner ASSOCIATION OF

PROFESSIONAL LANDSCAPE DESIGNERS

Spring 2017

Problem Solving INSPIRED BY INTERVENTION

DESIGN BY SUBTRACTION

PLANT APPS: STREET TREES

editor’sletter There’s a Design for That

A

ll of design—in the landscape and in the broader world—is essentially problem solving. Making packages easier to open or more environmentally friendly. Creating book layouts that are easy to read and instructions that eliminate IWBD (Ikea Wrench & Bolt Disorder), caused by repeated head banging due to frustration while assembling modular furniture.

Your problem solving creates spaces for families to enjoy get-togethers or lowers the heat index in a busy parking lot. You add beauty to boring suburban builder landscapes and screen noxious views for artist studios. You break up a behemoth of a lawn into manageable “rooms” for relaxing or specify the perfect piece of outdoor furniture to facilitate intimate conversations.

Does all of that problem solving exhaust you? In this issue you’ll find tips to lighten the load. Vanessa Gardner Nagel, APLD, and Elizabeth Przygoda-Montgomery, APLD, offer concrete solutions for dealing with wind, elevation changes, and narrow spaces while working on client projects. Andrea Nilsen Morse tackles where to start with street trees when they’re part of your project. Marti Neely, APLD, shares her “Design by Subtraction” technique, while Carolyn Mullet shares inspiration found while leading garden tours hither and yon. (Check out her 2017 lineup here.) Taking better photos is always a problem, for me anyway. I asked photographer Mark Turner for some hints on building a better portfolio, regardless of the type of camera you have.

Finally, if you need some fun after all of that learning, tag along with Jenny Peterson as she guides you on a designer’s tour through Austin, Texas, in this Spring’s Wander.Lust. feature. Not every problem can be solved by getting outside—of your routine, your house, or your city—but it’s a good start.

KATIE ELZER-PETERS

2

|

apld.org

EDITOR@APLD.ORG

Where your vision feels right at home.

From pergolas and outdoor kitchens, to fences, arbors, and more, Walpole will meet your custom design needs. Our finished handcrafted structures are kitted and shipped nationwide.

Call 800-343-6948 or visit walpoleoutdoors.com TM

Serving professionals directly nationwide since 1933 • Projects shown crafted with low maintenance AZEKŽ

Succulent planters overlooking San Fransico Bay from the book, Succulents: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing, Designing, and Growing 200 Easy-Care Plants by Robin Stockwell.

For more see page 14.

4

|

apld.org

contents SPRING 2017 9 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE 10 DESIGN ROUNDUP Visit, Read, Spec

BY KATI E ELZER -PETER S

18 BUSINESS How to take Better Photos of your Work

BY KATI E ELZER -PETER S

22 WANDER.LUST. Austin, Texas

BY J EN N Y PETER SON

34 PLA NT A PP(LI CA TI ON)S Street Trees

BY A N DR EA N I LSEN MOR SE

42 DESI GN MA S TE R CLA S S Design by Subtraction

BY MA R TI N EELY, A PLD

52 IN THE FIELD Problem Solving: Elevation Changes

BY VA N ESSA GA R DN ER N AG EL , A PLD

56 Small Spaces

BY ELI ZA B ETH PR ZYGODAMON TGOMERY, A PLD

59 Wind

BY VA N ESSA GA R DN ER N AG EL , A PLD

62 TRAVEL INSPIRATION Inspired by Intervention

BY CA R OLYN MU LLET ON THE COVER : I STOCK THI S SPR EA D: PHOTOGR A PH FR OM THE B OOK, SUCCULE NT S: T H E ULTI MATE G UI DE T O CH OOSI NG , DE SI G NI NG , AN D G ROWI NG 200 E ASY-CARE PLANTS

BY R OB I N STOCKW ELL

apld.org

|

5

thedesıgner EDITOR IN CHIEF Katie Elzer-Peters

Andrea Nilsen Morse

ART DIRECTOR

Plant Applications: Street Trees

Travel Inspiration: Inspired by Intervention

p. 34

p. 62

Andrea Nilsen Morse is the Owner and Principal Designer at Nilsen Landscape Design, LLC, based in Marblehead, MA. Andrea earned a Certificate in Landscape Design from the Boston Architectural College in 2010, and left a corporate career to launch her own design practice. As a LEED Green Associate, Andrea strives to incorporate sustainable ideas into her designs and offers her clients a thoughtful, creative and professional approach to their landscape projects.

Carolyn Mullet is an award-winning designer who received formal training in residential landscape design from George Washington University following her first career as a potter.

Carolyn now provides design services through Carex: Garden Design by Carolyn Mullet and hosts European garden travel experiences through carexTours. She serves as the APLD DC/MD/ VA chapter president and board member, a Garden Conservancy regional representative, and volunteers with the Takoma Park Open Space Committee.

She has received five Grand Awards and two Awards of Distinction from the Landscape Contractors Association.

Marti Golon

Carolyn Mullet

COPY EDITOR

Claire Splan EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Denise Calabrese, CAE ASSOCIATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Lisa Ruggiers MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR

Angela Burkett COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

Michelle Keyser EVENTS DIRECTOR

Lori Zelesko MEMBERSHIP, CERTIFICATION & CHAPTER ASSOCIATE

Kelly Clark COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATE

Courtney Kuntz FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR

Jennifer Swartz DATABASE MANAGEMENT ADMINISTRATOR

Leona Wagner EVENT SPECIALIST

Jamie Hoffman OFFICE SPECIALIST

Joci Sykes

>>Click name to email us!

For information on advertising in The Designer, contact communications@apld.org >>Click here for our submission guidelines

contributors Vanessa Gardner Nagel APLD, NCIDQ

Marti Neely APLD

Jenny Peterson

Design Master In the Field: Class: Design by Elevation Changes Subtraction and Wind p.52, 59 p. 42

Wander.Lust.

Austin, Texas

Vanessa is the owner of Seasons Garden Design LLC in Vancouver, Washington, and the author of Understanding Garden Design and The Designer’s Guide to Garden Furnishings.

She is a director on APLD’s international board, and has won numerous awards for her designs, including an APLD Merit Award and an Award of Excellence from Sunset magazine’s Landscape Design Competition.

Jenny Peterson is an Austin, Texas–based garden designer with her firm, J. Peterson Garden Design, as well as an author and speaker.

She specializes in designing, writing, and speaking about gardens that enhance the quality of life, heal from the inside out, and help to create balance and wellness. She is author of The Cancer Survivor’s Garden Companion: Cultivating Hope, Healing & Joy in the Ground Beneath Your Feet (St. Lynn’s Press 2016).

Marti Neely, APLD, is the principal of Marti Neely Design and Associates, a design studio that specializes in residential landscape design. Services are provided directly to both homeowners and landscape professionals.

She is nationally certified through the Association of Professional Landscape Designers.

Marti has been actively involved on the national and state levels promoting the certification and professionalism of landscape designers, and is currently serving as President of the Nebraska Nursery and Landscape Association.

p. 22

Elizabeth PrzygodaMontgomery APLD In the Field: Problem Solving Small Spaces p. 56

Elizabeth is an awardwinning landscape designer and the founder and principal designer at Boxhill in Tucson, Arizona.

She is a creative stylist, an educator, a public speaker, and a product designer whose line of fire pits has received national acclaim. Educated in Fine Arts from the University of Arizona, Elizabeth also draws on her travels to the Caribbean, Turkey, Thailand, France, and South America to inspire her signature designs.

>>Click bold names for link to website apld.org

|

7

thank you to our

sponsors GOLD

SILVER

BRONZE

8

|

>>Click logos for link to their website apld.org

president’smessage Finding Solutions

I

f it’s not one thing, it’s another! Complaining, griping, and grumbling … problems give us consternation and swear words aplenty!

Procrastination, stalling, and worry arise. We throw ideas at the wall and nothing sticks. The problem-solving process can be more than frustrating. It can be demoralizing, stressful, and unhealthy. But it’s not the problem that defeats us; it is in our relationship to the problem where we will find success.

Problems are part and parcel of daily life for most of us, and they can really knock us for a loop sometimes. When perplexing issues leave us flustered and stressed out, we might be inclined to struggle against the flow; or put the problem aside for a time, hoping that some enlightened, magical solution eventually presents itself; or even just throw in the towel and give up!

For problems in the garden, of course, the solution is to hire a professional landscape designer to develop a better relationship to the problem. Professional landscape designers face issues head on, with respect and care. We square ourselves to the problem in front of us and move forward with determination and resolve.

We act promptly, deciphering a problem with courage, fortitude, and a hefty dose of humor and laughter on the path to finding a solution. This process takes honesty to access all aspects of the issue at hand, patiently instituting a willingness to try and try again and not give up, until a beautiful, functional, creative solution is found.

Professional landscape designers don’t back down. We will seek and find a solution in the most ingenious fashion; it’s what we do! And when the problem is finally solved homeowners should give themselves a pat on the back for finding that ultimate solution—hiring and working with a professional landscape designer!

Find your designer here: www.apld.org.

LISA PORT APLD

apld.org

|

9

designroundup VISIT: Landcraft

Environments

MATTITUCK, NY

BY KATIE ELZER-PETERS

Landcraft Environments is a wholesale production nursery specializing in tropical and tender perennials for cold climates sitting on a 17-acre “Gentlemen’s Farm” on the north fork of Long Island. It’s worth the haul to go visit at any time of year. I was fortunate to drop in on a cold January day and the bones of the garden and remnants of last summer’s growth were enough to make me mark the calendar for the Garden Conservancy Open Days, when Landcraft is open to the public. You can also call for an appointment (631-298-3510) and view their offerings at http://www.landcraftenvironment.com. ➸

PHOT O CR EDIT S : K AT IE E LZ ER- PE TE RS

Landcraft is lush, even during the winter.

10

|

apld.org

Witch hazel flowers in winter.

“

There’s something in bloom every day of the year here.

”

apld.org

|

11

“

They've carved up the land into a series of garden rooms that mix formal and naturalistic styles.

”

12

|

Owners Dennis Schrader and Bill Smith moved their business to Mattituck in 1992 and began carving up the land into a series of garden rooms that mix the formal and naturalistic styles. “The total farm is 17 acres. Greenhouses and growing areas are about four and the garden is another four, leaving just about nine for the deer and the antelope,” Dennis said. “We have walking trails in the native plant area behind the garden.” Hedges, sculpted from hundreds of Carpinus planted on 4’ centers, wind around the greenhouses where 1,500 different species are cultivated for indoor and outdoor designs. Estate gardeners from Long Island and the northeast shop at Landcraft for specialty standards and topiaries, as well as apld.org

designroundup Carpinus hedges delineate garden rooms.

BELOW: Walkway to the Tiki hut showcasing tropicals during the summer.

PHO T O CR EDI TS: LA N DCR A FT EN VI R ON MEN TS

LEFT:

seasonal annuals (for winter and summer planting) unavailable anywhere else.

“There’s something in bloom every day of the year here,” said Dennis, while watching my co-horts and I jockey for a position to photograph witch hazel flowers and drifts of snowdrops. They’ve almost completed their next garden folly—a constructed ruin capped by a green roof filled with succulents. It’s perched on one end of the main garden axis opposite the house. A meadow and meandering pond split the view, creating a delightful tension in the garden that continuously draws you forward, wanting to see what’s around the next corner.

❧

apld.org

|

13

designroundup READ:

New Book SUCCULENTS: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO CHOOSING, DESIGNING, AND GROWING 200 EASY-CARE PLANTS

By Robin Stockwell Succulents are hot and only getting more popular, even in the frigid Northeast. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden devotes a good chunk of their shop to terrariums and succulents to plant in them. If you’ve ignored succulents up until now, thinking they’re a flash in the pan, it’s time to get with the program. There’s no easier way than picking up Robin Stockwell’s new book. Robin, a longtime grower of succulents and founder of Succulent Gardens, an innovative nursery in Castroville, California, and the editors at Sunset filled the book with gorgeous photos of landscape designs, annotated with Robin’s tips for re-creating the looks. (Disclosure: I’ve worked on and off with Robin for years and have had the privilege to learn from his vast wealth of knowledge. I’m thrilled that now you get the opportunity, too!)

Scattered throughout the book are design element interludes including integrating pavers, stacked stone walls, edgings, foils, meadows, illusions, and lighting.

There are plenty of techniques and ideas to extrapolate, even for non-Californian, non-arid climate dwellers.

A. ‘Blushing Beauty’ Crafty individuals will‘Variegata’ enjoy the small projects section, A. arboreum A low, clumping variety, ‘Blushing with information vertical gardening, containers, Tall (2 feet) about with an open growth Beauty’ forms a full, tight mound of 6- to habit and 3- to 5-inch rosettes, the entire 8-inch rosettes. The mounding plant and floralplant design.

The back third of the book is a visual covers a 1 ⁄ -foot diameter. Leaves reaches 2 feet wide and 15 inches tall at its highest point.

Leaves are green are green with pronounced white encyclopedia (a manageable one) of succulent plant edges. This plant really stands out with a pronounced red or purplish tip shady environments.

White flowers (color varies according to plant picks within care and maintenance details.

12

appear unpredictably.

14

|

apld.org

❧

maturity). Flowers are yellow.

>>Click here to buy book

PHOTOS COUR TESY THE PUB LI SHER

OXMOOR HOUSE, AN IMPRINT OF TIME INC. BOOKS

The book starts with “inspirations,” photographs and descriptions of designs for small spaces, challenging sites, living art, and designs that evoke a “sense of place.”

apld.org

|

15

designroundup

PH OTOS COUR TESY PLA N T SPEA KER S

The Piermont PlantSpeaker brings great sound and style to your outdoor spaces.

SPEC:

Planter Speakers

BY KATIE ELZER-PETERS

In the spirit of problem solving, wave goodbye to fake rocks hiding outdoor sound systems and take a look at Planter Speakers. These are not planters with room for speakers—they are planters with integrated speakers. The highest of high-end options is the Piermont (pictured above), made from reforested teak.

Two of these planters can cover 1,000 square feet, washing the garden in sound— be it melodic symphonies or the latest in electronic dance music.

❧

16

|

apld.org

AD tk

FAST FACTS Frequency response: 40Hz to 18kHz

Flagstone PlanterSpeakers are considered by experts to be the the world's best outdoor residential speaker.

The North Salem is a beautiful threeway lattice style PlanterSpeaker.

Power handling: 150 watts RMS Impedance: 8 ohms Recommended amplifier: 150–200 watts RMS (at 8 ohms) Sensitivity: 89 db Custom configurations available.

Dimensions: Vary depending on model

apld.org

|

17

business

TA

K

E

TH

IS

How to Take Better Photographs of Your Work

BY KATIE ELZER-PETERS

T

aking great pictures is a professional skill, one that not all of us have learned. However, for garden designers, good pictures are essential to promoting your practice and getting new work. “But I don’t have a great camera,” you say. I’m going to stop you right there. If you have an iPhone, you most certainly have a great camera. Most phone cameras are equal, if not superior, to any point-and-shoots on the market. Even if you had a “good camera,” if you don’t know how to use it, the extra money you spent is useless anyPHOTO CR EDI TS: MA R K TUR N ER

18

|

apld.org

O

R

TH

IS

!

way. Yes, there is value in equipment, but to keep a current portfolio, the best camera is the one you carry, and that is probably the one on your phone.

Now that that is settled, it’s time to get down to the real work of photography, and that is in the way you use the equipment. (Just because someone has colored pencils doesn’t mean they can draw up a great landscape plan, hmm?)

For advice on getting great photographs of gardens and landscapes, I interviewed MARK TURNER , an award-winning landscape, garden, and portrait photographer in the Pacific Northwest. Here are his tips for taking a comprehensive set of photographs that will show off every facet of your carefully constructed landscape design.

1

CAPTURE RELATIONSHIPS

“You want your photographs to invite a sense of discovery, just as if you’re walking through the garden,” Mark says, adding that it’s important to show the relationships of elements within the garden, and how the pieces fit together.

“In a well-designed garden it will be easy for you to show the foreground, middle ground, and background elements of the design. In a poorly designed ➸ apld.org

|

19

business garden, this type of shot will be no more than a pit.

“See if you can create a vignette that represents the design elements,” Mark suggests. In addition to overviews and vignettes, he recommends photographs that show how elements relate to each other, like a path to a border.

2

REMEMBER THE DETAILS

Overviews can be spectacular but a great design doesn’t skimp on the details—and neither should your photographs.

Take individual plant portraits, which will come in handy when presenting future mood boards to clients. “I think it is fun to include detail shots, as well,” Mark says. “I look to show how a structure is put together, the paving details, or close-up details of a plant.”

3

SHOOT MORNING, NOON, AND NIGHT

Mark advises to pay attention to the time of day. “Some people like to shoot before dawn, while others like to be out after night. Most of us avoid midday sun.” The exception to that, he says, is when you’re shooting a desert garden. “When working midday in the desert, you have all of this spiky, prickly stuff that works well in full sun.” Including the sky in the shot will help tell the story that it’s a sunny day. “It all depends on the kind of mood you’re trying to create.”

If there’s lighting installed in the garden, Mark says the best time to photograph it is 20 minutes after the official sunset time. At that time you still have enough 20

|

apld.org

TA

K

A E

TH

N

D

IS

TH

IS

!

light in the sky that you can see the rest of the landscape, while still capturing the landscape lighting.

4

VARY THE ANGLES (shown above)

Have you ever looked at your design from an angle other than standing?

It’s an easy way to add variety to your shots.

“I’m 5’6” but I don’t want to show everything from 5 feet off ground,” says Mark.

“I will get up on a ladder and lie down on the ground to vary the shots.” He says, “Those are always the photos I get comments on. People say, ‘I never knew my garden looked like that!’”

Take a few pictures every time you’re on site and you’ll never be without new additions to your portfolio. Just remember to hide the hose first!

❧

apld.org

|

21

wander.lust.

Austin

Where the Weird and Sophisticated Fuse

BY JENNY PETERSON

22

|

apld.org

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas at Austin.

PHOTO CR E DIT : KYLEE B A UML E

apld.org

|

23

A

ustin, Texas has long been known for its commitment to oddball hippydom, but combine that hippy quality with politics (Austin is the state’s capitol), technology (Dell, IBM, National Instruments), and the arts (countless performing arts centers, museums, galleries, and a preponderance of live music venues and festivals) and what you get is an electric mix of ideas that keeps Austin at the forefront of bucket lists. And if you’re a designer type and love gardens and plants, you’ll wonder why you waited so long to visit this thriving city.

But rather than being a city that boasts a few big-ticket, splashy destinations that require a two-day stay, Austin’s draw is that it offers layers of organic, intriguing, and delightful hot spots, attractions, and must-see stops. I’ve lived in this area for over 20 years and have yet to explore every nook and cranny possi-

A LL PHOTOGR A PHS B Y J EN N Y PETER SON EXCEPT WHER E N OT ED

24

|

apld.org

wander.lust.

ble — in fact, research for this article led me to parts of my city that were previously uncharted territory. From gardens to garden centers, cafés, shops, and government buildings, Austin keeps visitors delighted and residents intrigued.

FAR LEFT: Even

our chalkboard walls are landscaped and structured, because, although we are weird, we do apparently have a method to our madness. ABOVE: One of Austin’s newest houseplant stores, Frond Plant Shop is a tiny jewel near many of the south side’s funkiest features.

I’d like to say that all areas of Austin have multiple attractions, but the fact is that most of the action hovers just south of downtown and on the east side. West Austin does have some visitworthy places, but north and northwest Austin are generally suburban and national-chain-store in nature. So let’s get started on our Austin tour, beginning with the far south and southwest corners. ➸

apld.org

|

25

wander.lust.

PHOTO C R E D IT : L A D Y B IR D JO H NS O N W ILD FLO W E R C EN TER , THE UN I VER SI TY OF TEXA S A T A USTI N

The LADY BIRD JOHNSON WILDFLOWER CENTER is an absolute can’t miss. This native plant botanic garden and research center offers a familyfriendly tour of Texas native plants, sustainable gardens, stunning architecture, and interactive play areas. And although the spring wildflowers offer unbeatable displays of color and form, a visit to the Wildflower Center in the remaining seasons is never a disappointment. Enjoy the gift shop and lunch at the Wildflower Café while you’re there.

Just west of the Wildflower Center is THE NATURAL GARDENER, arguably Austin’s favorite garden center destination. What makes this nursery so unique is its commitment to education about organics and sustainability through free seminars, and display and teaching gardens. Visit the butterfly garden before walking the tranquil rock-lined pathway of the labyrinth, then wander past the farm animals as you make your way to the sensory garden. Be on the lookout

26

|

apld.org

for oddball seasonal features like teepees and guitar-shaped gardens, too.

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center showcases the rugged beauty of native plants and locally quarried rock. ABOVE: Articulture’s trendy boutique oozes inspiration and cool finds for the indoor gardener. Outside in the expansive backyard, visitors participate in yoga on the deck or enjoy craft cocktails in the garden.

FAR LEFT:

Closer to downtown, several tripworthy plant and lifestyle-related retail shops dot the landscape.

ARTICULTURE DESIGNS is at the forefront of Austin’s modern take on plant design. This company designs living walls and furniture, and offers DIY classes, event space, and interior botanical design, and the storefront boutique is uniquely inspiring (as in, “How on earth do they come up with these insanely cool ideas?” kind of inspiring). ➸ >>Click bold black names for link to website

apld.org

|

27

TIP #1:

No one but tourists and cool-cat wannabes call South Congress Avenue “SoCo.” Be like the old-timers and stick to “South Congress” to avoid derisive looks.

28

|

apld.org

wander.lust.

A few miles away is the flagship store of TREEHOUSE, an eco-friendly hardware store that offers so much more than just hardware. From equipment and tools for chicken-keeping to canning and preserving, rainwater harvesting, indoor plants, and home remodeling, TreeHouse connects visitors to their home environments in fresh new ways. And if you check out TreeHouse on a Friday or Saturday late afternoon, be sure to walk a couple doors down to CENTRAL MARKET where you can enjoy a local craft beer while toe-tapping to live music in the café.

Canning and preserving supplies at TreeHouse are just a few of the sustainable options for the eco-minded city dweller.

TreeHouse also features classes and a small bookstore area where a number of my colleagues’ books have been spotted.

Now we’re getting into the quintessential just southof-downtown Austin experience, where the stops are plentiful and absurdly satisfying. Need another retail fix? The small but mighty FROND PLANT SHOP has everything for the interior gardener, from tropical plants to hand-forged tools and well-chosen accessories. {Image: Frond Interior} When you’re done with shopping and need a little pick-me-up, stop in at LICK HONEST ICE CREAM on South Lamar. They use locally sourced ingredients and forego artificial colors/flavors, high-fructose corn syrup, and preservatives. Seasonal botanicals are front and center in their creations — Fresh Orange & Fennel, Cilantro Lime, and Pink Peppercorn Lemon Twist are just a few of the imaginative garden flavors.

Whether you’re a designer, a gardener, or simply a shopper, Austin’s iconic SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE can take an entire, well-spent day out of your life, with an “Ooh, look!” at every turn. From funky shops to high-end retailers, humble cafés to upscale eateries, dive bars and modern hotels, South Congress is a melting pot of sights, sounds, and tastes.

The architecturally-minded will appreciate the ➸ >>Click bold black names for link to website

apld.org

|

29

newly built SOUTH CONGRESS HOTEL, featuring astounding landscaping by the renowned designer Christine Ten Eyck. Her vertical planted wall is the object of many double-takes and selfies, even in the middle of the dormant season. And if you’re yet not ready for a full-on, sit-down meal, just stop by one of the many food trucks on this street, from cupcakes to Indian food, crepes, and BBQ. You’ll need to add extra time into your travel schedule to do justice to Austin’s east side. Formerly a no-man’s land of forgotten neighborhoods and sketchy addresses, this part of town has large gentrified pockets that attract hipsters, native Austinites, and tourists alike. Start by visiting the MUELLER community on

30

|

apld.org

wander.lust.

Get your cupcake fix out of a shiny Airstream at Hey Cupcake!. Classic flavors include gluten-free options for the pseudo-health conscious (hey, it’s still a cupcake, after all) and mini options for the guilt-driven.

the northeast side. This transit-oriented area has a strong focus on sustainability with modern farmhouses, retail areas, and open green space. Of particular interest is the SOUTHWEST GREENWAY park and prairie, featuring restored Texas blackland prairie with native plants, a pond, and holy-cow art installations like the gigantic spider with a gazing ball–filled belly.

Head south to EAST AUSTIN SUCCULENTS where a team of young up-andcoming plant people do their best to breathe life into the “Keep Austin Weird” motto. Large collections of succulents and cacti, quirky planters, and creative accessories make this stop a truly fun one.

The staff is genuinely knowledgeable and friendly, an increasingly rare quality in today’s garden scene.

Hungry yet? While you could participate in a BBQ CRAWL, I recommend longtime favorite EAST SIDE CAFÉ for its seasonal food using veggies from their own garden. Oh, and it’s in an impossibly adorable bungalow. Oh, and there’s pie and wine next door at ELAINE’S AT EAST SIDE CAFÉ. ➸ >>Click bold black names for link to website

apld.org

|

31

wander.lust.

â?§ 32

|

apld.org

TIP #2:

Other Places to See: 1. Austin City Hall for its outstanding native landscaping and rooftop garden.

2. Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum 3. Zilker Botanical Garden 4. Cathedral of Junk 5. Laguna Gloria 6. Barton Springs Pool

THIS PAGE: The

interplay of soft grasses and dramatic sculptures at Southwest Greenway make for a sophisticated design. The Southwest Greenway’s pond (back right) is the centerpiece of the park’s blackland prairie ecosystem.

Decomposed granite pathways and wideopen spaces are ideal for exploring, jogging, and contemplating in the midst of a decidedly urban area.

PHOTOGR A PH FR OM R VI PLA N N I N G

apld.org

|

33

plantapps Street Trees

At some point in their careers, most landscape designers will be confronted with street trees, or trees not under their exclusive design jurisdiction. Here's how to help your clients navigate the forest of street trees.

BY ANDREA NILSEN MORSE

T

he beauty and character of our cities and towns can be attributed in part to the trees that grace the landscape. The urban forest offers color, texture, and scale while reminding of us of the passing seasons. In addition to these aesthetic values, trees provide a host of ecological benefits: habitat for wildlife, improved air quality, stormwater management, decreased urban noise, lower temperatures, and much needed shade. With all of these benefits, trees are a resource worth understanding and protecting.

Street trees are a segment of the urban forest that most landscape designers will encounter. Defined as “any tree growing in the city right of way, or easement,” street trees may grow from sidewalk cutouts, metal grates, in “hell strips,” or simply in the space between the street and residential property line. When working with a client, it is important to identify which trees (if any) belong to the town, how they affect your design, and the process for proposing any changes.

34

|

Many states have urban forestry programs that help cities and towns protect and manage their trees. Each town may have further regulations and permitting processes. In fact, most towns have an approved list of trees that can be planted along the street. These are species that are known to perform well in difficult conditions and add diversity to the urban canopy. ➸ PHOTOS: DA VEY TR EE

apld.org

Eastern Redbud in bloom apld.org

|

35

plantapps This last point is important. The devastation caused by Dutch Elm Disease and, more recently, Asian Longhorn Beetle, demonstrates that the overrepresentation of one species of tree can put the entire urban canopy at risk when a particular pest or disease occurs. Diversity is so important that many approved tree lists exclude common species like maples.

As a landscape designer, your skill in research and site analysis will allow you to provide the best recommendation to your client and help them through any required permitting process.

Here’s how to work with street trees during the design process.

RESEARCH

A quick Internet search should help identify local regulations for street trees in your project city or town. You will want to determine: • Is there a town specialist with whom you will work to evaluate or plant a street tree?

• Is a permit required to add, remove, or prune a street tree?

• Are there planting specifications and guidelines?

• Is there an approved street tree list?

SITE ANALYSIS During site analysis you will gather more information about existing street trees and features of the surrounding area.

• Locate the street/curb and the property line. If you do not have a survey, the town can provide information on the depth of easement at your project address.

• Note the location of any sidewalk, tree cutouts, or tree grates.

• Note the location of any utility poles, overhead power lines, fire hydrants, or sewer grates.

• Note any nearby street lights, intersections, neighboring driveways, or buildings.

36

|

apld.org

• Note other street trees nearby, including their species and size.

• For any existing street tree, note the type, size (DBH and canopy height), and general health. Identify whether there are problems with the limbs, trunk, roots, leaves, adjacent sidewalk heaving, electrical wire entanglement, and so forth.

DESIGN

First, determine if you recommend the treatment, removal, or addition of street trees. How will your changes affect views of the house or street, shade on your project property, or other design characteristics. Can you plant a new street tree to succeed a dead or dying one?

Next, identify where the new street tree should be located based on the town’s specifications. Usually, this is a location away from overhead power lines, utilities, and where traffic sight lines are not

blocked.

➸

AN UMBRELLA LIKE NO OTHER Hand crafted in California for commercial, hospitality and residential use.

Request a brochure today.

THE SANTA BARBARA UMBRELLA ™ P H O T O G R A P H Y BY NANCY W ALLACE

sbumbrella.com 800.919.9464 apld.org | 37

plantapps Then you’ll want to select a tree from the town’s approved list appropriate for the site location. Here is a selection of commonly used street trees.

SMALL (UNDER 30’) Best for narrow easements (under 4’) or where overhead power lines are present ■ Cercis canadensis (EASTERN REDBUD) Small, native tree with white or pink buds that appear in April on leafless branches. May require additional water to establish. Zones 4–9

■ Chionanthus virginicus (WHITE FRINGETREE) Small, native tree with white flowers in May/June, bluish fruit in September, and muted yellow foliage in fall.

Zones 4–9

■ Malus spp.

(FLOWERING CRABAPPLE) White to pink flowers in spring, small typically red fruit in fall.

Select a small cultivar where needed.

Zones 4–8

■ Maackia amurensis (AMUR MAACKIA) Uniformly proportioned tree with slightly fragrant white pealike flowers in June or July Rich green foliage. Zones 4–7 Flowering Crabapple

38

|

apld.org

IS T OCK

■ Amelanchier arborea (DOWNY SERVICEBERRY) Small, native tree with white flowers in April, fruit in June, and colorful fall foliage. Zones 4–9

MEDIUM (30–50’) Best for 4–7’ easements with no overhead power lines ■ Nyssa sylvatica (BLACK TUPELO) Native tree with fiery red fall foliage and dark fruit that persists into winter. Zones 4–9

■ Gleditsia triacanthos (COMMON HONEY LOCUST) Finely textured green leaves turn yellow in fall. Excellent salt tolerance. Thornless varieties available. Zones 4–9 ■ Cercidiphyllum japonicum (KATSURA) Heart-shaped leaves turn rich yellow to apricot color in fall with a spicy fragrance. May require additional water to establish. Zones 4–8

■ Tilia cordata (LITTLE-LEAF LINDEN) A cool-climate tree with green foliage and inconspicuous but fragrant flowers in June. Zones 3–7 ■ Zelkova serrata (JAPANESE ZELKOVA) Vase-shaped tree with dark green leaves in summer and colorful fall foliage. Zones 5–8

➸

A PAVILION LIKE NO OTHER Hand crafted in California for commercial, hospitality and residential use.

Request a brochure today.

THE SANTA BARBARA UMBRELLA ™

sbumbrella.com 800.919.9464 apld.org | 39

plantapps LARGE (50’+) Best for over 7’ easements with no overhead power lines ■ Ulmus parvifolia (LACEBARK ELM) Resistant to Dutch Elm Disease and Elm Leaf Beetle. A rounded tree with uniform branching and colorful exfoliating bark. Great winter interest. Zones 5–9 ■ Platanus x acerifolia (LONDON PLANETREE) Named because of its extensive use in the city of London. A large shade tree with colorful exfoliating bark. Great winter interest. Zones 4–9 ■ Quercus palustris (PIN OAK) Native tree, pyramidal in habit with dark green, deeply lobed leaves that turn red in fall. Zones 4–7 ■ Liriodendron tulipifera (TULIP TREE) Native tree with a unique, spatula-shaped leaf and showy tulip-shaped flowers borne high in the canopy in May/June. Foliage is a nice yellow in fall. Zones 4–9 ■ Liquidambar styraciflua (SWEETGUM) Native tree with star-shaped leaves that turn incredible shades of yellow, orange, red and purple in fall. Spiny fruit can be messy. Zones 5–9

❧

IS T OCK

Tulip tree blossoms

40

|

apld.org

A young Pin Oak tree

apld.org

|

41

DESIGN BY

Subtraction

A

BY MARTI NEELY, APLD

fter I removed some large shrubs that screened a portion of a yard and made it seem small, and took out some trees that blocked a nice view, the client proclaimed me a genius. Hard-working, knowledgeable, and well-practiced in what doesn’t work? Yes. A genius?

Doubtful. All I really did was remove some overgrown plants, rearrange others, add a few new ones, adjust the bed lines, and clean up the remaining materials.

42

|

The real genius is showing someone how they are better off with less so there is the opportunity to enjoy much more. ➸ apld.org

designmasterclass

A color DynaSCAPE rendering allows the client to see an overview of proposed changes, rather than piecemeal solutions.

apld.org

|

43

Getting Started As a designer frequently working on existing homes with gardens in need of renovation, I’m often faced with spaces filled with a wide variety of materials that could be repurposed for the client’s new project. Because I am hired to bring the best design, knowledge, and value to my client, I try to speak strongly for the design choices and be flexible on the material selections. I know that in any situation there will be more than one good solution, perhaps one best solution, but usually other good ones that will also work well. Flexibility is key.

44

|

It is economically beneficial to use what the client already owns, when appropriate, although it can be challenging to sort through a diverse inventory, deciding what to keep and what to edit out of the picture. Over time, I’ve developed a system of analysis that I refer to as “Design by Subtraction.” By studying the site and using this system, the answers I seek generally reveal themselves. When I return to the design studio the big picture comes into focus. At that point, all I need to do is work out the details. apld.org

designmasterclass

“

The real genius is showing the client how they are better off with less.

”

A LL PHOTOGR A PHY B Y MA R TI N E EL Y

Design by Subtraction Criteria The process of Design by Subtraction uses five criteria applied first during site evaluation and again when in the studio designing the project : • Abundance • Suitability

• Desirability

• Adaptability • Availability

I use these criteria to assess objects, plants, paving materials, space, form, color, textures—essentially any existing design element—in order to determine whether the element becomes part of the solution or is discarded as part of the problem. ➸ apld.org

|

45

A

FT

Abundance Look for the most common denominators in the landscape. Focus first on identifying the most prevalent colors, plants, hardscape materials, and, on larger properties, even the types of spaces. Note the relationships of these items with each other and similar items. Assess how they relate to the structures on the property and how each element connects to the overall project and space in which it sets. I typically start with the plants as they are usually the most diverse group of materials and the ones in most need of change.

When evaluating elements in the garden, consider their quantity and size, and whether this is an item that can be multiplied or divided. This is where taking an inventory of materials is most helpful, especially noting the quantities of a material—item counts or square or cubic footage. Perhaps there is a new role that can be fulfilled by a current element.

46

|

apld.org

ER

designmasterclass Suitability How do you and your client feel about existing elements of the garden continuing to be a part of the design solution? If you are considering retaining plants, ask if they are performing well, and if they can successfully be moved for a reasonable cost. Determine whether the current hardscape materials are relevant to the architecture of the house and in good shape.

It’s easier to keep something than let it go, so we must ask the hard questions, regardless of how big or how permanent something seems to be.

And, when you ask “Why should this stay” or “What does this bring to the party”? “Because it’s here” or “I just bought it” are not valid answers.

In general, we have a hard time removing plants, as though it were a crime to “kill” them. Frankly, I think bad landscaping is a far worse offense. If something—a plant or a hardscape material—is not suitable it should leave to make room for something that is. As any good accountant will tell you, “Don’t throw good money after bad.”

B

➸

EF

O

R

E

Desirability

Given the options available, determine if any of the existing elements should be used in the new project. Existence on a site does not mean a material has to stay. The greatest value a designer can bring to a client is ➸ apld.org

|

47

A

B

➸

48

|

apld.org

EF

O

R

E

FT

ER

designmasterclass the clarity of seeing when an object is no longer welcome or necessary. Subtracting undesirable elements is a critical step in the design process. This is the point where “I don’t like it” is a valid answer that comes in handy.

Adaptability

Finding a new use for something old brings freshness to a project. One of the greatest joys of renovating gardens is pruning the heck out of old plants and watching them come back like this year’s new model. When reviewing the site, make note of what changes could be made to existing plants to renovate and renew in order to increase their value to the project.

Evaluate hardscape materials for reuse as well. Pavers or stone in a patio could be repurposed as a border for a planting bed, a detail in a walk, or part of a paving matrix if an existing patio is rebuilt. Subtraction is necessary before addition can occur. Not only is it a sustainable practice, it is value-added design. Some of my more creative ideas have come from repurposing and renovating what already existed on a project site.

Availability

The final criteria or question used in the equation is, “How easy is it to obtain more of this material, plant, or item?” If an object is custom, scarcity can increase the intrinsic value of an object or plant. This can also work against the object’s favor, depending upon what job the design demands from it. If the ➸

apld.org

|

49

A

➸

B

EF

O

R

E

FT

ER

designmasterclass job requires more of a material and none is available, its value is diminished. The choice becomes either finding the lone object a new purpose or adapting it to another location. You may decide that it is more valuable to subtract something from the site, sell it, and use the resources to procure something more appropriate.

Practice Makes Perfect

Design by Subtraction is not a recipe that, if followed with precision, will achieve a perfect result each time. It’s a dance, to a new song, in a new venue, each time you step out. With time, it will become quick work to list the positive and negative factors of what you see on site and create your own subtraction list. Let your eyes dance through the existing landscape looking for possibilities, seeing only what a designer can see. Don’t allow conventional thought to constrain your vision at this point in the process.

Keep in mind that letting go of comfortable things is against human nature. Big trees, solid surfaces, anything that speaks to our security and longevity and makes us feel safe are things that we, as humans, want to keep. However, if something does not serve the needs of the client, of the site, or of the project, it is our job as designers to show our client why and help them let go. The next step is to show them a vision of what will come afterwards.

â?§

apld.org

|

51

52

|

PHOTOGR A PHS B Y VA N ESSA GA R DN ER N A G EL

apld.org

Engineered, colored concrete walls created a level area for lawn near the house and prevent soil erosion below in accompaniment with plants to eventually almost hide the walls.

inthefield DESIGNING AROUND ELEVATION CHANGES

Slippery Slopes

BY VANESSA GARDNER NAGEL, APLD, NCIDQ

C

hanges in elevation are a two-edged sword. They can be welcomed as an opportunity to a design project or cursed for their additional challenges to creativity and budget. A change in elevation within a garden adds a dynamic that is hard to accomplish on a level piece of property, but it involves more challenges.

Here are some tips: • Know your legal standing before you agree to work on a sloped project. Some jurisdictions do not allow designers to work on slopes with an incline greater than 10 percent.

• Be cautious about how you write the contracts because slopes can introduce legal liability. Have good liability insurance and/or recommend a geo-technical consultant to your client.

• Know the soil type. That will help you to determine its “angle of repose” (or how high the soil can stand without sliding) and the soil stability. Wet clay is the worst soil to encounter as it has an even lower angle of repose than sand. It can mean considerable grad- ➸ apld.org

|

53

Boulders were used to help retain soil on this steep slope. Ferns and grasses were planted around the boulders to send out their fine roots to hold soil in place.

ing at the beginning of a project or planning for a series of retaining walls or even a single, engineered wall.

• Know whether there are any walls over four feet to build or work with, and incorporate the required engineering costs into your project pricing and timeline.

Drainage is a key issue when designing on a slope. Soils that have considerable humus and mycorrhizae (bacteria and fungi) have a better chance of resisting erosion. Finely textured roots of grasses and ferns hold onto soil more readily, as do plants that grow as thickets spreading by underground rhizomes.

Combining strategically placed large boulders with appropriate plants is one of the least expensive ways to help maintain a slope, as long as the soil type has a higher degree of repose and the slope isn’t too great.

Other types of retention include gabion walls, vegetated wall systems, stone (stacked boulders, dry or mortared walls), concrete (cast-in-place or precast modular blocks), and pressure-treated wood. Even a simple system of vertical wood posts with stacked wood branches (as seen in the Palatine Hill in Rome) can create a system that, while it may need regular maintenance, still retains soil.

Always try to minimize weight at the top of a slope to prevent its collapse.

â?§

54

|

apld.org

inthefield

A staggered stair with two landings is a much safer way to travel from one elevation to another. Although a handrail wasn’t required here, it would add to the stairs’ safety.

inthefield BREAK UP THAT BOWLING ALLEY. TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR

Narrow Yards

BY ELIZABETH PRZYGODA-

N

MONTGOMERY, APLD

ot all of us are blessed with a perfectly shaped backyard. If you live in city row housing or a small tract development, you’re all too familiar with an outdoor space that looks more like a bowling alley than it does a backyard. This is a challenge that I frequently encounter with clients, so here are a few of my go-to tips for making the most of a narrow backyard.

■ MAKE IT FUNCTION: Plan to keep the foot traffic off to one side of the yard by placing hardscape and furniture in a corner arrangement. The foot traffic should angle (on the bias) to the furniture, through the open yard space.

■ LIGHT IT UP : Use landscape lighting to draw attention to the best features of your yard, and always illuminate the usable spaces. Place the lighting close in, so as not to draw out the length of the space, but rather to visually shorten it.

56

|

apld.org

D E S IGN BY S T. JOHN LA N DSCA PES. PHOTOGR A PH B Y J UDE PA R KI N SON -MOR GA N

■ BREAK IT DOWN: Create little vignettes, small conversation areas.

Think little dining, little living, little gardens. The goal is to make each area feel defined. However, you want to also keep cohesion in mind—the areas should have their own personality, but they should still be able to “talk” to each other.

■ TRY A NEW PERSPECTIVE: With small spaces, it’s all about the angles.

Angle the coffee table. Definitely angle the rug. Even if you include a corner ➸ apld.org

|

57

D ESI GN B Y STUDI O TOOP. PHOTOGR A PHY B Y J OLA N THE LA LKEN S

sofa, you should try angling the opposing chair. The angled furniture and accessories will trick the eye and break up the landing strip shape of your plot.

■ CONTOUR WITH COLOR: If your space is enclosed by walls, try painting the shorter length wall(s) a different, darker color. Plant some foliage directly in front of it, and it will make those walls feel “pulled in” and less distant.

■ CREATE THE CIRCLE OF TRUST: Avoid mirroring your long space with elongated tables. Curve it up a bit—try a circular shape instead. Round coffee tables, end tables, and dining tables will make a long space seem more cozy and manageable, and it will help soften the space.

Use these tricks in your narrow space to take the bowling alley out of your backyard. You’ll love the way your new yard feels, but don’t be surprised if you start seeing neighbors borrowing your ideas. It happens to our clients every time!

❧

58

|

apld.org

inthefield DESIGNING FOR BLUSTERY, CAPRICIOUS

Wind

BY VANESSA GARDNER NAGEL, APLD, NCIDQ

W

ind is not something you see. You see the effects of wind. Whether you are on the beach during a storm, on a bluff in a river gorge, on the side of a mountain, or on an open plain, wind can smack you across the face like an angry lover. If the soil is sandy, anything in its way (you included) gets sandblasted. Wind carves soil like a Thanksgiving turkey, blows seed into cracks, desiccates plants, uproots trees, and breaks branches as though they were toothpicks. If you or your property is in the way, God help you. One obvious characteristic of wind is its destructiveness.

■ BE PROACTIVE: Learn how to identify problems with large trees before they have A garden’s wind sock coordinates with the color of the Agastache structural issues. Sometimes designers are flowers that surround it. asked to design windbreaks for larger properties. Newly planted trees need to be planted and tied between two stakes, aligned with the prevailing winds. This allows the tree to sway without being blown over so it will grow properly.

■ BE INVENTIVE: In the high and dry plateau prairie of eastern Washington State, where the winds are so severe that they blow away wood mulch, chunky gravel of local basalt is used around plants to prevent soil ➸ PHO T O G R A P H S B Y VANE S S A GARD NE R NAGE L

apld.org

|

59

inthefield

Fallen leaves from the canopy of Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’ decorate a deck.

erosion and minimize moisture loss. This material also absorbs heat—good in the winter, not so good in blistering summers. It can fry plants, particularly when accompanied by desiccating winds.

■ BE FLEXIBLE: Brittle plants (like European birch and evergreen magnolia) are not the plants to use in high-wind areas. Find plants that have flexibility, like bald cypress, beech, crape myrtle, juniper, and serviceberry. Also find plants that are drought-tolerant so they are less susceptible to damage from drying wind.

■ EMBRACE THE UPSIDE: Like anything in nature, wind has its purpose and therefore an upside. From autumn to early spring, wind helps clean trees of leaves, which fall and add nutrients to soil. It distributes seed (both a curse and a blessing). Wind even contributes to the ornamental nature of a garden by blowing wind socks, wind chimes, prayer flags, and kinetic art, much to the delight of a garden’s owner.

❧

60

|

apld.org

The clackety-clack sounds of bamboo wind chimes alert a listener that there may be more than a breeze about.

apld.org

|

61

Inspired by Intervention EXPLORING 62

|

apld.org

GARDENS

IN

ENGL

travelinspiration

AND

AND

THE

NETHERLANDS apld.org

|

63

travelinspiration

O

BY CAROLYN MULLET

n a golden autumn day, I visited the garden at Bury Court Barn in southeastern England to see an early design by Piet Oudolf. The previous week I had been in The Netherlands and Germany leading a tour to explore Oudolf’s work along with the gardens of designers that had influenced him and newer gardens inspired by his type of naturalism. Many of those gardens had been fields transformed into expansive, luscious, perennial-rich planting designs with the only structural element being paths. I had been immersed in their beauty and was in awe of the plant knowledge required to pull it all together. But gnawing designer questions persisted.

Did this kind of naturalism only work as a new kind of stroll garden? How would it adapt to the scale and functional needs of a typical residential site?

And what about trees? Were they always to be banished to the perimeter?

I knew my clients would never agree to that. ➸

64

|

A LL PHOTOGR A PHS B Y CA R OLYN MULLET EXCEPT WHER E N O T ED

apld.org

The gardens at Bury Court are punctuated by a series of old and new brick and flint buildings.

apld.org

|

65

“

Piet Oudolf's brand of naturalism is adaptable to residential-sized gardens.

”

– Stepping into the back garden at Bury Court that day, I got a qualified answer.

Before me was a space with a sensuous, curvilinear layout. At the entrance stood a tall, broad circular iron trellis cloaked in clipped Pyrus salicifolia ‘Pendula’. Generous paths of stone setts scribed a rounded lawn and arced around a central domed boxwood. Dark yews were shaped into large, open spirals, much like the curves on a violin, and rugged Koelreuteria paniculata punctuated

66

|

apld.org

travelinspiration Formally clipped topiaries provide contrast to naturalistic plantings.

“ the lawn. Connecting all these elements were the perennials and grasses one expected of an Oudolf design, glowing in the amber and russet shades of early autumn. At 20 years old, it was still a handsome, compelling home garden. “So it can be done,” I thought. By thoughtfully linking structural elements, what Europeans call “garden architecture,” Oudolf’s brand of naturalism was adaptable to residential-sized gardens. ➸ apld.org

|

67

travelinspiration

This lesson in garden architecture was, of A corten steel retaining wall highlights the course, something I already knew. I had been contrast between designing for nearly three decades, making sure manmade and natural that the structure of my designs was strong. materials in the garden.

However, since starting to lead my European garden tours, I had become enthralled by the sumptuous beauty I was seeing, made almost giddy by the sheer pleasure of it all. It was time to dig deeper.

68

|

The following season on a custom tour for a Connecticut garden center, we visited Fairlight End, a private garden on the southern English coast. In back of the 18th century house was a three-acre sloping garden with wonderful views across the wild countryside called the Sussex Weald. Steep, narrow steps surrounded by colorful perennials descended into a wildflower meadow crisscrossed with mown paths. Hammocks were strung between native trees and in an orchard, ancient tall ladders leaned against the largest trees— sculptural references to rural life. At the lowest point were two natural ponds. It was a veritable wildlife haven. However, it was the ➸ apld.org

“

The lawn appears to float above the meadow.

”

apld.org

|

69

travelinspiration The Asian-inspired Water Garden designed by Nöel van Mierlo in The Netherlands

“

Garden travel can be an opportunity to be profoundly inspired.

”

design at the top next to the house that stopped me in my tracks. There, Ian Kitson, an English landscape architect, had made a single, minimalist gesture. By inserting a crisp, curving, corten steel retaining wall into the slope, Kitson made the lawn appear to float above the meadow, drawing a contrast between manmade and natural that made the wildness below even more powerful. So simple. So bold. Garden architecture, indeed.

Later in the summer, back in The Netherlands on a tour to see more naturalistic planting, we saw another memorable intervention while visiting a private garden designed by Noël van Mierlo. I had become aware of van Mierlo through the design community on Facebook and included his work on the tour as a gentle reminder that Dutch garden design also included less plant-centered types. A champion of sustainable design, van Mierlo sees gardens as a place of natural wellness. In his Asian-inspired Water Garden, an elegant, modern tea house an70

|

apld.org

chors a pond. From the tea house, we could choose to walk around the pond perimeter on a gravel path that offered new water views with every step. Or we could cross the pond on a series of patinated steel plates floating just above the waterline. Each plate lapped upon another, creating a pattern that reminded me of the flat planes of a Mondrian painting. It was a graceful, modern bridge; a way to walk on water; another example of impressive garden architecture.

PHOTO CR EDI T: J A MES GOLDEN

We travel to see gardens for many reasons: to escape, to rejuvenate, to simply enjoy. For the designer, garden travel can be an opportunity to be profoundly inspired.

â?§

apld.org

|

71

2017board of directors EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE PRESIDENT Lisa Port, APLD Banyon Tree Design Studio 3630 Northeast 123rd Street Seattle, WA 98125 (206) 383-5572 PRESIDENT-ELECT Danilo Maffei, APLD Maffei Landscape Design LLC 202 N. Garfield Street Kennett Square, PA 19348 (610) 357-9700 SECRETARY/TREASURER Jock Lewendon, APLD Outdoor Living Spaces, LLC 766 Schoolhouse Lane Bound Brook, NJ 08805 (732) 302-9632 IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Colleen Hamilton, APLD Bloomin' Landscape Designs 7122 Willey Way Carmichael, CA 95608 (916) 961-0191

➸ Click name to email us!

DIRECTORS Paul Connolly, APLD Sundrea Design Studio 4999 North Sabino Canyon Rd. Tucson, AZ 85750 (520) 302-7441 Eric Gilbey Vectorworks 7150 Riverwood Drive Columbia, MD 21046 (443) 542-0658 Laurin Lindsey, APLD 1646 Harvard Street Houston, TX 77008 (832) 868-4126 Nick McCullough, APLD McCullough’s Landscape & Nursery 14401 Jug Street New Albany, OH 43054

CONNECT WITH US!

Lisa Orgler 304 N. Second Avenue Huxley, IA 50124 (515) 509-4119 Richard Rosiello Rosiello Designs & Meadowbrook Gardens 159 Grove Street New Milford, CT 06776 (860) 488-6507 Joe Salemi DynaSCAPE Software 3426 Harvester Road Burlington, ON L7N3N1 (800) 710-1900

➸ Click logo to go to webpage

The Designer is an official publication and member service of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD), 2207 Forest Hills Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17112. Ph: 717-238-9780 Fax: 717-238-9985.

Disclaimer: Mention of commercial products in this publication is solely for information purposes; endorsement is not intended by APLD. Material does not reflect the opinions or beliefs of APLD. APLD is not responsible for unsolicited freelance manuscripts and photographs. All printed articles become the copyright of APLD.

72

|

apld.org

thedesÄągner wants you!

The only magazine written by designers for designers, The Designer is looking for talented members like you to share your stories, teach new techniques, and inspire with your designs.

calling all writers

All submissions from APLD members are considered, but The Designer is particularly interested in articles that fit the issue’s editorial theme or are appropriate for one of the magazine’s regular columns spotlighting technology or business strategies.

Learn more about the submissions process and view the 2017 editorial calendar here.

Not sure if your story is a good fit? 2017 Editor in Chief Katie Elzer-Peters is happy to discuss your idea with you. Reach her at editor@apld.org.

comingnextissue FOLIAGE FIRST

Subscribe Today!

We're quarterly and FREE. CLICK HERE

74

|

WATER IN THE LANDSCAPE CROSSPOLLINATION

DESI GN A N D PHOTOGR A PH BY 2016 A PL D B RON ZE AWA R D W I N N ER DEB B I E GLI KSMA N OF URB A N OASI S LA N DSCA PE DESI GN I N LOS AN GEL ES

apld.org