The mission of APLD is to advance the profession of landscape design and to promote the recognition of landscape designers as qualified and dedicated professionals. Participate, Validate, Educate: Be Market Strong! July 2024
2024 APLD International Landscape Design Conference
October 11 – 13, 2024 • Charleston, South Carolina
Join us October 11 – 13, 2024 in picturesque Charleston, South Carolina for APLD’s 2024 International Landscape Design Conference. On Friday, October 11 there will be a Pre-Conference tour which will have limited availability, followed by the Conference Opening Reception. Saturday and Sunday, October 12 and 13, will feature garden tours and networking receptions.
Established in 1670, Charleston is steeped in historical southern charm. Walk down cobblestone streets and take in the stunning architecture and lush gardens. Experience private tours of gorgeous gardens while connecting with designers from across the country and beyond. Enjoy food with friends as you discuss the day’s inspiration at each evening’s reception.
Plan to attend APLD’s International Landscape Design Conference, it’s one you definitely don’t want to miss!
Conference Schedule
Friday, October 11, 2024
Breakfast on Your Own
8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Registration
9:15 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Pre-Conference Tour (Space will be Limited)
Main Conference Begins
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Opening Reception
Heavy hors d’oeuvres and Cash Bar
8:45 p.m. Return to Hotel
Saturday, October 12, 2024
Breakfast on Your Own
8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Registration
9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Garden Tours
5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Awards Reception Heavy hors d’oeuvres and Cash Bar
8:00 p.m. Return to Hotel
Sunday, October 13, 2024
Breakfast on Your Own
8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Registration
9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Garden Tours
5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Closing Reception
Heavy hors d’oeuvres and Cash Bar
8:00 p.m. Return to Hotel
Hotel Information
Hyatt Place & Hyatt House
Charleston Historic District 560 King Street Charleston, SC 29403 843-414-0722
APLD has secured a block of rooms at a discounted rate. Rooms can be reserved from October 10-13, 2024, based on availability until the room block is sold out or until the reservation deadline is reached. All rooms in our block are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Reservations made after September 6 or after the room block has been filled may not be available or may be subject to higher rates. We encourage you to make your reservations quickly for the best price and availability.
Room Rate: $319 plus taxes and fees for single or double occupancy, $2.00 per room/per night taxable Destination Fee for Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.
An additional charge of $10.00 per person will apply for triple or quad occupancy.
The reservation deadline is Friday, September 6, 2024.
Click Here to Make Your Reservation
The schedule is subject to change due to traffic delays or other unforeseeable circumstances. Garden tour arrival and departure times are approximate.
Charleston International Airport Distance from hotel: 11 miles https://www.iflychs.com/
American Roots (1 CEU )
Thursday, July 25, 2024 at 2 p.m. Eastern
Presented by Nick McCullough, CPLD, FAPLD, McCullough’s Landscape & Nursery
Follow the journey across the United States and take a closer look at gardens that designer Nick McCullough, CPLD, FAPLD captured on his quest to celebrate the American garden in his new book, American Roots, published by Timber Press. This webinar will explore a selection of gardens created by 20 creative gardeners across our vast land from Big Sur, California to the shores of Rhode Island. Gain inspiration, planting tips, and an expanded notion of what an American garden is.
Register by July 23 to attend the live presentation and Q&A session or to receive the recording.
Live presentation participants will receive a confirmation email containing access instructions the day before the webinar. The recording will be available no later than 10 business days after the live event.
APLD Member: Live & Recorded Presentation – $25.00
APLD Member: Recording Only – $20.00
Non-Member: Live & Recorded Presentation – $50.00
Non-Member: Recording Only – $40.00
Questions about the webinar? Contact Teresa Oscilowski at eventco@apld.org.
Join our Healthy Pots, Healthy Planet coalition and support sustainable alternatives to plastic horticultural pots. Sign your name and help us raise awareness about the environmental costs of plastic pollution. Let’s work together to reduce plastic use in the industry and make a positive impact on our planet.
Nick McCullough, CPLD, FAPLD Award-winning garden designer Nick McCullough has developed a distinctive style he calls “Midwest Modern,” one that relies on a balance of natural paving and innovative perennial plantings. Based in Ohio, he and his team at McCullough’s Landscape & Nursery create and maintain plant-centric gardens in and around the Midwest that are both ecologically sensitive and family-forward. His first book American Roots, which he co-authored with his wife Allison and Teresa Woodard, has recently been published by Timber Press. Click Here to Register
website: HealthyPotsHealthyPlanet.org
Instagram: @healthypotshealthyplanet @landscapedesigners
Join APLD on Houzz!
Build your brand and grow your business through Houzz, the leading online platform for home remodeling and design. Please follow us on Houzz and add our badge to your professional profile to let clients and prospects know that you are a proud member of the APLD.
APLD 2024 Board of Directors
Executive Committee
President
Bill Ripley, CPLD, FAPLD Stride Studios 8525 Miami Road Cincinnati, OH 45243 (513) 984-4882 bill@stridestudios.com
Treasurer
Lisa Nunamaker, PLA Iowa State University, Dept of Horticulture 129 Horticulture Hall Ames, IA 50011 (515) 294-6375 lisa@papergardenworkshop.com
Directors
Francesca Corra, CPLD Dirt Diva Designs 4030 Cartwright Avenue Studio City, CA 91604 (818) 370-3200 fcorra@aol.com
Mardi Dover, CPLD 15 Warwick Place Asheville, NC 28804 (828) 273-5134 mardi@gardensbymardi.com
Rachel Gioannini 2046 Cortabella Las Cruces, NM 88005 (520) 955-1861 rachelgi@nmsu.edu
President-Elect
Katie Weber, CPLD
Katie Weber Landscape Design 5637 45th Avenue SW Seattle, WA 98136 (206) 391-8894
katie@katieweberlandscapedesign.com
Immediate Past President
Richard Rosiello Rosiello Designs & Meadowbrook Gardens 159 Grove Street New Milford, CT 06776 (860) 488-6507
rosiellodesigns@gmail.com
Linda Middleton, CPLD, FAPLD Terralinda Design 1839 Ygnacio Valley Rd., #150 Walnut Creek, CA 94598 (925) 448-2441 linda@terralindadesign.com
Maryanne Quincy, CPLD, FAPLD Q Gardens Landscape Design PO Box 2746 Sunnyvale, CA 94087 (408) 739-5493 qgardens@sbcglobal.net
Rethinking Garden Design: An Expert’s Perspective
Did you catch it? New Directions in American Landscapes (NDAL) founder and APLD member Larry Weaner, CPLD, FAPLD of Larry Weaner Landscape Associates was recently quoted as an expert by The New York Times. Larry talks about garden design protocols and decision-making in the article.
The article highlights the shift from traditional lawns to sustainable landscaping, and how landscape designers are using water-wise and native plants to balance green with “green.”
“What’s the right thing to do as a gardener?” Weaner asked. “Fertilize and irrigate? Well, that’s actually helping the weeds more than the meadow, and it’s counterproductive. There are a lot of things you do in traditional garden design, and particularly in turf culture that in this realm is counterproductive.”
Read the article here: “Lawns Draw Scorn, but Some See Room for Compromise.”
New APLD Members
Emerging Professionals
Michael Garcia, Southwest Ranches, Fla.
Leeloo Gilet, San Diego, Calif.
Julia Parker, San Diego, Calif.
Upcoming Educational Opportunities & Events
APLD provides a listing of educational opportunities and events on its website, www.apld.org.
Get Your Event Approved for CEUs!
If your chapter is planning an event, remember to have it approved for CEUs. Contact Kelly at certification@apld.org if you have any questions.
Click Here to Fill Out the CEU Request Form
Students
Farnaz Tasbihgoo, Oakland, Calif.
Kimberly Ussery, Imperial Beach, Calif.
Member Spotlight
Exploring Nature Through Art and Design
A Conversation With Landscape Designer Andrea Doonan
In a recent interview with landscape designer Andrea Doonan, we gained valuable insights into her journey, experiences, and perspectives within the industry.
With 20 years of experience, Andrea’s passion has been a driving force throughout her career. She says, “The two constants in my life have been art and plants.” Growing up immersed in nature, she found her calling in horticulture and landscape design, eventually establishing her own company, Andrea Doonan Horticulture + Design, specializing in residential landscape projects.
When reflecting on industry challenges, Andrea highlighted the dynamic nature of pricing and the importance of aligning client budgets with current market trends. “Pricing! It’s a moving target, and working with clients’ budgets while also educating myself on current pricing can be a challenge,” she shares. To address this challenge, she provides budget ranges to prepare clients and collaborates with contractors to manage costs effectively.
Andrea appreciates San Diego’s rich biodiversity, presenting opportunities to integrate native plants into projects. She emphasizes, “Aside from the fact that so many things can grow here in San Diego, we are also a biodiversity hotspot.” This ecological diversity inspires her to incorporate native flora into her designs, contributing to the region’s environmental sustainability.
Andrea actively engages with APLD events, programs, and her professional network to stay abreast of the latest trends and innovations. She emphasizes the importance of real-life experiences, stating, “I’m always down to look at gardens anywhere, anytime, and have been known to slow the car down to check out a nice landscape or house color scheme.”
Andrea attributes her professional growth to her involvement in APLD. Active since 2015, she cherishes the sense of community and collective knowledge APLD offers. Serving on the Chapter board and as the San Diego District president, Andrea underscores the value of active participation, mentioning, “You get what you put in.”
Andrea is happy to share her artistic inclinations. Recalling her youth, she humorously reflects, “I’m an artist at heart – when I was young, I was in a jam band and thought I’d either be a rockstar or an artist, and then plants found me, and I never looked back.”
Adding to her artistic flair is the integration of artwork into her landscaping design. “One new thing I am doing is integrating art into my projects, including mosaics and murals,” she said. “It’s really an exciting new branch!”
Check out the pictures!
Andrea Doonan’s unwavering passion for art, nature, and design shines through her experiences and insights, inspiring new and seasoned professionals alike. Her holistic approach to landscaping and commitment to environmental stewardship exemplify the transformative power of merging creativity with nature.
A Flourishing Native Habitat Garden
Andrea Doonan takes pride in her stunning native habitat garden project in San Diego. Reflecting on this impressive undertaking, she shares, “It was great to see this space transformed and attract birds and pollinators from neighboring canyons while keeping the front open so the clients can enjoy interfacing with the very walkable community.”
The garden boasts a native sedge meadow in place of the traditional lawn, a water harvesting swale and a captivating Stone Forest focal fountain. This thriving ecosystem enhances the landscape and provides a welcoming environment for local wildlife. Andrea’s innovative design ensures a dynamic and engaging space that evolves beautifully with the changing seasons.
Protecting Yourself From Phishing Attacks
As technology advances, the threats associated with it have also evolved. Phishing attacks have become a significant concern for individuals and organizations.
According to the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG), 963,994 phishing attacks were observed in the first quarter of 2024. This highlights the pervasive and evolving nature of phishing attacks.
Phishing is a cybercrime in which attackers pretend to be trustworthy entities to trick individuals into sharing sensitive information such as passwords, credit card details, or personal data. Phishing attacks can take various forms, including fraudulent emails, websites, or text messages. They usually aim to exploit individuals or organizations for financial gain or to compromise sensitive data.
Phishing is typically a result of technological vulnerabilities and the potential for significant financial rewards, making it an attractive tactic for cybercriminals.
At APLD, we recognize the importance of preventing phishing attacks and encourage all of our members to take proactive measures to safeguard themselves from these malicious attempts to steal sensitive information.
Here are some telltale signs of a phishing attack:
Unusual Sender: Watch out for emails or messages from unfamiliar senders or those with slightly misspelled email addresses similar to legitimate ones, as these could be signs of phishing attempts.
Urgency or Threats: Phishing emails often create a sense of urgency or use threatening language to prompt immediate action, such as claiming that your account will be closed unless you provide certain information or verification.
Requests for Sensitive Information: Be cautious if an email requests sensitive information like passwords, credit card details, or personal data, especially if it prompts you to click on a link and enter the information on a non-secure site.
Suspicious Links: Be wary of links in emails that appear abnormal or lead to unfamiliar websites. These could potentially be phishing attempts to install malware or gather sensitive information.
Poor Grammar and Spelling: Many phishing emails contain grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, or awkward phrasing.
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Recognizing these signs can help you identify and avoid potential phishing attacks. Here are some essential tips to protect yourself from phishing attacks:
Stay Vigilant: We advise all members to remain vigilant when dealing with unsolicited emails, messages, or calls. Be cautious when clicking links or downloading attachments, especially if they are unexpected or from unfamiliar sources.
Verify Requests: When you receive requests for sensitive information, whether from within the organization or external sources, always verify their authenticity. Double-check the sender’s email address or contact the individual or department directly to confirm the request’s legitimacy.
Keep Software Updated: It is crucial to keep all your devices and software updated with the latest security patches and updates. We emphasize the significance of regularly updating antivirus programs, firewalls, and operating systems to mitigate potential vulnerabilities.
Educate Yourself: Knowledge is a powerful defense against phishing attacks. We encourage everyone to stay informed about the latest phishing tactics and security best practices. Educating yourself and your colleagues can collectively strengthen the organization’s defenses against phishing attempts.
Use Multi-Factor Authentication:
Implementing multi-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security. We recommend utilizing this feature wherever possible to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive accounts and data.
By following these tips, you and your organization can significantly reduce your risk of falling victim to phishing attacks. Remember, proactive prevention is the key to maintaining a secure digital environment.
Stay informed, stay alert, and stay safe.
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The Beauty is in the Details
by Bruce Crawford, Director of Horticulture, Morris County Park Commission
How often do we hear the phrase the ‘Devil is in the Details?’ The phrase highlights how the success of a project hinges on the many small details that can often go overlooked. No project is certainly more befitting of this phrase than creating a successful garden. One such detail that always brings surprise and beauty is the unexpected appearance of flowers from bulbs, corms or other geophytes we long forgot adding to the garden. It was on a trip to Stonecrop, the home and garden of financier and horticulturist Frank Cabot (1925-2011), that I was first introduced to Prospero autumnalis, commonly known as Autumn Squill. With flower adorned stems only reaching 8 to 12 inches tall in July into August and September (as seen below), Autumn Squill provides a small ‘Detail’ that adds big ‘Beauty’ to the garden!
what became a genus containing upwards of 80 species at one point. Currently, many species, such as Prospero, have been teased out into different genera, and Scilla now contains around 30 species. The species epithet describes how it blooms during the later part of the summer and into the early fall.
Despite its small stature, Prospero autumnalis is native throughout a broad territory, stretching from the United Kingdom South to Portugal and East to Turkey and the Caucasus. It is also a genus surrounded with much confusion, starting with its family heritage. It is currently considered to be in the subfamily Scilloideae, which is placed within the Asparagaceae or the Asparagus family. Formerly, the subfamily Scilloideae was known as Hyacinthaceae or the Hyacinth family, and it is not unusual to see the plant still listed as a member of this family. Its location in this subfamily is logical, as the bulb was originally named Scilla in 1753 by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778).
The name comes from the Latin of the same name and the Greek Skilla. It was the name used in the distant past by botanists, naturalists and authors such as Theophrastus (371-287 BC), who is often called the father of botany and later by the naturalist Pliny the Elder (2379 AD) to describe a bulbous plant. Although the plant described by Theophrastus and others as Scilla was a totally different plant, Linnaeus adopted the name for
The genus name Prospero was published posthumously by the English botanist Richard Salisbury (1761-1829) in 1866. Born Richard Anthony Markham, he was a very contentious figure in the world of botany, and although he made notable botanical advances, his rejection of the principles outlined by Linnaeus and accusations of plagiarism resulted in confrontational disputes with other botanists. As a result, his observations were often overlooked or discarded. In his 1866 publication The Genera of Plants, Salisbury suggested shifting four species of Scilla native to North Africa to the genus Prospero. The inspiration for the genus name remains a mystery, although it has been suggested the district in Italy named San Prospero was the inspiration, while others consider the magician Prospero in Shakespeare’s The Tempest provided the namesake.
However, he did not entertain changing the name Scilla autumnalis, which remained untouched until 1982. At this time, the genus was under much scrutiny by the Austrian botanist Franz Speta (1941-2015). Speta was a specialist in bulbs and took a particular interest in Scilla. He noticed many species of the genus were sufficiently unique to be placed into different and more appropriate genera. He suggested placing this species of Scilla into the genus Prospero, which is now accepted by most in the botanical community. Currently, Prospero contains approximately 12 species. Adding to the confusion and interest surrounding Autumn Squill is the tremendous genetic variation found within this apparent ‘species.’ This variation led Speta and other botanists to determine that many additional and visually
indistinguishable species remain undetected. Technically, this is called a Cryptic Species Complex, whereby various plants can have different types and numbers of chromosomes, such as diploids versus tetraploids or different DNA in the chloroplasts, yet they remain identical in appearance. Regardless, although the genetics vary and the species is most likely an umbrella for a number of different species, the plants appear virtually identical to the gardener!
Regardless of the number of unrecognized species, Prospero autumnalis also remains largely unrecognized by most gardeners and is certainly a plant worth searching out in catalogs or rare plant nurseries. Prospero, as a genus, grows and overwinters from true bulbs, consisting of layers of modified leaves much like an onion. The narrow, straplike foliage is one-quarter inch wide by 6 to 8 inches long and appears in mid to late March. The leaves are initially dark red in color while first emerging, changing to green with a red base (as seen on the previous page) before turning to all green by May. By late May, the foliage has become somewhat flaccid or floppy, and by mid-July, much of the initial foliage has faded, with only a few leaves laying limp atop the ground.
Starting in mid to late July in Northern New Jersey, it is common to see flower stems starting to appear, often accompanied by a few fresh new leaves. Each bulb produces one to four flowering stems, stretching from six to twelve inches tall. They are topped by floral racemes that range from one to four inches long and contain 5 to 30+ pink or violet flowers. A floral raceme is defined as an unbranched inflorescence that bears flowers with short pedicels (floral stalks) along its length.
Each flower has three petals and three sepals that look identical and are termed tepals. On the selection I bought and the subsequent seedlings that have appeared, the buds are a bright purplish pink with a bright Leprechaun green cap (as seen above). On close inspection, the buds are held upright with the pedicel curving upwards, much like the stem of a Williamsburg wall sconce. As the flower
buds open, the orientation changes from projecting upwards to outwards as the pedicels proceed to straighten into an outward orientation from the stem as seen above and at left. As the six tepals open, they reflex backward and develop into a star-shaped flower nearly three-eighths inch in diameter.
Each tepal is somewhat oval in shape and bright pink in color, with a slight green blush at the tips (as seen below). From the base of each tepal arises a stamen with light pink filaments and yellow anthers. At the center is a pale pink ovary from which emerges one nearly white style and stigma. Following pollination, the pedicels gradually return to an upright orientation and the oneeighth inch central ovary transitions to green as it slowly grows into a 3-chambered seed capsule.
Come September, the now one-quarter inch diameter tan seed capsule splits open at the top to reveal three urn-shaped seed chambers, with each containing two black seeds stacked one upon the other. As the capsule blows about in the wind, the seeds are ejected.
In the nine years that I have grown the plant, I have found numerous seedlings around the original plants, although one seedling appeared nearly five feet distant! Plants grow best in full sun to light shade in well-drained soils. I have seen numerous seedlings thriving in a gravel walkway at my home garden. The plants increase in size through the production of bulbous offsets and are hardy in zones 5-8. Due to their small stature and mid to late summer bloom time, plants are best located along the edge of beds near walls or walkways where they can best be appreciated. They look great mixed with Iris cristata, as seen below, and at Chanticleer Gardens in Wayne, Pennsylvania, it is interplanted with Epimedium sp. (Barrenwort).
Unlike February and March, when the blooms of smaller statured bulbs are easily seen amongst the winter bare landscape, July to September is a time when these smaller blooms can be easily overlooked in nurseries or sales catalogs. Of course, it took a gentleman like Frank Cabot, the founder of the Garden Conservancy, to appreciate the value this bulb brings to a garden. Its beauty and unexpected appearance during mid-summer is a detail that gardens both need and require. All the more reason why for the Garden, ‘The Beauty is in the Details’ is a far more appropriate phrase!
Bruce Crawford Director of Horticulture, Morris County Park Comission
A longtime proponent of unusual and fun plants, Bruce is the Manager of Horticulture for the Morris County Parks Commission. He was also an instructor in Landscape Architecture at Rutgers University from 1987 to 2020. A graduate of Bucknell University, Bruce lectures frequently and has yet to find a plant that he does not like.
APLD would like to recognize its affiliate organizations.
PERENNIAL PLANT ASSOCIATION NATIONAL SYMPOSIUM
July 29 - August 1 | Asheville, NC
LEARN
Two days of education includes horticulture in the southern Appalachian Mountains, plant responses to climate change, cultivating communities, and an entire design track.
ENGAGE
Two days of tours visit retail, private and public gardens, and growers.
CONNECT
Experience craft breweries, connect with friends, and meet fellow perennial plant enthusiasts!
Details at perennialplant.org or call 888-440-3122
Design Technology’s Role in Water-Conscious Landscapes
by Eric Gilbey, PLA, APLD, Vectorworks Product Marketing Manager – Landscape
The term “water conscious” is loaded, especially regarding landscapes. Others have used this phrase for singular purposes, such as conservation, efficiency, or management, but for now, I’d like to use it for all three. Of course, each one has an opportunity to overlap another, which is why I think the collective term of water-conscious makes sense.
After many years of visiting designers in various regions across the United States and Canada, their proficiency in each of these practices is not at all even-handed. Those in the West know all too well about how to design for water efficiency, while those in the East purposely incorporate water management in their designs. Perhaps less regionally specific, water conservation seems to be a goal for most, if not all, projects.
What might be more surprising is that design technology can play a role in assisting us in pursuing these environmentally supportive goals.
Water Efficiency
Whether or not the proposed landscape is in an area where water use is regulated, planning for a water-efficient landscape is always a worthy goal. One aspect of technology assistance for water efficiency is already being used by many of you, and that is a plant database.
I still recall when the late Dr. Tim Rhodus developed Ohio State University’s first website for online plant facts. In such online databases, stand-alone database applications, or databases built into your design software, water needs and tolerances could be referenced, at least until you have their needs memorized.
Built-in plant databases can help identify the most suitable plant and assign it to your plant symbol.
Balancing plants’ water needs (and other features) with a sustainable water allowance involves multiple factors like hydrozone areas, regional evapotranspiration, volume of non-potable water sources, and so on. This can be quite daunting, and fortunately, digital spreadsheets have been created for water budgets, such as California’s MWELO and EPA’s Water Sense (used in LEED and SITES).
Even better are worksheets built into your design software. These can report on proposed hydrozones and conduct calculations, enabling you to revise and evolve your design to meet or exceed the goals of the water budget.
Using a built-in worksheet can harvest the hydrozone data and perform water budget calculations.
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In much of the 1970s, conservation was as much a buzzword as sustainability is today. We all learned how being conscious of our use of water, electricity, fuel, and other resources could make a difference for our generation and those succeeding us. This is still as true today, if not even more so.
Water conservation in the landscape can include obvious technology–such as water sensors–to prevent overwatering, but what about helping you calculate how much water could be harvested for reuse on the site? Design software can use the geometry from modeled existing and proposed feature surfaces to generate volume take-offs, within worksheets, of the water expected to be received by the site. This can be helpful when designing or selecting water cisterns or storage systems.
Water Management
Like conservation, water management can make use of the water that naturally comes to the site, but beyond reuse, there are opportunities to slow, infiltrate and evaporate water so that negative impacts like erosion, pollution and low water tables can be avoided.
One of the easiest ways to involve design technology is to use hardscape and softscape objects to help calculate the areas of pervious and impervious surfaces. Since many municipalities and sustainability objectives require a maximum for impervious surfaces, this can certainly help when documenting the proposed project’s surface data.
Where jurisdictions permit designers to do so, conforming the site surface to encourage positive drainage from structures and surfaces is a given, but proposing surface changes that help to create water management features like rain gardens and recesses that encourage biofiltration can be mastered with terrain modeling tools in design software.
While not new, water management elements that encourage evaporation are becoming a great way to handle rainwater when there is not enough space to incorporate retaining or infiltration features.
I recently have been inspired by Tim Larsen, a designer in Denmark who modeled a structure to disperse collected rainwater through a metalframed willow reed evaporation structure. What I liked most about this example is how he used his 3D model in a simulated rain event to prove the concept he envisioned to help any site, big or small, to manage the rain instead of forcing it to run off the site.
Through all of this, I hope you are encouraged to seek more opportunities to incorporate water consciousness in your landscape designs and, where possible, use intuitive technology to assist you in the process. As always, I welcome questions and comments, and if you have examples to share, I especially hope you will share.
Surfaces of modeled proposed and existing structures can help calculate for water collection and storage.
Terrain modeling tools propose surfaces changes which guide runoff to features like rain gardens.
3D modeled water evaporation wall designed by Tim Larsen to manage water.
The Horticulture Industry Ponders Pots
In its May 2024 issue, Nursery Management Magazine featured an article on The Container Challenge, written by Marie Chieppo, with supplemental insights from Nursery Management’s editor, Matt McClellan. Ms. Chieppo was also the author of APLD’s research paper, Plastic Pots and the Green Industry: Production, Use, Disposal and Environmental Impacts, and she has continued since that time to speak, write, and advocate on the topic. Her website, educates and provides up-to-date information on ongoing efforts within the industry.
The article opens with a brief overview of the adoption of plastic for plant containers and how it became the default material (at a substantial volume, we might add: in our 2023 State of the Pot report, we noted that nursery stock in containers made up 68% of $3.1 billion in sales in 2019). She explains APLD’s concerns about the ubiquity of the plastic pots and their disposal: “As designers who are directly involved with purchasing plant material, we were concerned about the negative impact the large quantities of plants (in pots) we order were having on the environment and public health.” This resulted in APLD’s decision to investigate, and “the issue was approached with vigor and positivity,” Chieppo says. The paper has become a leading resource on the topic.
The industry is also alarmed. While they are aware of the concerns about plastic pollution, they have yet to find a replacement that meets their performance requirements as well as plastic does, especially when it comes to durability. Chieppo reports that “growers and nursery owners are very hesitant to use alternative materials; what they use works and is reliable.”
Nevertheless, they can read the writing on the wall and are taking steps to improve sustainability in containers. The Horticultural Research Institute, a part of the AmericanHort Foundation, has formed a task force to address the issue. Ms. Chieppo is a member, along with representatives from container suppliers and other nurserymen.
The task force’s top priorities are identifying alternatives to virgin petroleum-based plastics, evaluating compostable alternatives and looking for ways to improve recycling. Within the task force are subgroups focusing on alternative containers, biodegradable plastics, and recycling.
Looming on the horizon are potential legislative mandates regarding plastic production.
McClellan emphasizes that the industry takes the situation very seriously, and “the goal is to get ahead of legislation that is already beginning to occur in several states.” Extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws have been passed in Maine, California, Colorado and Oregon.
According to Chieppo, producers of unsustainable and difficult-to-recycle products are required to “pay into a fund based on the net amount and the recyclability of packaging associated with their products. The fees, in turn, help fund waste management and infrastructure needs.” Other states are mandating minimum postconsumer recycled (PCR) content in plastic products.
Chieppo closes by directing readers to the Healthy Pots, Healthy Planet website and her own. We’ll be watching closely to see where the efforts of the industry lead them. When it comes to 100% virgin petroleum-based pots, Healthy Pots, Healthy Planet is learning that many United States producers already use a substantial amount of recycled content in their products. If this is the case with production across the board, recycled content may already be the norm in plant containers.
As the article states, the industry wants a “seat at the table,” and so do we consumers. As it works its way through the issues, the industry needs to know what consumers want. Through surveys and outreach, Healthy Pots, Healthy Planet aims to make that clear. And through our growing coalition of supporters, we will represent the market demand that should influence container producers.
As Chieppo states, producers are “forced to rethink their products.” That is exactly what Healthy Pots, Healthy Planet hopes to see.
Design Online Submissions:
Design Online is always seeking articles that would be relevant to APLD members. In particular, we are looking for leads in the following areas:
Members in the News: Have you or one of your designs been in the news lately? Share that information with APLD members.
Member Spotlight: Would you like to be featured as our next Member Spotlight? Just let us know, and we’ll get the ball rolling.
Blog of the Month: Do you have a blog about landscape design? Let us know so we can share it with the APLD membership. Gain exposure among your peers and help us form an APLD blogging community.
Please submit your articles to APLDnewsletter@gmail.com The deadline is the 15th of each prior month.
APLD Staff Contact:
Director of Communications: Michelle Keyser communications@apld.org
APLD’s staff wants you to get the most out of your experience with APLD. We are available to serve you, so please do not hesitate to contact staff with any question or concern that you may have. For a full staff listing, please click here.
Contact Us:
Association of Professional Landscape Designers 2207 Forest Hills Drive
Harrisburg, PA 17112
Phone: 717-238-9780
Fax: 717-238-9985
Website: www.apld.org
Office Hours: Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Eastern
