ARTICLE CAROLYN DAVIDSON PHOTOGRAPHY POPPY & CO. + DEHAN DAVIS PHOTOGRAPHY
the edge effect in the early ’80s with his book, Permaculture One. The edge effect is the idea that the meeting of two biological communities, for instance, forest and grassland, offers the most interesting space because of the diversity of both plants and animals. These transitional areas are called ‘Ecotones’, and you can find species from each neighboring biome as well as species unique to the combination of the two. In the natural world, these edges serve as ‘energy traps’ since they are the points where materials, nutrients, and organisms flow across ecosystems. They create beneficial microclimates, biodiversity, and biomass. “Edges are dynamic, complex, and fascinating! What’s exciting is that this principle can be applied to just about everything, from ecology to aesthetics and human interaction,” Sangelo says. You may be thinking that you need a large plot of land to execute this idea, but Sangelo would disagree. “We are constantly working and playing with the edges between inside and outside, wildness and control, intimate and public,” she explains. “These translate into landscape materials and techniques, between lawn and garden bed,
Designing at the Edge TRANSFORMING LANDSCAPES WITH ECOSCAPE
footpath and front door, property and right of way…The elements in these residential-scale examples are macrocosmic expressions of the edge effect. As designers, we are always thinking about the interface. The edges are rich and offer up opportunities to come up with unique solutions.” With the edge effect, your landscape architect will be mimicking the curves and contours of nature. “In design-
IF YOU’VE EVER DREAMED OF TURNING YOUR YARD
ing with the edge effect, the goal is to increase edge
INTO A VERDANT EDEN, YOU KNOW HOW CHAL-
length to optimize diversity,” Sangelo says. “Traditionally,
LENGING TRANSFORMING A NATURAL SPACE CAN
this has been done with undulating curves because they
BE. In Boulder County, Ecoscape is known for turning
mimic nature’s patterns. There is more work in optimizing
yards into show-worthy gardens of lush grasses, bright
the edge effect [than using a more modern style] and
blooms, and thoughtful approach. Ecoscape offers
more reward… Longer walls, winding creeks, and longer
an environmentally conscious design that brings a
paths. Just as the dry creek slows down runoff, a mean-
home-owners vision to life, whether your existing space
dering path takes longer to traverse, slowing us down
needs a new direction, or you have a blank slate to fill.
and allowing more time to be outside.”
Lisa Sangelo, PLA, started her career by studying Fine
At Ecoscape, the landscape designers strive to be
Arts and Horticultural Science. After learning of Landscape
innovators in their field, in both their ecological approach
Architecture, Lisa dove into the career that combined her
and their integrated services.
interests of art, science, and the natural world.
50
“We always have been and will be at the edge of the pres-
For Sangelo, an exciting aspect to bring to a landscape, one
ent,” Sangelo says. “Dwelling here and optimizing this edge,
that will set yards apart from those around them, is known as
slowing down, increasing awareness, and attending to the
the “Edge Effect.” David Holmgren first introduced the idea of
details seems like the right thing to do.”
Boulder Lifestyle | October 2019
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