Landscape, Plants, Hardscape & Decks
While homeowners with views almost always want to make the most of their settings, many don’t fully understand how best to go about it, explains Scott Cohen. Capturing a beautiful vista does not always mean leaving it undressed and undisrupted. Here he describes how framing and even partially concealing a scene can lend context, function and beauty.
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Bamboo, a member of the grass family Poaceae, is one of the fastest-growing plants on Earth. Its rapid growth, diverse varieties, remarkable carbon dioxide absorption, and oxygen release capabilities make it an environmental and landscape design champion. And it just looks cool.
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Rico Rock has announced its newest addition to the Temple Stone series. The new firepit is made of attractive and safe pre-cast lightweight concrete that matches the latest in outdoor living décor. Roughly 18” high, 76” long and 23” wide, the Temple Stone firepit makes it easy to create a gathering space in any backyard. Hooks up to standard propane tanks. (Shown here in limestone color.) Made in USA and available for immediate shipment.
Learn more here.
The need to manage and control water is one of the defining challenges of human civilization. One visionary landscape architect believes the key to sustained success is to use natural processes to create “sponge cities” that ingeniously integrate manmade infrastructure with the widespread use of wetlands, rain gardens and green belts.
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A recent overseas trip took Jim McCloskey to a place he’s wanted to see for more than 20 years – basically ever since he worked on a WaterShapes article by Douglas Roth more than two decades ago on the wonders of the Japanese garden known as Katsura Rikyu.
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In the first installment of this two-part project Mario and Sherry Abaldo explained the scope and first stages of the work creating one of the most elaborate residential aquatic spaces of all time. Here they fill in many of the details that made this undertaking so remarkable.
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Designing beautiful outdoor spaces that feel welcoming and harmonious is oftentimes a matter of self-editing, says Kirk Bianchi. Here he delves into the design process with the idea of creating rhythm and visual balance, when making decisions about what to include and leave out.
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Mexican art is often defined by the use of vivid colors and bold mythical figures representing both pagan and Christian themes. Muralist painter, Jesus Lopez Vega, captures those contradictions in his bold works that among other things, pay homage to the natural waters of Mexico’s Lake Chapala, the largest in Mexico, an object of both concern and admiration.
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Nestled on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada, Butchart Gardens is a world-renowned botanical garden that attracts over a million visitors annually. Its stunning landscapes, vibrant flowers, and meticulously designed water features have made it a must-see destination for garden enthusiasts and tourists alike.
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Lessons Learned: Root Awakenings — Ficus Trees and Pool Damage