Landscape, Plants, Hardscape & Decks
It seems that everyone’s talking about “sustainability” these days, with the usual thought being that, as exterior designers, good environmental stewardship must be one of our main missions. But what is sustainability? What do watershapers need to do to encompass this philosophy? As important, what does it mean to our clients, and where are they in all of this? According the numerous sources I’ve consulted, sustainability is defined as striving for the best outcome for both human and natural environments, now and well into the future. In other words, it’s about
What do you see when you look at postcards, ads and travel posters designed to lure you to exotic, sunny locations? Almost without exception, there are palms - the omnipresent invitation to experience all things tropical. The association is so close, in fact, that it's hard to imagine a tropical resort or lagoon-style backyard pool without at least one of them in sight. The allure of palms, of course, extends well beyond the tropics. In any location in which sunshine and outdoor living are touchstones for the good life, whether its in the desert of southern California or on a waterfront in Hawaii, palms are almost always the finishing touch used in crafting a distinctive artistic and cultural statement. They are the icons of
What do you see when you look at postcards, ads and travel posters designed to lure you to exotic, sunny locations? Almost without exception, there are palms - the omnipresent invitation to experience all things tropical. The association is so close, in fact, that it's hard to imagine a tropical resort or lagoon-style backyard pool without at least one of them in sight. The allure of palms, of course, extends well beyond the tropics. In any location in which sunshine and outdoor living are touchstones for the good life, whether its in the desert of southern California or on a waterfront in Hawaii, palms are almost always the finishing touch used in crafting a distinctive artistic and cultural statement. They are the icons of
I've always believed that an unlimited budget is not essential to making design magic. While having clients with deep pockets and a willingness to dig deeply into them is always nice and allows us a bit more leeway when it comes to artistic license, I've always observed that having relatively few constraints also tends to make some designers creatively lazy. By contrast, I've often found small-budget, small-space projects to be creatively stimulating. A couple of columns ago, for example, I discussed a project we'd been working on that posed challenges with its sunken deck footings and the need to accomplish a lot with
I've always believed that an unlimited budget is not essential to making design magic. While having clients with deep pockets and a willingness to dig deeply into them is always nice and allows us a bit more leeway when it comes to artistic license, I've always observed that having relatively few constraints also tends to make some designers creatively lazy. By contrast, I've often found small-budget, small-space projects to be creatively stimulating. A couple of columns ago, for example, I discussed a project we'd been working on that posed challenges with its sunken deck footings and the need to accomplish a lot with
To the casual observer, it might seem that what we do is all about artificial rock. But if you look closer, I think a better description is that we work in the business of "themed construction." While much of our work centers on the creative use of artificial rock, we do much more than shape that raw material in fashioning the archaeological replicas, exotic watershapes, zoological exhibits and grand-scale sculptures of which the rockwork is a part. As we see it, what we do is develop whatever sort of tableau a client might want in whatever media might help us capture it. As a consequence, our work at The Lakeland Co. (Rathdrum, Idaho) has brought us into contact with an incredibly broad spectrum of projects in a wide range of settings, from
To the casual observer, it might seem that what we do is all about artificial rock. But if you look closer, I think a better description is that we work in the business of "themed construction." While much of our work centers on the creative use of artificial rock, we do much more than shape that raw material in fashioning the archaeological replicas, exotic watershapes, zoological exhibits and grand-scale sculptures of which the rockwork is a part. As we see it, what we do is develop whatever sort of tableau a client might want in whatever media might help us capture it. As a consequence, our work at The Lakeland Co. (Rathdrum, Idaho) has brought us into contact with an incredibly broad spectrum of projects in a wide range of settings, from
In one form or another, almost every landscape project uses stone. Whether it's ledger, rubble, pebbles or flagstone - on its own or woven into other hardscape materials - when it comes to shaping exterior environments, stone is one of the most versatile of all materials at your disposal. In my experience as a stone supplier, however, few landshapers understand enough about the properties and characteristics of available stone products to use them as effectively as possible. This is true despite the fact that inappropriate stone usage creates liabilities for both the installer and the client and that the need for eventual replacement incurs great cost down the line. Simply knowing which types of stone are dense and which are soft, for example, is enough to prevent many problems with installations and will make landscapes more successful. While placing beautiful slate on an exterior deck may seem a great idea visually, for instance, it will eventually disintegrate as a result of exposure to the elements, nobody involved will be happy - and everybody will recognize that it would have been better to
In one form or another, almost every landscape project uses stone. Whether it's ledger, rubble, pebbles or flagstone - on its own or woven into other hardscape materials - when it comes to shaping exterior environments, stone is one of the most versatile of all materials at your disposal. In my experience as a stone supplier, however, few landshapers understand enough about the properties and characteristics of available stone products to use them as effectively as possible. This is true despite the fact that inappropriate stone usage creates liabilities for both the installer and the client and that the need for eventual replacement incurs great cost down the line. Simply knowing which types of stone are dense and which are soft, for example, is enough to prevent many problems with installations and will make landscapes more successful. While placing beautiful slate on an exterior deck may seem a great idea visually, for instance, it will eventually disintegrate as a result of exposure to the elements, nobody involved will be happy - and everybody will recognize that it would have been better to
Recently, much has been written and discussed in our local Los Angeles media - newspapers, magazines, television - about an influx of architectural styles to our area that "just don't fit in" and are generally thought of as being a blight on our collective landscape. This isn't anything new, of course. I recall similar dustups in the 1970s and '80s when the stylistic serenity of old, established neighborhoods was being disrupted by the insertion
