Landscape, Plants, Hardscape & Decks
'As fall looms before us,' noted Stephanie Rose in kicking off her Natural Companions column in the September 2000 issue of WaterShapes, 'it's timely to consider a question that should be a factor in every design we prepare: To drop or not to drop?' 'This question is a good one to ask before you start planning and has to do with how much natural debris your clients will be willing to fish out of their watershapes once you're gone. In other words, while it's always important to decide
In recent years, more and more of our clients have asked us to use old hardscape materials on their projects: They love the stuff, they tell us, and they're sold on its aesthetic richness, authenticity and time-tested visual appeal. Living in southeastern Pennsylvania near some of the country's oldest cities gives me the advantage of ready access to these timeless objects - mostly old cobbles, bricks and stone curbing pulled up in the process of infrastructure
In recent years, we've seen a dramatic increase in the use of faux stone as well as concrete flagstones and pavers. Popular for their affordability and ease of installation as well as the ever-improving realism of their appearance, these materials are widely available for use on
'I've taken up a fair amount of my column space in WaterShapes with discussions of the wise use of water, and for good reason: What could be more important to watershapers,' wrote Bruce Zaretsky to open the April 2010 edition of On the Level, 'than knowing how to make the best possible use of the material that defines our profession? 'The common thread in all of this coverage . . . is that, ultimately, our aim must be to preserve the integrity of water, to cleanse it for return to the groundwater system and to
When a backyard has a swimming pool, homeowners generally want their watershape to be a key visual component in the overall composition. Too often, however - and this is particularly true of many of the older ones I see - the pool is unexciting both on its own and as part of the landscape. That's definitely not the style these days. Homeowners either want to make a statement by having a pool that is a visual knockout complete with big rocks and grottos and waterfalls; or they want it to play a more understated role but be a major part of a
'Surely you've heard this line before and never believed it,' declared Stephanie Rose to open her June 1999 Natural Companions column, 'but I'm here to tell you that size does matter. 'Have you ever, for example, built a pond or fountain with concrete either surrounding it or fanning out from it beneath the soil - and then had your clients say they wanted a very mature tree or shrub planted right up against the edge? There you are with
'In recent weeks,' wrote Bruce Zaretsky to open his On the Level column in the July 2009 issue of WaterShapes, 'I've spent a good bit of time speaking to landscaping colleagues, garden clubs and symposium attendees about our general need to get smarter when it comes to how we think about landscapes. 'This is all part of my perpetual campaign to
All too often, important decisions about the design of a swimming pool environment are left for "later." That's not just wrong; it's also a crying shame. As I see it, a huge proportion of my clients' long-term satisfaction with their pools comes not from time they actually spend in the water, but instead has to do with how easy and comfortable it is for them to enjoy their lives around the water. That's why I've always made discussions about decking and patios a key component of the design process from the very start - and why my clients are so happy with the results. As the video linked below indicates, there are
For as long as I can remember, I've noticed that people with pools in their backyards tend to like to put big pots near the water: It's a nice touch that breaks up the horizontal plane and brings an easy sense of scale to the setting. The greenery and flowers can be nice, too. Watershape designers have gotten in on the act as well, inserting pots into projects as visual anchors, as is the case in the project on display in the video linked below: We used them here not only to
For as long as I can remember, I've noticed that people with pools in their backyards tend to like to put big pots near the water: It's a nice touch that breaks up the horizontal plane and brings an easy sense of scale to the setting. The greenery and flowers can be nice, too. Watershape designers have gotten in on the act as well, inserting pots into projects as visual anchors, as is the case in the project on display in the video linked below: We used them here not only to
