ARTICLES Archives - Page 58 of 325

Xeriscaping is all about creating landscapes that are sustainable in dry climates, but that doesn’t mean spaces devoid of life or only populated by cacti, says Michael Logsdon. In fact, he explains, water-wise landscapes can be surprisingly vibrant and colorful, as well as low maintenance, but you have to think beyond the rocks and prickly pear.

Discovering Xeriscapes

The word xeriscape is one of those terms that most everyone has heard but few truly understand. When we think of xeriscapes or xeriscaping, most people immediately visualize a dry almost lifeless desert landscape with rocks and cactus. Because the "x" is pronounced like a "z" the word is often mistaken for a fancy way of spelling zeroscapes, which implies that it has no plantings or uses zero water. Neither is true. Working in the arid climates of the Texas hill country, I've embraced the xeriscaping concept as a way to create sustainable and inviting landscapes with minimal irrigation, but again, that does not

Planting Presence

Back when we launched WaterShapes, just over 21 years ago, the magazine surprised lots of people for a variety of reasons: Its broad focus on all types of water systems; the fact that it's written in the first person by industry experts and not

Establishing primary and secondary sightlines within a space is one of the first design tasks on almost any project, observes Mike Farley. Doing so sets the stage for numerous decisions that follow and allows you to maximize visual impact from indoors -- and outdoors as well.

Guided by Sight

Designing with line of sight in mind is something I think about a lot. Knowing where to place things so they will be seen, or in some cases not seen, is arguably square one in the design process. That's why when I talk to my clients one of the first things I ask is, "What's the most important view in the house?" I start there because it's something they are going to be looking at 365 days a year, probably morning, noon and night. The answers are mostly the same, the living room, dining room or kitchen. Every once in a while, someone

Meetings of Blue Minds

Since joining Watershape University (WU) last fall, one of the most intriguing, and I believe inspiring, ideas we've pursued has been the plan to develop the Live Blue Foundation (LBF) as a companion organization. For those who might be wondering what the LBF is all about, and how it ties in with WU, here's a brief synopsis. The concept for LBF stems from the revolutionary work of

A Launch Interrupted

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought suffering and loss to many. It has certainly challenged everyone's patience and forced us to find creative ways to move forward on the work front from the confines of home. For some, that's proven impossible and they are truly stuck at home with little or nothing to do. Others are luckier and can earn the daily bread in isolation, or quarantine. Many bravely soldier on in medical facilities, grocery stores, delivery services and other essential businesses.

Selling dreams and making memories are at the heart of the watershaping process, says Scott Payne. Taking design from the outdoor-lifestyle perspective, he notes, is the best way to create spaces that connect with clients' lives while also generating new revenue streams.

Outdoor Connections

I love the outdoor living part of the conversation, and our clients do too. It's so important because two of the big keys to success in business are paying attention to the client, and you have to be able to adapt. The outdoor living piece lead to both. We always start by looking at what people are seeking. What do they really want? Almost always that boils down to some kind of at-home, outdoor experience or set of experiences. That can mean a lot of different things to different people, so you have to

Whether ponds are built for it or not, many will encourage a swim, inspire a dive or invite a cooling dip. That's why Larry Carnes guides his clients who want to get wet toward naturalistic pond designs that are also deliberately made for easy access, bather comfort and everyone's safety.

Dawn of the Swimming Pond

Ponds built for swimming are becoming more and more popular - at least they have been in our business. For the past 3-4 years, we've actively promoted recreation-style or swimming-style ponds and have experienced some strong success. Now more than half of our projects are designed and built with swimming in mind, and many of those installations stand among our finest efforts. It's similar in some respects to what we see in the swimming pool market where people are investing in their backyards so they can enjoy the

Upon Higher Minds

The cliché is true; to know where you're going you've got to know where you've been. Like all professions, watershaping has a rich history of innovation and groundbreaking achievements. Unlike other more heralded fields, however, there is no watershaping hall of fame - but if there were, you'd find many an inductee covered in these pages. Most every field of human endeavor has its

Why Watershape University?

Ever since the formation of Watershape University last fall, curious minds have rightfully asked what this organization is all about, what our goals are, and the means we'll be using achieve those ends? Here's a rundown of the key questions and answers: What's a "watershape"? The creators of WaterShapes coined the term before

Degrees of Separation

'Through the past few months,' wrote Brian Van Bower in April 2005 to open his Aqua Culture column, 'I've run across several representatives of the pool and spa industry who have expressed concern that some of us in the business of educating watershapers are encouraging landscape architects to move in the direction of the pool industry's traditional market. "I can understand the anxiety. After all, landscape architects are