column
Last time, I described (at great length, as you may have noticed) what happens in the time between my initial phone conversation with clients and a point just ahead of my formal presentation of a design. It's an involved process that uses all of the information I've gleaned from my clients about what they want, what they think they need and what they ultimately expect to have in their backyard environments. It's about understanding the underlying circumstances, deciding what should be done and, finally, assembling all of that insight into a
As much as I love cold weather, I have to concede that we experienced way too much of a good thing this past winter. Long periods of extremely cold weather are the norm in many other parts of the country, and plants survive. Here, however, our local plants may be accustomed to surviving the isolated sub-freezing night, but sustained, frosty temperatures lasting nearly a week are something they weren't meant to handle. I'm sure you've seen the results of our cold snap in the news: Much of the state's citrus population - yes, coincidentally, the wonderful treats I wrote about in last month's column - has sustained long-term damage and the trees in many cases will take two years and more to recover. And that doesn't just affect us here: The rippling effects will be felt in
As much as I love cold weather, I have to concede that we experienced way too much of a good thing this past winter. Long periods of extremely cold weather are the norm in many other parts of the country, and plants survive. Here, however, our local plants may be accustomed to surviving the isolated sub-freezing night, but sustained, frosty temperatures lasting nearly a week are something they weren't meant to handle. I'm sure you've seen the results of our cold snap in the news: Much of the state's citrus population - yes, coincidentally, the wonderful treats I wrote about in last month's column - has sustained long-term damage and the trees in many cases will take two years and more to recover. And that doesn't just affect us here: The rippling effects will be felt in
Whether you call yourself an environmentalist or not, the current information about climate change and a range of related issues is something you need to consider. Before you react to that statement, be advised that you don't have to accept global warming as fact or anything else experts and scientists might say at face value. What you do have to accept, however, is that there's enough going on in those arenas that your clients are picking up on it - and personally, that's more than enough motivation for me to start paying attention sooner rather than later. In other words, as both enlightened citizens and forward-thinking watershapers, I think things are at a point where it's probably wise to
Whether you call yourself an environmentalist or not, the current information about climate change and a range of related issues is something you need to consider. Before you react to that statement, be advised that you don't have to accept global warming as fact or anything else experts and scientists might say at face value. What you do have to accept, however, is that there's enough going on in those arenas that your clients are picking up on it - and personally, that's more than enough motivation for me to start paying attention sooner rather than later. In other words, as both enlightened citizens and forward-thinking watershapers, I think things are at a point where it's probably wise to
When I sit down with clients for our first face-to-face meeting, we discuss a range of issues that will guide me when I return to my studio and get down to designing a watershape and surrounding areas for them. We'll talk about colors, materials, the location of the pool, their preferences in art, the way they entertain and, perhaps most important of all, how they plan to use their backyard and swimming pool. Let's focus on that last point: When we talk about how a pool is going to be used, what I really want to know is how it will be used on a daily or weekly basis (for swimming, exercise, play or simply as a visual), not how it's going to be used once or twice each year when they throw a big pool party. My thought is that these clients will
When I sit down with clients for our first face-to-face meeting, we discuss a range of issues that will guide me when I return to my studio and get down to designing a watershape and surrounding areas for them. We'll talk about colors, materials, the location of the pool, their preferences in art, the way they entertain and, perhaps most important of all, how they plan to use their backyard and swimming pool. Let's focus on that last point: When we talk about how a pool is going to be used, what I really want to know is how it will be used on a daily or weekly basis (for swimming, exercise, play or simply as a visual), not how it's going to be used once or twice each year when they throw a big pool party. My thought is that these clients will
For years, I refused to eat tangerines and oranges because I hated the seeds. It was too much work to peel off the rind and then sift through the sections and pull out the seeds before finally getting to the juicy, delicious part of the fruit. I opted instead to get my Vitamin C from other sources. One winter several years ago, my attitude changed after I was handed a Satsuma tangerine. Surprised at how easy it was to peel and even more stunned by the absence of seeds, I savored the fruit's sweetness and enjoyed a more natural form of vitamin intake. In fact, I found myself devouring
For years, I refused to eat tangerines and oranges because I hated the seeds. It was too much work to peel off the rind and then sift through the sections and pull out the seeds before finally getting to the juicy, delicious part of the fruit. I opted instead to get my Vitamin C from other sources. One winter several years ago, my attitude changed after I was handed a Satsuma tangerine. Surprised at how easy it was to peel and even more stunned by the absence of seeds, I savored the fruit's sweetness and enjoyed a more natural form of vitamin intake. In fact, I found myself devouring
When I teach seminars on watershape design, I always emphasize the importance of having a list of questions to ask prospective clients during initial conversations. It's a point that always seems to ignite discussion - and it usually ends up with someone in the audience asking me to provide such a document for general use. I always refuse to do so, not because I consider my approach a trade secret, but rather because everyone's business and approach to clients is a little different and the questions I ask might not be exactly the questions everyone else would (or should) ask. The issue has come up frequently enough through the years, however, that I've finally assembled
