Download landscaping: 2014

Friday, March 7, 2014

Akebia

Akebia

Akebia longiracemosa
A fast growing vine native to mountains of Taiwan where it is rare.
The foliage is very similar to Akebia quinata bur smaller in size.
The reddish-purple flowers are borne on hanging racemes up to 8 inches in length.
Hardy zones 7 to 9 in partial shade on just about any well drained soil.

Akebia pentaphylla
A semi-evergreen vine, reaching a maximum size of 40 x 40 feet, that is native to Japan.
The palmate leaves are composed of 3 to 5 oval leaflets, up to 3 inches in length.
The foliage is mid-green, turning purplish during winter.
The fragrant, purple flowers are borne on clusters up to 5 inches in length, during early spring.
Hardy zones 4 to 8

Akebia quinata ( Chocolate Vine )
A very fast growing, deciduous to semi-evergreen ( zone 7 + ) vine, reaching up to 40 x 40 feet. Some records include: fastest recorded growth rate - 20 feet. They can be used to cover a wire fence or make an excellent foliage screen.
The palmate leaves are composed of 5 rounded leaflets, up to 5 inches in length. The foliage is deep green above, blue-green beneath.
The fragrant, reddish-purple flowers are borne on racemes, up to 5 inches in length, during spring.
2 varieties will be needed to produce fruit since they are not self fertile and will need cross pollination. The juicy, purple fruits, up to 7 x 3 inches, are eaten fresh and contain a tasty pulp. They make an excellent drink when mixed with lemon juice and also make a good jelly.
The dried leaves can also be used for tea.
Hardy zones 4 to 9 in full sun to partial shade on most acidic to neutral, well drained soils. It is moderately drought tolerant.
Propagation is easy from seed, root cuttings and layering. It will rapidly regrow if cut back to the ground.

* photos taken on April 13 2012 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on May 14 2012 in Columbia, MD

Shirobana
White flowers and fruit; otherwise identical to species.

Variegata
Attractive variegated foliage, otherwise similar to species.

Akebia trifoliata
A semi-evergreen vine, reaching a maximum size of 40 x 40 feet, that is native to China and Japan.
The leaves are composed of leaflets, up to 2.5 inches in length. The foliage is bronze at first, turning to glossy deep green.
The flowers are up to 0.7 inches across.
They are followed by fruits up to 5 inches in length.
Hardy zones 4 to 8

Fantastic Native Cultivar Amsonia Blue Ice

Amsonia Blue Ice in my garden late April next to Nepeta Walkers Low & Phlomis

Who needs a compact, attractive, tough-as-nails perennial that--by the way--is gorgeous in two seasons? Yes, everyone. Then let me enthusiastically endorse Amsonia tabernaemontana Blue Ice.

The horticultural world is still rightfully swooning over its feathery cousin, Arkansas Amsonia (Amsonia hubrichtii), recent winner of the Perennial Plant of the Year. I will make the claim, however, that Amsonia Blue Ice may be the more versatile and durable plant.

Amsonia Blue Ice was discovered in a seedling block of Amsonia tabernaemontana at White Flower Farm in Connecticut. It sports the same broad leaves of the species, giving it a handsome texture to contrast with finer-foliaged plants. But it seems to be more compact (12-15 inches in height), longer blooming (three weeks + in my garden), and has this incredibly dark blue color of the bud of the flower. Dark blue is incredibly rare in perennials. The dark blue buds have this incredible shadowing effect underneath the lighter blue periwinkle-like flowers. In the mid-Atlantic, it bloomed late April through early May.

Dark blue buds shadow the lighter blue open flowers of Amsonia Blue Ice

Amsonia tabernaemontana is a member of the dogbane family (Apocynaceae). Like other members of the dogbane family, it has a white, milky sap that is toxic to mammaliam herbivores--perhaps making this a deer-resistant plant? (Have others of you grown this plant in deer country? Id be curious to know how it fares.) It grows natively in rich open woods, rocky woodlands, limestone glades, and moist sandy meadows.

Blue Ice is a hybrid, but the exact parentage of this cultivar is still unknown. Tony Advent of Plant Delights Nursery guesses it is a cross with the taxonomically-debated dwarf Amsonia montana (which most nurseries seem to categorize as Amsonia tabernaemontana Montanta). Others have wondered whether it is a cross with the Asian Rhaza orientale, which after looking at images of Rhaza, seems highly plausible. Whoever the papa is, Amsonia Blue Ice has proven to be incredibly tough. I planted it where it spills over a public sidewalk. The heat off this sidewalk regularly tops 95 degrees for weeks in the summer. And yet the foliage remains steadfast and handsome. Based on my two year trial, Id recommend it as a replacement for groundcovers.

The foliage of Amsonia Blue Ice in the midsummer heat near the U.S. Senate office

In the fall, this Bluestar turns a golden yellow, though not quite as brilliant as its Threadleaf-cousin (A. hubrichtii). Fall color was ok the first year, and much better the second year. The warm yellow autumnal foliage is nice in combination with low grasses and native deciduous shrubs.

The fall foliage of Amsonia Blue Ice is good, though not as strong as A. hubrichtii

The success of two U.S. native Amsonias (A. tabernaemontana and A. hubrichtii) should convince plant breeders to explore more of this wonderful genus. Piet Oudolf has used Amsonia tabernaemontana var. salicifolia to great effect on projects such as The Highline and the Lurie Garden. This variety differs from the species in that is has narrower more lanceolate leaves that makes it more willowy in texture. There are at least 22 known species of Amsonias--most native to North America--and many of them have horticultural potential. Southeastern natives Amsonia illustris and Amsonia ludoviciana are two others worth noting. Im particulalry interested in the Louisiana native A. ludoviciana for its compact habit, heat tolerance, and whitish, whooly undersides. Could be a great native groundcover that might have some deer tolerance. Plant hunters and breeders, get to it!

Amsonia hubrichtii in fall is incredibly dramatic

Emmenopterys henryi

The lone species of the genus Emmenopterys is a very strikingly beautiful, tropical looking but hardy large tree native to western and central China ( also Burma & Thailand ). It is so rare it doesnt even have an English name.
Typically reaching around 80 feet it can after a century or so exceed 100 feet.
Some records include: 10 years - 30 x 20 feet ( I still suspect it can grow faster ); largest on record - 150 x 80 feet with a trunk diameter of 5 feet. This spectacular tree is also highly endangered with extinction. This tree has extremely high potential as an ornamental lawn shade tree and should be widely planted. It is actually a once upon a time native to North America, fossils between 44 and 49 million years old have been found in Oregon and Washington State. Neither bothered by pests or disease, this tree may live as long as 1000 years and therefore be among the longest lived of all deciduous hardwood trees. It is also one of the worlds rarest trees. By 2006 only 4 trees are known to have flowered in Europe, one of which flowers every 20 to 25 years.
The first tree to flower in the U.S. was in the collection of Dr. Allen Hirsh of Silver Spring, MD in 1994 and originating from seed germinated at Arnold Arboretum near Boston, MA in 1979
The deciduous, oppositely arranged, leathery, smooth edged, ovate leaves are up to 9 x 5 or rarely 16 x 6.7 inches in size.
The foliage is red-bronze at first later turning glossy deep green above and downy white beneath.
The extremely fragrant pure white bell shaped flowers up to an inch in length are borne in terminal panicles up to 8 x 10 inches in June. The flowers are surrounded by white bracts and the clusters resemble that of Schizophragma in appearance. The bracts do not fall off after flowering and they turn pink, red and then purple. It is among the worlds most fragrant trees and also among the most beautiful.
The flowers are followed winged seed capsules.
Though variable, it usually sets seed every 2 to 4 years.
The branches are grayish to purple and the smooth beige bark becomes rough and dark gray on older trees.
Hardy zones 6 to 9 ( tolerating at least - 13 F - I suspect this may be revised to zone 5 with further testing ) and prefers full sun on a deep moist, well drained soil. Clay tolerant. Reasonably large trees close to 50 feet do exist in Cardiff, Wales & Cornwall, England however this tree prefers hot humid summers and grows much larger and faster in the eastern U.S. which more closely resembles its natural habitat in China. North of zone 7 very young trees should be protected from cold drying winter winds.
Reproduction is from mist propagation softwood cuttings taken late spring to early summer or also seed ( very easy ) if available.

* photos taken on October 17 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.

Old California Lantern Company

Old California Lantern Company does amazing work and they have excellent customer service. Their fixtures are a bit pricey, but they are also art pieces and add a lot of character to the garden and to new construction. Check them out.

Euptelea

Euptelea

There are only 2 species within the genus Euptelea which is the only genus in the primitive family of Eupteleacae.
Both species of Euptelea prefer a sheltered location with full sun in a cool moist climates.
Enjoying the same dee, acidic fertile, well drained soil as Rhododendrons and Azaleas that can be planted to shade collections of such. They rarely need pruning other than to remove the occasional basal sucker. Virtually immune to insect pests and disease, the foliage remains attractively luxuriant all summer long. Somewhat difficult to transplant, they are generally very easy to grow once they survive the first year.
Propagation can be from the layering of suckers or the sowing of freshly collected seed.

Euptelea pleiosperma (Spring Leader)
An endangered tree native to western China that reaches up to 40 feet. Some records include: fastest recorded growth rate - 7.5 feet; largest on record - 56 x 36 feet.
The toothed, wide elliptical leaves are up to 9 x 6 inches in size.
The tropical looking foliage appears early in spring, is pinkish at first, turning to glossy deep green above, whitish beneath. The autumn color is often a stunning scarlet-red.
The flowers in spring are reddish.
They are followed by showy, purple-red fruits that typically contain more than one seed, borne in mid summer.
Hardy zones 5 to 9. While it thrives in Maryland, it may not thrive much further south in the hot humid southeast.

* photo taken on May 5 2010 @ McCrillis Gardens, Bethesda, MD

Euptelea polyandra
A medium size tree native to Japan that reaches around 40 x 20 feet. Some records include: fastest recorded growth rate - 5 feet; largest on record - 75 x 40 feet with a trunk diameter of 1 foot.
The jagged, deeply toothed, long apexed, heart shaped leaves are up to 6 inches in length.
The extremely beautiful foliage is red in spring and autumn.
Hardy zones 5 to 9 and does not enjoy the hot humid summers in the southeast but can be grown in the Mid Atlantic.

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Many Different Landscaping

Many different landscaping

Many different landscaping

Factors You Must Consider Before Hiring a Landscape Design Company

Looking out for a Landscaper? Perhaps knowing what and where to look for a reputed Landscaper will help you derive the maximum out of your money. A Landscaper will have the expertise, creative insight and knowledge required to convert your simple yard into an oasis. ReDesigning the yard from the scratch can be a daunting task; the only way to simplify the process is by having a reputed Designer at your side who can guide you through the process. Compiled in this article are guidelines to select a qualified Landscape Designer. Experienced Experience counts in every field. Look for a Landscape Designer with some level of knowledge and expertise in the field. From conceptualization, Designing, installation to maintenance, a Designer will be responsible for every minuscule detail. So beforehand verify the level of experience of the Landscape Designer, their track record, work history, ask for referrals, cross check clients testimonials and accordingly make a choice. A tried-and-tested way to discern if the Company is capable of handling your scale of project is by pursuing their work samples. Short list Landscape Designers A good way to find qualified Landscape professionals is by asking close friends and local gardening centres for recommendations. A simple search conducted on the Internet will provide you with a classified listing of top ranking Landscape Designers across your area. Narrow down the list based on the level of experience, qualifications and training that each prospective Company boasts of. Arrange for personal interviews with the candidates that seem the most promising. Take time to view their websites, which will provide all the information you could possibly need to know about the Company. Budget The budget is a major aspect that Factors in while hiring a Landscape Designer. Prices charged by different service companies vary to the great extent. Shop around to find best prices on the services. Get price quotes from multiple sources and compare rate to get value for the money invested. It is good idea, to opt for a Company that offers all services from installation, Designing to maintenance under one roof, this way you will be able to save exorbitant sums of money. Important questions to ask As a client, you are bound to have many questions that are best cleared before you could commence on the project. It is advisable to ask the Company beforehand for a timetable for completion of the work. During the time of the interview, make it a point to clear all the doubts you might have. Once you have shortlisted who you want to hire, get a written contract ready. A legal binding contract is imperative to protect the interest of all the parties involved. Blueprint Before getting started with the Designing process, it is important to chalk out the basic plan and then start the Designing process adhering to the plan. During the Designing process, a Landscape Designer will assiduously assess the clients unique requirement, desired amenities, available outdoor space and existing Design of the property, based on which will create the blueprint of your Landscape.

New Toronto Pool Bylaw

This past year I have had a few questions posed to me about a new Bylaw in effect for the City of Toronto in regards to pools. The questions are about pools being fenced in from all 4 sides of the yard by an enclosure between the house wall and the pool itself. Basically, in my previous article I outlined my adventure on trying to find what the bylaws are for the City of Toronto. Not a very fun adventure!

So, for this article I decided to display a couple of diagrams to help illustrate the new bylaw....

Under the old bylaws, the above diagram displays what was acceptable (bylaw compliant) as a typical pool layout for the City of Toronto and is still acceptable for most areas outside of Toronto. The diagram shows the pool location in relation to the property line and must meet certain setbacks (the minimum distance allowed for a pool to be built from the property line). In Toronto the setback is 4 feet from the property line and in other areas of the GTA the pool must be 5 feet from the property line.

There must also be a fence enclosure set in all around your backyard with self-closing/self-locking gates. The fence itself must be built at a regulated height... which for a Toronto single residential property is 1.2 meters or 4 feet high. Any door leading from the home to the enclosed pool area in the yard must have child safety locks installed as well (no longer acceptable in Toronto). Garage doors leading into the enclosed pool area must also comply with child safety locks and a self-closing device.

The new City of Toronto pool bylaw explained...

Basically, the above diagram displays what all the hype is about... as it was previously acceptable for you to have a pool enclosed on 3 sides of your yard by a fence and self closing gates with the home acting as your fourth side to the enclosure... you now have to incorporate an enclosure (fence with self-closing gate) that stands between the pool area and the back wall of your home...connected to the other fence enclosures to form a complete square. The only way to get around this bylaw is to simply not have a door that opens or allows you access from your house into your backyard within the enclosed pool area.

For that matter... windows that open into the enclosed area must also have locks that prevent the window from being opened more than 10 cm or 4 inches.

So...where does that leave you? If bricking in sliding glass doors that lead into your yard is not an option... then you must come up with a way to provide a 1.2 meter high...or 4 foot high barrier between your home and your pool! My diagram displays a simple layout to provide a solution to the bylaw. But what if you dont want the yard divided like that?

There are in some ways, ideas that can address the bylaw and still keep your entertaining space open. Playing with deck levels and elevation changes in your yard could help you to disguise a fence with a gate. But there are the unfortunate circumstances for some backyard layouts where you are simply stuck with the great wall of China going through your backyard!!!

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Garden Landscape Design

Garden Landscape Design

Garden Landscape Design

Greetings of the Season Merry Christmas Happy 2013!

As the season comes to an end I would like to thank my readers for their visits, comments and inspiration throughout the year. Little did I know that when starting this blog back in 2010 that I would get so much enjoyment from sharing my passion of gardening with others. I have enjoyed reading your wonderful and inspiring stories as well and have gotten to know you through following many of your writings throughout the year. I look forward to more in 2013.

To all of you...I wish you a wonderful holiday season filled with much joy and time well spent with friends and family. I wish for you peace and happiness throughout the upcoming year and success in all your gardening endeavors!

As Always....Happy Gardening!

Author: Lee@A Guide To Northeastern Gardening, Copyright 2012. All rights reserved

The Highline

The Highline

The Highline

Zone 17

Simple & Bold

Agapanthus Rancho White, Arbutus menziesii

Lily-of-the-Nile Agapanthus Rancho White

Evergreen Perennial, Sun or Shade, Water or No Water
Plant on a 1.5 interval for 1.5 tall ground cover

Madrone Arbutus menziesii

Evergreen tree or shrub requiring fast draining soil and just enough water
20-100 tall
Whitish bell shaped flowers in spring
Brightly colored berries in fall with wildlife value (birds like them) http://www.zoneseventeen.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Feature Plant Salvia May Night

Salvia nemerosa May Night

Perennial sages are a beautiful addition to any summer garden and come in a variety of cultivars ranging from 18-24 inches to 2-3 feet in height. One of my all-time favorites for long bloom time and vibrant color is Salvia nemerosa May Night. This lovely perennial is drought tolerant, deer resistant and is attractive to both butterflies and hummingbirds. It was also voted as Perennial Plant of the Year in 1997!

Salvia nemerosa May Night displays deep purple blooms from late May through July on 12-18 inch spikes and is hardy in USDA Zone 3-9. Salvia prefers to be grown in full sun in moist

well-drained soil but are drought tolerant once established. With regular pinching back of spent blooms this beautiful perennial can have a repeat performance all the way through fall. For more information on maintaining salvia visit: Pruning-Salvia-A-Simple-How-To .

Salvia May Night New Growth

Salvia is easy to propagate through stem cuttings or division of a mature plant. The best time to divide is in early spring before new foliage starts to appear. It is recommended to apply a layer of mulch around the new planting and keep it well watered until established.

Salvia May Night in Perennial Garden

Companion perennials for Salvia May Night include Stella D Oro Daylily, Coreopsis Zagreb or Sedum Brilliant for a vibrant display of color. Companion shrubs include Gold Mop Cypress and Rosy Glow Barberry as seen here in the backdrop (left). Try out this perennial for a lovely addition to your landscape!

As Always...Happy Gardening!

Author: Lee@A Guide To Northeastern Gardening Copyright 2011. AllRights Reserved.

Fire Pit Safety Dos and Donts

With falls arrival and the nights growing cooler, homeowners across the nation are engaging more and more in the hot trend of bringing a warm glow to their patio by lighting up a fire pit. Outdoor living spaces are being enjoyed longer into the season by the warmth of the flame that a custom outdoor burning system can provide. Dont believe me? Well check out a recent article from the Wall Street journal indicating so.

So with this growing trend, we should cover some of the basic fire pit safety tips, the Dos and Donts of fire pits if you will. Careless use of a fire pit can lead to danger, after-all, we are playing with fire here. So here are some of the basics of fire pit safety:

Where to place your fire pit -

Choosing a safe place for your fire pit will help protect your home as well as your neighbors.

1) Don’t put your fire pit under trees, since the branches could easily catch on fire.
2) Find a flat location where you can set up your chimenea, fire bowl or fire pit – these enclosed fire containers are a much safer choice than simply building a fire on the ground.
3) Fire pits should be at least 10 feet away from any combustible surface or structure. If you have to place your fire pit on decking, be sure to purchase a protective mat for it.

Be prepared and Stay Ahead of the Flame for Safety -

Have the following items on hand to provide safety barriers between the fire pit and your home.

1) If you live in a windy environment, you should think about having a spark screen in place. Spark screens are a must-have for those with children and pets.
2) Considering how flammable your home and decking can be, it’s smart to have fire extinguishing agents on hand before you start a fire. Keep a pitcher of water nearby as you enjoy your fire pit, and make sure you have a hose or fire extinguisher as backup.
3) Have a poker or another fire-proof tool close by to help you move around logs in the fire pit. Never move a fire treatment until you’re sure it’s extinguished.
4) DON’T start a fire with gasoline or lighter fluid. These liquids are unpredictable, and fires started with them can easily get out of hand.
5) DON’T burn pressure-treated wood or any kind of waste in your fire pit, as these items can release noxious fumes.
6) DON’T leave a fire unattended, even for a second.
7) DO wait at least 24 hours before scraping ashes into bags for disposal. Otherwise you risk having burning embers catch fire in your waste container.
8) DO burn seasoned wood and charcoal.
9) DO spread ashes out over a large surface area and douse them with water to put the fire out. Monitor the ashes to be sure they are completely out before you walk away.
10) DO keep fires small; fires are harder to control as they grow in size.
11) DO clear a 10- to 20-foot radius around your fire pit. Remove any debris, dead leaves or anything else that could catch on fire.

If you have any other questions regarding fire pits or fire pit safety, feel free to contact us at any time and well be happy to help - 1-877-556-5255

Olmsted in the Jungle

Was the Father of American Landscape Architecture also the Father of Temperate Tropicality?

One of the many trends in garden design these days is the resurgence of the tropical garden, particularly for northern gardeners in temperate zones. Several books have been written on how to create a tropical looking landscape by using large-leafed hardy plants. So I was particularly psyched to come across these quotes from Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr, the creator of Central Park in NY and the father of American landscape architecture.

Rhodeside Harwell principal and Olmsted scholar, Faye Harwell, dug up these quotes for me as a part of an Olmsted restoration project we are currently working on.

During a voyage through Central America in 1863, Olmsted writes about his absolute delight in the tropical landscape he encountered. These are delicious quotes:

“I have never had a more complete satisfaction and delight of my love of nature than I had yesterday in crossing the isthmus. You will remember that I always had a reaching out for tropical effect, but I found the reality far beyond my imagination. … the scenery excited a wholly different emotion from that produced by any of our temperate-zone scenery…excited it instantly, instinctively and directly. …It rests upon a sense of the superabundant creative power, infinite resource, and liberality of Nature –the childish playfulness and profuse careless utterance of nature… .after my excitement was somewhat tempered, I naturally fell to questioning how it was produced, and whether, with materials that we can command in the temperate regions we could to any marked degree reproduce it…

By selection and special treatment, we can then produce trees, which, seen at a distance of a couple of hundred feet, shall lead a man to say, “I have seen such trees before only in the tropics”. …The length of stem and smallness of head is more than I had supposed, often more marked than I had supposed, I mean at a distance, the trunk frequently is imperceptible, and you see the head apparently floating unsupported. The trees growing in this way are not palms…but in their foliage so nearly like the Ailanthus that at no great distance (as a landscape painter would depict them) you would not know them apart, at least an average observer would not.”

There are all sorts of other vines….Very often it seemed as if hundreds of cords (1/2 inch) were stretched from every part of the great spreading tops of trees, fifty to a hundred feet to the ground. All large trees have strained themselves to the utmost to get their foliage away from the smothering density of the ground-growth….For tropical or tropic-like scenery you must get the utmost possible intricacy and variety…”

Later in the same journey/same letter Flo writes:

‘Off Cape Corrientes, October 6th…

What I chiefly feel…is the particular beauty in tropical landscape which is due to the frequent cavernous depths of shade…the umbrella-like trees, overhanging dense undergrowth and the vines making a drapery, all natural ravines and cliffs of rock and caverns of rock, which form the characteristic topography of this coast…’

Panama, September 26,1863; Letter to Ignaz Anton Pilat (head gardener at Central Park from 1857)
The Papers of Frederick Law Olmsted, V 5, pages 85-92.

Good Design Often Evolves Through Collaboration

Putting ideas on paper is a starting point in the design process. The best situation is when creative input from a seasoned builder and enthusiastic client leads to a final design that looks great, works well with the garden as a whole and fulfills the clients usage needs.

My original idea for this clients garden decking (conceived as a multi-purpose "stage") was a diagonal edge that sliced through the garden. With a background in boat building Al Terry of NY Decks convinced the client and me that a curved ipe edge was a better choice that could be accomplished skillfully.

When completed the deck will include a raised planter behind a curved bench in the back left corner. And planter boxes will sit flush to the deck behind the plum tree.

Power Station Landscape

Waiting for a train at East Midlands Parkway a couple of weeks back, I found myself reflecting on the beauty of Ratliffe Power Station. I guess this isnt something you would normally expect to hear from someone with an interest in the landscape or our environment. But somehow the manmade, somewhat brutal form of the cooling towers made an interesting counterpoint* to a bright, fresh morning.

Apologies for the lack of blog updates recently. With any luck normal service will be resumed shortly!

*Please note that I have deliberately avoided the use of the word juxtaposition, for reasons that I may one day elaborate on.

Landscape Design Planting Around a Fire Pit

Fire pits are a wonderful addition to any outdoor living space, but how can you add flora and fauna to accent the surrounding area? Try some of these flower and planting ideas courtesy of the DIY Network blog.

Princess lilies (Alstroemeria X Straprisara)

Princess lilies play off the color of the fire with their vibrant peachy orange color.

Golden euonymous (Euonymous Japonicus Aureo Marginatus)

Golden euonymous are a fantastic addition to a patio surrounding a fire pit with their bright yellow foliage and clusters of flowers.

Mediterranean fan palm (Chamaerops Humilis)

The slow growing Mediterranean fan palm will make a great entrance plant to a patio that wont overpower the presence of the fire pit (Cute girl not included).

Dwarf bottlebrush (Callistemon Citrinus)

The Dwarf bottlebrush adds a nice accent with the bright red plumes that making their way down to the end of the branches.

Camarillo fiesta bougainvillea (Bougainvillea Monle)

Camarillo fiesta bougainvillea are nice to accent a fire pit flame with their bright orange-red blooms.

Mix and match any number of these plants and flowers to add and aesthetic appeal to the surrounding areas of your outdoor living room and fire pit lounge. Be sure to check out the DIY Network blog for more ideas.

Monday, March 3, 2014

Landscape Urbanism

The Landscape Urbanism Reader, edited by Charles Waldheim, begins with a short statement:

“Landscape Urbanism describes a disciplinary realignment currently underway in which landscape replaces architecture as the basic building block of contemporary urbanism. For many, across a range of disciplines, landscape has become both the lens through which the contemporary city is represented and the medium through which it is constructed.”

This simple concept encapsulates everything that is interesting and exciting about landscape urbanism. Imagine if we designed our cities around people, pedestrians and the spaces they inhabit, rather than the position of buildings. Starting not with perimeter blocks, but with linked open spaces, parks and pedestrian routes. The fact that this opening sentence is by the far the best bit of the book, should not detract from the brilliance of the original idea.

Having ploughed through the Landscape Urbanism Reader, I do have a few observations to make. I guess my main gripe with landscape urbanism as defined by Waldheim et al, is an underlying implication that landscape is mostly about green stuff. Perhaps I’ve misinterpreted this, but I would argue that landscape is just as much about the hard grey stuff of streets, plazas and walking routes, as it is about plants and vegetation. More generally, I think the separating of landscape architecture from urban design, is a pretty common misconception.

Improving run-down city centres with the introduction of significant new fingers of green space, has great potential. However, I do think the idea is probably more directly applicable to the hollowed out city of North America than post “urban renaissance”, Britain (which is my main frame of reference). That said, I think Britain has more than its fair share of derelict industrial land which is unlikely to see redevelopment for many years in the current economic climate and could benefit from this approach. This also echoes the Landscape Institute’s current campaign to promote the role of “Green Infrastructure” in the UK.

Having researched landscape urbanism more widely, I do think there has been a tendency to jump from these simple principles, to highly complex, ecological city intervention projects, often with profound philosophical justifications. I’m not saying these projects aren’t interesting, but I think that by framing them within such a complex intellectual context (see landscape urbanism bullshit generator), they have alienated many who would otherwise support the approach. Particularly, when more simple and mundane examples would illustrate the concept more effectively. As an aside, I used an image of New York’s “High Line” to begin this post, which is a project that I greatly admire and think illustrates what can be achieved from a landscape urbanism approach. But I guess you could argue that it tries a little too hard to be clever.

I guess I should say now, that I’m not claiming to be an expert on either landscape urbanism or new urbanism, so these are really just the observations of an outside observer, albeit an interested one. It seems to me that they both approaches have a lot of common ground: quality of place, promotion of open space, creating greater opportunities for walking and sustainable development. However, if recent internet media activity is to be believed the two are diametrically opposed, and hence why I decided to write this blog article. I suspect this particular story also tells you something about today’s news sources, with something implied in one, report later repeated as fact, leading to a snowballing of a particular opinion, but I digress. There have been a raft of news stories, all claiming to discuss or critique landscape urbanism, but mostly just making a bunch of unsubstantiated accusations. They all seem to originate from proponents of new urbanism for some reason. I particularly liked the terms, “green sprawl” and “lawn apologists”, but rather than go through them all, I picked out this gem by James Howard Kunstler (link to article here):

“Landscape Urbanism is explicitly against density and vehemently pro-automobile.”

I’m sorry, but where did this come from? I have read nothing to support this statement. He might as well have suggested that landscape urbanism is about putting a bunch of kittens in a bag and throwing them in a river. This isn’t a critique, it’s badmouthing. Incidentally, I’d also suggest that it is quite possible to have high density development and open space too (off the top of my head, I believe that Hamburg’s HafenCity has 40% open space in addition to being very high density). While I realise that Kunstler veers towards the lunatic fringe, having very much enjoyed his book. “The Geography of Nowhere”, I’m disappointed by his comments.

For what it’s worth, I think the landscape urbanism and new urbanism have some quite profound differences (I also suspect that people are confusing landscape urbanism, with the similar but not the same, ecological urbanism – see here for explanation). At its heart, landscape urbanism is still a new and slightly unresolved philosophy. It seems to be most successfully applied at a more strategic level, thinking of how functioning cities are planned, rather than the nitty-gritty of individual developments. I also think it offers a pragmatic approach to retrofitting our existing cities; introducing linked green spaces to facilitate greater walking and cycling, and to make them more pleasant and better able to function.

By contrast, I think that new urbanism is very much an implementation led approach; mixed-use, walkable centres, open space, transport infrastructure (all good stuff too) and a leaning towards traditional architectural styles. It’s also a pretty well establishedi deology, with a lot of theory and exemplars behind it. But it doesseemsto me that it works best when applied to brand new centres of development, creating little utopias (regardless of how you feel about the style, they always look very nice places to live). Where it starts to get a bit more sketchy is when it is applied at a strategic level; particularly when we are talking about trying to retrofit existing cities with very diverse problems and issues. This is intended as an observation and not a criticism.

However, I still don’t understand why we’ve had such a tirade of invective aimed at landscape urbanism, which I think is a promising idea that can be developed in future years. I suspect there are some vested interests here, particularly from those who want to protect the primacy of architecture within the built environment, but I can only think that it comes down to one or two overinflated egos. People to whom it’s more important to be seen to be right, than to have a mature and considered debate about how we plan and design our cities. I honestly don’t care about who wins or who’s most right, and I’d suggest that all involved could find better ways to occupy their time, than mud slinging and petty squabbles.

I’m generally encouraged that, after many years of neglect, there does seem to be a resurgence of interest in the design of our public spaces. However the big challenge, across the globe, is to find better ways to plan and design settlements that are more sustainable and better suited to the way we live our lives in the 21st Century.

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