Happy New Year folks! Now, go get those pruning shears!

Yep, that's right go get those pruning shears and get busy....if you have roses that is. So in honor of the Rose Bowl and the Tournament of Roses Parade here's a few tips on pruning roses.

I can't tell you who gave me this piece of advice when I first moved to the High Desert but someone gave me a tip that the best time to prune roses was right after the 1st of the year. Why? Well for one I was told that if pruned too early roses could possibly begin to leaf out too early which could lead to possible damage and inferior flower production due to the freezes we get here. Now how true this is I couldn't say. I can say I've never done it any other way. So I honestly don't know how true this really is. But I can also say this, in all my years of living in the desert and taking care of roses this way I have never had a problem with any rose bush I've ever grown. They have always produced healthy blooms in great abundance.

But it's more than just the timing when to prune, it's how to prune. Roses love to be pruned so you should never be afraid you are cutting them too much. In fact you can always tell when a rose bush is neglected because they just begin to look sickly and straggly. Oh and a brief side note: The only time I would say not to trim roses is in that dormant period of mid summer when roses are at rest, catching the breath for fall bloom. Do this trimming in late spring after the last bloom.

Make sure that the canes to be pruned are cut to about a foot above the bud union, which is the junction of the canes and the shank. Do this with all the "strong" canes. These canes are quite thick, robust and very healthy looking. They have a good color to them. Dark with a bright reddish hue. Make sure you cut out completely any "weak" canes which are usually quite thin and discolored. Make sure you always cut strong canes at a 45 degree angle about a have inch above all nodes. The node is that part of the cane that looks a little like your knuckle and usually will have an even darker reddish hue compared to the rest of the cane. You don't need to be nearly as precise when thinning undesirable growth.

Cut out all "cross-over" canes as well. Those are canes that cross-over the strong canes or grow towards the center of the plant. Also cut out all what are called "redundant canes". These are canes that are usually more thin and grow adjacent (parallel) to the strong canes. It really is this simple to prune roses. Oh, and don't forget the most important thing. Wear gloves! Make sure you wear good gloves preferably leather to avoid all those nasty pricks and scrapes you can get from pruning roses. Follow these simple steps and you too will be rewarded with healthy growth and abundant blooms in the spring.

Kalamazoo Outdoor Equipment blog

Kalamazoo Outdoor Equipment has just published their blog involving all aspects of outdoor cooking. Enjoy.

Gourmet Patio Outdoor Cooking and Entertaining Blog

What makes a good hardscape design?

Recently this was the question that was asked in a group discussion on a business networking web site I frequent. There were many great answers, and perspectives that were offered by both landscape architects and designers. For me however my answer had more to do with the basic use of the landscape space in question than anything else.

As designers we can be blessed with a client with an unlimited budget when it comes to materials, plants and all manner of various accoutrements but that budget makes no difference when it comes to designing a functional space that flows properly and most importantly, comfortably. My belief, and this is really in keeping with good design, is that no matter what type of hardscape materials are to be employed and no matter what type of plant material that is to be placed in the landscape none of it matters if the overall space is improperly conceived, laid out and installed. Now don't misunderstand. I'm not suggesting materials and plants aren't important because they certainly are. However what I am suggesting is we can use the best of everything but if the space is awkward, disjointed or otherwise uncomfortable in any way it will be abundantly clear and the space itself could become highly undesirable.

Now this notion may seem fairly evident, and hopefully it is, but as a client you might be very surprised to learn how the poor use of space can effect the use of a landscape. No client wants to find this out after spending their hard earned money on the installation of their landscape so it pays to think ahead about how you plan to use a space now and how you may plan to use a space in the future. Consider not only your present needs but your future needs.

To reiterate it makes little difference how much is spent on a landscape if the basic structure of that landscape and the effective use of the space are thought out poorly and hard to use, or similarly awkward or disjointed.

Tips on protecting plants from the cold from CLCA

In a recent article in Lawn and Landscape the California Landscape Contractors offered advice on how to keep plants safe as the temperature drops. It's a little late for the season but still practical advice:

Tips on protecting plants from the cold from CLCA

Well it's that time of year again........

This might seem odd coming from a blog about landscape design in the Mojave Desert of Southern California but it's true.....it's time to break out the advise regarding winter care of the landscape. If you aren't to familiar with the high desert of the Mojave here's a quick overview. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter! Yet, the heat isn't all that bad come to think about it. I mean in our area we only have about 3 months of temps that reach triple digits and it's usually quite dry - kinda like an oven! Yet these temps aren't as bad as they get "down the hill" as we locals like to say.

Case in point. Some days here in the high desert it may reach in the low 100's. In the low desert, the Palm Springs area, however it could be 10 maybe even 15 degrees warmer. So why am I talking about the heat when I'm really writing about the winter? Well, let's just say I miss it already!

This part of the Mojave Desert as some fairly unique and interesting weather where wide temperature swings of 30 sometimes even 40 degrees between daytime and nighttime are typical. Winter is no different - just reversed! Starting now in the late fall until just about mid spring this area can get quite cold with the aforementioned wide temperature swings. It's not unusual to have daytime temps pushing close to 70 degrees with nighttime lows below freezing. This type of environment can be extremely stressful for many plants. Couple that with days where the wind can gust up to 50 miles an hour and you have a recipe for tough growing conditions.

So here are just a few practical tips for shoring up your landscape for the coming winter:

Adjust your automatic sprinkler system - Set times for watering and watering days to account for shorter days and longer nights. Cut back on actual watering days simply because there isn't a need. Where you may have had the system run at 7 o'clock at night for 20 minutes during the summer set it to start at 4pm for ten minutes. Adjusting the run times for each valve in the system and cutting back on the watering days will definitely save money. These simple steps will prevent ice from forming.

Wrap all out door exposed pipes - It just makes good sense at this time of year to wrap all exposed out plumbing with insulation tubes and duct tape. Works wonders and will save the hassle of hearing that noise when a pipe suddenly bursts.

Inspect all trees and shrubs - Carefully inspect all trees and shrubs for any damaged or broken limbs and remove the damage promptly. This is especially important for all trees in that any overhanging branches could pose a serious problem to power lines, structures or other property such as cars.

Inspect rain gutters - Inspect, repair and clean rain gutters to ensure they will function properly during the winter. Even though we don't get much rain in the desert we can get a enough to cause damage during a significant storm.

Winterize all planting beds - Now is a great time to clean and dress all planting beds in the landscape. Rake up all leaves and compost them for free fertilizer in the spring. Apply four to six inches of clean straw or pine needles (wind protected areas only) or chopped/shredded bark. Make sure to cover the drip line under each plant. If your yard is equipped with drainage make sure those drains are cleared of any debris. This could dertainly prevent any possible flooding.

Inspect walks and patios - This is a good time to inspect all walks and patios for damage and repair them as needed. No matter what type of material these walks or patios may be water can get under any cracks or damaged areas and coupled with the effects of heaving (freeze/thaw) serious damaged can result which could prove costly to repair in the future.

These are just a few (out of the many) things that you can perform right now to ensure that your landscape is properly winterized.

Stress your plants

Just the other day I received a panicked phone call from a client who is vacationing in Hawaii until mid-August. It seems a very conscientious neighbor of theirs called them to let them know that a few weeks ago there was a power outage in the area and that the grass and plants were dying. To be honest I would panic too! It would appear that it isn't all that convenient to drop everything to check your irrigation system 3,000 miles away! So they called me and asked if I would take a look at the landscape and recheck the irrigation timer system. Glad to do it I said. Truth be told I'm grateful I could help.

I'm very pleased to report that the overall landscape was coming in just great. The lawn and for the most part all the plants looked great. Although there are a few areas that are a concern. The row of Nandina's that were planted don't seem to be doing so well. And one of the White Birch's of the three that were planted seems to be drooping somewhat. I suspect that over watering might actually be the culprit so I'll definitely what to keep an eye on that.

And yet this illustrates a valuable point when our automatic watering systems are set run everyday.

This system in particular was set to run twice a day for everything; the lawn, the trees and the shrubs. Specifically the system was set to water the lawn for 15 minutes in the morning, and 10 in the afternoon. Unfortunately this type of watering pattern is never as effective as we might think. In nature it never rains for just 15 minutes and never everyday (well it does depend on where one lives!). In the High Desert area of the Mojave Desert where Victorville is located we can expect, on average, roughly 6 to 8 inches of rain a year. A year! There are areas that get this much rain in just a few days! Couple that with wide temperature swings from day to night of 40 degrees or more and you can well imagine that managing the irrigation of plants can be quite challenging indeed.

The safer bet, and one that will actually promote healthy root systems of the lawn and plants by mitigating the possibly of soil fungus's and molds, would be to set the irrigation system to increase the station run times and increase the watering interval between days. For example, what I did was to increase the watering times to 20 minutes each cycle. This ensures a long enough time for the water to begin to reach the deep root zone of the lawn and the shrubs, and I turned the system completely off for Tuesday and Thursday.

This will cause the top of the root zone to dry out slightly and promote a healthy root system by forcing the roots deeper into the soil to get the "water fix" it needs. This will basically "stress" the plants a bit by causing the plant to have to "stretch out" it's root system to find adequate water. This is a good kind of plant stress. This also prevents soil "water logging" and the leaching of valuable nutrients and oxygen found in the soil.

A longer more continuous watering run time is much more effective than many short, daily bursts of water. These tend to saturate the top later of the soil but never really seem effective at reaching the deeper roots zone. Allowing the top layer of the soil to dry out somewhat will ensure that the root system will begin to grow deeper into the soil as the water level begins to reach deeper into the soil. As we get later on into the year I'll offer some additional tips that can be real money savers and integral steps to ensure a healthy and water conserving lawn.

There’s nothing wrong with a K.I.S.S.

Yep, that’s right….Keep It Short and Simple or in my case anyway, Keep It Simple Stupid!

In my mind and from my experience the best landscape designs are always those that are, from a visual standpoint, the most simple. They almost always exude an air of style and sophistication that is unmatched. Clean plantings done in mass. The stunning use of architectural plants. As a reminder let’s keep in mind that simplicity is not always the opposite of complexity and does not imply simplistic, boring or convey a lack of imagination. Rather, simplicity for the most part avoids the use of too many plants and plant species, too many textures, too many shapes, too many focal points, and/or too many curves or angles within a specific area or within an overall landscape.

This principle is the one area where I see most homeowners and yes, even designers such as myself, can generally and most oftentimes err. I have to include myself because I have fallen into the same trap of thinking I have to do more than is necessary on a number of occasions.

I think this is why it is important for me, for anyone really, to spend a little extra time visualizing the space, trying to envision what the site will look like in just a few short years.; trying to determine how the design will look when it isn’t maintained properly; trying to gauge how the overall design will look for many different views.

In a recently completed design that I did for a property that had a nice view of the Victor Valley and the surrounding mountains I literally used just too many plants in my initial planting plan. Now I knew the plants I wanted to use along with the colors, textures and styles of the plants I was going to use, I just simply used too much! So, I stepped away from the design. Gave it a day or two. And started to replant the plan. Once I finished paring down most of the excess I was still looking at a planting plan that included over 100 plants! Wow!

Granted a number of these plants are one gallon perennials and small 4″ pots of native grasses and the lot after all is fairly large, certainly able to accommodate all the varieties of plants I decided to use. Yet I think this still illustrates a very valuable point. In the process of landscape design there really is no substitute for simplicity! No matter what type or style of landscape you prefer a design that accentuates simplicity will often, for the most part, be the most visually appealing, look better after several years and may even be able to take occasional neglect much better.

So here’s a tip. If you aren’t too sure about what you are doing in terms of direction, how you think something will look after a few years, or if things will be maintained properly then just take a step back and rethink things.

Most of the time you’ll be glad you did.

Kaleidoscope your Abelia

Here's a great, fast growing and compact Abelia grandiflora called 'Kaleidoscope' that would be a great addition to your landscape. It is a very colorful, dense and low mounding shrub that grows 24 to 30 inches tall by 36 to 42 inches wide. It has bright red stems holding strongly variegated leaves that are bright yellow with a light green center in the spring. Gradually these change to golden yellow with a green center in the summer and then in the fall and winter turn a combination of golden yellow, bright orange, and fiery red. They look really cool! Now the flowers are typical Abelia. They start as very light pink buds and open up to small, white, tubular flowers.

I've now used this plant in a couple of designs recently and I have been very blessed with good results and performance with wonderful comments from my clients. I have noticed that just like all Abelia's it seems these can get a bit "leggy" but that can tend to be very attractive and desirable for some clients. Regular maintenance will help.

Abelia grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope' is hardy in USDA Zones 6 to 10. It works great as a container planting and as a low mounding accent plant in the garden it is a wonderful choice for mass plantings, which is something that appeals to my design style. The foliage does not scorch or bleach in full sun as do some other variegated Abelia cultivars do but be sure to give the plant some afternoon shade if possible. The plant likes most soil types but does perform poorly in heavy, poorly drained soils that are very high Ph. So make sure to amend the soil if necessary.

Enjoy!

The Environmental and Economic Benefits of Good Design

The many challenges of the design professional have become even more evident as our clients environmental awareness changes and becomes much more enhanced. Yet our client is still looking for great value in these tough economic times. While it may have been commonplace for the design professional to emphasize the benefits of good environmental design to the client in years past, this is not as necessary true anymore because it is the client that is now insisting in responsible environmental design.

Educated clients are investing in their property much more carefully than before because of economic impact and yet considering the environment in what they want in their landscape like never before. It goes without saying that it is essential for the landscape design professional to know their client’s concerns for the environment and their desires for their overall landscape more than ever before.

Of course good design has always offered both environmental and economic benefits so as design professionals we should welcome these added challenges. From the strategic placement of shade trees and evergreens, which benefits the client in reducing energy costs, to the efficient use of irrigation in reducing water use, it seems that the client is becoming vitally aware of many aspects of the design of good design. If we as design professionals don’t know the positive benefits of what we do, it is a now a good bet that many of our prospective clients do, so it is vital we communicate effectively with them regarding what we do.

Case in point, I actually at one time prided myself on telling potential clients, “I don’t promise I can save my clients money.” Whew, what a dummy I can be sometime! Needless to say, I don’t make this foolish statement anymore. In fact I am not shy anymore in expressing to my potential clients that I can provide a landscape design that can eventually save with both energy and water consumption. A well-designed landscape will work well with environment, not against it, and this will obviously result in less energy and water consumption as well as lower maintenance costs.

The attitudes and desires of the landscape design client are shifting. Educated clients regarding the environmental impact and economic concerns for their project can make good landscape design a priority for them. The client may not always directly see the potential benefit initially of a perceived benefit but explained in detail and properly and the client is much more likely to embrace what is being offered.

The client’s level of concern for environmental and economic issues is indeed changing, yet this can only be seen as a positive for our industry in the years to come. In positioning our services and expertise to enhance both the environmental and economic concerns of our clients our industry and our business reputation can only increase.

My Favorite Plant

The Desert Bird-of-Paradise, or Yellow Bird-of-Paradise as it is sometimes called - Caesalpinia gilliesii has got to be my hands down favorite plant to use in the landscapes I design. I mean, if I could get away with it I'd love to use this plant in every landscape I design! Ah, but sadly this is neither practical nor desired in a number of cases.

One thing I certainly appreciate about the Desert Bird-of-Paradise is the versatility that this plant offers. Left alone to grow on it's own without any care or pruning and she can become a wonderful natural screen, growing easily to 6 to 10 feet in height and spread. Desert Bird-of-Paradise can work quite well in many various design styles such as Mediterranean, Southwestern, Asian or even tropical due to it's exotic look. For the gardener that enjoys taking care of the plants in their garden there are definitely certain rewards in taking care of the Desert Bird-of-Paradise. It takes bloom pruning effortlessly and in fact, just like any Rose bush, the more it is pruned the more blooms it will produce. It's extremely cold hardy to 5°F and even lower in some areas where is can be protected.

Desert Bird-of-Paradise is extremely attractive to, and sought after by hummingbirds; so much so that I have seen hummingbirds fight each other over them! So if you are a lover of hummingbirds in the garden (and who isn't?) then you'd enjoy having these in your landscape.

But the most delightful reason to have the Desert Bird-of-Paradise in your landscape is the obvious benefit in water use as this plant is extremely drought resistant, and very heat tolerant. In fact there is absolutely no need to provide this plant with ANY direct irrigation - none! Desert Bird-of-Paradise is a welcome addition to any xeric garden and has a high tolerance for saline and alkaline soils. So in short there seems to be very few negatives and a tremendous number of positives regarding the Desert Bird-of-Paradise.

Americans Could Use Better Landscape Advice

The following is from an article that appeared on Landscape Online.com.

Home gardeners and do-it-yourselfer's in the U.S. get most landscaping advice from neighbors and friends—instead of from more authoritative sources, says a University of Minnesota study this month. The finding suggests that most Americans could use more help from landscape architects, contractors and tree professionals.

University extension services are perceived as more credible than friends and neighbors, but need to be more convenient, the study also found.

An Information Gap

Staff at University of Minnesota Extension has published results of a survey that concludes that the majority of backyard gardeners get their planting and plant information informally—most often from friends, neighbors and local garden centers.The survey of 1,000 Minnesota gardeners published in the January–March, 2008 issue of HortTechnology showed that although respondents viewed the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum as more credible than garden centers, 78% of respondents indicated that they were most likely to turn to neighbors and friends for gardening advice.

Dr. Mary Hockenberry Meyer, Professor of Horticultural Science and Extension Horticulturist at UM Extension, explained, “We wanted to determine where gardeners got their information and if they think university information is of higher quality than information from garden centers or home centers. We found that university information is viewed as higher quality; however, a large number of people indicated they “did not know” the quality of university information, which surprised us.”

''Talking with Friends''

The survey also indicated that gardeners’ age determined the most likely sources for information seeking. Older gardeners were less likely to use the Internet than younger gardeners. When asked “How do you learn best?,” most respondents said that they had not attended a gardening class in the past year and indicated they learn best from talking with friends. Access to publications containing color photos and illustrations was also highly valued by gardeners who responded to the survey.

According to Dr. Meyer, the information from the Minnesota survey can be useful to other universities, extension programs, and arboreta dedicated to providing relevant resources for gardeners. She stated, “Participants in this survey indicated they look for convenient sources of gardening information and, although many felt the land-grant university and arboretum were highly credible and knowledgeable, they were still more likely to use other sources for their gardening information. This poses a challenge to universities and arboreta to use new ways to reach gardeners.”

The complete study is available (for a fee) on the ASHS HortTechnology electronic journal web site: horttech.ashspublications.org

Vacation at Home

One of the best things that any homeowner can do, especially in light of the current economic environment, is plan a "vacation space" for their personal residence. Now this doesn't mean that a homeowner has to go overboard and plan to create a subtropical oasis in the middle of the Mojave Desert or in the middle of Nebraska. On the contrary it means planning and installing an area in the yard and landscape where personal relaxation - for both the family and especially for the individual can be easily and readily be accessed and enjoyed.

In fact, this type of outlook and approach to the family backyard space is becoming the rule, not the exception, these days.

With travel cost's escalating (seemingly by the minute) and the rather hectic and busy lifestyles many American family's lead these days, dropping everything in favor of an extended stay, two week vacation can become a rather daunting task. Also, when we take into consideration that a family cruise to the Bahamas does absolutely nothing to increase the resale value of our home and everything to shrink the size of our bank account it is easy to see why many family's are taking a new look at creating a recreation and relaxation spot for the home. With all things considered it is easy to see why.

The "vacation spot" doesn't have to be some elaborate backyard oasis with a massive swimming pool and complex planting scheme although that would certainly be nice! The backyard "vacation spot" ideally should be an area of the yard that allows for the easiest accessibility and that capitalizes on a high level of enjoyment. In all likelihood this will be an area that is close to the home, especially the kitchen, and should be an area that is relatively quiet, free from clutter, and is enhanced with comfortable seating and practical furnishings - just as if it was your favorite hotel's balcony, cabana or lanai. The idea behind a "vacation spot," it's layout, accessibility, and ease of use should be absolutely no different than any other favorite vacation spot you could think of or may have frequented in the past. After all, that is the idea of taking a vacation in the first place!

When any area of the home is easy to get to and use, whether it is a bedroom, a family room or a particular space in the backyard the chance that those areas will be used and enjoyed more fully is increased and, more often than not, realized. How a homeowner decides to use the available space that is the backyard is entirely that of the particular homeowner. The fact that more and more homeowners are thinking of incorporating the ideas behind why they take vacations into their backyards should be of great interest to any homeowner looking at increasing the value of their home.

Understanding Outdoor Use Areas

This post is the essentially part two of the previous post Understanding Basic Landscape Planning and Use. This post touched a little bit on outdoor use areas by briefly describing what an outdoor use area entails and how they should compliment the corresponding indoor areas they are connected to.

Just as a house is divided into different areas of use, so is the property around it. The public area of the landscape is the front yard. That portion of the landscape is seen by everyone who drives or walks past the home. For obvious reasons the public area of the landscape should connect with the public area of the home’s interior as smoothly and logically as possible. The public area should be large enough to place the house in an attractive setting, but not so large that usable family living area is sacrificed. The public area connected to the direct entry of the home is without a doubt the most important area of the landscape design it that it sets the tone, mood and feeling for the entire home.

The outdoor family living area of the landscape should also connect with the indoor family room whenever possible. This concept is included in the floor plans of most, if not all, modern homes. This is the portion of the landscape where the family relaxes and entertains guests. More likely than not, this space includes room for a patio, barbequing, swimming or whatever other activities interest the family members. One important point to consider is that even though the interior kitchen generally falls under the service area of the home it is preferrable and most logical that the family living area of the landscape should be in fairly close contact to the interior kitchen area. Fortunately, this is a feature that most modern homes are designed with making the transition from indoor/outdoor smooth and logical.

The service area of the landscape plays a vital and functional role for the family. It provides space to store garbage cans, house a dog and dog run, or even grow vegetables. Since the service area is used for function and service and not beauty it should be screened if at all possible. The size of the outdoor service area should be large enough to accomplish its designed purpose, but no larger. If possible or if space permits it this area should be partially or fully covered or in some way sheltered from the elements.

As you can begin to see and it almost goes without saying but all of the outdoor use areas described are always the most successful and easiest to use when those areas connect directly to the interior rooms they serve. A visual connection through a window is almost always a necessity. A physical connection through a door is highly desirable because it makes accessing the specific area to be used easy and sensible.

One of the most underutilized, and overlooked areas of the landscape, is the private living area. This is the one area that requires a direct physical link to the indoor room it serves. This is the outdoor living area that is designed for total privacy. The view of outsiders is screened. This is also the area of the landscape where the family may sunbathe or relax in private. This concept is only useful if the private outdoor area is accessible through one of the bedrooms of the house without walking through another part of the house or yard. Fortunately this concept is designed and built into many modern homes. If your home does not include any access from the private living area of the home to the outdoors you may wish to consider such an option in the design of your landscape.

The Unreality of "Reality" TV

How many times have you seen them? You know what I'm talking about. Those reality TV shows where the host of the show talks and walks us through the complete installation of an entire landscape in just a scant 23 minutes?

Unfortunately, reality is much different than what we see on TV. What we don’t see, and generally never really consider, is that a quality landscape can take at a minimum of several weeks to even many months from initial concept, complete design, planning and to final installation. Rarely are even the simplest landscapes installed without something unexpected happening; yet we sometimes seem to base our ideas on what happens by what we see on reality TV. One would hardly consider that anything could go wrong based on the seamless operation of these shows. And that is one of the major drawbacks of these types of shows.

Now, when we see this fantastic transformation of a landscape, from bare dirt to lush paradise, take place in the space of ½ hour our understanding of what can really happen (and generally does) can indeed become rather skewed. For example, do we really consider that many months of planning go into the production of these shows? Have we stopped to think that behind the host, the “talking head” of the show so to speak, a literal army of producers and technicians stand at the ready to make everything go as smoothly as possible? Or that virtually everything is carefully planned months in advance? Unrealistic expectations can and unfortunately do arise from not considering these facets of TV production.

Now I am certainly not knocking these TV shows. As a matter of fact, I appreciate them very much because they have actually helped grow my business more and more as people understand the value of planning ahead and putting their ideas on paper before even one spade of dirt gets turned or one dollar is spent. I even learn new techniques and ideas from these shows! Thanks to these shows many people have been inspired to invest in one of the most important tangible investments they can ever make, their home. That has certainly led to some new business for my firm for sure.

What I would like the landscape design client to take away from this article is simply this: Temper your ideas and expectations about your landscape project with a rather large dose of “true” reality and plan ahead accordingly. Many times the lead time for a landscape design from beginning concept to final presentation is 6 to 8 weeks. A quality landscape design takes that kind of time because there really is quite a bit in producing a unique design tailored to the individual client. Add to that a minimum of 2 to 4 weeks in getting bids of your project from various contractors and you can see close to 2 to 3 months has been expended. Add to that the 2 to 6 weeks (or more depending on the complexity of the project) of construction and installation of the landscape and it doesn’t take long to see that a quality landscape can take many months, not a mere half-hour, to install.

The 6 Basic Principles of Landscape Design

Understanding the basic principles of good landscape design will help insure a visually appealing and functional landscape for the client, as well as enhancing property value and reducing maintenance costs. These principles are not necessarily based on a particular individuals understanding of creative or artistic principals, but rather stem from the inherent visual sense possessed by most people, whether they regard themselves as creative or not. By the way, I do not necessarily consider myself to be all that "creative" either and that's why I rely on understanding these basic principles myself.

1. Balance
Simply put, balance is the state of seeing as well as being seen. There are 3 types of balance: symmetric, asymmetric and proximal/distal. Symmetric balance is the balance of formal gardens where one side is the mirror image of the other. Asymmetric balance can generally be more visually appealing in that there are two sides to observe and expose. Regard for exact duplication of sides is minimized. Proximal/distal balance is asymmetric but carries it further by dealing with depth in the field of vision. It is not uncommon to combine the basic types of balance, but it should be done with great forethought.

2. Focalization of Interest
Anything that is designed well has a focal point. Focalization of interest is the principles of the design that selects and positions visually strong items into the landscape composition. Focal points can be created using plants, hardscape items such as fountains or swimming pools, architectural elements of the home, the color, movement, texture of plantings or a combination of all of these features. Generally speaking, most homeowners have the tendency to overuse focal points, which usually creates complexity and visual confusion within the landscape composition. A general rule of thumb to consider with focal points is that less generally equals more.

3. Simplicity
Simplicity seeks to make the viewer of the landscape feel comfortable within the landscape. Simplicity is not always the opposite of complexity and should not imply simplistic, boring or convey a lack of imagination. Rather, simplicity avoids the use of too many plants and plant species, too many textures, too many shapes, too many focal points, and/or too many curves or angles within a specific area or within an overall landscape.

4. Rhythm and Line
The principles of rhythm and line may be regarded separately or collectively. Rhythm is established when any element repeats enough times within a standard interval and usually deals with a measured space. Line is created where different materials meet, such as turf meeting pavement or a mulched planting bed. Curved lines generally add more interest to the landscape in that they are longer, thus “stretching” the eye and enhancing the view of the landscape. This is not to say straight lines should be avoided. In fact straight lines, when used properly, can also be used to add a tremendous amount of visual interest in the landscape.

5. Proportion
Proportion is concerned with the size relationships between all of the features and elements of the landscape. That includes both vertical and horizontal relationships as well as spatial (space) relationships. The concern for proper proportion should extend to building size, lot size, plant size, areas dealing with mass and void, as of course the human users of the landscape.

6. Unity
As a principle of design, unity is the easiest to measure, as long as the previous five design elements have been applied properly and comprehensively. Each component of the landscape, whether it is plant material, color and texture, planting bed shape, the choice and use of paving materials, color selection, lighting plan or any other component of the landscape within a project, is obligated to be a part of the whole. Even the most novice among us can appreciate the overall uniformity of a well planned landscape design.

Choosing the right Landscape Contractor

There are several things to examine when choosing a landscape contractor to install the landscape design that you had commissioned and believe it or not, price should not be your first and foremost consideration. Price of the job should be secondary to reputation, experience and referrals from other satisfied clients. For example, if all other aspects of the construction bids were equal (which is rarely the case) then sure, price then becomes the foremost and obvious criteria in the selection of your installation firm. But because there are other factors to consider and because some of these factors are weighted more heavily in the favor of certain firms then it pays to do your homework and examine what these differences between firms may happen to be. Reputation, experience and referrals from other satisfied clients, while vital and extremely valuable in your consideration process, should not be the only criteria in which you decide which contractor to hire. The reccommendation of a professional landscape designer and their opinion should count just as equally.

This is where it is vital to lean heavily on the opinions and recommendations of the landscape designer that just finished your landscape design. Many times, certain landscape designers work with a selected few landscape contractors and artisans that have installed many of their designs before and they have learned that over the years certain contractors have the best interests of their clients and the design at heart. This alone could be worth a few extra dollars simply because the overall impact of the design and project mean just as much to the contractor as it does to you, the client. The quality of the installation is usually superior as well. The contractor has valuable reputation points at stake, from both the designer and you, and this usually means better care and an attention to detail to your particular project that is hard to put a price on. Thus, while it may sound cliché, it is a win/win situation for all concerned. With the designer's reputation at stake and the contractor's reputation at stake it is the client that ultimately benefits in the long run. This is the way it should be!

Now it is fair to say that these are just particular generalities. Each and every project is different so there are no hard and fast rules as to how to select a particular contractor. One of the first steps I usually take in determining which contractor I want to recommend to a client is in examining the complexity of the design, particularly the main type of hardscape material that is being used in the design.

An example might be a landscape design that calls out a good deal of stamped and stained concrete. Some landscape contractors sub-out (hire a subcontractor) for all their concrete work and do none of their own installs, while other firms are truly great in working with concrete and thus are truly artistic in concrete installation. Having this simple criteria available to me as a designer is instrumental in helping me make my recommendation to the client and this generally becomes a recommendation I can take great confidence in. A phone book ad, or even a referral from another client can't possibly reveal these subtle differences quite as well as a recommendation that a knowledgeable and well informed landscape designer can provide.

Understanding Basic Landscape Planning and Use

How well your individual landscape is planned and used, regardless of what your particular preference or style may happen to be, depends mainly on your understanding of the four basic areas of your landscape, the proper uses of those four basic areas, and how well that understanding has been incorporated into your existing landscape or the landscape you plan and envision for your home.

The four basic areas of planning and of use for your landscape are the Public Area, the outdoor Family Living Area, the Service Area, and the Private Living Area.

Consider every aspect of the landscaping of your home - the outside, just as you would the interior of your home. Unfortunately, this concept is one of the most overlooked by many homeowners. The Public Area of the interior of your home is the portion that is seen by everyone coming into the home. This includes the front porch, the entry foyer, and/or the reception room. In some homes this can also include the living room.

The Family Living Area includes those rooms of the house that are used for family activities and for entertaining friends. Rooms such as the living room, dining room, family room, and game room fall into this category.

The Service Area includes those rooms of your home that are designed and used to meet your family’s operating needs. These include the kitchen, the laundry room, sewing room or separate office and the utility room. The garage, while not considered a room, can sometimes fall into the category of the service area.

The Private Living Area of the home is used only by the members of the family for their personal use and activities. The bedrooms and private bathrooms comprise the major rooms of this area. Dressing rooms, if present, are also included.

By understanding that the outside of your home, in terms of proper planning and complete satisfaction of use, is no different than the interior of your home, the proper structure, enjoyment, and value of your landscape can begin to be utilized and your own personal satisfaction with your home can be realized.

The concept and implementation of proper landscape planning and use is one of the most vital in enjoying your landscape, and increasing your homes overall function and ultimately, its resale value. That's just one of the many reasons why hiring a professional landscape designer to review your property can be such a valuable asset and tool in developing the maximum potential of your landscape.

When things in the landscape (no matter what they may be) are out of place, disorganized, or seemingly done without a reason or purpose, the value of our property can be diminished and our overall satisfaction, enjoyment and use of our property suffers. With the cost of travel increasing day by day, many people are beginning to realize that an investment in the landscaping of their own property can create a vacation oasis right at home. By understanding the proper use of our individual property we can begin to understand the full potential our property offers.

Exactly what is Xeriscaping?

Xeriscaping essentially is the art, process and development of establishing a water-wise landscape.

Xeriscape, pronounced "zeer-escape", is the term used to describe the techniques of landscaping that conserve water. Contrary to popular understanding it does not necessarily mean exclusively using native desert plants. Harmonizing the plantings of various plant species into zones where all plants can benefit from specific watering is called hydro zoning and can be and should be incorporated into a Xeriscape landscape.

There are many benefits to understanding and incorporating Xeriscaping and hydro zoning into your landscape. Of course, there are the economic benefits. Water costs money. If your landscape uses water wisely then it stands to reason that your water bill should be lower. There are also benefits to the community in general. This does not mean that you need to remove all your plants and your lawn and replace them with rock or concrete. You may simply switch one resource hog for another. Too much hardscape material around the house, especially too close to the house, can actually cause temperatures inside the house to be higher than desired during the summer and colder than desired during the winter, thus raising the cost of cooling or heating the house. You’ve simply traded wasting one expensive resource for another. Rather, sound and thoughtful planning can lead to lower cost of water and maintenance, thus increasing the beauty, enjoyment and value of the overall landscape.

There are also environmental benefits. Anything that reduces the demand on a region’s water supply and this is especially important in our region, must be considered beneficial. Many plants are inappropriate for their sites, surviving only because of excessive supplemental irrigation, fertilization and horticultural technology. This places stress on local resources, and especially, your wallet.

Then there are the aesthetic benefits of Xeriscaping. Many people, when they hear the word Xeriscape, think of a landscape that is all cacti, no color, dull and unimaginative. Yet while some landscapes that are simply all cacti and little else can be quite beautiful and interesting, simply by starting and using a well though out landscape design plan, using effective watering and planting techniques, and incorporating hydro zoning, a quite stunning, beautiful, interesting, and especially water-wise landscape can be created.

There are 7 specific principals that have been prepared by the National Xeriscape Council that serve as a guide to the development and maintenance of landscapes that use water wisely, not wastefully. They are as follows: Proper Planning and Design, Proper Soil Analysis, Appropriate Plant Selection, Practical Turf Areas, Efficient Irrigation, Proper Mulching, and lastly, Appropriate Maintenance. All work in harmony to create landscapes that are beautiful, functional, easy to maintain, and most important, conserve water and reduce excessive fertilization. Use of these principals can add value to your home.

Here are just a few suggestions to help with your Xeriscape ideas: Reduce present lawn size and increase bed size of low-water use plants. Regard all planting beds as hydro zones. Use as many low water-use hydro zones as possible. Choose plants that adapt well to existing soil conditions around your home. Place trees where their shade will benefit the most plants underneath them. Use water retention rings around trees. Use organic mulch whenever possible in that inorganic mulch, such as gravel and rock, can bake the soil underneath by retaining solar heat. Use landscape fabric to prevent excessive weed growth. Always water in the early evening, or early morning, and for a period of time that will “soak” the root system of plants, including lawns. Don’t water plants and lawns everyday! Plants and lawns need deep soaking, not an everyday deluge. A 20-30 minute soaking every 3 to 4 days is more effective and cost saving than watering 3 times a day for 5 or 10 minutes at a time. Mulch often and regularly, using organic mulches, especially in early spring and late fall.