Archive for October, 2008

Some thoughts on golf courses

Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008

I was at a seminar the other day at a golf course, and was looking at all the energy consuming, toxic lawn. The lawn could probably made less toxic by applying organic growing techniques, it could consume less water if alternate species were used, or if the water applied were captured for reuse. However, it would still need mowing in order to be playable, and right now mowers use gas that could really be put to better uses.

So, here are some ideas about mowing, just because this subject came up at lunch…

Have the golfers mow the course with push mowers in exchange for play credit.

Put a counter on the wheel of the course (tamper proof, of course), and give out free play, lessons, etc. according to distance mowed.

Tow reel type mowers behind golf carts

Golf carts are electric, so they pollute less than lawn mowers. So, find a way of having them tow a reel type mower. Might have to widen the wheels or something, though.

Goats or sheep

For the real Scottish look, let animals do the job. No grazing during play, since beaning a sheep is not nice.

Hire lots of people to push reel type mowers

Have a big line of people mow the course using only human energy

That’s all we could think of before our food arrived.

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Sierra fall color

Tuesday, October 14th, 2008

Normally, every year I go and photograph the aspens in fall color, generally around Hope Valley. This year, the photographers’ posts are exceptionally varied. They basically say that it snowed already, the trees are confused and it looks like some of them might skip the color altogether and just fade to brown. It looks like the natural world is just as confused as the financial world. I think I’ll just go watch the cranes at the Cosumnes River Preserve – they have arrived and seem ready for whatever will happen.

So, will it be an early winter? An early winter for cold but not rain? A dry year or a deluge? Will the stock market recover in time for the holiday season, or will we all get lumps of coal? Only time will tell.

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First thing is the program

Monday, October 13th, 2008
A good program smoothes the construction process

A good program smoothes the construction process

Although many people seem to think the first step in designing something is a plan, it should actually be the program from which the plan is generated. I don’t mean the CAD program that will be used to draw the plan, but rather the set of “rules” that the new design should follow. For example, the intended uses (including “visual”) should be laid out. How public/private should the new spaces be? How large should the entertainment zones be? How many people will be using them at once and how often?

All these things form the basis for a design that responds to the client’s needs – before a plan is even started.

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Where should the outdoor kitchen go, anyway?

Monday, October 13th, 2008

There seem to be two schools of thought for outdoor kitchens: they should either supplement the indoor kitchen, or they should duplicate it.

In the supplement option, the kitchen moves smoky or messy functions outside. This obviously applies to grills and barbecues, but can also work with wok rings, wood fired ovens, and other equipment that can generate smoke or spattering oil. They don’t need sinks, refrigerators, or other features that are already present in the house, although these can be present.

For the duplicate option, the entertainment center can be located at a far end of the design away from the house, so that nobody has to go to the kitchen. Since it’s essentially replacing the kitchen for people enjoying a dining patio nestled out in the landscape, it tends to have everything, including the kitchen sink. Refrigerators, storage, dishwasher, sink, grill, gas burners are fairly typical. Pizza oven, wok ring, tandoor…. the sky’s the limit. This option can get pricey, especially considering that the sink should be plumbed into the sewer, and that all this equipment tends to need both electrical and gas lines.

Then, there’s the hybrid – put the pizza oven out in the landscape where it can double as an outdoor fireplace (codes permitting), and keep the grill near the house for easy access.

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Lawn substitutes

Monday, October 13th, 2008

Recently, people have been looking into using alternate varieties of naturally low-growing, evergreen plants. Some are listed as low growing, since their leaves don’t grow very tall, but some of these get flowers that rise well above the leaves, requiring more maintenance. Most have to be planted as plugs (tiny plants) instead of sod or seed, so there is a longer establishment period. These species have been discussed for the Sacramento Valley:

  • Carex praegracilis (also known as Carex pansa). Evergreen sedge, naturally low growing, no tall flowers. Native to California.
  • Tufted Hair Grass (Deschampsia caespitosa). Leaves are low, but flowers rise high enough to turn your “lawn” into a meadow. Native to California.
  • Berkeley sedge, Carex divulsa (formerly known as Carex tumulicola). Higher growing, but grows well here. Would need occasional high mowing. Native to Central Europe.
  • Buffalo grass, Buchloe dactyloides. Naturally low growing grass. Turns brown in winter.

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