A while back, we visited a garden, almost completely built except for planting and a few details. Was it impressive? Yes! Did it fit how the people would use their garden? Maybe not so much. This is an example of where the program needs to come from the garden’s owners, developed by a professional designer,Continue reading “Plan first, build later”
Author Archives: mike
Stencils? Yes, digital ones!
Just when you thought stencils, rulers, triangles and protractors went extinct back with the dinosaurs, along comes someone to transform them into digital illustration tools. Virtual stencils, virtual pens… but real results. First, you draw a black and white image in an illustration app. The black parts will fill with color; the white will beContinue reading “Stencils? Yes, digital ones!”
Plume- not so -tastic
This new pink muhly grass, Muhlenbergia capillaris ‘Plumetastic’ was supposed to be quite showy, with fantastic billowing pink clouds of flowers in autumn. That’s what it shows in the photos, anyway. This would be the photos the nurseries use to promote the things, not my photos. Obviously, there’s quite a discrepancy with the foliage descriptionContinue reading “Plume- not so -tastic”
Signal to noise?
Usually when the phone rings, it’s a robocall. When it’s a human, we manage to communicate. I try to refuse their pitches politely, even though they’ll likely hang up on the third refusal – it must be a formula of some kind. Sometimes it’s a friend, colleague, client or new contact – all of whichContinue reading “Signal to noise?”
Annette goes digital. Sort of.
She’s now using an iPad, just the basic bit over 9″ display. It’s already hard to tell she didn’t draw these by hand! She’s using a simple pen with a tip that the iPad can recognize. Paying $100 for an Apple Pencil was not on her radar, especially since it doesn’t really help you learnContinue reading “Annette goes digital. Sort of.”
Sac Open Studios! art in the garden
Announcing Annette & Mike’s Sac Open Studio for September 21-22, 2019
Design studio on the go!
We’ve been streamlining measurement, sketch, brainstorming and presentation techniques for landscape concepts and quick initial plans, using an iPad to fill in for a desktop based CAD system. We can create base plans, sketch out options, do photo overlays, create illustrated design sketchbooks and export all this as pdf files (or print everything out). HereContinue reading “Design studio on the go!”
Independent design or design and build?
There’s a fork in the landscape design road. A big one, since once you’ve gone down one side or the other, coming back is difficult. Not impossible, but fraught with lions, tigers and bears. You can take the design and build path, or the independent design one. In the end, they both lead to aContinue reading “Independent design or design and build?”
Pétanque!
Italians play bocce. The French play Pétanque, with metal boules (balls), smaller than bocce balls so they fit well in your hand, making it easier to throw hard and blast your opponent’s balls out of the court. Or you can lob your boule with backspin so it lands to gently roll up and kiss the small,Continue reading “Pétanque!”
French cottage garden
Sometime around 2005, we installed this garden in France. We used the stones we found on site, and antique looking pot and whatever we could find to build a dry stacked wall. A mason built the path, although with smooth edges instead of irregular to catch and play with the gravel on both sides. CeContinue reading “French cottage garden”