I hope this will be a place where anyone interested in landscape development can come to gather useful information to apply to the landscape. I have been gardening and developing landscapes since 1986 and have decided it is time to share what I have learned with anyone who wants to succeed in designing, implementing, and caring for their landscape.
One experience has repeated itself year after year in my career. I keep coming across well-meaning people who have spent a lot of time and money on landscapes that fail. Why is that? I mean who in this fast paced life has time to spare? And in this economy, being wise with each and every dollar is imperative.
Landscape development and maintenance (catch phrase: "landscaping") looks pretty EASY on the surface - especially if you watch lots of DIY TV. Truth is it isn't easy, it is hard work that requires attention in all three important phases.
- Planning/Design
- Land Preparation/Construction/Planting
- Acclimation/Aftercare
Skimp on any part of the three phase process and you often wind up with dead or dying soil, sad plants that won't thrive, or a failed hardscape.
The trick is; How can we make it SIMPLE?
Simple doesn't mean easy, it means making it a clear and straight forward process that will:
- Demystify the SCIENCE
- Unlock the ART
- Invite the FUNCTION
Simple means ensuring an outcome of synergy and success AND it still means hard work.
Sorry, in almost a quarter century I haven't found the EASY button that eliminates the sweat factor in landscape work. I'll post it on the blog as soon as I find the quickie approach to getting the landscape of your dreams without any physical exertion or check writing!
So are you ready to learn and explore with me?
Each post will offer a Landscape Lesson that anyone can use to improve their projects whether it is one you are doing yourself, or one you are hoping to contract out. These lessons will work for home owners, business owners, corporate property managers, and you.
The Take Away Tips are ideas that can be implement in a flash by you, or suggested to your landscape professional to implement (notice I didn't say landscaper...we'll get to that).
Each post will include a Brain Teaser Question to analyzing your own landscape in order to see where the opportunities are.
I hope that this blog inspires you to get outside and interact with your landscape, talk to your landscape professionals, and dream up new ways to maximize the sustainability of your environment.
Feedback, questions, and your experiences are more than welcomed, they are encouraged. It is my firm belief that the landscape learning curve is LONG and requires lots of collaboration. I am eager to explore with you!
Happy Gardening!
