His Koi are Missing

From the 1st line of the story:

A Tracy man came home from vacation to discover 150 to 200 small koi fish vanished from a backyard pond. By James Utt.

150-200 . . . 150-200! how can anyone think it’s a good idea to keep that many fish in something so small? What is he thinking? A little further down in the story:

Someone must have stolen his fish.

The last line of the story, where he had just mentioned calling the sheriff:

Schubert has lived in his Tracy home for 10 years and said he has never had anything stolen before.

Then there is one other quote I’d like to point out:

“I’m just at a loss for words,” said Schubert, hunched over his fishless koi pond Monday. “It’s kind of comical, you know Who would do this”

Schubert said that despite his location near the countryside in southern Tracy, he has yet to spot any large predator, a raccoon or a fox for example, since he moved in.

Raccoon’s would have left physical evidence behind, foxes . . . I have yet to hear of such a thing. Do you pond experts know where I am going with this?

Especially when he talks about going to the sheriff . . .

It’s going to be tough to lock up the local Heron . . .

I still can not get over the size of the pond . . . and at that size it cant be very deep. A Heron would have stood there and just gorged himself-easiest meal of his/her life. I am really surprised that no one mentions any type of predator bird in this story.

But the size of that pond . . 150-200?
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*The photo is from the Tracy Press, in Tracy, CA.

Memorial Day . . .

[Section 13 in Arlington National Cemetery.]

Vote for the Worst of the Worst-Shrub.

Okay, here is the list to this date. I only took nominees from the comments, I did not take any from e-mail. I figure if you are going to bash a shrub-bash it in public. There are 10 shrubs listed some by botanical, some by common, and a couple listed by-the whole entire species e.g. “juniper(s)”.

This is; of course, all for fun, unless some one ask me to design in some of these bad boys . . . then it becomes a serious matter.

The nominee list will stay open until I put up a page on Squidoo-like the one I put up for trees. Any and all comments and votes are still open.

Here are the Nominee’s:

• Prunus laurocerasus: Pruned short or tall, wide or narrow, it’s just underwhelming. And must there be such a volume of it? Is there really that little to choose from? Of course not.
• Euonymous. S: The worst looking shrub in my neighborhood.
• PJM Rhododendron: Overused to the point that it is obnoxious. It looks like a blob of chewed grape bubble gum.
• Corylus avellena ‘Contorta’: Common Name: “Canker Farm”. An oddity at best. Why does anyone plant this contraption?
• Juniperus ‘Plumosa Compacta Youngstown’. If you’ve never seen Phomopsis up close and personal, just plant a few of these babies. Especially near irrigated beds or turf.
• The Yew; Taxus sp.: We run electric hedge trimmer over it a couple times a year, and now we can’t see off the front porch.” They understand it even less when I show them that it’s going to look like crap after I’m done getting it reined in and then it’s going to take several years to fill back in. So I’d never plant one. (+1)
• Leylandii ? (Leyland Cypress-I believe)I’ve just chopped four feet off the top of a row of these buggers (ancient Briton term) in this new, otherwise blank canvas garden, it still leaves a seven foot high hedge but I hate the stuff.
• Juniperus chinensis ‘Hetzii’, the Hetzii juniper, you might as well throw the Pfitzer juniper in there as well. Is that 2? No matter, they both; uh, suck . . . professionally speaking.
• Euonymous alata, burning bush, burning bush, burning bush . . . I say no more. (+4)
• The “Common Privet”, doesn’t deserve to be recognized by it’s botanical name. (+2)
• Spirea x cineria ‘Grefsheim’, I do not apologize for picking on poor ‘Grefsheim”, heck this newer cultivar may actually be “okay-at best” . . . my pen, er, keypad is aimed squarely at Spirea-a rather unremarkable plant. (-1)

Addendum: the ( ) are numbers from comments, in agreeing to this shrub “is the worst”. The minus 1 is a disagreement to have this shrub added. So there we have it.

Tree Houses . . . that are Super

For the cool price of $250,000 you can have this little beauty built for you in your own backyard. though for that much money you may want to put it in your front yard. Heck . . . it may be the house in the yard.

The photo comes from a story in Business Week, about Real Estate that Branches Out. It’s a nice read about the continuing popularity of building treehouse. The article focuses on the Daniel’s brothers . . . they’re doing nicley:

This year, the company has already overseen 10 six-figure projects, and expects to do about $6 million in revenue. Its efforts, along with those of a handful of other tree house designers that sprouted in the late 1990s, have recently opened the floodgates on an unexpected new luxury market.

Not bad for treehouses. The question is how do Designers fit into the niche. I would guess if you are spending that kind of money some folks are going to want a nice way to go back and forth from house to super treehouse. Or have a great landscape to look upon-I’m guessing here. But we are in the luxury market, and when we are in here-there are opportunities.

They constructed a 45-foot spire with cedar shingles, a copper turret, a side deck, two staircases with multilevel verandas, and a zip slide—all for the enjoyment of the youth. For the parents, they built a deck under the canopy of another nearby tree and adjoined the entire structure with a bridge. As a result, the adults can enjoy their roughly $90,000 investment in the company of friends while keeping a watchful eye on their kids.

Sounds to me like there should be a babbling brook running below.

Finally the super treehouse of the future. Apparently the future is here. Take a look at this:

Sybarite is under contract to develop at least three of these next-generation tree houses for clients in Arizona, Australia, and Italy. Made from 70% recycled materials, these prefabricated modular structures are fully livable “country homes” that can be adapted for a family of up to eight.

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This is a tease of the artist rendering(conceptual) for the super treehouse of the future. A modular home. I was curious(naturally) about the Sybarite company. A company on the ‘cutting edge’ or beyond the cutting edge-it seems.

Housekeeping Note

There is now so much spam being caught by th Akismet filter, that I will no longer be going through there to look for comments that were snagged by the filter. If you don’t see your comment by the next day . . . it’s been swallowed, and gone into the deep, dark bowels of internet Hell . . . whatever that is.

I’m actually not smart enough to know the solution . . . anyone?

Shrubs We do Not Like (2)

It appears by lack of response that unlikable trees are more interesting to discuss. So Based on the few entries, I would guess it is time to move on.

In the next week or so we will move on to trees and shrubs we do like to have, and use in the landscape. We Designers sometime fall into a pattern when using shrubs . . . What we like, dislike, commonly use in the residential landscape . . .

See: 50 years of Taxus sp. surrounding houses.

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Update: Speaking of shrubs, I was told this is from a Chelsea Flower Show, anyone know for sure?

Shrubs We do Not Like:

Based on the hugely popular “Trees we do not like“, and “Vote for the Worst of the Worst-Trees” it is now time to bring you . . .

[Now that's a "Shrubbery", or see below]

Shrubs we do Not Like:

I have written about a few of these culprits in the past week or so, my offenders include:

1. Juniperus chinensis ‘Hetzii’, the Hetzii juniper, you might as well throw the Pfitzer juniper in there as well. Is that 2? No matter, they both; uh, suck . . . professionally speaking.
2. Euonymous alata, burning bush, burning bush, burning bush . . . I say no more.
3. The “Common Privet”, doesn’t deserve to be recognized by it’s botanical name.
4. Spirea x cineria ‘Grefsheim’, I do not apologize for picking on poor ‘Grefsheim”, heck this newer cultivar may actually be “okay-at best” . . . my pen, er, keypad is aimed squarely at Spirea-a rather unremarkable plant.

There are actually a few more I could add here, but I wish to take away no more thunder(my apologies Kim). So fire away this is your chance to vent to the entire World(well . . . whatever part of the entire World visits this Blog.) and tell us which shrubbery you would never plant and why.

Allright you’ve been given your quest, now deliver the goods”

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Addendum: I just can’t help myself . . . every time I start talking about shrubs(what’s good, what’s bad) I kinda giggle inside because of this scene from a Monty Python movie.

With all due apologies to Monty Python, please do not sue me for posting this script:

Voice over: Meanwhile, King Arthur and Bedevere, not more than a swallow’s flight away, had discovered something.

Knights of Ni: Ni! Ni! Ni! Ni! Ni! Ni!
Arthur: Who are you?
Knight of Ni: We are the Knights who say….. “Ni”!
Arthur: (horrified) No! Not the Knights who say “Ni”!
Knight of Ni: The same.
Other Knight of Ni: Who are we?
Knight of Ni: We are the keepers of the sacred words: Ni, Ping, and Nee-womm!
Other Knight of Ni: Nee-womm!
Arthur: (to Bedevere) Those who hear them seldom live to tell the tale!
Knight of Ni: The knights who say “Ni” demand….. a sacrifice!
Arthur: Knights of Ni, we are but simple travelers who seek the enchanter who
lives beyond these woods.
Knights of Ni: Ni! Ni! Ni! Ni! Ni! Ni! Ni! Ni! Ni!
Bedevere: No! Noooo! Aaaugh! No!
Knight of Ni: We shall say “Ni” to you… if you do not appease us.
Arthur: Well what is it you want?
Knight of Ni: We want…..

(pregnant pause)

A SHRUBBERY!!!!

(minor music)

Arthur: A WHAT?
Knights of Ni: Ni! Ni!! Ni! Ni!
Arthur; No! No! Please, please, no more! We will find you a shrubbery.
Knight of Ni: You must return here with a shrubbery… or else you will never
pass through this wood… alive.
Arthur: O Knights of Ni, you are just and fair, and we will return with a
shrubbery.
Knight of Ni: One that looks nice.
Arthur: Of course!
Knight of Ni: And not too expensive.
Arthur; Yes!
Knight of Ni: Noowwwww…. GO!

(music)

Arthur: O Knights of Ni. We have brought you your shrubbery. May we go now?
Knight of Ni: Yes, it is a good shrubbery. I like the laurels particularly.
But there is one small problem….
Arthur: What is that?
Knight of Ni: We are now no longer the Knights Who Say “Ni”!
Other Knights of Ni: Ni! Shh! Shh!
Knight of Ni: We are now the Knights who say “Ekky-ekky-ekky-ekky-z’Bang, zoom-Boing, z’nourrrwringmm”.
Other Knight of Ni: Ni!
Knight of Ni: Therefore, we must give you a test.
Arthur: What is this test, O Knights of…..
Knights who ’til recently said “Ni”?
Knight of Ni: Firstly, you must find….

ANOTHER SHRUBBERY!!!

(minor music)

Arthur: Oh not another shrubbery!!
Knight of Ni: (excitedly) THEN… Then, when you have found the shrubbery,
you must place it here, beside this shrubbery, only slightly
higher, so we get the two-level effect with a little path
running down the middle.
Other Knights of Ni: A path! A path! A path! Shh, shhh. Ni! Ni!
Knight of Ni: Then, when you have found the shrubbery, you must cut down the
mightiest tree in the forest…
Wiiiiiithh…. A HERRING!

 

Wormsloe Plantation, Savannah Georgia

A brief interlude from bad , bad, terrible shrubs, to something of greatness, and a beauty that I am incapable of describing:

[The larger image will blow you away, by steverob50]

This is my favorite tree all-time, hands down regardless of situation, and this may be one of the most stunning photograph of Quercus virginia, ‘Live Oaks; I have ever seen. My best Live Oak photo’s were taken at Brookgreen Gardens in Litchfield Beach, SC. They now pale in comparison to this image. The most beautiful, majestic character in a tree. How could you NOT want to drive down that lane?

Juniperus chinensis ‘Hetzii’

Welcome back to another one from ‘murderer’s row‘ as we count down to Shrubs We do Not Like. We are talking about Juniper c. ‘Hetzii’, or as I learned the common name Hetzi Juniper. This Juniper is a shrub I can promise you I will never plant-ever, no matter what.

Form, shape, size, habit, needles, it’s ugly, size, texture, size, doesn’t prune well, doesn’t shear well, size, did I mention size? It gets big, giving me the giggles when I see it planted 4.0ft. from a house. Big people, they can get big.

I dislike this shrub so much, that if I ever see, someone I know planting/using/designing one of these into the landscape we are going to have a fistfight . . . boo-yah!

Here are a couple of these beauties below, notice how they are swallowing the front of the house, and have made the front door . . . disappear!

Here’s another fine example:
Wow, look at that form! That style! That 4-season interest . . . what a beauty. How could everyone not want several, or a dozen of those around there house.

I’ve actually ripped out Hetzii 3.0 or 4.0 foot apart 4,0 foot from the house-that were planted in a row across the front of a house. Yikes! Talk about a nightmare. Plus this plant is unforgiving, those needles are rough, scratchy, terrible . . . stays with you for days.

What’s funny about this pic is that I found it on the UConn plant database. This is the “example pic”. Like this is the best one they could find.

If you go to this link there is a tiny little picture of a row along a parking lot-they are massive. I suppose this would be the only use for these monstrosities-a barrier.

If for some bizarre reason you want to know more about this junk go to the U.of Arkansas, extension. there’s a write-up, and history about this beast. You know . . . it almost sounds as though the writer likes this plant.

Just look at the gangly mess . . . how attractive. I’m sorry but the Hetzii has nothing going for it. The caption from Floridata mentions it’s popular. It was popular when Nurserymen grew about 5 varieties of conifer shrubs, and that’s what the public got for 60-70 years, but not anymore.

.

That’s enough. I’m not wasting anymore time on the Juniperus c. ‘Hetzii’ . . . oh wait, here’s a good Juniper.

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Addendum: Oh, here’s a look at the landscaped entry 16 years later:

Steps; Design to Build

I have decided that yesterday’s addendum deserved a stand alone post. I have also added 4 links at the bottom that will send you to older post that also deal with this same subject matter.

Yesterday:

Addendum: Here again we are dealing with the steps in the design process. I can’t seem to get past why this process isn’t explained better/implemented better, in a nutshell:

• Interview the client, the bigger the project the more thorough the interview, and if it’s bigger than that, more time is spent developing a relationship with the client(s)
• Look at the site, pay attention to what’s here/what’s not here. How can the site be best served? Can the client’s request be realistically met on this site?
• Use your experience(the designer) to meld together the site and the client. If it’s not possible learn to say no. If you have more questions-ask.
• Listen, listen, listen . . . to the client, to the site, to your experience.
• Draw conceptuals-I prefer renderings-2 dimensional, perspective, and/or axonometric . . . clients cannot read plan view drawings, conceptuals, hardscape details, master plans . . . Clients cannot look at tiny circles and straight lines . . . and see pergola’s, fences, walls, waterfalls, grade changes, steps, etc., etc., etc., they cannot-get used to it.
• The conceptuals are a starting point
• The conceptuals are a starting point to talk about how spaces relate, how elements relate, how people relate.
• The conceptuals are a starting point . . . to . . . more conceptuals in bigger projects, and more conceptuals in even bigger projects.
• The larger the project, the more complicated the design process.
• Conceptuals usually lead to hardscape plans, planting plans, and/or master plans. this depends on the designer, the design/build company . . . the design fee. The path from the conceptual plans can go many directions.
• There are no conceptuals when the designer is not very good, the plan is small, the plan is simple, the plan is free . . . you get what you pay for.
• Most design/build companies discourage/ignore/hate/poo-poo/blow-off/are ignorant to/disclaim conceptuals . . . How do I know this? Around 35 years of dealing/hanging/spending time/working with/working for Design/Build Companies. I can safely say that for the VAST majority of design/builds it’s about the build . . . it’s how they make their money. No fault in that, it’s just that is the way it is.
• Do design/build companies have talented designers? . . . sure, sometimes. If it’s a designer on staff(stretched thin in the Spring), or the owner . . . who is stretched to the ‘breaking point’ each and every Spring. There are those design/builds out there who understand and follow through the process.
• Back to conceptuals-the point is to determine where the ‘big stuff’ goes. Then the ‘medium stuff’. From here the plan goes into more specifics-and is most likely drawn in plan view.
• Plan view, where numbers, sizes, square foot(ages), lengths, are determined-and estimated. These Plan View drawings should always be to scale, always.
• In more complicated plan views-lots of bulbs, perennials, hardscape details find their way to separate drawings-depending on time, budget, philosophy, company procedure, etc.
• There are always, and I mean always . . . on-site adjustments. It’s the final part of the design process. A good designer allows for these; not only allows for these-but expects them to happen.

There are 4 older post that also deal with this subject and expand upon how this process works for me as a Designer.

• Landscape Design comes to life

• Concept Drawings a Great Read

• Rendering . .. Designing with Graphic Thought (2)

• The Design Process, another example

The Stages of a Landscape Plan

There is a great commentary string(prompted by detailed specifics) on a post by the County Clerk, the post is

A Plan Coalesces:

Hank is giving us the blow-by-blow on his dealings with his property, his landscape, and now his hiring of an LA to come up with a plan, and it’s turned into a fascinating discussion on the design process.

The Clerk hired an LA to do some plans(so far I’ve only seen a conceptual) and it appears she has been moving slow to get drawings done. She should have been able to read that this was a guy on a mission-highly motivated.

If you are a professional designer I highly suggest you follow this story. Hank has a good following of very rabid “Gardeners” some very talented folks, and there thought process is some good insight on how passionate gardeners look/see/relate/don’t like the professional design process that some designers employ.

This is my last comment(I’ve already made 2 on the string) about why none of the plants were labeled on a conceptual drawing. Keep in mind here I do not know who the LA is, I’m guessing based on how my design process works.

Craig:
I’ll defend the architect for a moment. What she gave Hank was a conceptual drawing, and there are/were many things to work out before getting to specifics.

I show clients LOTS of conceptuals and never have anything ‘labelled’. Why put the work in, if changes are/need to be made.

The conceptual drawing should be about the big picture and how elements fit together, how spaces work and then-how those space fit together.

To tell the truth ‘early labelling’, and specifics “stifle” the creative process.

This is actually “a real Problem” dealing with “Gardeners” . . . they want to talk plants before the dimensions of the driveway are determined-makes absolutely no sense from a design standpoint.

nail down the hardscape; utilities, drive, walks, fences, pools/ponds, structures, etc. “Then” move on to bed size/lines/shapes. then determine tree placement-> large shrubs -> small shrubs/perennials/annuals.

A quick reference on how ‘my’ design process works, I always like to say to clients and students:

Think Big to Small . . . . Big -> Small, . . . Big -> Small . . . yes it’s simplified, but it works!

The comment came about because I was directly answering another commenter in the thread, it’s Craig who has a great Blog called Ellis Hollow. The back and forth/suggestions makes great reading. Hank just posted another entry; The Big Plan(ver 1), and this post(I’m sure) will generate a long comment stream.

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Addendum: Here again we are dealing with the steps in the design process. I can’t seem to get past why this process isn’t explained better/implemented better, in a nutshell:

• Interview the client, the bigger the project the more thorough the interview, and if it’s bigger than that, more time is spent developing a relationship with the client(s)
• Look at the site, pay attention to what’s here/what’s not here. How can the site be best served? Can the client’s request be realistically met on this site?
• Use your experience(the designer) to meld together the site and the client. If it’s not possible learn to say no. If you have more questions-ask.
• Listen, listen, listen . . . to the client, to the site, to your experience.
• Draw conceptuals-I prefer renderings-2 dimensional, perspective, and/or axonometric . . . clients cannot read plan view drawings, conceptuals, hardscape details, master plans . . . Clients cannot look at tiny circles and straight lines . . . and see pergola’s, fences, walls, waterfalls, grade changes, steps, etc., etc., etc., they cannot-get used to it.
• The conceptuals are a starting point
• The conceptuals are a starting point to talk about how spaces relate, how elements relate, how people relate.
• The conceptuals are a starting point . . . to . . . more conceptuals in bigger projects, and more conceptuals in even bigger projects.
• The larger the project, the more complicated the design process.
• Conceptuals usually lead to hardscape plans, planting plans, and/or master plans. this depends on the designer, the design/build company . . . the design fee. The path from the conceptual plans can go many directions.
• There are no conceptuals when the designer is not very good, the plan is small, the plan is simple, the plan is free . . . you get what you pay for.
• Most design/build companies discourage/ignore/hate/poo-poo/blow-off/are ignorant to/disclaim conceptuals . . . How do I know this? Around 35 years of dealing/hanging/spending time/working with/working for Design/Build Companies. I can safely say that for the VAST majority of design/builds it’s about the build . . . it’s how they make their money. No fault in that, it’s just that is the way it is.
• Do design/build companies have talented designers? . . . sure, sometimes. If it’s a designer on staff(stretched thin in the Spring), or the owner . . . who is stretched to the ‘breaking point’ each and every Spring. There are those design/builds out there who understand and follow through the process.
• Back to conceptuals-the point is to determine where the ‘big stuff’ goes. Then the ‘medium stuff’. From here the plan goes into more specifics-and is most likely drawn in plan view.
• Plan view, where numbers, sizes, square foot(ages), lengths, are determined-and estimated. These Plan View drawings should always be to scale, always.
• In more complicated plan views-lots of bulbs, perennials, hardscape details find their way to separate drawings-depending on time, budget, philosophy, company procedure, etc.
• There are always, and I mean always . . . on-site adjustments. It’s the final part of the design process. A good designer allows for these; not only allows for these-but expects them to happen.

A Rick Anderson conceptual:

A more refined conceptual for presentation:

One more time:

Top 10 Trends in Colorado

The (ALCC) Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC) list of their top 10 trends should be interesting to Landscape Designers everywhere. Some are old trends, some are kinda new, and there’s one that’s even a little confusing(to me). Providing this list holds true it would mean a lot of work for designers. Take #9 for example:

Landscape Makeovers – The reality TV craze to refurbish homes and landscapes has spilled into the mainstream. Consumers are looking at ways to refresh a dated landscape or start from scratch by incorporating new decks, patios and gardens.

Now I have yet to have anyone specifically say, “I want a makeover for my yard“, Have you or any designers you know had this type of language used when discussing their landscape?

Some of the others on the top 10 have been around for awhile; including, sustainable, big impact, lighting, multicultural, bringing the indoors out, and water features. One of these trends used some terminology I am not familiar with-”Scraper Planning”

Scraper Planning – The continued boom of scrapers and pop-tops in Colorado’s older neighborhoods creates the need for proper planning and planting to ensure the landscape is as functional and attractive as the new or remodeled home.

I would guess , the house is removed in an older neighborhood and replaced by something bigger? Or a 2nd story is put on an old ranch? I’d like someone to fill me in on these terms-get me up to speed(so to speak). If I am correct this has been going on for quite some time and has caused considerable problems in other parts of the country.

Finally #10 should make every professional Landscape Designer feel good . . .

Planning is in – More homeowners are looking at blueprints to help them design their landscapes by creating garden plans on their own or hiring professionals to create well-designed yards to fit their lifestyles and budgets.

Call the Professional, here’s a trend I could live with.

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Addendum: I found this story on the Landscape Management website.