This was from the sketchbook(moleskine), and was done on-site so I could show the contractor what I was thinking about in reference to the space.
The idea for the space was to add a waterfall and a small body of water right up near the pool’s edge. The drawing in black and white was good for [...]
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[ A conceptual design, with emphasis on the hardscape.* ]
We always emphasize the hardscape, the structure, the construction. this is where the aork is and where we usually cannot afford to make any mistakes or “do-overs”.
Petunia’s we can do over.
1400sg. ft of stone patio we cannot do over.
A shrub here or a new Heuchera there-we [...]
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Landing . . . you know, a landing. That flat space you design in when you’re going from a high space to a low space. Or in the case of a Landscape Designer when you’re going from a deck to a patio.
It’s that platform where you stop and rest, and then turn right(or left) continuing [...]
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So here is an earlier drawing where I was looking at the possibilities from head-on; that is, from a person looking from the lower level.
I liked this look . . . but wasn’t sure if it was working. Then after I was done scribbling this I noticed that the wall heights were really 3 levels!. [...]
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Today I was hit with another one of those ah-ha thunderbolts. It was like “well hell yeah I knew that, but I had just never said that out loud”.
A statement so clear in vision, so simple in design, so darn obvious in execution:
“A vase should never, in the open air, be set down upon the [...]
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[ Columns, posts, supports for pergolas. ]
Just some doodles out of the sketchbook. I seem to spend a lot of time considering pergola details these days.
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Addendum: 1st post with the new WordPress dashboard. it sure is different and will take some getting used to. I did like the image upload, but it had space for [...]
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So I’m thinking about steps and people, people and steps . . . . . .
[ Like I said, people and steps. ]
Question’s
Where does the landing(s) g0?
Where does the plaza go?
Where do the seat walls go? At which levels?
Tree’s? Shrubs? Trees and shrubs?
Brick? Block? Brick and Stone?
Nothing better than people and steps, steps and people [...]
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Bill over at the Giant Duck Institute has suggested an idea
You’ve hit on the idea for a post to rival “Trees We Do Not Like”. Perhaps you could call it…
“Landscape Travesties” or “Landscape Infractions”. Picture submittal s of unfortunate landscape projects perpetrated by the uninitiated. I could start you off with a few.
I think [...]
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Pergola’s
I get a lot of questions about pergola’s, arbors and trellis’ . . . a lot. for good reason. Structure adds a lot to the designed landscape. With structure you bring order, refinement, extension of the house architecture, definition of space, etc. I would say these are good things
Plus; if done well they can look [...]
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Here’s another look at a possible fireplace for these homeowners.
[A more interesting storage area for firewood.]
I also took a very un-symmetrical look at the sides and a random edge on the right . . . more of a unpolished, rugged look. I want to get away from all that pretty symmetry of the “lick-n-stick” fireplaces [...]
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In keeping with the previous post, here is another attempt at a fireplace for this backyard.
[Another look at a possible solution for this woodsy backyard. ]
I’m not done cranking out sketches for this fireplace. I have a meeting with the client in a day or so. We’ll see how close I’m getting to their dream [...]
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I am in the middle of a project where the main focus of the backyard will be a large fireplace that we hope to have anchor one end of the patio.
The fireplace will anchor the end of the patio, and serve as the main gathering space for those on the patio, also becoming the main [...]
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A week ago I wrote about the rendering below and how I’d hoped it would lead to a solution. A solution for the South side of a large terrace/patio.
So let’s do a little review
Let’s start with a look at that rendering. This was the 4th or 5th drawing of what I was looking for [...]
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Of my own choosing. That’s right.
This was my choice.
I needed some strong physical divider between this terrace and the rest of the World. A separator that would not only knock out the view that direction, but would also stop others from peeking in.
To top things this wall screamed aesthetics! . . . I need [...]
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The Original Rendering:
A few weeks back I posted about this drawing for a pergola design. The idea was to anchor a fire-pit seating area.
This drawing was to give the client an idea on how an anchor structure would look/hold down/define the back side of the area.
[ A simple rendering for fire pit. ]
This rendering was [...]
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Adrian Higgins of the Washington Post has written another great article (print page link) on residential landscape design. This one focuses on a lecture he attended where Gordon Hayward spoke about small garden design.
This lecture at a symposium at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton was also a good chance for Hayward to promote his new book [...]
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My hope is to use this site to spread some info about the art and practice of Landscape Design. It is a very misunderstood profession; I do not cut grass like the next door neighbor's cousin who carries 3 mowers and a blower in the back of his truck.
I will also pass along comments on industry happenings, events, etc., and any maybe a few other adventures going on in my world-after all this is "my" blog. Thanks for stopping by and taking a look. Questions? Drop me an e-mail.
rick (at) whisperingcraneinstitute (dot) com
