Designing The Future

Elements of the newly developed urban landscape are consistently being revisited and are evolving into goals of lower maintenance combined with added value. A well thought out landscape design reaches farther than what plant does well here or what color stone should we use for our patio. In my opinion we should be designing landscapes that create value as time grows on. One example of a value added investment is proper plant selection and placement. Designing with purpose and intent holds no greater asset than proper plant selection. Since valuable plant specimens require longevity to establish we need to really push the limits to incorporate plant material that will perform well on our site and in the specified location, serve an important purpose within our project, provide a long lived foundation for future renovations. In my designs, I always want the woody plant material to outlive the rest of the landscape followed by hardscapes, so when it comes time to refresh, a large portion of our cost has established into a beautiful contour of mature plants and minimizes work needed in the future. Aside from providing maturing investments we want to look at our surroundings and see if we can create multiple dynamic areas within the property through privacy screens, naturalized areas, or groundcovers. Aside from aesthetics plant specimens when properly placed can provide us with windbreaks as well as shade for the summer when a deciduous tree holds its leaves and sun in the winter when it loses it.

Scots pine (Pinus Sylvestris)

Fast growing at a rate of 2-3ft per year. Can live between 150-300 Years with the oldest known specimen at over 700 years old. Provide windbreak, shade, and recreation with excellent climbing or hammock hanging characteristics.