Landscape Design

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic by 4 people | Log in to rate

Ranked #3,579 in DIY, #77,592 overall

Design through my eyes

 This is not about cutting grass, or fertilizer (though some may say I spread some big-time fertilizer), or brown spots in the lawn.

Actually Landscape Design is a mis-understood profession, and I will try and help out as much as possibe explainig what actually occurs during desing, with info about LD elsewhere on the web.

Use the guestbook, or e-mail me with questions. Need a speaker? Lecturer? Seminar leader? Here I am.

 

The Whispering Crane Institute 

"The Knowledge is Given to the Crane from Above".

My WCI Blog 

From case-studies, to drawings, to events. Things happening in the world of Professional Landscape Design.

As a Professional Landscape Designer, I feel the desire to give back to the community, and to have an outlet for others to see what I am working on has been great-I have enjoyed the interaction, and the challenge to post good relevant material.

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WCI Links 

The Whispering Crane Institute's other sites on the web.

Links dealing directly with me, and the Whispering Crane Institute. These are my own sites that show some of the projects that I am working on, plus the Blog shows actual case studies when time permits me to do so.
my Blog
As written earlier this is my main form of communication to the World. The focus is on the art and practice of landscape design, and graphics used for landscape design.

As time has gone on I have written about other things in the field that interest me and my readers.
WCI website-the anchor
Basic stuff photo's, resume is here, etc. This is the somewhat typical static website.
Images. images, images
My Fotki site, where I keep a lot of images of work completed, jobs I am looking at, and renderings. A lot of renderings are here also-look in the Graphic folders to find these.
The Whispering Crane Institute
This is my lens on WCI gives a breakdown on me and my company. All the info you need to know.
Tumblr Blog for The Whispering Crane Institute
My Tumblr site where I have a link to all the regular blog post with a bonus surprise of links to sites, images collections, and other oddities that I have found interesting.

Tumblr Headline:
----- The Whispering Crane Institute -----
Links, Quotes, Blogs, Images, etc., that I've found and want to share, and/or keep a record of.

Landscape Conceptual 

Conceptual color in plan view.

Plan view conceptual showing design possibilities for a back yard with terraces, water feature and several boulder outcroppings.

Professional Links 

Where the pro's hang

Links to professional associations in the "Green Industry"; either national or state in Horticulture, Landscaping, Design, Installation, and Maint.
American Nursery and Landscape Association
Maybe the oldest professional organization for the Green Industry.
Association of Professional Landscape Designers
APLD is the national voice for the profession of Landscape Designers. A good organization, but to get your money's worth go to the conferences.
Planet home
The new name for the merger between the grounds care folks (PLCAA), and the big boys of the lawn care industry (ALCA). Also involved are those who do interior work, and grounds mgmt. A very large organization, with a very large trade show.
Garden Writers Association
The Garden Writers Association (GWA) is an organization of over 1800 professional communicators in the lawn and garden industry. No other organization in the industry has as much direct contact with the buying public as GWA.
© ASLA.org
ASLA American Society of Landscape Architects
Perennial Plant Association
PPA Perennial Plant Association, Everything about perennials. Great annual Conference.

*Members*Non-Members*Special Offers*At-a-Glance*Main Program PDF*Trade Show PDF
Business Links*General Links*Members Only*Member Directory*Application
Board Of Directors*Membership Services*News Articles*Awards*Press Releases
Internships
OLA Ohio Landscapers Association
The mission of the Ohio Landscape Association is to encourage professionalism & ethical standards among landscape contractors through educational opportunities and to promote the image of the landscape industry.
GARDENDESIGNONLINE.COM
Jane Berger does an excellent job of finding the information that makes Landscape Designers better Landscaped Designers.
Sustainable Gardening with Susan Harris, Gardening Coach
Susan Harris is a fine writer, a great blogger and a very knowledgeable and experienced gardener. her site is worth a look.
Rick Anderson'sFolio - Land8Lounge
Rick Anderson's Page on Land8Lounge which is entitled "the premier social network for landscape architects"
christian barnard landscape blog
Christian Barnard landscape studio
Our work explores the connection between art, ecology and architecture with the natural and created landscape. Our goal is to form spaces that breathe new spirit into the existing context.
Landscape Juice Network
The garden and landscape network for professionals and amateurs. Site, Froum, Blog, all types of goodies about the state if the industry in the U.K.
A Garden of Possibilities
I am a landscape designer and garden coach based in Stamford, CT (zone 6). While I have been designing landscapes and gardens for many years, I recently launched my own business called Roberts & Roberts. I'm a member of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) and sit on APLD's national Sustainability Committee.

Conceptual plan view drawing 

Plan view conceptual showing the layout for the entire project. This is the type of conceptual that is shown to clients to help them make decisions during the design process.

Seeing the layout that the designer is showing based upon previously received information the homeowner and the designer can move further along in the process.

Great Stuff on Amazon 

Great books

I personally think quite highly of these 5 books, and all for different reasons

Architectural Rendering Techniques: A Color Reference

With Landscape Graphics Mike is the man . . .

Amazon Price: $44.10 (as of 12/14/2009) Buy Now

Drawing and Designing With Confidence: A Step-By-Step Guide

Amazon Price: (as of 12/14/2009) Buy Now

Natural Stonescapes: The Art and Craft of Stone Placement

Well thought out and put together, good, practical material, and besides I'm in here.

Amazon Price: $19.04 (as of 12/14/2009) Buy Now

Natural Pattern Forms: A Practical Sourcebook for Landscape Design

You will look at how you design differently

Amazon Price: (as of 12/14/2009) Buy Now

Secret Teachings in the Art of Japanese Gardens: Design Principles, Aesthetic Values

Highest compliment to an author-mine is dog eared, marked on, written in, and notes everywhere. it will take several readings to digest . . . several.

Amazon Price: $22.80 (as of 12/14/2009) Buy Now

LD the two themes 

A design starts as a Geometric or Curvilinear theme-everything flows from there

Geometric themes are usually considered more formal; straight line, axis's, center focal points, symmetrical balance (usually) strong architecture.

Curvilinear is more naturalistic, and is what the typical American Landscape Design has become. Ususally wavy bed lines, collections of plants, curving walkways, informal ponds, etc.

Conceptual rendering 

On trace over the before photo

Doing several of these around the property and showing these to the clients really can help move the project along.

The ability to listen, visualize, and then draw that vision is a powerful tool in creating great landscapes.

Magazines; on-line sites 

Links to trade publications of interest

Trade publications that I feel would be of interest, there is a wide variety here though all links will not be applicable to everyone.

As they say, "to each their own".
Landscape Design/Build - Home Page
LDB focuses on the process of sales and marketing, design, plant and material selection and siting, preparation and installation, equipment handling and maintenance, employee management and other topics.

Design 

Links to sites about landscape design

There is not a lot of great info on the web about LD. Especially residential design, and design principles.
SULIS
A good site for a beginner's understanding of what Landscape Design is. Lots of good info and a very good explanation of basic principles.
Basic Principles of Landscape Design
University of FLA, IFAS extension
----------------------------------
Top of Document
ELEMENTS OF ART
PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN
STEPS IN DEVELOPING A LANDSCAPE DESIGN
-Steps In Design
--Develop a Plot Plan
--Conduct a Site Analysis
--Assess Family Needs
--Locate Activity Areas
--De
Landscape design article on Forest Landscape Design from the Univ. of Idaho,1/27/00
A long text only description on design. It's a pretty good read.
1.3 LANDSCAPE DESIGN a page by the USAF (Air Force)
I found this page put together by the US Air Force, it goes over(in detail) the basics of LD. It's a good page for beginners to catch the terminology and phraseology used in the profession.

1.3 LANDSCAPE DESIGN Landscape design is the creative arrangement of space to achieve harmony, utility, and beauty between man and nature. This is the phase of facility development process where landscape elements are integrated with or into the facility to complete the project.
Space in Landscape Design - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Space in Landscape Design From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search
Space in landscape design refers to a set of theories that address the meaning and nature of space as a volume and as an element of design.The concept of space as the fundamental medium of landscape des
Design & Theory Principles | The Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment
The Prince’s Foundation for the Built EnvironmentDesign Theory & Networks / Design & Theory PrinciplesDesign & Theory Principles01 Engender Social Interaction
02 Make Places
03 Allow Movement Logically & Legibly
04 Sustain Land Value
05 Design Using Natural Harmonic
Composition and Design Principles
© marvin bartel '99 Some Ideas About
Composition and Design Elements, Principles, and Visual Effects
byMarvin Bartel
formal aspects of composition and design. teaching with this page
visual elements principles of design and composition visual effects
opposition etc.,
WriteDesign - Historical and Cultural Context - Andy Goldsworthy - Beneath the Surface Appearance
Historical and Cultural Context -Andy Goldsworthy - Beneath the Surface Appearance
EcoCity Cleveland | Ecological Design
The effect of
greening your landscape
Spatial arrangement of plants, rocks, and water courses is an important factor in making a landscape attractive
By David Slawson
Just as landscape painters and photographers capture impressions of nature in compelling form
Gardens. Lethbridge Honpa Buddhist Temple, www.agt.net/public/honpa
Thoughts on the Nikka Yuko Centennial Garden,
and Buddhism
submitted by Robert HironakaBuddhism speaks to the condition that people are in. It speaks to the everyday situations of people. Just as people's
situations and conditions change, Buddhism says things in different ways to meet the people'
JGarden - Home (Japanese Garden-Home)
Announcing the 11th Annual Japanese Garden Intensive Seminar in Kyoto JOJG Garden Tour, Kyoto, Japan, May 16-28, 2007 New Forum Available at MyJapaneseGarden.org
Other New/Updated Features garden-of-the-month
*my take* This is a great resource if you are looking for designer, companies, conferences, other resources dealing with the design, install, maintenance of this style of garden.
The Best Fire-Retardant Plants Ever
As an electronic graphics operator working on live news in the Los Angeles market for more than a decade, I can tell you that the most heartbreaking events to cover are brush fires. Yet, on occasion there are miraculous accounts of homes saved in the midst of total devastation. Sometimes this is due

Let me hear it! 

Hopefully we get some dialogue going. On the Art and practice of Landscape Design.

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Top Trees 

Regardless of location

These list will be expanded and modified, and become more specific-especially to Zone 5.

I lived in 8 for awhile so I will comment there also.
  1. Heptacodium micinoides
    Metasequoia glytostroboides
    Amelanchier x g. 'Autumn Brilliance'
    Aesculus glabra
    Fagus sylvatica

by rickanderson

I am a Professional Landscape Designer, Writer, Lecturer, Teacher, Speaker and "mover of boulders". I mainly work in residential design, though I do s...

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