[Adam Trujillo]

This may or may not be relevant considering the firm you work for but according to ASLA’s latest survey “Being licensed significantly contributed to salary – $77,700 for those holding a license compared to $52,700 without.”

http://www.asla.org/land/LandArticle.aspx?id=30026

Also, I’m currently working towards getting my license just to have options later for when I may want have my own firm.  As far as the firm that I work for we are able to get a lot of projects that require stamped and signed plans that a landscape designer would not be able to do.  

My 2 cents… 

[Adam Trujillo]

I know if conceptual but….where are the trees!?! I’m so tired of shifting and folding ground planes to “create space.” Not everyone wants to walk up slopes of turf….

[Adam Trujillo]

Yes, we did do that.  The project, surprisingly is going on its 15th year and still looks great.  Thank you. : )

[Adam Trujillo]

I completely agree with you on this Ami.  I stress this point to the principal that we will get left behind in this economy if we don’t make a fundamental shift in our philosophy.  However, he takes the position that, he doesn’t want to take the responsibility 5 years down the road when the landscape is in dire shape, which I can’t really blame him for.  One of the problem lies with the lack of experience he has with using natives and drought tolerant to feel comfortable designing with them.  So obviously it would require some self-exploration and research on his part.  However, I would just love to see some case studies and find professionals out there who can share success stories for use of natives in retail environments.  Cause as of now its all just philosophy which my boss is way too practical to leave himself liable for millions of dollars worth of landscape based on a philosophy.

[Adam Trujillo]

Rob, the disconnect is exactly my point.  I haven’t been able to find great examples to show him.  So that is why I am reaching out to this community for successful projects.  Have you seen any or designed any?

[Adam Trujillo]

Ken Smith came in 2007 I believe.

[Adam Trujillo]

any topics for tomorrow morning? it would be interesting to see what designers, landscape architects and firms have been doing to market themselves in this new economic limbo.

[Adam Trujillo]

Ya, as far as materials and construction I would suggest searching online for how to build things. Even though I have had good experience in field observation, I went online and read how contractors built a deck or built a wall. It’s so much easier to understand when you see progress photos of what they are actually building. It helps understand each process and material. As far as planting, I was taken by surprise by how many planting questions there were on the test. For those questions I had to make educated guesses based on my own plant knowledge. But I would check out page 40 of the pdf link below if you’re having trouble with the plant section. Best to luck!

http://lare-exam.googlegroups.com/web/sectbstudymat.pdf?gda=vZV5ckMAAACw6TgUIKsXCc53AfFXqczw9hFUPKM6SW1_G9BMzYmah3IfiiOc55WNzkd3rE6taDcytiJ-HdGYYcPi_09pl8N7FWLveOaWjzbYnpnkpmxcWg

[Adam Trujillo]

Sorry to hear that you didn’t pass. Looks like you’re almost there. My only suggestion would be to maybe make a change in the way you take the test? I’m not sure what your strategy is when you are taking the exam but maybe that’s where your approach needs to change? Because by now you probably know most of the material in order to pass it, you just need to find a way to get past those tricky questions. The ones that have more than one right answer and you have to find the BEST answer. For me, when I take the test I use the white board and write down the letters for all the questions that give me a hard time. For instance;
A
B
C
D
E
Then i read the question over one more time and then I read each answer given. I cross out each one that I know is not right. Then I’m left with either one or two that I think could be it. Then I re-read the question again (3rd time) and look at my two answers and try to make a final decision which one it is. If I’m still not sure, I mark it and come back to it later. Then at the end of the test I’m left with the tough ones to go over again and hopefully by then I have a clearer head and can make the right choice…

This system seems to be working for me so far and maybe its something you could try as well? Again, I think you probably know the material well enough, it’s just finding a way to get through the tough questions. Hope that helps and good luck!

[Adam Trujillo]

Yeah, you make a good point about maintenance later down the road. Didn’t realize combining agaves would turn out to be so difficult when it came to deciding on a mulch….

[Adam Trujillo]

There will be rows of Lomandra longifolia ‘Breeze’ and Dianella revoluta on both sides of the Agave. Its in Southern California, Sunset Zone #18. They will be getting full sun, which is why I was concerned about using the d.g. around them since I didn’t want them to burn up in the valley heat….

[Adam Trujillo]

That’s because I’m cheap labor ; )

Don’t give up yet, our office seems to be picking up in the past couple weeks. I think things are s l o w l y starting to move again.

Good luck and thanks for the info!

[Adam Trujillo]

So Rob, are you saying that the drought tolerant shrubs shouldn’t be planted along with agaves or just don’t use mulch? The agaves are going to be planted at the high point of the planter so drainage is moving away from them.

Both plants are low water use and the mulch will help prevent moisture loss for all the shrubs while also preventing weed growth so I don’t think want to eliminate the mulch for the sake of the agaves…. However, I understand that agaves don’t do well with organic mulch/soil at their crown.

So I’m thinking since the plants will be planted in rows to have a bender board separate the d.g. and the mulch. That way both plants have ideal growing conditions?

[Adam Trujillo]

I don’t think it really matters on a resume. I don’t think someone would rather hire someone with a BLA than a BSLA.

[Adam Trujillo]

Take a look at what Tournesol Siteworks has to offer. They are not the cheapest but are supposed to be one of the best. Unfortunately I haven’t had the chance to spec their greenwalls.

http://www.tournesolsiteworks.com/products/gr_vgm.asp

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