[Ann English]

I agree on the 75% size for trees; depending in growth rate, I show shrubs at 75% (slow) or 100%. I also make notes on plans to use (and a list of which and qty) annuals as “cover crops” for first three years to accommodate the installation size. When a bed will move from sun to shade and the ground layer perennials will eventually be shade, I show those with a Temp. Sun annual/short lived perennial option for the time period I estimate the shade plants would not survive.

[Ann English]

Hi JA –

If you want a pervious surface, first figure out if the water, once it is through the surface, will be soaking in or flowing along just under the surface — you can look at this website to see how permeable pavement bases typically work: http://ncsu.edu/picp/.  Since you will be parking over the space for long periods of time, using a PICP type approach (ie non-vegetated but pervious) makes the most sense. You could design the base per PICP and then modify the materials for the top, making sure you have spaces between your pavers and filling between the pavers with washed # 8 or # 9 stone.   The lack of fines is critical. You should do a perktest too to deterimine if it can actually soak into the surrounding (clay) soil or if you need to have an underdrain to let the water out after it has been filtered by the pavement system.   I would suggest that you check out Bruce Ferguson’s book on permeable pavements too.

Moss indicates a compacted acidic site (not too surprising in Atlanta).  

[Ann English]

I see the focus on financial in your analysis but I don’t have a sense of what your LA aspirations are or  how that english degree background has been applied (i.e. – what have you been doing and for how long?) nor how many years you would be looking at paying back the debt vs. saving for the future.   A big decision for sure – Cornell in-state might split the difference between Penn/RISD & CCNY but you are still looking at an aggressive payback on (estimate) 95K.   You have to need to be a landscape architect like nothing else to justify it – and the program you select should be one with good ties to firms, have faculty you want to work with and be able to show you how their recent grads are doing — not just what the cost to get the education is — the network of alums. is   v. important  — as is the opportunity to learn business skills in addition to design skills while you are in school.  When I graduated many years ago, the economy was in a very bad condition and 50% of LA grads left the field within 5 years.  So you have to ask, if I should turn out to be one of the 50% with a degree and no job, what would be some options for yourself – would it be a disaster or a bump in the design road? This is being pragmatic, not negative. It may behoove you to defer for a year to the school you really want to go to and see how much more you can save or see if they typically will offer scholarship to high performing second year students so that your debt wouldn’t be as much as you anticipate.

 

[Ann English]

Oona – As I understand it, the SSI should substantially replace the SS credits in 2011. Go to the ASLA website and you can download the proposed standards and comment on them. On a side note, I would also say that Green Roofs may work in many parts of California and in fact, one of the foremost native plant experts in the Central Coast Region is a grower for a green roof plant company. (Dave Foss – Native Sons Nursery – http://www.nativeson.com/home.htm )

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