Rob Halpern

I suppose it depends on what type of vertical garden you look at but, in general, I think it can be said that vertical gardens are energy- (irrigation and “lifts” for maintaining), water- (irrigation), and perhaps even labor- hogs. They invariably require exotic plants (not always) placed in inaccessible locations. In Patrick Blanc’s approach (as…[Read more]

No, no… forget gold nano-particles on the sidewalk. Paul Simon developed the answer years ago: diamonds on the soles of your shoes

Sounds scientifically interesting, but not in the long term interest of tree health. Messing with photosynthesis to lose its dark cycle does not sound sustainable.

Do you think in amounts comparable to coating trees’ leaves sufficiently to illuminate streets?

Using gold as an energy source. Makes perfect sense.

Ashish, where has all this left you?

When you started you seemed to feel that the rest of the world should just get out of your way because you “deserved” to succeed and to start succeeding NOW. (Well, that’s how it appeared to my eyes)
Still feel the same?

If you do – and I pity the kids who were fathered out of spite – at least don’t ask us to give you preferential employment, benefits, etc. or fund their after-school soccer coach, or provide fuel economy breaks for your Hummer. Take responsibility for your choices (and your very employable attitude) and I’m fine with your mega-brood.

Of course,…[Read more]

The notion that families are good because they keep the economy going is too hilarious to ignore, Ashish. I thought the point was for things to be the other way around. I trust you were joking

But continuous and endless population growth, like continuous and endless development is simply unsustainable and therefore a questionable economic value.…[Read more]

Claudia,

Why does someone who decided to have a family “deserve” more support from an employer or Society than someone who did not? I can see that they have larger financial requirements, but that was their decision for their life. Why would an employer make decisions based on that? In fact, why would Society? Why is their family a more deserving…[Read more]

Tanya,

So if you could have any effect on root zone temperature, you’d want to keep it chilled in winter (ah mulch) rather than risk any warming

The mulch (any mulch) serves to retain water, keep down weeds, and visually tie the planting together. With some plants, an organic mulch can hasten stem or crown rots… so ill advised for agaves, etc.
Use the stone/marble/recylced glass/glass eyeball/ball bearing/whatever inorganic mulch of your choice on agave and shrubs alike. Keep in mind…[Read more]

Well, you wouldn’t plan a plant combination in one planter where some plants required dry soils and dry crowns while their neighbors required moist soil.. so there is no horticultural reason to consider two mulches (aside from the design aspects). Shrubs do not require organic mulch as such. Depending on the shrubs, they may require a more organic…[Read more]

No… keep asking these questions. But don’t just ask the Web. Use your eyes and spirit and see what the land tells you. Question that and see what answers arise. When I was a student, I found it really helpful to study designs and landscapes with fellow students/friends. Best if we disagree a bit. Sharpens your thinking

Andrew,
I agree with your principles but not this detail. A landscape does not need to be either permanent or natural of course… it just needs to be the landscape it was intended to be…for more than 15 minutes.

For me, every project is approached as though it is brand new, yet to design a landscape that cannot be mowed, pruned, weeded,…[Read more]

Perhaps the question was intended to just flesh out the philosophical, but I notice no one has mentioned “maintainability.”
Is design “good” if it pleases the mind but cannot be maintained in the real world? Or cannot be maintained given the resources available to maintain it? Is a design good if it doesn’t function? What is “function”? Over what…[Read more]

Correction: NOT the snowball varieties (like ‘Annabele”) but rather the wild species is preferred

An excellent designer I used to work with preferred dried seed heads from Hygrangea arborescens (but the snowball cultivars, though). But it is hard to come by if you don’t have it growing in your own yard.

See http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_E5i-p5Gc3qs/TDYc8E5Q0cI/AAAAAAAAAu4/0ccBt7gv11k/s1600/5+hydrangea+white+dome.jpg

Sadly the blight can be reasonably traced to a shipment of Japanese Chestnuts to a nursery in the Rochester area. Some went to the NY Botanic Garden (among other places). It was the zoo’s Chief Forester (as the grounds manager was then titled) that first noticed die back of the zoo’s American chestnuts and sent samples to Washington for…[Read more]

Trace One,
While this is not a literary connection (perhaps more a literal connection), when I worked at the Bronx Zoo, I did some research in the archives into the initial discovery of chestnut blight which occurred at the zoo. The photographs of the century old chestnut trees on the property astounded me! No oak of the Northeastern forests could…[Read more]

I can attest that goats will eat poison ivy. They don’t seem to particularly want to… but they can do it.

Goats art better browsers than grazers: they don’t eat much grass. Sheep are better grazers.

Have at it.