Stephanie Curtis

Thanks Andrew. I’ll get in touch with Brian.

Hi ellena, Check out Terra Ferma. Brian Koch is the principal and has installed award winning designs by Andrea Cochran and Blasen Landscape Architects.

Hi all,

We’re conducting our first ASLA Student Chapter meeting via Skype next week. If interested, shoot me your Skype ID – or add me: ipoetry.

Thanks!

George Chacon
ASLA Student Chapter President at UCBX

Hello, I am looking to team up with a Landscape Contractor to bid on new projects for small residential gardens in San Francisco. I also need a contractor who can advise/bid on a residential project where there is a significant drainage problem that needs to be solved through plantings and some minor engineering such as a swale or terracing. This…[Read more]

Hi all,
I am currently working on a landscape design for a parking lot in an arid area. Which is the best irrigation sytem to use, taking note that the island is 2metres wide?Where can i get more information on irrigation design?

Here in india, i do not think how much points or requiremrnt is fulfilled as per LEED USA, but green building is done in india on based on india green building council .
explain more about your projects about commerical/ factory/ park /residentials.

Does anybody have any experience with LEED projects in India? We are working on a possible LEED ND project in Tamil Nadu and I’m not sure how some of the US requirements will transfer over there. Is the USGBC pretty amenable to adjusting the prerequisites based on differences in infrastructure systems?

Glenn, and all
True that clients like to see green plants in the summer. Which is why some designers advocate a mix of native (80%) and non-native (20%) plants. The non-natives – which may require some summer water – stay green while the natives go summer brown.

Since many of our native plants go dormant in the summer as a survival technique to dry summers, I’m saying “advantageous for the summer-dry months” as it relates to the clients who prefer to see green plants and leaves still hanging onto their Buckeyes. Alternatively, Juncus, Western Sword Fern, and Iris, for instance, often receive summer water…[Read more]

Glenn Do you really need to irrigate these plants that you mention in summer? They are native to N California, and so in a “natural” context do not get any summer water. Why would you need to irrigate them in a cultured situation?

to David — your response was great. thanks. we are about to over-seed an area with native wildflower mix. have to say, had a really good chuckle, more like chortle reading your comments. then had this amazing image of you talking to some folks out in your mojave neck of the woods about carbon sequestration (mostly because I have been in that…[Read more]

I was wondering what sites residential designers use to find certain products or materials. Let’s say you want to find certain types of outdoor porcelain tiles, sculptures, water features, etc. Are there sites out there that are relevant for us to use? And if so, would anyone like to share these?

David, I love your common sense approach!!!

Oops — just saw the link in your second post — thanks, David.

Still would be great to read the actual pub to know what was included in the study.

Wow…. and I thought my comment was long winded!

This is great, though, David. I appreciate it. It is helpful to have to have a peer reviewed pub in this conversation (it means i better try to find the one I was referencing!). And it does run contrary to the prevailing wisdom in the “green” community regarding turf. Do you have a web link or…[Read more]

This is interesting:

‘Corrected’ UC-Irvine study shows turfgrass to be positive sequester of carbon

Scientists from the Department of Earth System Science at the University of California – Irvine recently published a paper in the journal Geophysical Research Letters on January 22, 2010 titled, “Carbon Sequestration and Greenhouse Gas Emi…[Read more]

Thank you Eric for your feedback – invaluable information since many have been asking about the LEED GA exam.

Just sat for the GA Exam and passed on the first attempt. It’s definitely distilled down from the old version of the exams. From my perspective the LEED GA is a great credential for LAs to have the distinction, but without having to go through the specialty portions that are beyond our typical work. Sustainable Sites is where I’m placing my emphasis.

In response to John’s question “how would you propose to reduce emissions and increase sequestration through design” in addition to my comments below about how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – landscapes can also play an active role in sequestering carbon through thoughtful plant selection and soil stewardship. Research has shown that…[Read more]

I believe the solution is to first accept the dual responsibility built landscapes hold in both causing environmental degradation AND protecting and restoring the ecosystem services we depend upon.

I agree with David, we can not and should not eliminate turf completely from our landscapes. There are many scenarios where mowed lawn is the best…[Read more]