Tanya Olson

Denver Botanic Gardens is one of my favorite resources for plant selection all across the mountain west, particularly if you are a plant geek! There may be a few plant similarities, but not many. The lower elevation front range areas have a much wider plant selection than the mountain interior and then there are elk, deer and fire / bugs to…[Read more]

Looking at my sentence, it read like I have used the aristida. I’ve used the Festuca mairei. I think this might be it (see attached pic). I used F. californica on the same project I think, so I might be mistaken.
http://backyardgardener.com/Plant-Index/Plants/Aristida/purpurea.html has a list of nurseries where the A. purpurea is available. It…[Read more]

I agree with Rob H. on this one – be sure to check out the sedges. They also tend to be very fine textured. Also Sporobolus airoides – like the sedges, not hair-fine like the Nassella. The Aristida is gorgeous, though if you can get it. I like it better than the Nassella!
Also check Festuca mairei – very similar to the Aristida. I’ve used it…[Read more]

I stand corrected. http://www.flasla.org/pdf/ASLA-Designation.pdf Thanks for pointing that out! I always assumed you had to be licensed to use it….You cannot call yourself a landscape architect, however.
I talked to the director of my state’s board of technical professions and apparently with the recession there are a lot of ‘turf wars’ between…[Read more]

No, you can’t use ASLA until you are licensed. If you use the term ‘landscape architect’ in any of your work you could have a complaint lodged against you and lose the ability to become licensed. Careful!

I use a friendly letter-form contract that acts as contract and proposal – the goal is to let the client know that you are on the same page, this is the work you are going to do and it will cost that much.
In it I outline what the goals of the project are as we discussed at our initial meeting, my scope of work, the product they will get in the…[Read more]

The black helicopters have been following me for years trying to get at my native plant knowledge….on the run, always on the run.

The EPA citations should be convincing enough….http://www.epa.gov/safewater/sourcewater/pubs/fs_swpp_stormwater.pdf
There are contaminant removal rate citations in the swales section.

http://www.vaboomer.com/the_portal_to_boomeranger/2009/03/edar-mobile-housing-for-the-homeless.html

Here’s your idea Trace – the EDAR – “Everyone Deserves A Roof”….

Oh – I forgot my favorite (and most of you will probably groan….) Lombardy Poplar.

#1. These are some of my favorites: shown with no irrigation in a parking lot near Petaluma: California Fescue, rudbeckia, lavender, Blue Wildrye, erigeron (probably overused) Sycamore.
some of my favorites from Sonoma County : Echium, Euphorbia amygdaloides robbiae, Flowering Quince, Teucrium, Calycanthus. I think Mondo grass is totally cool.…[Read more]

coastal, interior or mountain?

You cannot imagine how heartening your words are! Thanks!

Well said.

The perception of happy vs unhappy might be a bit skewed in this forum; people share frustrations, observations and challenges in this peer group for support, comiseration, ideas, debate and, yes, to share interesting links and projects. I don’t take it as reflective of general happiness at all. Dissatisfaction and discontent are the seeds of…[Read more]

Just as Andrew said – energy dissipation rocks below a flared pipe – exactly the detail I’ve used before. Cleanout is not ideal as sediment tends to drop in the rocks.

20′ long large group dining tables? Potted plants, adirondack chairs and portable fire pit for a rearrangeable outdoor gathering space? Permanent hopscotch court? Dog training obstacle course (add tube slots to keep equipment in place)? Little kids skateboarding practice (they need small flat areas)?

I totally agree with you about the curved sidewalks of the sensitive subdivision! When I lived in Santa Rosa there was an office park that we went for walks in with those curved sidewalks – there was absolutely no point to them! They were just wavey to be wavey. The planting was still rectilinear of all things! ha!

I’m not sure I agree with the…[Read more]

Very interesting discussion, Samuel.
After I thought about it for a while, I realized I primarily use curves to hold and create space in larger landscapes and rectilinear shapes in smaller more intimate landscapes. As Trace explained, the rectilinear shape allows the plants to flow in contrast, explode out of the box if you will, which seems to be…[Read more]

I know, but I figured that for potentially qualified unemployed peeps, 35g is better than a big fat 0.