Trace One

Yup, just like I said, Andrew – curves are ‘holding’ i.e., controlling..Classical proportions imitate nature more ideally, while curves are sort of a human construct that is a pale imitation. Straight lines more naturally allow the plants to flow in their inevitably wild manner, while with curves, the planting plan must deal with the curve..I find…[Read more]

Personally not into curves – and definitely watch out for what I call the two boobs effect – although this may be more visible in plan..I find curves to be excessively controlling and too specific, contrary to what Nick is saying, while simple classical lines allow the landscape the flow through the circulation patterns..

Rob, the thing is, the Tea baggers don’t have ANYTHING to do with the ‘don’t fence me in’ ethos..It IS a nice song, isn’t it….They are racists…The ‘don’t fence me in’ is much more personified by the ACLU. We have the bill of rights.We don’t want to be wiretapped, tortured, have our land grabbed for big business, or have insurance agents run…[Read more]

Rob, I still think you are kidding..The “Tea bag Party” is incoherent – accepting medicare, as most older white people do, but objecting to ‘big government’. It’s a joke..There is a far more insidious, well-subsidized busness lobbying group that the GOP represents, that sends these people their buttons and t–shirts….Tea bagging is not worth two…[Read more]

Claudia, thank you for listening..My comment on development patters was more of a comment on actual patterns than on perceptions of speed.. Good public transit systems benefit from dense city centers that are walkable. These town patterns on the european landscape make it easy to impose a public transit system.. We have a development pattern that…[Read more]

I don’t believe the ‘tea party’ knows what it is, besides against Obama because he is black..I think Rob was making a joke? The Tea Party is something not to be taken seriously, until they take themselves seriously, instead of speaking and behaving like buffoons.

That said, Republicans say they want smaller government, and have been working…[Read more]

Plenty of precedent, Tanya..Plenty of precedent..I would say this problem has occurred in most hamptons towns..

Holy Moly..$35,000 with an advanced degree..I think I am going over to the dark side, to go work for Goldman Sachs..!!

Does that sign realy say Population 1,860?? Are you really a member of the tourist board, trying to show how gorgeous SD is? It really looks NICE!! But I am wondering if you had the design consideration we had to deal with in the Hamptons – for each site, “where do you pile the snow in the winter?”

hee hee..

The Highway Commercial in the Hamptons had a successful development with, like you say, a huge buffer setback from the road that was all really attractive landscape. The businesses should not be visible from the street, but give them one nice sign, also attractively landscaped, and as previous poster said, limit points of entry to the site…The…[Read more]

I vounteer to be ‘point of interest!’
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I agree, Jon, any show worth it’s salt should have a sustainable requirement…Might be fun to have star designers taking whacks at a site, although it might be beneath them…But it would be fun to see Martha Schwartz, Edwina von Gal, Olin, Jim corner… taking quick conceptual stabs at the same problem, talking it through on camera…

Been done, at least here in the US, but certainly NOT done well..A house close to me was chosen – the installed landscape was definitely designed by Wal-mart or Home Depot or something..I think this is a great idea, if one could just reach a little higher in terms of garden quality.

I love Inhabitat blog, but mostly I read the design sections of the NYT for my perspective on design – Nicholas Ourosieff..
We need good LA critics and publications. Also of course, read Land8 – very good contribution, Andrew Spierling! and DotEarth blog on NYT for environmental stuff..

the Sarah Palin question! What do you READ! Very good question!

sorry, I MEANT Cleveland., knew I should have double-checked…Flyover land to me, unfortunately..Might as well be Iraq….

Since you asked, and in my humble opinion, for us LA’s this is dealing on governmental concept levels, having more to do with taxes than design.
But of course I am not bereft of opinions at that level..Personally I don’t like Nick Gillespie, have seen him speak fairly often – generally to me Libertarian ideas seem half-baked..There is not a real…[Read more]

Can’t think of ANY. Depressing…I can think of designs I like – the UVA daylighting of the stream in the middle of campus..but desi/gners…In today’s NYT is a Jaques Wirtz garden – LOVE it.. Like Maya Lin, her recent Waves stuff is really fun, but she seems more like a sculptress..James Corner, while very successful, does not grab my…[Read more]

THANK YOU ! Very nice blog! For my old arguing buddies on this site, please note how Mr. Rainer has NO MENTION of color or texture in his very interesting descriptions of planting designs!! Keep up the good work, Mr. Rainer!
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It’s like every generation has to discover the world anew..I agree with Mr. Thayer that ‘sustainable’ is not main-stream, and cosmetic landscapes are prevalent, but as far as I am concerned, Ian McHarg was talking about sustainable fifty years ago….I feel like this concept has been around so long, why is Mr. Thayer able to accurately depict how…[Read more]

thanks, Ryan..What is up with the central tree – is it existing, I wonder? Are they going to plant a 5″dbh oak and pretend it looks like that? Still don’t like the ‘curtains’ ..thanks for the links.