General Landscape Commentary

Elements of English Gardens

January 3, 2014

English gardens offer a transitional landscape design option for gardeners who are torn between the formal geometry of a symmetrical garden and the lush, irrepressible exuberance of a landscape gone wild. In an English garden, you can have all of the above, at the ratio that is most pleasing to your eye.

English gardens as we know them got their start back in the early to mid-18th century, and were a very formal affair. Because their roots stretched back to Roman antiquity, these original gardens were heavy on symmetry, geometrical patterns, and classical architectural and sculptural elements. However, as time has marched on, they have also come to incorporate planters burgeoning with colorful ornamental plants, pathways that can be winding or straight, and large areas for contemplation or play.

Atlanta landscape architects — Source: Remington Construction Services via Houzz

The following are some of the elements of a typical English garden design:

Shapes. While it is true that an English garden can have flower beds planted in riotous combinations, those beds are usually bordered by neatly shaped hedges and borders with clear geometrical shapes. Living plant borders are used to create “rooms” as well as visual pathways, guiding the eye to key focal points.
Flowers. The basis of your garden will be perennials that you can count on to return year after year. Typical examples include Phlox, Bee Balm, Lupine, Hibiscus and Hydrangea. These will be accented with annuals that you can vary from season to season. These include flowers such as Marigolds, Pansies and Cosmos. Also, don’t forget rich, lush greenery.
Roses. Most English gardeners are very proud of their roses, even entering them in local and regional contests. Wild English climbing roses are as popular as prim and precisely pruned rose trees.
Herbs and vegetables. A proper English garden will also include a kitchen garden of some sort, grown to supply herbs and vegetables close at hand.

Cashiers landscape architects — Source: Deborah Cerbone Associates, Inc. via Houzz

For more information about English garden landscape design, we recommend reading The Early English Kitchen Garden, written by our own Mary Palmer Dargan. You can also contact Dargan Landscape Architects directly to discuss how we can help design an English garden, master plan or a tune-up for your property.

Landscape Design Details: Pavers

December 30, 2013

Incorporating pavers into your landscape allows you to reduce your environmental footprint while also adding interest for a dynamic design. Available in various materials and styles, pavers can be used to design pathways or to create spaces for outdoor rooms while contrasting lush greenery and colorful flower beds.

Furthermore, pavers are a great sustainable hardscaping option for more eco-friendly landscapes. Permeable materials soak up rain and prevent runoff while naturally filtering water and adding to the groundwater table.

Whether you are looking to incorporate a dining table for eating and entertaining al fresco or lounge chairs for sunbathing and relaxing, pavers are the perfect way to achieve attractive and functional hardscapes for beautiful outdoor living spaces.

In this example, pavers are used to create stunning modern style living spaces. We especially love the interactive walkway design that extends over a pond with fountains jutting out from either side of the concrete retaining wall surrounding the entire space.

Pavers can be designed with grass, gravel, mulch or other materials in between based on your landscape and the look you want to achieve. This paver and lush grass design makes for a striking contemporary front yard design.

Charleston landscape architects — Source: Argia Designs Landscape Design & Consultation via Houzz

The size of pavers and pattern they are laid down can also be customized to your property and personal style. Here, long and narrow pavers are assembled in an artful design to add energy and movement to the courtyard of this contemporary home.

Atlanta landscape architecture and design — Source: Jeffery Gordon Smith Landscape Architecture via Houzz

Pavers can be traditional, too. The combination of natural flagstone and black gravel in this example are used to achieve a warm and rustic style walkway.

Cashiers landscape architecture and design — Source: Jeffery Gordon Smith Landscape Architecture via Houzz

No matter what the paver design is, you’ll have the peace of mind that surrounding plants and lawn areas will not be overwhelmed by runoff.

Charleston landscape architecture and design — Source: Shades of Green Landscape Architecture via Houzz

Are you ready to upgrade to a gorgeous, eco-friendly landscape or outdoor living space, complete with pavers? Dargan Landscape Architects offers an experienced team of designers that can help you achieve an exquisite landscape that heals the earth and enhances your property. Visit our website for more information on how we can help!

Ways Your Landscape can Reduce Stress

December 27, 2013

Stress is detrimental to our health and well-being, which is why it’s important that we work toward reducing stress and reversing its effects by treating the “inner self.” One way to take care of our inner self and support our immune and digestive systems, which are also negatively impacted by processed foods and environmental toxins, is to spend time in nature. By creating a garden environment that provides a space for relaxation and rejuvenation, you can reduce stress and enjoy a multitude of health benefits.

Whether it’s a work deadline or a trying relationship, daily stressors raise the cortisol level in your blood resulting in a domino effect of issues that contribute to aging and, in turn, quality of life. But a calming environment such as a garden can help you to relax, lower your blood pressure and reduce the cortisol level in your blood.

Spending time in a beautiful natural environment also activates your senses and releases Endorphins in your body. These feel-good hormones have the power to reduce the need for medications that alleviate pain and other ailments.

A vegetable garden will not only give you organic produce but a chance to intimately connect with nature. CNN recently reported on a new study that suggests gardening as one of the most effective leisure activities for relaxing and relieving stress. In addition to being a great gentle exercise, “The sensory experience of gardening ‘allows people to connect to this primal state,'” as founder and executive director of Urban GreenWorks, James Jiler, told CNN.

But even if you aren’t a gardener, a landscape that allows you to interact with nature can still be significantly beneficial to your mental and physical health. Your landscape, for instance, could have lush pathways that allow you to brush up against plants or a bird feeder that allows you to observe animals in nature.

Better yet, your landscape can be designed to include a sauna or spa that is not only luxurious but advantageous to your mental health.

Dargan Landscape Architects can help you transform landscapes to become a stress-busting havens for relaxation, health and well-being. Contact us to learn more about how we can help you create a stress-free zone on your property. Or learn more about how to turn your yard into a relaxing oasis through our PlaceMakers system, or through Mary Palmer’s book, Lifelong Landscape Design.

The Evergreen Cometh

December 6, 2013

With the holiday season upon us, evergreens are everywhere. I recently asked my Facebook friends to share with me their favorite evergreens for winter interest – short, round, tall, thin, slightly weepy, or perhaps one with slightly colored foliage. I’m curious to hear from my blog readers too. Which evergreen is your favorite?

Recently, I sauntered over to our friendly neighborhood, family-run garden center, Chattooga Gardens. While marvelling at the show-stopping, holiday boxwood wreaths created by Jodie Zahner, I saw Mr. Jeff Z sorting out a delivery of gorgeous, fresh, mint- condition evergreen trees.

Ahhh, my mouth watered watching them slide down the big box truck pulled by a chain attached to a bobcat. Out popped blue ones, green ones, grey ones and yellow ones.

With visions of sugar plums dancing in my head (shaped like conifers, of course), I immediately thought about the designs I could create with these beautiful trees.

Dovecote, our home in the mountains, needs an infusion of winter glamour! Does yours? If so, a carefully selected group of evergreens are the perfect choice.

Evergreens can be grand, soaring focal points (like deodora cedars), accents to your home composition (Nellie R. Stevens holly is a great anchor) or grouped (boxwoods come to mind) as a node. These bullet-proof, southern mainstays populate the region. But, these evergreens pale in comparison to what is available in zone 5… ahhhhh.

From the Korean Silverlock Spruce (pictured below) to Nordman Spruce, and Pyramidal Silver Fir to Blue Spruce, the list goes on and on! Austrian Pine, Weeping Norway Spruce, White Fir, Alaskan Blue Cedar, Boxwoods, Oriental Golden Spruce, Colorado fastigiata Spruce, Horstmann’s Silbe, Oriental Green Knight and Blue Korean Silveray, just to name a few! Each one offers its own unique beauty, color and texture to its environment.

I take photos of tags, since I really don’t know all these beautiful plants. (My cell phone is my notebook these days!)

This holiday season, I encourage you to treat yourself to a burst of glamour and invest in evergreens with runway style… and support your local, family-run nursery in the process.

I know everyone is already busy with various aspects of the holiday season, so I want to help you out and save some of your precious time with my December ezine. Let’s continue to warm up your holiday season with evergreen gifts. Register your email address with us to receive my ezine right in your inbox!

And now, I wanted to share news from Mrs. Santa…

Be on the lookout Tuesday for the invitation to my “Green Thumbs Don’t Mold in the Winter” winter sale.

Just 2 indispensable things… watch for the announcement next week!

Thank you for being my community of garden designing friends.

It’s heartwarming and an honor to be in your circle.

Happy Holidays from the Dargans!

A Stunning Landscape Transformation

November 28, 2013

Many of our projects here at Dargan Landscape Architects involve creating a master plan of on-going facets that work to transform a homeowner’s property into an oasis they’ll enjoy for many years to come. In other cases, a tune-up may be all that’s needed in order to breathe new life into a tired, dull landscape. Regardless, it’s always exciting to keep track of the progress of a project and take note of the stunning transformations that take place within each landscape!

Today, we want to give you a peek into our portfolio with a look at some before and after shots of one of our projects. Enjoy this peek of one truly amazing transformation!

For clients whose property featured gorgeous views of the surrounding mountains, we designed a landscape that nicely framed its surroundings, while providing plenty of space for the homeowners to enjoy all year long. Grading work was required to level the area where the in-ground fire pit was installed.

Once completed, this part of the landscape became a great spot for enjoying a camp fire with family and friends on a chilly day.

The intersection of meandering pathways begins to take shape…

… The end result is a gorgeous walkway with lots of greenery and a bird bath taking center stage, accented with a few pops of color.

Here are a few more photos of the final results of this project.

Are you ready to transform your property with a new landscape? Contact Dargan Landscape Architects, so we can schedule a time to speak with you about the ideas you have in mind for your space. Either virtually or in person, we can help design the landscape you’ve always dreamed of. Let us help you begin your landscape’s stunning transformation.

General Landscape Commentary

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