General Landscape Commentary

Dargans Visit The Getty Museum

October 31, 2013

In addition to a lovely visit to The Huntington Botanical Gardens, we also enjoyed some time exploring the gardens of The Getty Center while in Los Angeles. The Getty is quite fascinating, with a variety of art, architecture, and gardens to take in at both The Getty Center and The Getty Villa. The Getty Center features European and American art from medieval times to modern day architecture and gardens, while The Getty Villa draws inspiration from ancient Greek and Roman periods, including 7,000 years of ancient artwork and recreations of old Roman architecture. We could spend days wandering around and admiring the beauty of both!

Of course, our time was quite limited, so on this trip we choose to explore the gardens at The Getty Center. The highlight of this space is Central Garden, which was created by artist Robert Irwin and covers 134,000-square-feet. He began crafting this garden in 1992, and it features a vast assortment of fountains and plants, with new additions regularly being introduced, playing tribute to Irwin’s statement “Always changing, never twice the same.” Its many unique features and over 500 varieties of plant materials make it especially appealing to the senses of sight, sound and smell.

Beyond Central Garden, there are a number of specialty gardens filled with magnificent foliage and plants that have been selected specifically to “accentuate the interplay of light, color, and reflection.” A winding walkway creates the path to oases filled with streams, cascading stone waterfalls, a maze of azaleas and more.

Here’s a look at the Getty gardens from our perspective.

Have you ever been to the Getty gardens? If so, let us know what your favorite part was in a comment below.

And if you are hoping to create your own space inspired by the Getty gardens, or any other garden, contact Dargan Landscape Architects. In person or virtually, we can help you develop a master plan or a tune up and teach you how to Heal the Earth one Garden at a Time!

Four Visual Tools of Landscape Design

October 29, 2013

Flowers, plants and trees all play a very important role in the way a landscape looks. However, the most important, if not most powerful, elements are those that give the landscape depth, dimension and energy. The four basic tools of visual art for landscape design include lines, color, form and texture.

Lines are important because they help shape the landscape, as well as establish its purpose. Lines can be represented as rows of plants, such as hedges or an allée of trees, in addition to the line of a curving or straight pathway.

Color is perhaps the most exciting element to work with because it can be as extravagant or simple as you wish for it to be. Varying shades of green create the backdrop upon which floral selections ranging from vivid brights to deep, rich hues can be splashed about to energize the overall look. Or, a monochromatic color scheme can be used for a more calm and relaxed feeling.

Every part of a landscape has form, whether its form is horizontal, vertical, linear, curving, or symmetrical, to name a few. Certain elements of your landscape will be selected specifically for the distinctive form they bring to the space. For instance, Italian cypresses are often chosen for landscapes that are inspired by gardens found in Italy. Other elements that add to a landscape’s form include the delicately manicured lawn, stone features like urns and even topiaries trimmed to look like a whimsical creature.

And finally, there’s texture. Texture in a landscape is best explained as representing the relationship between the size of a plant’s leaves, the size of the space they will occupy, and other textures nearby. Plant textures are categorized as large, often seen in magnolias and hydrangeas; medium, found in plants like camellia and ivy; and fine, represented in grasses like zoysia and plants with daintier leaves.

Other elements of the landscape, such as stone and brick, are considered important textural elements as well. Often times, plants and building materials like these are selected to have similar textures to help define the landscape at hand and further enhance the spirit of the space.

These four art elements of landscape design, lines, color, form and texture, are the basic visual tools needed to create a garden or landscape that will withstand the test of time. If you’re interested in learning more about these elements and how they can improve your landscape, contact Dargan Landscape Architects! We would love to assist you, either virtually or in person, in creating a turn-up or master plan for your property.

A Trip to The Huntington Botanical Gardens

October 24, 2013

While in Los Angeles last weekend for “Live Long and Landscape: Gardening for Health and Happiness,” Hugh and I were able to visit The Huntington Botanical Gardens and the Getty Museum. We returned with many great photos of each space, and just had to share some with you!

In particular we loved visiting the Japanese garden with its spectacular collection of bonsai and the Chinese Garden with its wonderful pavilions and large water body. Our takeaway was that intimacy provided for outdoor spaces is created by walls, views thru walls, a sense of enclosure, the sound of water and interesting plant materials set into winding paths. A transitional “bridge” whether a change of grade or a actual bridge, separates one garden experience from another. By visiting public gardens that exhibit varying styles, one can press the limits of their own design and imagine variable ways to create personal garden spaces.

The Huntington Botanical Gardens covers 207 acres of land, and of that about 120 are landscaped and open for visitors. The land was originally called the San Marino Ranch and was used by Henry Huntington as a ranch that produced a variety of crops, including citrus and other fruits, as well as nuts and alfalfa. He also had a herd of cows and poultry on the ranch. It was his superintendent, William Hertrich that spurred the efforts to introduce the plant collections that created the foundation for the botanical gardens as we know them today.

Now, the botanical gardens feature over 14,000 varieties of plants in 14 themed garden areas, including a Camellia Garden, Chinese and Japanese Gardens, an Herb Garden, Lily Ponds, a Rose Garden and more! Below is just a glimpse at these gorgeous gardens from the Dargan point of view.

Beautiful and inspiring, don’t you think?

Do you have a favorite botanical garden here in the U.S. or elsewhere? Leave a comment below and tell us about it. And if you’re looking to create your own oasis inspired by your favorite garden, contact Dargan Landscape Architects. Whether you are in need of a master plan or a simple tune up, we are happy to assist you and show you how we can Heal the Earth one Garden at a Time!

Compost Your Leaves this Fall to Benefit Your Landscape

October 22, 2013

There are many things you can do with leaves after you’ve raked and piled them up (and let the kids jump in them a few times, of course). You can stash them in a hidden corner of your yard and forget about them. You can burn them. Or, you can bag them up and put the bags on a curb to be picked up by a city services truck.

But anyone interested in sustainability, gardening or environmentally friendly living would never miss an opportunity to use carbon-rich leaves in order to better their soil and benefit their landscape.

In addition to an increased awareness of the environmental benefits of composting, this gardening practice has become even more popular in many areas throughout the U.S. thanks to new laws that prohibit the dumping of leaves and clippings into landfills.

sustainable landscape maintenance tips — Source: J. Tallman Brothers via Houzz

There are three basic ingredients required to start a compost pile: Browns, greens and water. Browns refer to materials like dead leaves, twigs and branches. Greens include grass clippings, vegetable scraps, fruit scraps and coffee grounds. Your compost pile will need equal parts browns and greens. Check out the EPA’s list of What to Compost for more guidance.

When starting a compost pile, we suggest creating a bin-like structure five or six feet in diameter with simple chicken wire. Pile your greens and browns using a layering technique, making sure to keep it moist by watering along the way. The moisture levels must be just right, as your compost can’t be too wet or too dry.

But composting is more than creating a pile and letting it decompose on its own. You have to regularly maintain your compost pile to ensure it is active and thriving. In addition to being watered, compost piles need to be turned once or twice a month. By springtime, you’ll have a healthy additive to combine with your soil to help plants grow healthy and strong.

If you would like a worksheet about “The Leaf Pile” please save your spot at http//www.landscapeyourlife.com

Will you add leaves to your compost bin this fall? Leave a comment below to share with us!

Are you interested in a master plan for your garden or perhaps a tune-up? Let the specialists at Dargan Landscape Architects help you get started with your next project. We’ll nurture your landscape and heal the earth while also beautifying your property. Let us help you hear Nature speak as we Heal the Earth one Garden at a Time!

What Do You Hunger For in Your Home Environment?

March 26, 2013

Our recent survey, elicited fascinating answers! I’ll share a few of the hundreds I received. Frankly, I’d like to give everyone who answered a big hug. :))

This is amazing information you shared and will shape my programs for years to come!

1. If you could have any improvement on your property, what are you dreaming about?
Paver patio, curb appeal, a new deck, upkeep, outdoor bar and living area, install a pool, tear out grass and put in raised flower beds in front yard, stamped cobblestones to the drive, backyard oasis, screened patio, walk path, more screening from road, self-maintaining plants, total redo of my yard, new fence, transform backyard into outdoor room, terraces in backyard, bridge over creek…there are so many dreams here that I will make some videos for you on the specific topics in the coming months.

2. What do you call your home environment when you talk to friends?
Comfortable, relaxing, porches, my garden oasis, bird haven, my garden, restful, just right, inspired, in need of tweaking, a work in progress, a collectors garden, casual, the money pit, my home, warm, serene, sanctuary, resort within a city, soothing, perfect for me, big, pretty but a lot of work, my dream garden, woodlands, fabulous, green growing vistas that are wild and wooly, woodcutters cottage…and I thought you would say : a garden, a home environment, a property, you know, generic stuff!

3. Would you like to learn ways to make your property eco-friendly? What topics:
wildlife, more plantings, water harvesting, outdoor kitchen, outdoor bar, solar energy in the garden, floral and vegetable plants for my garden, pretty perennial sweep, calm peaceful environments in an urban area, perennials for shade, bird friendly, soil amending, composting, water conserving water in TX landscape, edible landscape, love more butterflies…this topic got the most answers and I am still absorbing it!

4. How would you describe the size of your property?
.9% balcony, 3.6% courtyard, 22.5% small garden area, 37.8% large family residence, .9% estate, other 34.2% included long narrow backyard, a large country setting, ½ ac city garden, farm-ish, a whole block in New Orleans, 5 acres, xeric+vegetables, balcony in Singapore…we are a diverse group!

5. What is your place in the 3 stages of life?
2.7 % young professional, 30.9% family in residence, 33.6% elder, 32.7% BOOMER ( other).

Well, I really put my foot into this one. I promise I will say Boomers from now on…ouch! Here goes: I am 59 and certainly do not consider myself an ELDER (I am the same age, and agree, ouch again!), “Man, does after 55 make me an elder?, haha! I’d pick elder then!”, edging toward elderly, but not there yet!, older but thinking younger, a happy empty nester!!!, transitioning…you get the picture!

6. What is your biggest question about creating your outdoor space?
I like to hear from other professionals –synergy is a wonderful thing, design, how can I keep up with maintenance, how can we get more bang for our buck, money and time, how to make it flow better, trying to do it economically, expense, keep woodland area neat without maintenance, how to create a pleasing design, making most of little room, how to make it manageable for a novice like me, using correct materials and great looking combinations… I am digesting this list which is sooo diverse, I hope to make a set of 3 training videos for you. Stay tuned!

General Landscape Commentary

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