Dargan Landscape Architects

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landscape design course

Register Now for the February Sprout-to-Grow Landscape Design Workshop

Spring is just around the corner, and what better way to get ready for spring gardening than by brushing up on your landscape design knowledge? Dargan Landscape Architects is offering a virtual landscape design workshop starting in mid-February 2014 that you don’t want to miss.

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The Sprout-to-Grow virtual workshop kicks off with a one-day intensive lead by landscaping expert Mary Palmer Dargan, owner of Dargan Landscape Architects. Mary Palmer will help you rediscover your home PLACE (Potentials Layers Agenda Create Enjoy) and take the first step toward a revitalized landscape and lifestyle. Get one-on-one landscape design advice and ask all your questions to help plan your dream outdoor oasis.

Students of the virtual course will use Pinterest to create an online inspiration board for their landscape and home. When your inspiration board is complete, you’ll be able to share it with your family and friends and add to it in the future. It also makes a great resource to share with your contractor when you’re ready to begin work on your landscape. You will also leave the course with our Sprout-to-Grow Virtual Blueprint System to kick start your plans.

Dargan Landscape Architects
Dargan Landscape Architects

The Sprout-to-Grow landscape design workshop is the first level in the PlaceMakers program, a unique branded system created by Mary Palmer that allows you to get the best use of your property using the PLACE method mentioned above. It is based on Mary Palmer’s 30 years of designing hundreds of landscapes for private clients.

Other levels in the program offer more knowledge and experience to meet your growing needs as a designer. The program is a three-month home-study course that includes downloadable videos, audio, DVDs, access to an interactive forum and an inspirational photo gallery.

The February 2014 Sprout-to-Grow landscape design workshop is almost here. Visit our website for more information on the course, pricing and to register for the course!

Mary Palmer Dargan Answers Your Landscape Design Questions

Oftentimes, homeowners desire to make a change in their landscape and have questions about how to get started. However, they may feel a bit intimidated to ask. Recently, Mary Palmer sent out an invitation for our readers and friends to send us their landscape design questions, great and small, providing each inquiry with an informative answer. Below are some of the questions sent in, along with Mary Palmer’s responses.

Beautiful photo! I am wondering about the actual design process itself. Do you begin with taking photos, sketches of spatial concepts, etc.?
I am a plant lover, so immediately go to what I want to plant, and get overwhelmed with the choices. Just curious what your own process is on the initial steps. Thanks! (AZ)

Dear Andrea,

Your question indicates that you have the design gene!

Yes, there are distinct steps involved. Sometimes, just a photo of an area begging for improvement and sketches on that photo are all that is needed. Use the art elements and design principles to make it a pleasing picture. I have some great blog posts about this at www.dargan.com/blog. All plants have distinct shapes.

For deeper study

  1. Create a program of needs and goals
  2. Discover the raw potential of the property by analyzing its salient raw, built and living components
  3. Use the PLACE system to provide a framework for future decisions which include dpatial arrangements of use areas like terraces, parking improvements, etc.
  4. Evaluate your long term needs in terms of lifelong Landscape design and learn the Principles of the 4 part master plan (2 of my books!) .
  5. Then work in harmony at ground level !

It’s design in a nutshell! Please let me know if you want to learn more!

My Sprout program is the springboard to success!

Happy new year to you and your garden!

Charleston landscape architects
Mary Palmer providing instruction to a PlaceMakers group.

Dear Mary Palmer,

I need to know of a tropical plant that can deal with total shade AND morning sun in Texas.  We want symmetrical plants on either side of a doorway.  What do you think of Sago Palms?

Hugs,

Anne

They are the ideal plant, Anne. There is a whole range of cycads (sago palms family) and a trip to a great nursery will share ones that are not soooo prickly. Some come with softer foliage, a naturally rounded form and a glossy green, too… Very appealing on either side of a front door.

I appreciate you writing!

Atlanta landscape architect
Source: McDugald-Steele Landscape Architects via Houzz

What flowers and plants would you use for a colorful border for a long, curved stone front walkway? (NM)

Great jumping jehozepah! Is this a Cashiers or FL garden?

The curving walkway is universal… Lumps of anchor plants at each end and a focal point plant of an interesting texture or form can be in the curve. A carpet of ground cover under the focal point. Is it sun or shade, wind or sheltered?

Great question, Nan. Send me a photo! Xxx

Cashiers landscape architects
Source: Liquidscapes via Houzz

We’ll have more questions and answers from Mary Palmer to share with you at a later date, so stay tuned to our blog! In the meantime, if you have a question for Mary Palmer, feel free to leave it in a comment below. If you’d like to speak with Mary Palmer or one of the Dargan Landscape Architects team members about creating a master plan or tune-up for your landscape, contact us today! We’d love to hear your ideas and share how we can help you achieve the garden you’ve always wanted!

What Do You Hunger For in Your Home Environment?

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?
Dargan Survey Results .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% elderDargan Survey Results, 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!

 

PlaceMakers Orchard Enrolls the First Participants in New 6 Month Program!

After testing the program as virtual Sprouts in 2012, both Anne Brewer and Anna Smith enrolled in PlaceMakers The Orchard at the Charleston event!   Anne Brewer, owner of Simply Gardens in Pensacola FL, and Anna Smith, owner of Terre Verte Landscapes in Tehachapi, CA are both garden design business owners who want to further perfect their skills in the field. Each has a thriving business.

PlaceMakers Sprout-2-Grow program is a 3 month course with 6 webinars, support forum, wellspring and live Q&A. An incredible, general knowledge course, Sprouts also offers depth by providing access to 48 additional teaching videos and priority registration to Landscape Your Life™ events.

The Orchard provides critical design studio 1:1 training at two design studio retreats in addition to the key components found in the Sprout system. These talented ladies receive Mary Palmer’s laser vision on their business or personal projects. The Orchard is tailor-made to each participant’s needs by including 4 personal 1:1 hour calls to discuss projects using pinterest, skype and emails. It is only offered twice a year at our Landscape Your Life events as a 6 month program.

My dream is coming true to have PlaceMakers work together to “Heal the Earth, One Garden at a Time” with techniques they will share with their clients!

This video is of almost ALL our event students undertaking the courtyard garden at 8 Church Street, Charleston, SC :  The Cabell House Bed and Breakfast, owned by Mrs. Randy Cabell. Vavavoommm!

 

Reality Courtyards

My perfect life is a series of outdoor vignettes. A meal al fresco with a good book, unplugged and breathing fresh air; that night grilling with friends under a canopy of stars.  But until the early ‘80’s, when I moved to Charleston in my early thirties to marry Hugh, I didn’t know about outdoor rooms and courtyards…I mean, really know them.

Our house at 47 Tradd was too small for entertaining, and hardly large enough for a double bed. Built in the dawn of the eighteenth century it was only two rooms wide x two rooms tall. This ancient, pink-stuccoed kitchen house was tiny; the central heating system replaced the original fireplace in the center of the building.

Our courtyard was larger than the house and far more flexible. Wedding parties, guests dropping in for a drink and puppies to raise kept it busy, plus we gardened up a storm.

How do you live life to its fullest while enjoying seamless integration of household spaces truly joined at the hip?  In today’s world, this is hard. Parking takes up waaay too much room, the house footprint is too large for its lot and the neighboring homes loom close at hand.  So we decided to hold our first design studio in Charleston in 20 years!

Our students came from California, Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina and loved the experience!  We’re planning another LIVE event in June in Cashiers, NC from June 16-18, 2013. STAY TUNED as we unfurl our plans.

LYL charleston 2013 group