timeless landscape design

Historic Sources of Landscape Design Inspiration

February 4, 2014

Part of creating a timeless landscape is looking to historical sources for design inspiration. Some of our sources for inspiration are the gardens of England, Scotland and Wales, as we’ve mentioned before in our post on Hidcote Manor & Garden. In this post, we will discuss the allure of several other properties and what aspects you might incorporate into your own landscape. These include The Laskett in Herefordshire, England; Sissinghurst Castle Garden in Sissinghurst, Kent; and Stourhead near Warminster, Wiltshire.

The Laskett
Known as the largest private formal gardens created in England since 1945, The Laskett Gardens were designed by Sir Roy Strong, a historian, and his wife, Dr. Julia Trevelyan Oman, a set designer. The couple transformed the property, which boasts some 30 garden rooms, over nearly 40 years. What makes it special is how personalized the landscape is, featuring inscriptions of meaningful phrases and handmade garden ornaments, for example. It also undeniably beautiful, showcasing the artistic principles of balance, repetition, rhythm, focalization and light and shadow. In the end, the gardens make a strong statement about who the owners are.

Sissinghurst Castle Garden
Another couple, Vita Sackville-West, a poet and writer, and Harold Nicolson, a diplomat and author, cultivated the Sissinghurst Castle Garden, which features a collection of enclosures laid out around the surviving parts of an Elizabethan mansion. Each room has a theme with specific plants and colors supporting the theme. Besides being a study in color and plant selection, the garden also shows how layering can create seasonal interest.

Stourhead
Also built around a historical home are the better known Stourhead gardens, created in the 18th century. The centerpiece of the grounds is a man-made lake, which serves as the backdrop for well-placed features such as classical temples, a fabulous grotto and majestically mature trees. This property reminds us of the power of a circular walk and the use of architectural elements as focal points in the landscape.

Feeling inspired to get to work on your own landscape? For more ideas and help transforming or planning your property, contact Dargan Landscape Architects.

Hugh and Mary Palmer Dargan to Speak at the Quitman Camellia and Garden Symposium

February 3, 2014

We’re less than two weeks away from an exciting new horticulture event taking place in Quitman, Georgia. Wednesday and Thursday – February 12 and 13, 2014 – will be our first ever Camellia and Garden Symposium honoring Betty Sheffield. The event, co-sponsored by Destination Brooks and the Georgia Department of Economic Development, will feature nationally-noted speakers, including Hugh and Mary Palmer Dargan, while also offering attendees the opportunity to learn about plants and gardening in the South.

designing with camellias — Betty Sheffield Camellia
Source: American Camellia Society

Betty Sheffield was an inspiration to many as she worked tirelessly to beautify her hometown of Quitman while simultaneously helping countless others to beautify their own properties with dynamic landscape designs teeming with trees, shrubs and camellias. Sheffield also became quite renowned for her work with camellias, giving us such stunning varieties as “The Betty Sheffield” and the “Betty Sheffield Supreme” among many others.

To celebrate Sheffield and her passion for plants, the symposium will include tours of her historic garden as well as other famous landscapes. Attendees will also learn all about Sheffield’s namesake flowering plants with segments like “The Camellias in Art” and “Camellias in Floral Design.”

The itinerary for the two-day event is packed full with fascinating presentations and hands-on activities. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about specific plants and techniques for achieving beautiful and thriving gardens and landscapes in the South. Highlights of the event will also come out of impressive roster of key-note speakers including Hugh and Mary Palmer Dargan, who will give a lecture entitled “Timeless Camellias: Timeless Landscape Design.” Other impressive designers, landscape architects and garden experts will share their expertise at the symposium as well. Finally, there will also be a garden marketplace where attendees can find the latest garden tools and accessories as well as unique plants to put their knew gardening

Click here to see the agenda and find other event details such as registration and lodging options. Let the Dargan Landscape Architects blog be your resource for landscape design inspiration and info on gardening events throughout the South. Stay tuned or contact us to learn more about how Hugh and Mary Palmer’s team can transform your property into a work of art that heals the earth and lets nature speak.

The Dargan Landscape Design Process – Part 1

January 28, 2014

Beautiful landscapes require thoughtful planning and a well-executed design plan. That’s why Dargan Landscape Architects has developed a multi-step landscape design process that is both artistic and functional. Our design process helps us create a master plan for your outdoor space, keeping in mind the size and location of the house, the configuration of the grounds and the desires of the owner. In this post, we will cover the first six steps in this process, and we will cover the last six steps in a future post.

1. Make a survey. A survey is a drawing of your property that includes topography, existing trees and shrubs, and the existing or future location of your house and drive. The survey also includes boundaries and easement facts in graphic form.

Atlanta landscape architects — Plat and architectural drawings are essential for creating a survey and developing your base plan.

2. Develop a base plan. The base plan is an overlay of semitransparent tissue on your survey that indicates where two paths cross for the purpose of identifying either how the area can be tightened up or how it can be made into a destination in the landscape such as a garden.

3. Inventory the site. This involves taking an inventory of the existing plants on your site and the space they occupy and placing them on your drawings using circles drawn to scale.

4. Analyze the site. A site analysis takes into account the constraints and potential of your property based on existing environmental and functional conditions such as climate and soil type and desired views.

Atlanta landscape architecture firm — Dargan Landscape Architects

5. Develop a program wish list. The program wish list consists of your goals and guidelines for activities and places you want included on your finished property.

6. Create a functional diagram. A functional diagram includes a complete set of construction drawings consisting of a title sheet, site plan, master plan, layout plan, grading plan, material reference, planting plan and construction details.

Atlanta landscape design — Dargan Landscape Architects

We will discuss the rest of the steps to our design process in an upcoming post, so be sure to stay tuned for more information. For more on how to create a timeless landscape, pick up a copy of Mary Palmer’s book “Timeless Landscape Design”.

The Four-Part Master Plan of Timeless Landscape Design

January 21, 2014

Timeless gardens and landscapes have the ability to make an impact on individuals and speak to us for years on end. As Mary Palmer says in her book, “Timeless Landscape Design,” gardens that were created centuries ago “still speak to use as places of unmistakable beauty as relevant today as ever before.” Your home environments hold the same potential.

To design a timeless landscape that will “Let Nature SPEAK” as we like to say, you should focus on four main components, which we call the Four-Part Master Plan: the approach and arrival sequence; the hub; the perimeter; and passages to destinations. In this post, we will define and discuss these four topics in general and delve into them more deeply in future posts.

The approach and arrival sequence
Approach and arrival are all about anticipation and setting the scene. The approach and arrival area of the property is between the street and the front door, and it is the first impression of your home as told by your landscape. This is where curb appeal comes into play and where you can begin to express your personality and style.

The hub
The hub is the central focus of your property, where all the activity originates from. Once you identify your home’s hub you can use your landscape to accentuate it. You will want to envision both inward- and outward-looking views of the hub to guide your landscaping choices. The landscape in this area should help the home blend into its natural surroundings.

Cashiers landscape architects — Dargan Landscape Architects

The perimeter
The perimeter refers to the outdoor spaces that surround your home and can be accessed from the interior of your home. Perimeter areas can be used for a variety of functions such as dining, reading, entertaining and more and allow you to still be connected to what is going on inside.

Charleston SC landscape architects — Dargan Landscape Architects

Passages to destinations
Passages to destinations not only are functional but also are elements of landscape design. These paths around your landscape help connect outdoor areas such as gardens and pools as well as define the look of your space.

atlanta landscape architecture and design — Dargan Landscape Architects

By including these four components in your landscape design plan, you are laying the foundation for a beautiful and memorable space that is timeless. Defining these areas also helps divide the large task of designing an entire landscape into smaller, more manageable pieces.

For more details on this topic, order a copy of “Timeless Landscape Design” by Mary Palmer Dargan, and contact Dargan Landscape Architects for professional landscape design services. Our team is ready to discuss your needs, be it a master plan or a tune-up!

Lightning Strike Inspires New Landscape Ideas

January 14, 2014

This before-and-after story begins with the unimaginable: a lightning strike that caused significant damage to home and property. While the family, and their beloved dog, Quigley, made it out safely and the home was able to be repaired and rebuilt over time, their property still bears the scars of that fateful night. Ready to restore the landscape to its former beauty and incorporate some new ideas to better suit the space and their lifestyle, the homeowners are seeking a complete makeover and contacted us to begin discussing the project, as well as join our mentorship program.

The home site has a steep set of stairs in the rear that the family uses for access on a daily basis, which leads from a charming rear alley. The house is perched on the side of a slope, and the pool is on the same level as the house, taking up most available space in the rear. They need parking in the front, custom fitted gardens and expanded outdoor dining.

One of the landscape features we will be adding in the front of the home in the area shown below is terraces, or the “corset” around which activities are contained. This classical approach to function will serve them well by providing landings, step ramps and ease of gentle access to the front.

There is much potential in the area from the sun porch to the pool as well. It is a classic node of activity containing desire lines to the pool, house and other paths. Many functions cause it to multitask and often become cluttered. We will work to streamline these functions.

As work gets underway on this dramatic transformation, stay tuned for progress updates and after photos. In the mean time, we’d love to know what you would do in a similar situation. Tell us in a comment below what you would do if you had a blank slate to work with after living on a property for many years.

Are you ready to transform your property with a new vision for your landscape? Contact Dargan Landscape Architects and let’s start discussing your ideas and how we can help you achieve them. We are passionate about designing personalized home environments that not only improve the look of our clients’ properties, but also their quality of life. And for those interested in a more hands-on approach to transforming your landscape for longevity and beauty, be sure to sign up for our virtual garden design workshop starting in mid-February!

timeless landscape design

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