September 26, 2023 7:12 pm
Published by Steve Dana
Once again, we find ourselves in the middle of the Atlantic hurricane season. Thankfully, while the number of named storms has been higher than average this year, most of the storms have remained over the ocean without causing excessive damage. The trend should not lull us into a sense of complacency, however. Hurricanes carry the highest costs of any weather-related disaster in terms of monetary damage as well as loss of human life, and there will always be another one. So, what can you do? Well, landscaping for hurricane season is one way to prepare. When designing for hurricane resistance, a lot of attention is paid to buildings, such as the wind and impact resistance of windows and roofing materials. Landscaping gets less attention, but should be part of the design and maintenance strategy both to mitigate risk to structures and to improve the hurricane survivability of the landscape. Let’s discuss a few design and maintenance tips to give your outdoor environments the best chance of “weathering the storm.” Landscaping for hurricane season can make a difference! Pay Attention to Trees Trees are the landscape feature that should receive the most attention. Large limbs and falling trees can cause damage […]
August 15, 2023 5:45 pm
Published by Steve Dana
If you’ve done any research into lawn care, lawn aeration is a term that has certainly come up. When soil becomes compacted over time, this approach can help to provide the best conditions for optimum turf health and beauty. Let’s take a look into why lawn aeration is impactful, as well as when and how to aerate. Why Is Aeration Necessary? The need for lawn aeration arises from soil compaction. Along with organic matter, minerals, and living organisms, pore space is one of the most important factors for soil health. Pore space refers to the openings between soil particles. These openings facilitate the movement of water, oxygen, and nutrients through the soil. Adequate pore space is essential for a thriving ecosystem that provides the right conditions for healthy root growth. Compacted soil lacks pore space and therefore inhibits optimal root growth. Outward signs of soil compaction include: Slow growth of grass in the active growing season Brown or yellowing grass Thin grass with patches that aren’t growing at all Excessive water runoff Water pooling Excessive thatch Weed takeover Exposed tree roots There are multiple reasons that soil becomes compacted. Foot or vehicle traffic are obvious causes. But mowing or moving […]
July 18, 2023 9:25 pm
Published by Steve Dana
The warmth of the sun can be a source of great enjoyment, and it plays a critical role in the beautiful ecosystems of our planet. But too much heat can certainly be a bad thing—for people and plants alike. As landscape architects, we have the unique ability to help people avoid excessive heat while still enjoying nature. Designing with heat management in mind can also lower the energy consumption of a building and improve conditions for certain plants and wildlife. It pays to consider heat dangers! So, keep reading to explore our top tips for reducing heat in your landscape architecture. Consider Adding Water Features Last month, we discussed the benefits to incorporating a water feature into your commercial landscape architecture. Now, let’s focus on the ways it could help you reduce heat dangers. Water has a high specific heat capacity, which means that it will absorb a lot of heat before it begins to get hot itself. In the context of landscape architecture, this makes it a great tool. Whether in the form of a pond or lake, or a small fountain, water can be used to regulate heat. Larger bodies of water will absorb heat directly as the […]
June 19, 2023 4:27 pm
Published by Steve Dana
When thinking about the landscaping for your commercial property, water features will likely come to mind. Whether a Zen-like trickling waterfall, a Koi pond, or a fountain, water features can certainly add an enjoyable ambience to your environment. But is the inclusion of a water feature right for your project? Today, we’re going to talk all the pros and cons to help you decide! Create an Ambience With Water Features Arguably the most compelling reason to invest in this element of a commercial landscape is the impact it can have for your visitors. Water features appeal to various senses, with their visual beauty and delicate sound. They can also thoughtfully contribute to an aesthetic. Take one of our current projects as an example: For the revitalization of a historic courtyard, our clients want to create a New Orleans sort of feel. We’ve recently finished the planning phase, and one of the standout elements we utilized to build the look they desire is a fountain. Designed in the style of an old sugar kettle, the fountain will serve as a central, style-defining feature between two urban buildings. Seating plazas nearby will invite passersby to rest and enjoy the calming sound and […]
May 17, 2023 3:38 pm
Published by Steve Dana
One of the unfortunate challenges that will always be a part of landscape architecture is maintenance. How lovely would it be if we could just set it and forget it, right? But nature will have its way … if you don’t put effort into managing your commercial landscape, you’ll find yourself saddled with an unruly, expensive-to-fix, unattractive—even dangerous—environment. How do you avoid that? Well, hiring an attentive maintenance team is the best solution. Still, it always pays to have some knowledge surrounding your landscape’s maintenance needs. So today, we’re talking about the number-one way to keep your landscape architecture thriving: effective weed management. Here are our top tips! #1 Consider Where Weed Management Comes In The very first thing to do is to think about your landscape’s architecture. Do you have large expanses of grass or many smaller planting beds? Or, as with many designs, a little bit of both? This is the primary factor that will determine how you approach weed management in your landscape. Why? Because herbicide can be effective in both areas, but planting beds allow you to employ other options, too. Here’s what we mean by that … #2 Remember the Benefits of Mulch When you […]