Landscaping Principles

When I meet with clients, they often have ideas in mind for what the landscape should look like. If this is the case, a designer may not be necessary. However, there are certain tricks that may help complete the project with fewer problems. Here’s a check list of things to consider if you want to lay out a native or Florida Friendly design for the yard yourself.

A critical first step in designing a native landscape is understanding what the right plant for the right place is. This concept is central to ecosystem function as the particular characteristics of “place” often determine what plants will be successful. Shady or sunny, sandy or loamy, near a stream or high and dry. We want to help create functioning ecosystems and defining the system and its parts comes before laying out a palette of beautiful and unique natives.

People have one of two reactions when they hear the word “cracker.”

Many respond with an uncomfortable, blank stare that says: “Do you mean like… the race-related cracker?” ”Cracker” is slang for poor white settlers in rural southern climes, and it’s important to acknowledge the additional weight bearing down on this word from decades of racial tension in both rural and urban quarters of America. It can and should be uncomfortable in that context.

1. Intro: How I view design
-co-mingling of function and aesthetics
-should be considered in that order (functionality=commitment) but a good design will mask that priority
-Particularly important to native landscaping (wild misperception)
-thus important to Urban Sustainability

2. Assess major landscape functions
-Ideas??
- play, laundry, entertaining, relaxation
- wildlife, water conservation, biodiversity, home food

3. Identify functional zones
a. Utility buffer
b. Garden placement
c. Compost placement
d. Zone most in need of help (sod replacement)