NEW YEAR’S: RESOLUTIONS IN THOUGHT AND ON THE GROUND
Yes, I know it’s already February, but it’s not 2011 yet and resolutions are still percolating.
One of my resolutions is to post more frequently. I hope to entertain and edify those who keep up.
I realize some folks may not appreciate the increased volume of electronic traffic, but so far the postings have been sporadic at best, but just let me know and I can drop you from the list. Conversely, please forward this on to anyone who you think might be interested, and ask them to e-mail nathan@nslandscapedesign.com to be added to the list of folks who get a reminder when new content is posted.
On to other resolutions: I will attempt to intentionally design my own home garden rather than collecting and planting the hundreds of plants that catch my eye and fancy every week. If I manage to steer clear of The University of California Botanical Garden and the Quail (newly re-named San Diego) Botanical Garden, I stand a fighting chance at avoiding temptation. I’ll let you know how it goes. I have some doubts. I recall many a plant-lusty week at work in the UC Botanical Garden, where I had the pleasure of strolling with leaders of our Volunteer Propagation Program selecting, collecting and propagating from some of the most choice plants in the garden.
While I believe it’s possible to design a garden on the fly, I think that sitting down designing, studying and developing an overall plan leads to superior results. I’ve found that I can’t do it all in my head. I can visualize and imagine parts of the garden, but I can’t successfully imagine the whole thing in detail. The process of detailing out the concepts affords the designer the opportunity of analyzing their strengths and coming up with alternatives. I also know that some ideas and important revisions come while the work is actually in process.
More on the development of the home garden later…
