Here are pictures of a project before we began……or AS we began. Notice the orange paint which gives us an idea of where the next developments will ideally proceed to. We walk the site with the homeowner and use these marks as the ideational underpinnings of the deal. Here, the paint is shown indicating where the bed lines will be – at the forefront –

(click any pictures to enlarge)

…….And at the rear. In the picture below, we see the general outline of where we’ll be putting pavers. The goal is to increase the size of the walkway, for one thing. The 3 foot wide little approach to the stairs was not fun for bringing in furniture, lol, nor was it particularly attractive. We’ll see how successful we were when it gets all done. The other dire need was a for an updated irrigation system that actually worked. It would necessitate some drastic and total measures, just tailor-made for El Destructo and his Minions of Aesthetic Pain! (That’s us, by the way.)

These next pictures are my personal favorites! Imagine seeing the above pictures and then coming home that night to this!

“Steve- we changed our minds! Can you put it back like it was???””

Or this??? Looking better already!!! 😉

I was in Beirut once……………….ouch.

And, yet, we rallied! Yes, we needed to destroy it in order to save it, but we are – the very same week – showing signs of actually knowing what we re doing! This is not a small thing! To say this was a relief to the clients would be an incredible understatement. Fortunately, they had no choice but to believe what we told them. So we had that going for us.

So, after taking away those humongous piles of old sod, tree roots, defunct piping and the amazingly homely pile of junk which now constituted their front yard, we began actually accomplishing some order out of the Chaos.

First, we laid in the new pipes and redid the entire irrigation system. Burying that up meant we could pour our curb edging next, following lines we tried to remember! So we come up with something like this:

We begin laying pavers at the very remotest spot, back where it all “ends”, and work our way forward. Kenny is shown here addressing this issue on his knees and looking buried. But Kenny secretly enjoys it. Meanwhile, Cory goes for the cutting Kenny presents him with, having drawn lines in crayon and which he expects Cory to implement perfectly. Sadly, Kenny beat poor Cory to a pulp over his inability to get it right. But then Cory got revenge by over-feeding Kenny’s dog, but that’s another story.

Working his way out front, Kenny looks for shade! By the way, you can also see the flexible Funny Pipes for the relocated irrigation sticking up. Later, we will cap them with the heads and nozzles in the appropriate spots. Here’s the effervescent Cory at his station, worrying whether or not Kenny will kill him over this cutting business. Or did I say that already?

Hey, it’s taking shape! Having finished the project – as yet unmentioned – on the other side of the wide driveway…..shown here:

Which resulted in this:

They were somewhat happier now, on the Client end of things. So, back to Kenny seeking the always-elusive shade in Reno, Nevada. At least he is handsome, anyway. Things are definitely taking shape.

Ken buttoned up this bit of the paving, we adjusted and oriented the irrigation appropriately and pretty much wrapped this up in a day or two following the above picture. Laying the sod was always going to be quick – there are not a lot of easier chores in landscaping. We did add better soil and planted with some plants in the bed out front, giving us pretty much this finished product. What do you think? More curb appeal?

Here it is:

Later……..Kenny’s dog gained 15 pounds. Cory had to leave town.

I took some time off from this blog to concentrate on some other stuff. It’s funny, but I missed it here and kept devising posts in my mind. Among other themes I badly want to pursue are “The Future” of design and of landscape design in particular. Paving alone has gained so many avenues of expression and design interest, it just blows the mind.

But for now, why not visit the plants I often speak of but so seldom show? I have to also face the fact that I tend to take abundant pictures of homes and businesses I have just completed and then stay away, to my detriment. I like to believe it is an attribute of not only giving good advice on maintenance but also in the fact that I have so few call backs for flaws or dying plants. To those who wonder, I adore plants and planting them, opting for the best locations and juxtaposing them with other items of interest.

Here’s green smoke tree (Cotinus). I have always liked those fluffy blooms. They look so airy and insubstantial yet they last for weeks. These are a mid summer treat and usually a real surprise.

And here is a close look at the “Cotinus Purpurea”:

Below, this “Gaura” blooms for months all through the summer. It begins incredibly tiny yet continues to produce long stems with the tiniest white or pink flowers on the end, producing a splash of color and interest in it’s own lacy sort of way. A perennial the red varieties of Gaura are famously used in dried flower arrangements. The often 3 foot long stems are amazingly thin but durable and they can be encouraged to become a dazzling crimson color by hanging upside down and drying. We’re talking ridiculously crimson.

To the rear are another couple of trees I often use. On the right is a Smaragd Cedar, (Thuja Occidentalis) – always dense and always a deep green, a water-loving plant with a tendency to be choosy about its owner. To the left is a Deadora Cedar, one of my all time favorite trees which grow to fairly immense sizes and which we have sort of Banzai’d here to keep it more compact.

The Cedars all trimmed in the topiaries below are Smaragd Cedars as well. They have many great qualities, one of which is a rapid regenerative style which quickly compensates for pruning errors.

We’ll finish with this Laburnum, otherwise known as a Golden Chain Tree, shown blooming here in early Spring with a style that doubles yearly until it gets to a more permanent condition. This one has a partner at the rear of this picture, providing an entire wall full of color as it grows.

I happened down to the Portland Rose Garden in Washington Park a week or so ago while out with family. I am not generally one for “bloom pictures” – my stuff typically revolves around construction and design as a main emphasis. Still, plants make the environment, any way you look at it. I have many favorites – Euphorbia’s, succulents of all types, Rhodies, Azalea’s of all types, Cotinus (Smoke Trees) and the never-ending perennials all comprise a short list of fave plants. Rhododendrons may be my all time favorite blooms, just owing to their extreme size and profuseness when they arrive each Spring. But for sheer Summer beauty, Roses do indeed take the cake. I am no Niels. He knows far more about roses than I could pretend to know, yet, I do know many of them and have planted thousands, when told to. But, still, I know what I like:

The smells of the Garden are wonderful. This day, there was a Celtic songstress who played harp and serenaded with some amazingly beautiful music. It was a hugely calming and sensual sort of lyrical feast, perfect for the warm day with its still air. I am generally restless enough NOT to enjoy a rose garden and the idiot who supplied the camera forgot to bring new batteries, so that made me miss some really good pictures. Oh, wait! That’s me!

Nor am I a great photographer, I readily admit it. But I can sure point out why roses are so highly-regarded in any landscape, especially a landscape where one is prone to paying attention to them.

Here’s an overview of the place:

And still more, including two of Portland’s “Beautiful People” posed under an interesting arbor.

More roses and fun. It was an extremely cool day, all in all. Our sister was up from Reno and we toured a bit, including here. A very nice change of pace and a rose festival of our own.

I have no idea what species this rose is but I could have sworn it was a dogwood at first glance. I apologize for the blurred camera work bit it does seem to have single petals of an amazingly rich creamy white color. It made me hungry just looking at it.