The website is taking a brief change of direction from a resource website to a bully pulpit. I am becoming alarmed by the recent profusion of gravel xeroscapes. I am hoping the randomn visitors will spread the word just say no to this terrible habit of using weed barriers in conjunction with gravel and a arty design. This design scheme is quite old and originates from the Japanese/Chinese/Zen/Asian garden. These design schemes are usually lumped into the term “Japanese Garden”. For the discerning knowledgeable person there are hundreds of variations on this theme based on various cultural traditions. The American version is usually void of culture but rich in spatial placement, or not. The best place to see Japanese Gardens is ussually in botanical gardens. Check the botanical garden page and you will see various Japanese Gardens.Horticulture is not at all a concern but instead texture color and shape are the theme of the day. I say theme of the day because many of these designs will become dated very quickly kind of like a floral arrangement on a brunch table.

The square foot landscaper is responsible for most of the lack of intelligence and interest in the natural world in our own backyards. A square foot landscaper designs by measuring the mulch, the sod, the number of sprinkler heads, the length of edging, stone walls, the number of shrubs on the foundation, the tree in the front and backyard. There is no consideration for creativity natural features, where is the sun rising and setting which way does the breeze come from, where is the kitchen window, how will I move through the garden. The simplest distinction could be landscapers and gardeners. It is quite amazing how many square foot gardeners know absolutely nothing about horticulture, taxonomy, botany. They go to the nursery with a list of needs, “I need six shrubs that grow in the shade and will get so high and are drought tolerant” Many Square foot landscapers do not even know botanical names history country of origin for plants. The question is how with so little knowledge a landscaper can do a competent job, a creative job with so little knowledge. The answer is the customer knows less than the landscaper.
What I hope to explore here is how can we redirect our attention away from landscaping and to gardening so that we can reap the benefits of our natural world
What defines a landscape in terms of maintenance is lawn mowing blowing driveways, sidewalks, repairing sprinkler systems, mulching trees and beds, and trimming trees so that there are absolutely no dead branches. What defines the maintenance of a garden is usually hand weeding trimming back overgrown perennials removing dead flowers, seeding for the next season and planting where there might be empty spaces. Landscapes usually need to be maintained constantly to keep everything looking the exact same while gardens constantly change. Landscapes are defined by hard monotonous labor while gardens are defined by musing and decision making planning preparing. Gardens are designed to give repose solace and possible a place of introspection while landscapes fill the need to look a certain way to express a certain ideal, to transform the exterior world into a conceptual space. In nature things expand or contract they never stay the same.

Check out the botanical centers this is a good way to travel the world without going anywhere.

May 26, 2003

i saw my first painted bunting of the year