Denver Landscape Design: Which Of These Three Universal Errors Is Most Important For You To Avoid?
One of the few major investments that gives us joy, year after year, is a beautifully designed garden. According to Tom Altgelt, an acclaimed Denver, Colorado area landscape architect, “When you’re designing a landscape or garden, or having a landscape designed, it’s very important to avoid mistakes that can be costly, yield a less satisfying result, and even be counterproductive.” He lists three major errors that he has seen again and again, in the Denver/Boulder area where he currently practices, as well as across the country and in Europe. These “universal mistakes” include designing a landscape that is optimized for only half the year, starting the landscape design without first creating a master plan, and failing to assemble a great team.
In Altgelt’s words, “The first mistake that is commonly made is designing only for spring and summer. It’s pretty easy to design a garden that works for spring and summer, and then people get a little lazy when they think about how it’s going to look in fall and winter.” However, in the Denver, Colorado area, giving too little attention to the fall and winter can mean the landscape doesn’t really look as well as it could during those long, cold months! According to Tom, even experienced professionals often make this error, although of course the best designers will create a design that’s beautiful for the whole year. During the cold months, we could still be appreciating a well-designed landscape, both through the window and stepping outside.
In Tom Altgelt’s experience, the four elements that create a beautiful landscape year-round are “artistic sculpting of the land, creating rock formations that grow out of and accentuate the sculpting of the land, incorporating evergreen plants, and utilizing deciduous plants which retain interesting colors and shapes after the fall of the leaves.” Naturally, it’s important to combine these elements artistically for a garden that is beautiful all year round. [youtube:paEd8Ln7tco;[link:Beautiful Denver/Boulder Garden Designs];http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paEd8Ln7tco&feature=related]
The second common error is to design in a piecemeal fashion without having a master-plan from the beginning. “Especially if a person has a limited budget and can only do a small project this year, it’s important for that small project to fit in with the long-term vision for the landscape.” This common error can be very costly for the homeowner in the long run.
“A good design can be executed initially with very inexpensive materials if the master plan is thought through in detail,” says Tom. For example, a patio or walkway can be put in with crushed rock and then later changed to sandstone, brick, or precast concrete pavers. If you intend to add a different surface material in the future, then initially you would be wise to take into account that you’ll be adding three or four inches of height down the road. So, you initially set the patio lower so that later you can raise it up without creating a problem of the patio being at a higher level than the doorway. However, if you didn’t think it through in advance, when you are ready to upgrade your patio you would first have to undo a bunch of work, making the end result more expensive. Tom points out, “With good planning, you can save money by starting with a cheap solution, and then later you can still do a beautiful expensive patio without paying extra to remove the first solution.”
The third most common mistake Altgelt sees, for those who hire a team to assist them, is assembling the wrong team. “To assemble a good team, of course you need to see samples of each individuals’ work and get references, but it doesn’t end there. The key ingredient, which is often missing, is teamwork.” How they communicate and work together, how they inspire each other – their “chemistry” – is crucial.
For Tom, really listening to the client is the first step in creating this teamwork. “The client should be considered part of the landscape design team, so the client’s greatest desires for their garden can be manifest.” Even if a homeowner isn’t sure what he wants, a design professional needs to help him discover it. “The landscape designer or landscape architect, in particular, needs to be committed not only to making suggestions but also to really engaging the client in the design process.” The landscape contractor is another essential team member. For new construction, the best outcomes can be achieved if the architect is part of the landscape design team, to create a big-picture plan for the property even prior to the design of the house.
Altgelt sums it up: “By avoiding these three common mistakes, not only can the homeowner save money, but the end result can be an artistic expression of the homeowner’s deepest dreams for his or her garden.” What a wonderful way for an investment to pay off!
Don’t make the same common landscape design mistakes most homeowners make! Consult with Thomas Altgelt for professional Denver Colorado landscape design. Get more FREE Denver/Boulder landscape design tips here! Don’t reprint this exact article. Instead, reprint a free unique content version of this same article.
Sail Shades – The Coolest Shade Around?
When you consider the French nation, you think of fashion and style. But there seems to be one new fashion trend where the French are lagging behind and what is all the more surprising is that they are now being beaten by the Australians! Summer in France can be very hot, especially in the south and some form of protection or shade is important to have the ability to enjoy the “outdoor life”.
No wonder that, during the summer time, the local stores are full of new “shade solutions” – parasols and pergolas to help you generate a shady environment on your terrace. Most of us don’t have the years of patience needed to grow an old vine or wisteria which would provide the “ideal shade solution” – no we need a quicker, man-made solution – but still one that has plenty of style…
Using large pieces of material to provide shade is not rocket science and has been around since Egyptian times. It has been reported that sailors in open boats were the first to make use of sail canvas as a means of providing shade. While this was doubtless effective, the sail canvas was a tough and inflexible material that would not fit into modern garden design. Recent technical advances have allowed the production of a new type of sail cloth from a woven fabric that still provides a high level of shade protection but has the added benefits of being breathable, light and flexible. This fabric is now being widely used and has allowed the rapid growth of shade sails as a realistic alternative to conventional parasols, gazebos and awnings.
It is interesting to note that it was the Australians who pioneered this new technology and these shade structures are now very common “down under”. In Europe, shade sails are relatively new and so far only the “early adopters” have been applying them. However, this is set to change are more and more people start to see the benefits of introducing some architectural style at the same time as providing adequate shade.
The best, high quality Shade Sails are produced in Australia and exports to Europe are growing fast. Sail Shade World is the world’s largest manufacturer with over 24,000 satisfied consumers. Their sales are of the highest quality and come with a 10 year guarantee.
Sail Shade Benefits
Unlike the early Shade Sails made from sail canvas, modern Sail Shades are manufactured from a form of knitted material, which provides the Sail Shade a natural level of expansion and means that Sail Shade should be correctly mounted and tensioned. This enables for interesting architectural three dimensional results to be achieved with Sail Shades.
An extra advantage from the knitted material is that it enables the sail shade to “breathe”, permitting warm air from below the cloth to leak instead of be trapped underneath. This gives a particularly “cool shade” impact.
There are a variety of shape and colour choices available in modern Shade Sail designs – grey, beige and green are very popular. The shade sails need to be attached to secure fixing points and are secured with tensioning devices. The installation can easily be accomplished by two people. It is advisable to install a quick release clip at each corner to allow the Shade Sail to be taken down and stored in windy conditions.
Shade Sail Advantages
Porous sail fabric provides cool shade 10 Year UV warranty Commercial Grade Heavy Duty Knitted Fabric. Effectively blocks all harmful radiation from the sun Perimeter re-enforcement. Edge webbing made from extremely strong seat belt material. Easy attachment to existing fixing points, such as a house, outbuilding or tree. Attachment rings at each corner are made from marine grade stainless steel. Shade sail material will not shrink, tear or rot.
Shade Sails France Supplies Sail Shades In A Variety Of Shapes
Free delivery within France. Our Shade Sails are manufactured from premium quality materials and have a ten year guarantee. Three colours are available – grey, beige and sandy yellow.
Sail Shades are much more durable than parasols, gazebos and awnings. These Sail Shades offer both stylish and cool shade thanks to the slightly porous shade sail material.
EASY INSTALLATION – no special tools required. ALL FITTINGS can be supplied in stainless steel No cost DELIVERY – We provide Totally free delivery to France PREMIUM High quality – All our Sail Shades have a 10 year guarantee 48h DELIVERY – On all our Shade Sails and Fitting
To discover much more concerning the features of Sail Shades and check out a selection of various sail shade solutions readily available for purchase on-line and with free of cost shipping throughout France, take a look at Voile Solaire, Toile Solaire – Voiles d’Ombrage France.
Poinsettia – Red Flowers Enliven Bleak Cold Days
Poinsettias are not to be denied their important place among the colorful decorations during the holiday season. Their flaming red leaves which surround the small, rather inconspicuous club-shaped flowers, have won popular applause, and have created an important market for the Christmas poinsettia. When properly handled, this plant continues to display its cheery color during the cold, bleak days of January.
If you receive a poinsettia as a Christmas gift, place it in a warm, sunny window where the temperature remains fairly constant and does not drop below 60 degrees at night, preferably a few degrees higher. Cool temperatures at night, drafts and sudden chills, are not enjoyed by the poinsettia and will frequently cause the plant to drop its leaves.
If the surface of the soil is dry, water thoroughly but do not allow water to stand in saucer. Do not water again until the soil becomes dry. In late winter or early spring when the leaves begin to fall off, set the plant in partial darkness and about once a week give it just enough water to prevent the soil from drying out.
In May after danger of frost is over, cut the stems back to within about four inches of the soil, reset in a little larger pot and plant pot and all in a sunny spot in the flower border. Lift the pot occasionally during the summer. If this is not done, a large root may grow through the hole in the bottom of the pot into the soil beneath, and the severing of this root will cause all of the leaves to drop when the plant is taken up in September.
If the poinsettia has made a nice healthy growth during the summer, lift the pot in early fall before the approach of cool nights, and set in a warm, sunny window where the temperature remains close to 70 degrees. Feed the plant with a house plant fertilizer, following the recommendations of the manufacturer. If all this procedure is not too much work and worry, it is possible to have a nice holiday plant.
Most folks prefer to let the florist do the job. Commercial growers do not attempt to grow and offer old plants a second year, but use the old plants for the production of new stems which are taken as cuttings usually in July or August. These cuttings, properly handled, produce the Christmas poinsettias.
To keep you better informed there is much more on the topic of weather proof landscape pots Visit www.riverside-plastics.com for more on the array of large planters for commercial landscapes.
Sponsors
 |
 |