This is what a landscape architect does in order to keep her kid entertained on the beach. Bonus points for developmental skills training and temporary land art!

As a landscape architect, my greatest passion is for creating communities and environments where people can connect and thrive. As the digital world becomes further integrated with our daily, hourly and constant routines, I can only imagine the digital landscape becoming another tool or platform for landscape architects. My definition of landscape architecture is not limited to plants, soil and hardscape. My definition of landscape architecture includes passion, community and people.

When my neighbor’s Queen Palm died, they decided to cover the remnant stump with a steel wireframe version of a palm tree… this thing is even equipped with solar lighting!

I really hope this is not an indication of the future of landscape architecture. I’ll place my bets on living plants;  they have the regenerative capabilities which manufactured objects can only envy… for now…

Play lawn, kitchen garden, cutting garden, built-in bar and bar-be-que, fire pit, green walls, lounge and dining area… yes! You can have it all in 600 square feet.

The secret here was to first relocate the rear gate in order to minimize circulation paths and keep larger function areas from getting chopped up by pathways. The same way you might want to minimize hallways in a house– by aligning pathways with compatible functions, we were able to maximize our available square footage. By using concrete steppers through the lawn, we were able to make the lawn feel larger but still have an all-weather pathway. Near the rear gate, bar stools are allowed to encroach into the pathway, but can easily be pushed aside for intermittent access.

A small space can also be maximized with multi-use and built-in furniture. A built-in bench seat means you don’t need room to pull out chairs or walk around them and results in a smaller space requirement for the dining area. The built-in bench seat can also quickly transform to a second lounge area by sliding the table away and replacing it with a portable fire pit. Instead of having a full chaise lounge, use a chair and ottoman combo so you’re ready for sunbathing with a friend or a fire side chat for two couples.

When finding the perfect spot for all your favorite amenities, don’t forget to save that sunny spot for your raised kitchen and cutting garden. Vertical plant and architectural accents complete the privacy requirements and this backyard is ready to host a party!

The ubiquitous rose… once associated with your grandma’s cottage garden and high maintenance is now recognized for its countless, timeless benefits. It’s actually a lie to call this a recent “trend alert.” The classic rose has been around for ages and has so very much to offer… beauty, durability, versatility, cutting flowers in hundreds of colors and varieties, the champion of scented flowers, medicinal uses and secret recipe ingredient. All these benefits come in a multitude of convenient shapes and sizes… sprawling vines, groundcovers, shrubs, and more. There really isn’t any other plant that comes close to providing in so many ways.

And in regards to maintenance– I snapped the above photo from my own backyard, which I haven’t set foot in to maintain or water since the first trimester with my 9-month old son. They are a remnant from the previous homeowner and I was considering having them removed. I was concerned they made my backyard look like grandparents lived here. I may have to reconsider…

What is it about babies that immediately cause people to slow down, smile and lend a helping hand? What can I learn from these little beings who so easily create an environment of peace and understanding?

Is it because they are small and cute? No, that can’t be it. Whenever I have “small and cute” plants installed on landscape projects, clients are typically disappointed and wait impatiently for fast and furious growth.

Is it because they represent pure innocence? They are completely unbiased beings interested only in their most fundamental needs for survival.

Is it because you have no idea what they’ll do next? Just tiny little morsels of entertainment… with kicks and flailing arms and laughs and cries.

Or is it because the future is in their hands? Instilling hope for a future where they can grow and prosper.

So how might the secret power of babies be put to use in landscape architecture? Designs must meet fundamental needs for survival, allow for the unexpected and instill hope.

Now tell me, how does it make you feel? Can you feel the life it breathes? Can you anticipate how the light, wind and rain will shape it with every passing day?

Get some green and breathe easy.

I first visited the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial in 2000. Now, ten years later, I am still fascinated after my most recent visit. Along a super shuttle ride from Dulles airport we drove along the northern perimeter road of the mall. “There it is, that’s the Vietnam Memorial,” though all you could see were people and not a memorial at all… just crowds of people, but people at different levels of exposure… a cluster of heads, then torsos, then legs, then even larger groups of people just beginning their descent. That was it. The people make the experience. This is in such contrast to the impossibly scaled, ornate and exposed settings of the typical monument or memorial. And, even once present before the memorial, you are again reminded of the visitors, as glimpsed across the polished black marble. Their subtle movements only enhanced by the overwhelming number of names, in such small print which fill the wall from end to end.

In moments meant for great reflection and memory, I believe the true power is exposed through people themselves and how they experience the space that is created.