Re:enlarging space
- Subject: Re:enlarging space
- From: d* f*
- Date: Mon, 6 May 2002 08:45:09 -0700 (PDT)
Michael, Cheryl and Medit-Planters,
Michael's reply perhaps reflects a rough day? I would
suspect that the scraped subgrade is not the end of
the world if the location has deep subsoils, and
amended compost repeatedly applied over several years
can go a long way to recovering the pre-existing
condition. Checking for good drainage is an excellent
suggestion, and mounding or raised beds, and/or french
drains can also help with this.
Michael,
Too bad you didn't get much out of the program at
Davis, when I was there in the mid 70's, I thought it
was one of the best scholastic experiences of my life,
although I did end up leaving there for Cal Poly San
Luis Obispo's landscape program. Fellow students can
also make quite a difference, I suppose, and when I
was going to school at both Davis and San Luis Obispo,
there was a large percentage of older returning
students which made it more interesting,(I was
straight out of high school myself...)
Small yards and low maintenance are not all that
difficult to work around, and the idea of layers to
screen the garden from complete view from one vantage
point, capturing borrowed views, and contrasting bold
foliage against finer foliage are all classic tricks
to make a space seem bigger. I also tend to think
that repeating foliage and species throughout the
garden helps it read as larger, too much variety and
"business" can make it seem smaller. Using built in
seating on a patio or deck can also eliminate the
clutter of too many chairs, and one main focal point
either close to the house or at the rear of the
garden, with a link between them, is a useful
enlarging device. Sean's idea of developing the
garden on a diagonal is also good for visually
enlarging the space, and using paving patterns to do
this also helps. I find curves included into such a
small garden, either through plantings or hardscape,
and sometimes even as freestanding low walls, also
helps.
--- michael larmer <mlarm@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Cheryl,
>
> You have described a truly nightmarish scenario. A
> design for new house in
> subdivision with very small space and owners who
> want "ease of maintenance".
> It was with just this vision in mind that I quit
> the landscape
> architecture program at UCDavis some years back.
>
> Assuming you are at this point unable to claim a
> pressing prior commitment
> in some faraway place, I would offer only two points
> from my own
> experiences.
>
> First and foremost, before you go spending a bunch
> of time energy and
> money amending what the developer laughingly left
> you as "soil", check the
> drainage. Check in in a lot of places, all over the
> yard, not just one or
> two. Most of the houses built here in California in
> developments
> such as you describe are, as you have described,
> scraped of topsoil in order
> to level the site. They are then severely compacted
> by giant machines that
> resemble something out of War of the Worlds.
>
> This is great if your only concern is pouring
> concrete foundation slabs that
> will not shift or crack substantiallly with a
> minimum of fuss and effort.
> It makes landscaping such a site somewhat tedious
> and often requires
> substantial improvements in the form of drainage.
> You may already be aware
> of this, and if so, my apologies for advice not
> needed.
>
> The other tidbit is the book title "Space and
> Illusion in the Japanese
> Garden" by Teiji Itoh. Certainly the best
> explanation I have seen of the
> technique referenced by Sean (as well as some of
> others) for making small
> spaces seem otherwise.
>
> Good luck. My guess is that you will learn a great
> deal from this design.
>
> Most respectfully,
> Michael Larmer
> Sacramento, California
> where we have so far had the best spring for flowers
> I can remember.
>
>
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