Archive for the ‘landscape design’ Category

Plants as Architecture – A Euclidian Approach to the Garden

Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008

Over the Thanksgiving holiday I visited the Getty Center in Los Angeles. The center is located on a prime set of mountaintop ridges overlooking the Pacific ocean and the western LA basin. It is an architectural masterpiece housing a wide array of permanent and rotating art displays. As well, the buildings are surrounded and complimented with several distinct gardens and water features.

Stormy View of the Pacific

Stormy View of the Pacific

After touring through the grounds with my family to view some of the rotating art displays and then enjoying a fantastic lunch while watching the sun break through rainclouds over the Pacific, I joined an afternoon garden tour. I was curious about some of the plants I didn’t recognize and about the garden care program.

As regular readers know, I’m proponent of pruning plants to enhance form and health. This means I avoid topping trees. Modern arboriculturists such as Alex Shigo have demonstrated that topping trees is not a healthy way to maintain them. I subscribe to the non-topping methodology mainly for this reason. However, honestly I tend to prefer natural forms rather than contrived ones. Call me fractal.

This doesn’t mean I don’t use plants to reinforce architectural forms in my garden designs. Many plants take strong vertical shapes, for instance, naturally. Using these can easily reinforce building lines without constraining a plant and indenturing the maintenance crews to ridiculous care programs. However, at the Getty Center I was faced with otherwise spectacular trees that had been topped, sheared and hacked into forms that pleased the architect’s eye.

Young Mexican Cypress in a Line

Young Mexican Cypress in a Line

Here’s what I learned from the tour guide (to whom I probably owe an apology for my inability to keep my mouth shut when confronted with what I perceive to be pruning outrages.):

  • White blooming Crepe Myrtles were planted in a straight line along the ridge where two mountain ridges meet. This was to reinforce the lines of the meeting mountains. The trees are “pruned” (aka topped) regularly to create rectangular canopies repeating the architectural building forms around them.
  • London Plane trees were selected by the artist designer (who is not a horticulturist) to line the winding path down to the sunken garden. The idea was to create dappled light along the path. Since the trees got too big to create dappled light by forming large canopies and big leaves, the trees are now topped regularly and leaves are hand-removed daily by maintenance teams to force the artist’s vision.
  • London Plane trees were selected for a “square” outside the restaurant and are pollarded regularly. To keep them small and with a squarish form repeating the patio squares in which they were planted.
  • Mexican Cypress (Taxodium mucronatum) were planted in a line along a waterfeature. They were surprised when this cousin of the bald cypress began losing its leaves and heaving the space around their feet. (And, they mounted lights on the trees and are tipping branches to keep them out of a stairway. I didn’t ask why they aren’t removing the branches to a point of origin.)
  • All of the trees planted on the rooftop gardens are doomed to a lifespan of 30 years max because they will exceed the garden vision and space. This includes every tree I’ve discussed here less the London Plane trees planted along the winding path to the sunken garden.
Square London Plane Trees are Central

Square London Plane Trees are Central

So, what’s your take? Is it appropriate for plants to be used in landscapes this way? I’m certain some of you horticulturists and arborists will agree that plants should not be manipulated this way. But what about the architects and landscape architects out there? Does form rule? Does it matter if we follow the concept of “Right plant: Right Place” in order that our gardens will mature with minimal care from us? If the Getty has an arborist evaluating the trees regularly as my tour guide indicated and the one arborist approves their care program, is it appropriate? If the Getty can afford a crew to pick away a leaf at a time from topped trees to maintain an artist’s vision, is it better to maintain the “wrong”, uncooperative trees this way or spend the dollars on new trees that will require less hands-on work than these?

We have abolished footbinding, and many of my generation are choosing not to circumcise their sons regardless of religion or the practice of generations before them. If we’ve learned that these cutting and constraining practices are unhealthy or unnecessary for our human bodies, when will we come around to the idea that plants just don’t grow as boxes and triangles. Should we just let nature take its course? When will we design gardens that have the long-term plant life in mind rather than just the foreseeable future of our own fleeting lifetimes? Or, does it matter? Do we continue as artists to manipulate plant life and hope that the beauty we envision in our cropping and chopping Euclidian lines and rectangles fits the desires of our art’s beholders?

I look forward to your responses and thoughts on this question. Do you prefer a Euclidian or Mandelbrotian approach to horticultural garden design?

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How to Install Bamboo Properly

Tuesday, November 18th, 2008

I love bamboo. Honestly, it is one of my favorite choices for instant screening in the garden. It is readily available in many shapes and sizes. It will grow in many different soils and exposures. It is evergreen. It creates wildlife habitat (though sometimes the wildlife is a pest, but we’ll get to that later). It rustles in the breeze adding distraction from noise pollution. And, its just plain beautiful.

Contained Bamboo within a Beautiful Planting Bed

Contained Bamboo within a Beautiful Planting Bed

But, let’s face it. This stuff can be invasive. I’ve been invited to consult in gardens where bamboo had no only left the bed it was meant to live in, but it had invaded the root systems of a massive Western Red Cedar, grown over and around every brick in a patio, insinuated itself into a cement house foundation, and busted through the asphalt of a nearby street. Improperly installed and cared for, this stuff can become a nightmare. But, with a little prep work and proper care, bamboo becomes a fantastic addition to the garden.

Here are some tips for installing bamboo. If you do plan to install it in your area I recommend you have a conversation with the nursery owner where you procure your plants. There may be some additional caveots to go along with installing your particular bamboo in your particular location. But, over the years I’ve found taking the following steps should help you keep your bamboo in check:

  • To Clump or to Spread: Determine if your bamboo is a clumper or a spreader and then assume its a spreader no matter what. I’ve had clients insist they put in a clumper because it didn’t need to be barriered only to find out it travelled into their garden anyway. Always plan for the most invasive potential!
  • Don’t Skimp on the barrier: Don’t assume that burying bamboo in a pot in the ground is going to keep it contained. Often bamboo is installed in wooden containers like wine barrels that eventually decompose. Or in plastic tubs submerged in the soil. Know that given the chance bamboo will bust through these flimsy plastics, travel downward several inches to escape through drain holes, and eat away at wooden materials or cracks to be free of any constraints you impose on it.
  • Use Quality Bamboo Barrier Materials:
    White Paint for the Bamboo Area

    White Paint for the Bamboo Area

    Instead of using a pot or flimsy plastics, most quality bamboo suppliers will provide you with rolls of thick plastic sheeting anywhere from 24″ to 36″ deep and as long as you need to line the hole for your bamboo. This material is sold by the linear foot. And you’ll need something to seal it tight.

    • Determine how much barrier you need: I like to paint out the area where I plan to install the bamboo and then measure the area. I usually buy several extra feet to ensure I have plenty of material to overlap or in case I decide to dig my hole just a bit bigger. (Keep in mind that you’ll need the hole to be wide and long enough to get the bamboo into the ground. Less than 2′ wide is generally going to be too tight.)
    • How to seal the barrier:
      Overlapped barrier & bolting system

      Overlapped barrier & bolting system

      Some nurseries will recommend using thick two-sided tape to seal the barrier material. This makes me nervous as I know bamboo will bust through it eventually. Others will supply you with two thin pieces of metal and a matching bolt and screw system designed for this job. As shown in the photo here, the material is overlapped and then the bolting system is installed to tightly complete the barrier loop.

  • How deep do I dig and use the barrier: Depending on the type of bamboo you plan to install, you will want to dig a trench to meet its needs. Again, talk to your bamboo supplier to find out how deep you’ll need to dig and which depth of barrier material to install for your bamboo. (Some bamboos can travel more deeply underground and therefore require a deeper barrier material.
    Tamping the Soil

    Tamping the Soil

    Some bamboos are stronger than others and may require a thicker barrier materials than others.) Once you have your barrier material in hand, you can use it to measure the depth of your bamboo hole or trench. Keep in mind that the top of the barrier material should remain exposed above the soil about 4″ to ensure that the bamboo rhizomes don’t hop over it and escape!

  • Tips on digging your trench: Over the years I’ve found that digging the outer perimeter, which I line with barrier, and leaving the inner soil nearly intact is easier than digging everything out of a long trench. I tamp the middle of the trench hole to help compact it, which may deter the bamboo from travelling downward initially. If it travels outward where it hits the bamboo barrier, it will send up new shoots more rapidly.
  • The barrier I left above ground is ugly: Yes, exposed bamboo barrier is unsightly. But, if you don’t leave it exposed, your bamboo will escape and your efforts will have been wasted. I always leave a nice planting border around a bamboo barrier so I can install evergreen plants to eventually hide the barrier. Since it does take time for plants to mature and completely hide an ugly barrier, I use garden artwork like the willow fence and bamboo fencing shown here. Stone also makes a nice barrier to hide the ugly plastic.
Bamboo installed & Barrier Hidden with Willow Edging

Bamboo installed & Barrier Hidden with Willow Edging

It is critical that you check your bamboo a few times a year, at least, to make sure it hasn’t hopped the border or busted through your barrier. As much as I like to trust my work, I know that being an active participant in my garden’s evolution is critical.

When I’m checking my bamboo, I also keep an eye out for pests. Bamboo mites tend to invade pretty quickly. Bamboo installed in a contained environment is put under stress. Its natural tendency is to travel and grove. The container breaks its natural habit. There are miticides that may be applied, and I’ve heard that compost tea applications can help beat back the mites by increasing the pro-biotic populations. That being said, I have a fairly high tolerance for pests in my bamboo. Why? Well, if the mites come in so do the predatory bees that hunt them and the birds that eat them. I may not get close to the grove when it is buzzing with bees doing their job, but if I leave them be, they leave me be and the bamboo is all the better for it.

Have more questions about bamboo? Please let us know!

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Winter 2009 Evening & Weekend Horticulture Classes

Thursday, November 13th, 2008

This just in…

Lake Washington Technical College Environmental Horticulture program will be offering a few evening and weekend classes for the 2009 Winter quarter. As a graduate of the program, I can attest that the horticulture program at this school is great. If you’re interested in taking some focused coursework, these might be the right things for you:

Topics in Arboriculture– Students will gain an understanding of topics and issues essential to working with trees in urban landscapes.  Some topics covered include tree biology, nutrition, pruning, plant health care, and soils.  The ISA Arborists Certification Study Guide will be the text.  This class would be helpful for anyone taking the ISA exams. (HORT 138); Tuesdays 2:00pm-5:00pm  

Landscape Design – Learn computer aided landscape design using the DynaSCAPES design program.  This class provides in depth study and hands-on experience essential to landscape design graphics. The students will gain exposure to CAD based estimating techniques, databases and plant selection programs. (HORT 120); Tuesdays from 6:00pm-9:00pm

Plant IdentificationHybrid Online Class – This class combines the flexibility and freedom of online classes with the valuable hands-on components of lecture. Students learn to identify deciduous and evergreen trees, shrubs, vines and groundcovers used in landscapes throughout the Pacific Northwest.  Emphasis is given to those plants that display specific identifying characteristics in the winter.  Cultural requirements, pruning, and susceptibility to pests and diseases are discussed. (HORT 125); Saturdays 9:00am-1:00pm

Enrollment is open through the first week of January 2009. But, if classes fill up, that date may close early, so sign up soon!

To learn more, program visits are offered every Wednesday at 12:30pm, no appointment needed.  Or visit the LWTCT Hort Program website or Phone: 425-739-8356

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Growing Corn Successfully in Seattle

Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008
Corn Flanks Path Creating a tiny Maze Feeling

Corn Flanks Path Creating a tiny Maze Feeling

On a whim, I bought some corn starts at a local nursery for a few clients. Most went to the clients, but a few were on the verge of going to waste, so when we cleaned out and renovated our parking strip disaster earlier this year, my husband and I put in the corn in the intermittent empty spaces.

The parking strip gets great sun all day. To the west is the street, so it also gets a lot of hot reflected late day heat. We did put in a drip irrigation system for the parking strip this year after tiring of the unpredictable, clogged, recycled soaker hoses we’d had in for several years (we’d gotten the hoses from a neighbor who’d used them for several years before us & then gave them away on Craigslist, so they’d done their duty). Still, we gave the parking strip very little supplemental watering as the drip system is still on hose bibs, and we’re a little lazy about pulling the hose out to the parking strip. Still…

A Young Corn Ear Maturing in Early August

A Young Corn Ear Maturing in Early August

The corn did amazing! In a year when so many Seattle vegetables are languishing from a late start to summer and then an early arrival of cold, wet autumn-like weather in August, the corn has put on a great performance. Cabbage, green beans, lettuce, kale, chard, sorrel and other leafy greens are also performing well…along with slugs, pill bugs, cabbage loopers, and other veg-garden destroyers. Tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, eggplant, peppers, and other heat lovers are still a bit sad. But, they’re limping along. The heat predicted for the rest of this week will help…as will some time in the greenhouse!

When the corn is gone, variegated sage, sedums and Carex will support the garden

When the corn is gone, variegated sage, sedums and Carex will support the garden

We picked a few ears of the corn about a week ago, and I was thrilled with how well formed the ears were. All seemed to have been pollenated quite well. Two of the three ears we harvested were still very young, but that meant they were sweet if small. Tonight I’ll grab a few more. The trick is to harvest before the urban wildlife starts making the corn into their meals. Crows, rats, squirrels, starlings, earwigs, and other animal life will start snacking on the corn if we don’t get to it first! I’m in love with a recipe in The Herbal Kitchen by Jerry Traunfeld for Corn, Basil, Orzo salad. Since I thought to keep my basil in the greenhouse rather than force it to try to brave our crazy not-summer-like summer weather, I actually have a lot of basil this year, so tasty salads here I come! I even have a purple basil that looks fantastic blended with the yellows of the orzo and the corn. Okay, now I’m hungry…time to see if any ears are ready for my vegetable harvest basket!

And, I’m looking forward to all the dried stalks making fun Halloween decorations next month…Geez! Did I just admit that Halloween is next month? Where do the summer days go?!

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Garden Coach on Moving Trees & Transplanting Trees, Part I

Wednesday, March 26th, 2008

Quite often my clients struggle with inherited gardens that include desirable plants that are just in the wrong location. What was once a small shrub near a foundation may have grown into a small tree that now encroaches on windows and building sidings becoming access paths for rats to rooftops. A random tree may be growing in the middle a lawn where its bark is suceptible to the wrath of the lawnmower. Really the list goes on. So the question becomes what to do about these issues?

In some cases inappropriate pruning has been the solution. More than once I’ve 2008_03_tree_transplant_1.jpgvisited a new client with overgrown trees near foundations. Rather than know they have the power to move the tree to a new location, the client (or the client’s mow-blow-go gardener) whacks away at the tree trying to “make it smaller”. This, as any of my clients who have taken pruning lessons knows, results in more problems than solutions. Random whacking removes one limb, replacing it with countless others that are weaker than the original. It doesn’t solve the problem. The rats can still use the ladder. The roots of the tree can continue to hump against the foundation. Surrounding walkways continue to heave. Siding continues to be compromised. Again, what should be done?

Ideally, in the first place, the garden designer should have selected an appropriate plant for an appropriate place. Too often longterm plant growth (along with exposure requirements and more) are ignored by designers (or installers). Since we’re looking at situations where the problem is already in place, the ideal solution is to move the wrong plant to the right place.

Moving a tree can be a daunting task. They’re heavy. They’re alive. They’re fragile. Still, they’re movable. In some cases moving a tree means removing it altogether. If it’s been damaged significantly it may require more renovation work than you’re likely to perform. As well, it may never recover from past damage. If it is in a location where hardscape makes it impossible to remove the rootball, then realistically it won’t survive transplanting. However, if the tree is in decent shape and you have the right tools for the job, moving it to a new location is possible. Don’t have a new location for it yourself? Consider donating it on craigslist or to a local park instead. Remember, this is a living being that contributes to the overall well-being of the planet!

In some cases a tree is just too big to move by hand. But, if access is available, there are tree services that can safely and effectively move your tree for you. Companies like Washington-state-based Big Tree Supply specialize in supplying and moving big trees.

In other cases trees can be moved by hand using the right tools, enough people and doing it at the right time of year. In most cases the right time of year means moving a tree in winter, but late enough in the winter that the ground isn’t frozen. Deciduous trees are dormant this time of year. Evergreens are photosynthesizing, but their growth is significantly curtailed in winter. Yes, finding the balance between moving a plant while it is dormant but while the ground is not frozen can be tenuous. But it is possible. Too, it is possible to move trees after they break bud in spring, but it is harder on the plant.

If a tree is a late winter/early spring bloomer, finding the right time to transplant has another obstacle to overcome — flower buds. Flowering takes an enormous amount of energy from a plant. Too, it uses many of the same nutrients that the plant uses to maintain overall health and to establish new root growth. So, it may behoove you to move a late winter blooming tree, like a star magnolia, right after flowering but before the spring growth surge begins. If the tree is forming fruit, consider knocking them off to encourage the plant to focus its growth underground.

Now that you’ve read a variety of caveots around transplanting your tree, you must be anxious to actually find out how to make the move. Well, tune in soon for part two: Garden Coach on Moving a Dormant Stewartia Tree. I promise, it’s coming soon!

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Garden Coach on Northwest Flower and Garden Show

Tuesday, February 12th, 2008

For the past several years I have participated with the Northwest Flower and Garden Show as a volunteer, an attendee, and as an award-winning show garden designer. This year I’m looking forward to attending the show and volunteering once again.

The construction of the show begins at the Seattle Convention Center on Saturday, February 16th. By mid-day Tuesday, February 19th the show gardens will be completed and the judges will assess the results. On the evening of February 19th, the show floors open for the annual Arboretum Foundation fundraising gala event. This is a wonderful way to see the show gardens up close — with a glass of wine and fabulous catered meal in hand. Plus, it’s less crowded, fancier, and a great way to raise money for the Seattle Arboretum foundation. Yes, I’ll be there!

Bright and early on Wednesday the 20th I’ll be on the show floor “hosting” the WSNLA show garden for a few hours. Because I am a member of WSNLA, this is a garden that I try to help with each year.

Anyone who loves gardening or just loves looking at magnificent gardens will benefit from this show. Buy tickets early to save on entry costs.

And, if you’d like to learn more about the show, visit the show Flora blog where I’ve contributed some posts and have been interviewed by their regular writer for some of her other forthcoming articles.

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Garden Coach on Planting for Year-round color

Friday, February 1st, 2008

Regularly I contribute gardening articles for publication on WSNLA.org and KPLU.org websites. This month the topic is gardening for year-round color. Read more about adding year-round interest to your garden here. In this article I’ve shared everything from observing gardener behavior and those behavior’s garden results to how to add specific colors and fragrances to the garden. Enjoy!

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A Day of IPM

Wednesday, November 7th, 2007

Today I attended a great series of lectures at an annual IPM (Integrated Pest Management) seminar here in Seattle. Lecturers discussed green building initiatives and methods, growing healthier public spaces, plant response to climate change (rising temps and rising CO2 in the atmosphere), nursery container recycling programs (that go beyond just nursery container plastics), support hotlines for professional gardeners who need a little help now & again, bug gardens and conservation biology, and more. Whew! It was a lot of great information in a short amount of time.

It was thrilling to learn of all the methods my co-horts are employing to improve the environment. These messages helped balance out the fright that plant response to climate change invoked. Knowing that there are places working hard to recycle otherwise non-recyclable plastics, knowing that colleges are instituting programs to find new and better ways to plant and maintain gardens in which beneficials will outweigh damaging insects, learning that our city (and others too) are instituing programs so that new construction will no longer remove all green space in its path but instead is required to (and incentivized) to construct with replacement green spaces, roofs and walls — these things give me hope and inspiration and ways to help my clients even more.

When I got back to the office, I had a conference call set up. A client had taken my advice and ordered a soil pathology test from Ribeiro labs. Turns out he has Fusarium and Pythium — yuck! But, he’s actively seeking out ways to rebuild the soil without removing it all. He’s working with me and with Dr. Ribeiro to fight off these root rots via environmental controls first. Again, I’m inspired by my client. His interest in doing the right thing and his patience and willingness to put his back into the problem means I’m doing something right. I’m sending him down the right paths to find good solutions — for his garden and for the environment as a whole.

One thing I realize as I write this: I need to continue to seek out more information on integrated pest managment. I need to continue to learn about garden pests, pathogens, vectors, etc…When I think about the size of the insect kingdom, I realize I will never know all the possible pests. Likely, I will never meet a small fraction of them in my lifetime. Then, if I begin exploring the various fungi in the world, I know the same is true for those.

And, as I think about what I call a “pest” and what I call a “beneficial”, I find myself wondering if in a different place their roles would be reversed. For instance, aren’t most fungi a part of the natural decomposition cycle? And isn’t that critical to lifecycles? Another example is a hornet or a yellowjacket. I consider them both pests as well as beneficials — they can sting the heck out of me, but they can also pollinate and eat other pests like aphids. So is this all a toe-may-toe/toe-mah-toe discussion? I’m not sure, but I plan to keep exploring and asking the questions that lead me, well, probably to more questions than exact answers.

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Granite Stone Seats – A Team Effort

Monday, August 6th, 2007

Snowy winter before the granite We’ve done many different designs in our front garden. First we tore out tired old lawn & junipers. Then we busted out a useless, narrow concrete path & remade the aggregate chunks into a patio space. Quickly, we learned this “patio” was 1) not installed properly (by us) so it didn’t work out in the long run 2) this space has great “sunset” exposure in the summer 3) we wanted something stunning, functional with privacy from the street. Rocks dumped in yardI looked at several ideas to create a seating area to go with a patio in this space — we considered a COBB (straw bale) wall, a dry stack stone wall, wooden benches, steel walls with affixed  stone or wooden benches, and finally we settled on large granite boulders randomly set at seating height. This photo shows the a winter view of the area, area dug out and spaces defined before any stone was brought in. The bench gives a sense of scale. This Spring I selected several pieces of granite outcropping stone to fit the space. It was delivered and dumped into place by a rock setting truck. The plan was to have a rock setting crew come out and hand set the stone into its final position as the rock truck wasn’t able to do the full setting. Weeks, then months, passed by. A dusty, weed patch grew in, filling the space that is to become a patio, eventually.

Roped to pull What now? I finally pulled together the best crew I know — my husband and his buddies — to help me wrangle the stone into position. I helped a bit, but because of a groin injury, mostly I took photos and consulted.
They did an amazing job — talk about being up to the challenge! Three guys, not professional rock guys, worked about 3 hours each, each day (6 hours each, 3 guys, so 18 man hours) to tackle a huge task. Its so wonderful to see the project clicking along. There are a few corrections left to make on one stone & a last one to position after that, but I’m thrilled so far. HEAVE!The guys worked as a great team looking at the space, thinking about the stones, discussing angles, vectors and what “might happen, if we do such & such”. For the most part things just worked. I wonder how sore their arms and backs are today?! (Bob was planing trim for our hallway in his “off time”; Jason & David took a 30 mile bike ride on Sunday, after the rock chore. The guys love to be busy!)

Done for the dayAt the end of the second work day, we had three of five stones totally set. The fourth needs a little more attention. The fifth will be set once the others are completely done. The stubborn “fourth” rock is a challenge for all the guys. None of the guys want to be “beaten by a stupid rock”, so my guess is they’ll “get Egyptian” on it again in a couple of weeks. (Yes, the pyramid-building jokes were out in full force during this job!) After they were done for the day on Sunday, Bob enjoyed a snack out on one rock & did not want to be photographed!

Chaise Lounge!So, what happens next? Well, after the stubborn rock issue is finalized and the fifth rock is then positioned, we’ll re-establish our patio levels, order in crushed stone for our patio base & begin filling & tamping in that material. Depending on budget, we will order in flagstone and set that as well…or that might wait for next year after our bank has recovered. Staging in projects is something I’m constantly doing at home and for my clients. For now I’m thrilled to just be able to kick back on a beautiful stone, demonstrating how comfortable a rock can be when properly positioned in a garden. (It’ll be extra sweet when the rocks are pressure washed, a patio of some sort is in place, an I can wear something less grubby out there!)

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Form Follows Function – Landscape Design

Tuesday, July 31st, 2007

Today is a good day to remember the garden design lesson that form follows function.

This is very present to me today after visiting a client who brought me in to consult on a project after he’d hired someone to build rock walls, patios & do some tiling. And after he’d bought all the materials to do the job.

I went by today & a tall drystack retaining wall had been constructed. It was shimmed from the front, rocks were wobbling, there were many vertical seams, and it bowed in the middle. I recommended most of it be torn out & rebuilt correctly. That isn’t something anyone wants to hear!

As well, we got out some landscaping paint and began designating where the new patio would go. This client had already purchased a cut stone patio kit to install. My concern, which is his now too, is that the patio is going to be too small for the function it is going to be asked to perform. We’re working on options to expand the patio, but a couple of hindsight is 20/20 lessons can be something you learn from before you start your project:

  1. DIY techniques are great, but sometimes hiring a consultant before you start will save you loads of agony and money in the long run
  2. Before you buy, know what you’re building. Really know what you’re building. Paint out the area for patios or drag a hose around the perimeter or anything to define your spaces.  Be sure your furniture will work in the space. Be sure the shape is right for view, privacy.
  3. Be patient. If you’re building a garden space, it will take lots of time and money. So, you want to do it right the first time, even if that first effort seems like it takes a long time!
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