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ALD in the News
Lost your lawn yet? If you're not lawn-less by now, what are you waiting for? Join the folks who are saying no to unquenchably thirsty grass and yes to a beautiful, low-maintenance outdoor space. The shot above was taken just outside our offices and is just one example of how great a grass-free space can look.
Allen Land Design has recently brought sustainable landscaping to the Santa Rosa City Hall. Drought resistant plants and a new irrigation system will reduce water use significantly. The combined use of an organic compost tea and a sheet mulching system is in place to keep the plants and soil healthy and cut down on maintenance. But best of all, it looks fantastic, if we do say so ourselves!
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| HARVEST NOTES |
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Calling All Olive Growers!
This year our Olive Harvest Day is Saturday, Nov. 8. If you're growing your own organic olives you may choose to combine your harvest with ours for pressing. We'll weigh your crop, do the pressing for you and give you back your portion of the fresh olive oil.
Either host your own harvest party with friends and family and bring your olives to our office that day, or hire our crew to do the work for you!
Organic olives only, please. For questions or bookings please call 707.577.8066. |
| SLOW FOOD IS GOOD FOOD |
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Proponents of the Slow Food movement consider themselves rebels of a sort - those few brave souls (official membership is 85,000) who stand united, against the increasingly fast-paced world we live (and eat) in. Slow Food leaders have coined the phrase "eco-gastronomy" and they advocate a recognition of the strong connections between plate and planet.
Slow Food doesn't necessarily have to take hours to prepare, but it does have to be made from whole foods with no processed ingredients.
Want to experience Slow Food for yourself? Try this heirloom tomato tart or one of these recipes from The Pleasures of Slow Food by Corby Kummer.
Food that is produced and prepared following Slow Food principles should be good (tasting), clean (produced in a way that doesn't harm the environment) and fair (growers should receive fair compensation for their food).
For years we've been developing ideas that are in line with the Slow Food philosophy, from edible landscapes and wall or roof gardens. Now suddenly it seems like an awful lot of people are taking notice. The buzz is all about individuals and communities taking control of their own food production. "Victory gardens," "edible landscaping" and "food philanthropist" are just a few of the terms that are being overheard more and more in casual conversations around town and in the media.
For ideas on how to incorporate growing your own food into an attractive garden design, contact one of our helpful team members. You may be surprised by how little space you actually need to grow enough fresh produce to make a real difference to your family's health and the environment. And if you get to feel like a little bit of a rebel in the process, well, so much the better! |
FEATURED PLANT
Calamagrostis
Karl Foerster |
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Description: This grass has a wonderful upright growth habit, making it very useful to place behind perennials with spreading or rounded shapes. The feathery plumes emerge in early summer and ripen to handsome wheat colored seed heads by fall. The seed heads can be used as either fresh or dried accents to flower arrangements.
Bloom Color: Purple and yellow Bloom Time: Summer and fall
Foliage Color: Green
Height: 48-60"
Spread: 16-18"
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 Dear ,
"A year from now you may wish you had started today".
~ Karen Lamb
We have just had our first Honey Harvest here at Allen Land Design. That was quickly followed by the usual summer suspects -tomatoes, peppers, corn - and will soon be wrapped up with our annual Olive Harvest! It is great to be able to combine landscape design with farming.
And it is exciting to see that there are so many good ideas taking hold these days, from "victory gardens" at San Francisco City Hall, to edible front gardens in our neighborhoods. Almost everywhere we look it seems people are beginning to take the steps necessary to ensure the safety and security of their own food. If you feel you may have missed the boat this year, do not despair. We can start preparing your garden and property for your own little slice of paradise.
And speaking of paradise of a less edible, but equally beautiful sort...
I wander'd lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
~William Wordsworth
...spring flowering bulbs are headed this way. Use your imagination to see those colorful drifts of daffodils, plant them now and enjoy your own fluttering and dancing beauties next spring. Please give Allen Land Design a call to place an order. And while you're at it, don't forget garlic bulbs are planted in November - see above!
Sincerely,
Anne-Marie Allen and Jeff Allen
Allen Land Design
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IN THE FIELD
WITH SITE FOREMAN DAVID SAWYER |
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David Sawyer has been working as Job Site Foreman with Allen Land Design for almost three years. He explains more about what he does and why he enjoys it so much:
What are your favorite materials to work with?
I'd have to say that I enjoy working with wood the most. We made a big trellis recently and it came out really nice. It involved using timbers that were so big we needed a crane to hoist them up.
Is there room within the scope of your job for you to be creative?
Yes, and lots of it. Jeff kind of gives me a big picture of what he wants and then he lets me go. Actually, everybody I come in contact with helps me with creativity. For example, the guys who work with metal have ideas about what will work well and the guys that work on my crew bring ideas to the table, too. We listen to everybody and pick out the best ones. I think this style of working is unique, and we have a special team that way.
Is it difficult to handle design changes that come up in the middle of a job?
Things come up all the time and you just have to deal with issues as they arise and do the best you can so that the overall garden design works and has good flow. The important thing is that the end product has a good look and a good feeling.
How do the clients' ideas figure in what you do? Clients have an idea and we help them create what they're envisioning. Trust is a big factor, too - they hire us because they trust us to take their idea, bring it to the next level and create something beautiful and that's exactly what we do. |
| MEET THE TEAM |
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Heavy Machinery Operator
Benigno Merlin
Benigno has been working with Allen Land Design for the past eight years. He is an excellent tractor operator, a wonderful person and a truly great family man.
What is your favorite plant? Pittosporum.
What is your favorite food? Chinese.
What is your favorite sport? Soccer.
What's your ultimate pet? A Chihuahua. Where would you go on your dream vacation?
Someplace where I could have fun with my family in the sun - probably Cozumel, Mexico or Hawaii.
Tell us something interesting about yourself.
I like helping others and helping in the community.
What do you like about your job? Everything. |
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IN THE GARDEN
With Anne-Marie Allen |
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What defines a garden room?
Two of the most important elements to me are the experience of entering a room and the feeling of enclosure. You can have great garden features all over the place - espalier trees, beautiful pots, furniture - but unless there is a sense that you are now at a destination within, it is just one big garden.
 Where can one find inspiration for creating a unique garden room?
The inspiration can come from just about anywhere, and can start with just one object. A cozy lounge chair and small table can be transformed into an outdoor reading nook. One beautiful bench can be the base for a small meditation spot. At our home an extra mattress turned into our outdoor bedroom.
What are some factors to consider when deciding how to decorate your outdoor room?
Outdoor fabrics keep your original look fresh year after year. If you find great big colorful pillows that look great, but are not made with outdoor fabric, just know they will fade, fade, fade.
Waterproof? Don't let the off season or the random summer sprinkle rain on your parade. Make sure you have a big tarp tucked away that you can whip out and cover things with and ample storage space to store cushions, throw blankets, etc. in the winter.
Are there some pitfalls that people might make when designing their first garden room?
Don't forget that, just like rooms in the house, they get messy when used. Keep your room d�cor minimal so when it is not being used it is easy on the eye as it relates to the rest of your garden.
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