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ALD in the News
ALD Director of Design Sierra Hart was the speaker at the California Native Plant Society Lecture Series in May. She spoke on one of her many areas of expertise: sustainable design principles and practices.
Sierra is now a LEED accredited professional after passing her exam last November.
ALD was honored with the Award of Excellence for landscaping the Veterans Memorial Monument at Santa Rosa City Hall (photo above). |
| 8 TOP WATER SAVING TIPS |
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1. Check your irrigation system for overspray and adjust it accordingly.
2. Cover pools and spas when not in use.
3. Use drip irrigation or low volume ray heads and a timer.
4. Scrutinize your watering schedule. Plants and perennials need deep and frequent watering while multiple start times for turf can reduce run-off and waste.
5. Maintain healthy soil by adding compost and increase water retention by using an organic mulch.
6. Mow your lawn to 3" - the ideal height for grass, and take the time to aerate as this will also reduce run-off.
7. Consider losing your lawn and replacing it with drought-tolerant plants or an edible landscape.
8. Collect and use rain water and grey water in your garden.
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SMALL STEPS |
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Not ready to build your outdoor dream kitchen just yet? ALD has a few small steps you can take that will increase your outdoor living standards and still go easy on your bank account.
Laundry lines are all the rage, as they should be - energy efficient, simple and satisfying. However, in the past they were not so attractive. Now picture this - a nice circular gravel patio surrounded by evergreen plants with two flowering trees to hold your line. By day a functional room and at night an intimate garden for two.
Free range chicken eggs anyone?? Yes, you too can have fresh eggs! Give us a 12x12 spot on your property and we can build you a hassle free chicken coop. You tell us the style you are looking for - county cute to straight edge style, and whether it's meant to be a focal point or tucked away. We encourage the use of recycled materials and can incorporate many into your coop. We can even help you get the hens!
No time for yoga class? Too much going on inside to meditate? Let us help you create a solitary space just to sit. Scented vines, the sound of water trickling, dappled shade - we know just what you need.
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| FEATURED PLANT
Euphorbia |
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Description: This is a highly architectural plant with evergreen foliage topped by a huge dome of bright golden-green flowers, which last for months. It revels in well-drained conditions, and like many euphorbias enjoys hot dry positions. It looks most at home in the company of other plants that enjoy dry sun, such as rosemary, ballota, and purple sage - its natural companions in a wild Mediterranean habitat. The plant also teams well with daffodils. Alternatively plant in groups to add drama to rock and gravel gardens. The Royal Horticultural Society has given it its prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM).
Common Name: Spurge
Genus: Euphorbia
Species: characias
Cultivar: subsp. wulfenii 'Lambrook Gold'
Skill Level: beginner
Exposure: full sun
Hardiness: hardy
Soil type: acidic, chalky/alkaline, moist, well-drained/light
Height: 0.9m
Spread: 0.9m
Plant seeds: March to May
Divide plants: March to April | |
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Dear ,
We cannot do everything at once, but we can do something at once.
- Calvin Coolidge
As spring heats up into summer the phones are ringing and it seems the spending freeze that has all but stopped any home improvement is starting to melt!! For those of you not quite ready to jump into a full renovation or installation ALD has a few fun suggestions to get your feet wet!
No matter how brilliantly an idea is stated, we will not really be moved unless we have already half-thought of it ourselves.
- Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic's Notebook, 1960 In our past few newsletters we have encouraged a few cutting edge ideas just a head of the curve - you'll be surprised who has apparently taken our advice! Great Minds think alike...
Your own bee hive
ALD Summer 2007
Michelle Obama March 2009Lose your Lawn
ALD Fall 2007
Sunset Magazine April 2009
Organic Backyard Veggie garden
ALD Spring 2008 Oprah May 2009 You just may want to try one of our subtle suggestions this time around... chickens anyone?
When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.
- Benjamin Franklin
And finally don't let the water shortage curb your creativity - drought tolerant and water smart gardening combined with the ultra techno irrigation systems can be so satisfying. Take a peek at our website for some inspiration!
Sincerely,
Anne-Marie Allen and Jeff Allen
Allen Land Design
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IN THE DESIGN STUDIO
WITH DIRECTOR OF DESIGN SIERRA HART
REDUCING POTABLE WATER IN THE LANDSCAPE |
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As Northern California finds itself in the midst of yet another drought, reducing the amount of water we're using in our gardens is becoming less of a personal choice and more of a socially and environmentally responsible mandate that we must become part of.
Not only will you see personal benefits to taking steps to cut back on your water use, but you'll also be helping to steward this shared and precious resource, ensuring that our region will remain verdant and sustainable for future generations.
More immediately, by reducing your water consumption you'll be complying with any water restrictions and you'll also see a reduction in your water bill. You can also earn LEED points when you take steps to reduce water use. Undertake several energy and resource saving measures and your home or building can achieve LEED certification.
To address the issue of water overuse in your landscape, we recommend considering one or more of the following:
- Audit or adjust existing irrigation systems
- Reduce or replace turf areas
- Use plants that require low water
- Professional hydrozone design
- Water-efficient irrigation equipment for new and retrofit projects
- Organic sheet mulch systems for fertility and water retention
Water catchment is another area to address when evaluating your current and potential water efficiency. Cisterns to harvest rainwater can be above or below ground and often double as a decorative garden feature.
When designing your garden, use permeable surfaces, both as attractive features and as a way to slow and sink water for later use by deep-rooted plants, to reduce run-off to over-burdened storm drain systems and to filter potentially polluted water.
Finally, implement a system to recycle your gray water for use in the garden. Legislation is currently being worked on that will make it easier and simpler for homeowners to collect and re-use their grey water, so in the very near future "throwing away the bath water" could become a completely archaic expression. |
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IN THE GARDEN With Anne-Marie Allen |
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Are you a Fruglaista?
Do you consider yourself a Frugalista?
Yes, I certainly do. A Frugalista is defined as "a person who lives a frugal lifestyle but stays fashionable and healthy''. I have always liked the thrill of uncovering a good find and have scouted my fair share of garage sales and flea markets, hosted a handful of clothes swaps and now am learning that not only is it trendy but environmentally friendly.
Have you seen the Frugalista movement growing recently?
In the garden it has really taken off, as people are choosing to grow their own food. Some examples are gourmet salad greens, heirloom tomatoes, Italian basil and some of the more delicate melons that are so pricey in the market. A packet of seeds goes a long way to eating healthy and saving money
What can people do in their gardens that are both frugal and life-enhancing?
Chose a sunny spot (preferably lawn) and turn it into a cut flower garden. Some flowers that are easy to grow with a long season are Peruvian lilies, Dahlias - and to take you all the way through fall - Zinnias It is so refreshing to have fresh cut flowers around the house and growing your own can be very rewarding.
What should people be on the lookout for that would work well in the garden?
I tend to be drawn to rusty pieces of metal that I can grow things up. I once used the inside grate of an old wood stove to hold plants in containers. We just built our greenhouse from 90% recycled material starting with two large 7'x7' single paned windows our friends had remodeled out of their home. Your really have to let your imagination get the better of you in this case, but as you can see from the above picture, the results are well worth it.
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