During the last 30 years, both large and medium-sized Brazilian cities have undergone significant transformations, breaking with the standards of form and usage that prevailed in the twentieth century. Studies conducted in 70 municipalities from all regions of the country show that during this period, there was a proliferation of subdivisions and gated communities, while the appropriation of public space also increased. Since 2006, the Landscaping Lab (Lab QUAPÁ) of the School of Architecture and Urbanism at the University of São Paulo (FAU-USP) has conducted national surveys to analyze how urban open spaces develop, proposing practical guidelines to municipalities on how to improve their use. “One of our findings is that populations in different cities end up occupying these spaces in different ways, from political and religious purposes to leisure and physical activities,” says Eugênio Fernandes Queiroga, a professor at FAU-USP and coordinator of a research project on the subject.
The research works with a concept of open space that includes not only areas of environmental conservation but also terrain without buildings such as certain backyard spaces, airport runways, water and sewage treatment plants, and streets and avenues. According to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), in the 1970s, the Brazilian urban population surpassed the rural population, with 56% of the inhabitants living in cities. At that time, Queiroga explains, the highest-quality open spaces were found mainly in elite neighborhoods, such as Casa Forte, in Recife, Graça, in Salvador, and Jardim América, in São Paulo. Road systems were designed exclusively for the circulation of automotive vehicles, with no provisions for pedestrians and bicycles. “In the 21st century, there is a search for a more equitable distribution of public open spaces around the country,” the researcher summarizes, noting that some guidelines developed by the project regarding the use of open spaces were incorporated into São Paulo’s master plan in 2014.
Queiroga notes that in contrast to the previous era, today, open spaces are beginning to spread to other parts of the cities. Some characteristics are common to almost every municipality analyzed, regardless of size, and are found in all the capital cities. One of these is that the streets function as the principal elements of the urban open space system in the public sphere, except for in Florianópolis and Rio, where ample green areas exist. Along with private open spaces, streets constitute the majority of the unobstructed spaces in cities. “Although still a minority feature of the urban landscape, we have seen a proliferation of other categories of public open spaces across various parts of cities, which see common and shared use by the entire population, such as parks, squares, gardens, promenades, and margins,” the researcher observes.
According to Queiroga, although verticalization is a growing part of the urban landscape, with the construction of buildings over four stories becoming increasingly frequent, municipalities are still mainly horizontal. Buildings with up to three floors prevail in the studied regions. “Unlike one would imagine, in São Paulo, for example, fewer than 15% of city blocks are predominantly made up of buildings with more than four floors,” he says.
Afforestation within cities does not generally exceed 10% of the empty space within city blocks, and large expanses of vegetative cover are common only in parks, squares, vacant lots, and environmental preservation areas. “Some exceptions can be found in elite neighborhoods that have wider sidewalks and, therefore, extended space for tree planting, such as the Jardim districts in São Paulo, the Jardim Oceânico district in Rio de Janeiro, and the Jurerê district in Florianópolis,” he points out. On the other hand, in peripheral districts occupied mainly by the low-income population, the open spaces tend to be limited to streets, small park squares, and soccer fields.
Another common trend identified by the project involves the increase in the number of subdivisions (division of property into lots intended for construction), gated communities and condominiums, which meet the demands of the middle- and upper-income strata of the population. “However, this dynamic does not necessarily mean that people have stopped frequenting public spaces. In contrast, we found that it was accompanied by a greater appropriation of these spaces, for example, as occurred after June 2013, when political demonstrations took place in the streets and squares of cities of all sizes,” Queiroga adds. In this respect, the study detected the creation of new spaces intended for public meetings and socializing, in addition to conventional areas such as city squares and parks.
In São Paulo, for example, Municipal Law No. 16,833 from February of this year transformed the elevated João Goulart avenue, the Minhocão, into a municipal park, increasing the already existing restriction on auto traffic and expanding the hours dedicated to recreational use. Prior to this, in June 2016, the city of São Paulo had created the Open Streets program, based on Federal Law No. 2,587, which was enacted in January 2012 with the objective of promoting the sustainable development of the city and ensuring equity in the use of public space. Through this program, streets and avenues, such as Avenida Paulista, began to prohibit motorized traffic on some Sundays and holidays, a practice that is now in effect weekly, encouraging pedestrian traffic, physical activities, and leisure. “Viaducts or avenues that are turned into parks without losing their initial role, intended for the circulation of vehicles, exhibit levels of multifunctionality that were not foreseen in their initial design,” notes Queiroga.
Silvio Soares MacedoThese examples are repeated in other locales, says Eneida Maria Souza Mendonça, a professor in the Department of Architecture and Urbanism at the Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES). Since 2012, the city of Vitória, for example, has restricted car access to only one side of an important avenue along Camburi beach, with the objective of stimulating sports and leisure pursuits. In Rio de Janeiro, squares, promenades, wide avenues, and especially viaducts, which offer protection against the sun, have also been used as locations for fairs, events, and classes, explains Vera Tangari, a professor in the Department of Architecture Projects at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). The researcher notes that in Rio, the peripheral and hillside districts, where the low-income population is concentrated, have grown more than the central districts. However, this growth has not been accompanied by the creation of new open spaces.
In Florianópolis, beaches also perform an important role as open spaces geared towards leisure, says Alina Gonçalves Santiago, a professor in the postgraduate program in architecture and urbanism at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC). According to her, open areas such as squares and parks do not constitute even 1% of the total municipality. “And the city government justifies the low investments in such spaces because of the existence of beaches, which can fulfill the function of providing leisure spaces to the population,” she says. Despite this, Florianópolis, which is the capital of Santa Catarina State, has an extensive area of environmental preservation, up to approximately 50% of its land. Much of it, however, is disconnected from the urban grid and does not have infrastructure that can provide access, such as streets for automobiles, parking lots, or hiking trails.
The century of parks
Although the nineteenth century in Europe may be known as a period when urban parks were proliferating, in Brazil, the development of these areas did not gain momentum until the second half of the twentieth century. Queiroga points to the creation of parks as another recent trend in the country and adds that this dynamic arises from the Federal Constitution of 1988, with its provisions regarding the creation of environmental conservation spaces within Brazilian cities. He observes that Goiânia is the capital that dedicated the most areas for parks in that century. “The abundance of parks occurred mainly in the state capitals, which then spread this culture of urban planning and landscaping to smaller cities,” he observes, noting that the study identified the existence of parks even in small municipalities such as Engenheiro Coelho, in the metropolitan region of Campinas, São Paulo State, which has approximately 20,000 inhabitants.
In Queiroga’s estimation, the creation of urban green areas generates, among other consequences, an appreciation for the idea of environmental conservation in society. However, for conservation to take place effectively, it is essential for green spaces to have infrastructure that facilitates access. “It is no use creating green areas and leaving them inaccessible, as is the case with the largest municipal park in São Paulo, Anhanguera Park, which has nine million square meters, but with a visiting area that is less than one-third the size of Ibirapuera Park. No one can experience it like that,” he says.
Silvio Soares MacedoThe creation of public gardens has different motivations according to the city. Thus, municipalities such as Curitiba (Paraná), Manaus (Amazonas), Rio Branco (Acre), and Sorocaba (São Paulo) developed their parks to avoid flooding and clean up streams, explains Queiroga, while in Campo Grande (Mato Grosso do Sul) and Maringá (Paraná), these elements are the result of urban planning measures, which have set aside open spaces in anticipation of future endeavors. Maringá, for example, has had its open spaces planned since its foundation in 1947, when it determined that the sidewalks would be three to five meters wide, and it reserved areas for afforestation, in addition to parks established as a conservation strategy for groundwater springs. Queiroga recalls that the Forest Code, updated by Federal Law No. 12.727 in 2012, stipulates that 30-meter margins should be left along the edges of rivers less than 10 meters wide. “The planning of Maringá goes beyond this and designates a reserve of 60 meters, which, over the years, allows for the construction of linear parks along the sides of its rivers,” the researcher observes, indicating Campo Grande as another city that planned its open spaces well. Since the 1960s, in addition to the areas reserved for the creation of parks, the municipality has also designed extensive avenues, with median strips up to 20 meters wide, which, over time, made possible the construction of bicycle paths and pedestrian-only areas.
As a counterpoint, Queiroga observes that these two cities are a far cry from the situation in Brasília. In the federal capital, he notes, only the district included in the pilot plan was well planned. In the satellite city of Águas Claras, for example, most of the production of new urban spaces involved the construction of buildings with more than 20 stories, which offer internal recreation areas and narrow sidewalks inadequate for pedestrian circulation. Along the same lines, Belo Horizonte also has its planned open spaces mainly in its downtown area, notes Staël de Alvarenga Pereira Costa, a professor at the School of Architecture of the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). “However, in peripheral districts, the only unobstructed areas are the streets and soccer fields.”
Silvio Soares Macedo of FAU-USP, the investigator responsible for coordinating the research project until 2016, says that to map out the open spaces, the team used satellite images available on the internet, which were incorporated into a geo-referencing system. It was the responsibility of the project team—which in São Paulo alone comprised approximately 25 people, including professors, undergraduates, and graduate students—to identify the characteristics of each block in every city that was analyzed, including their levels of afforestation and the presence of buildings, gardens, or broad sidewalks.
With the cartography ready, the FAU lab organized more than 40 workshops at partner universities, as well as with managers of municipal governments. As part of the activities, flyovers were performed in the regions studied to allow a closer analysis of the zones initially mapped by satellite. Coordination with city governments involved four cities in the state of São Paulo: Santos, São José dos Campos, Sorocaba, and São Paulo. “In these meetings, we showed the administrators responsible for urban development how they can use the data collected by the project to improve the open space systems in their cities, by developing master plans and using municipal legislation to regulate the operations of the principal agents of transformation in their regions,” Queiroga says.
The proliferation of gated communities was accompanied by increased occupation of public space
One of the major accomplishments resulting from the meetings with municipal governments came to fruition in 2014, with the inclusion of concepts related to open-space systems into the master plan of São Paulo, ideas that go beyond simply creating green areas. “For example, we were able to stipulate that the São Paulo plan, a basic instrument of urban development policy, would determine the creation of spaces for public enjoyment on private properties. Today, real estate developers are required to reserve part of their projects for public use, creating, for example, pedestrian walkways and rest areas within the development projects they have undertaken,” he reports. This type of measure, explains Queiroga, takes into consideration increasing population densities, allowing new developments to accommodate growing pedestrian traffic in urban areas.
Off the charts
Macapá cannot easily be accessed by land, only by means of a few airlines or ferries, which is why the city has experienced the transformations identified in other regions of the country to a far lesser degree. Founded in the eighteenth century using a master plan drawn up in the colonial period, the capital of Amapá is considered a strategic site due to its location at the entrance of the Amazon River, offering inland waterway connections to Belém and Manaus and access to the Atlantic Ocean. Pedro Mergulhão, a professor of architecture and urbanism at the Federal University of Amapá (UNIFAP), states that the city’s master plans were designed in harmony with the original, maintaining the width standards of the streets and blocks perpendicular to the Amazon River.
Macapá (Amapá State) has extensive open spaces, encouraging the future creation of parks and recreation areas
“Thus, part of the urban landscape from the colonial period has been preserved, including the squares and riverbanks that allow open access by the populace, unlike Belém, in Pará, which is built right up to the river’s edge,” he explains. As in most of the state, and unlike in other capitals, Macapá still has extensive unoccupied areas, which encourages the planning of open spaces capable of ensuring a better quality of life for its inhabitants.
Macedo, who began researching the subject in the mid-1990s, explains that until then, urban development projects tended to value the creation of green areas. However, he argues that thinking about urban development from the standpoint of open spaces makes more sense because these spaces are responsible for structuring the quality of life within cities, determining the availability of natural light and air circulation. When analyzing cities from the standpoint of developing open spaces, Vera Tangari notes that the studies conducted by Lab QUAPÁ helped to create a Brazilian school of urban morphology. “Before, this field of study was interpreted through historical analyses of architecture, using the development of European cities as a parameter,” she says. In her view, analyses based on the evolution of open spaces provide a better understanding of the configuration of Brazilian cities, closer to Latin American municipalities. Based on these findings, the project’s researchers intend to create a Latin American observatory of the urban landscape.
Published in September 2018
Systems of open space in the constitution of the contemporary urban form in Brazil: Production and appropriation—QUAPA-SEL II (2012–2018) (nº 11/51260-7); Grant Mechanism Thematic Project; Principal Investigator Eugênio Fernandes Queiroga (USP); Investment R$585,123.33.


Living Waterways Finalist for QORF Award
Water by Design’s (WbD) flagship program the Living Waterways Framework has been nominated as a finalist in the Queensland Outdoor Recreation Federation (QORF) awards in the Government Achievement Award Category.
WbD has developed the Living Waterways scorecard to benchmark and incentivise stormwater management systems that provide multiple benefits - not just stormwater conveyance.
This is a major shift in paradigm, where community benefit and environment and cultural considerations are included in stormwater management planning. The framework has been developed to assist practitioners and local governments to design athletically pleasing recreational spaces which encourage connection with water.
The Living Waterways scorecard was developed in close consultation with local governments, developers and consultants who all wanted more out of their investment into stormwater management systems.
The scorecard places a strong focus on stormwater management solutions that provide social benefits including:
- walkways alongside creeks, ponds
- spaces for quiet contemplation
- places for the community to meet and strengthen social ties
- connection of the local community to the natural environment
- educational signage and artwork
- sustainable water reuse, e.g. tank water for community gardens
- aesthetic environments that are safe and welcoming
- resilient landscapes that provide a range of habitats for local flora and fauna
The Living Waterways scorecard is already catalysing the implementation of these multi-benefit projects across Queensland and New South Wales. The QORF Awards are presented on the 27th of October 2017. We wish the Water by Design team good luck!


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HOUSE ON A RIDGE | 2020
The proposal for this house was envisaged as a reaction to the surrounding landscape and the sloping topography of the site.
The intervention seeks to minimize any impact onto the environment through a geometric translation built onto existing remains. Through the building's form and materiality, the house allows one to experience the topography on which it resides by replicating movement down towards the ridge. This is perceived as soon as one enters the house through its topmost entrance and proceeds to walk down towards the open space at the bottom.
© 3DM Architecture
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PhD defense by Anne Corlin
The PhD studies public urban places on edge between deprived housing neighbourhoods and the surrounding city in Denmark. It investigates how different actors, their behaviour, their perceptions or their configuration influence a place, and how design can be integrated into the social sustainable development of public urban places.
The research studies pivotal design parameters that affect a public urban place, and how design can empower the involvement of citizens and thus, how design can support social sustainable development of public urban places.
13.00 Welcome, Eva Brandt
13.10 Anne Corlin presents her PhD thesis
13.40 Examination, Professor, Ramia Mazé, Aalto University, Finland
14.30 Examination, Associate Professor, Søren Bolvig Poulsen, Aalborg University
15.00 Examination Associate Professor, Anne Louise Bang, Design School Kolding
15.30 Possible questions from the audience
16.00 The end


Having a beautiful backyard doesn't have to be complicated. With a little creativity, you can create a stunning outdoor space. One way to spruce up your backyard is to install a beautiful Luxury Pool Liner with matching accessories. Pool Liners come in a variety of colors, patterns, textures, and some with special effects. You can find a variety of choices at Loop-Loc that fits your style. Once you've installed your Luxury Pool Liner, you can add matching accessories from Loop-Loc’s other division, Backyard Accents.
Choosing LOOP-LOC Luxury Pool Liners
Your backyard is a reflection of your personal taste and style. So why not choose a Luxurious Pool Liner that will make a statement? Loop-Loc’s Luxury Pool Liners are made from the highest quality materials. We offer a wide range of options and a more extensive line than other leading manufacturers. Plus, they're durable and easy to maintain. This can also transform an older pool into an updated, luxurious swimming oasis.
Complete the Pool Area with Adding Backyard Accessories
More people opt for a staycation as time at home has skyrocketed in recent years. The easiest way to transform your backyard into a five-star resort is with unique decorations and the right accents. When it comes to accessories, Loop-Loc’s Backyard Accents has you covered.
Loop-Loc offers stunning designs that match our beautiful Luxury Pool Liners to give your backyard an ultimate resort feel. Add a few matching pillow covers, plush towels, or designer pool float covers for exquisite outdoor lounging.
Beautifying with final touches
From stylish outdoor furniture to adding outdoor rugs, patio umbrellas, and poolside chaise lounges; These are all great ways to enhance a touch of style to your backyard. And don’t forget about those finishing touches like lighting and landscaping. By carefully selecting the right design, you can create a backyard that is both beautiful and functional. Accessorizing is crucial for turning your backyard into a spot you'll never want to leave. Visit our website: www.BackyardAccents.com for more information and to choose from a variety of luxury accessories to make your pool area and backyard unforgettable.


Drip irrigation is sometimes called trickle irrigation and involves dripping water onto the soil at very low rates (2-20 litres/hour) from a system of small diameter plastic pipes fitted with outlets called emitters or drippers. Water is applied close to plants so that only part of the soil in which the roots grow is wetted, unlike surface and sprinkler irrigation, which involves wetting the whole soil profile. With drip irrigation water, applications are more frequent (usually every 1-3 days) than with other methods and this provides a very favorable high moisture level in the soil in which plants can flourish.
It is best suited to areas where water quality is marginal, land is steeply sloping or undulating and of poor quality, where water or labour are expensive, or where high value crops require frequent water applications.
The suitability of the various irrigation methods, i.e. surface, sprinkler or drip irrigation, depends mainly on the following factors:
– Natural conditions
– type of crop
– type of technology
– previous experience with irrigation
– required labour inputs
– costs and benefits.
How does drip irrigation work?
Water and nutrients are delivered across the field in pipes called ‘dripperlines’ featuring smaller units known as ‘drippers’. Each dripper emits drops containing water and fertilizers, resulting in the uniform application of water and nutrients direct to each plant’s root zone, across an entire field.
For busy gardeners, the main benefit of using a drip irrigation system is the savings of both time and effort. Drip irrigation systems eliminate the need to drag around hoses and sprinklers. You place your soaker hoses once, and leave them be. For drip irrigation systems that use a timer, gardeners need only spend a few seconds to turn the system on; the timer automatically turns it off.
The two main types of drip irrigation are:
- Surface drip irrigation – The water is delivered to the surface of the soil directly above the root system of the plants. This particular type of drip irrigation is mainly used on high-value crops.
- Subsurface drip irrigation – The water is applied directly to the root system. This type is used particularly in growing row crops
Drip irrigation is most suitable for row crops (vegetables, soft fruit), tree and vine crops where one or more emitters can be provided for each plant. Generally only high value crops are considered because of the high capital costs of installing a drip system.
Drip irrigation is adaptable to any farm-able slope. Normally the crop would be planted along contour lines and the water supply pipes (laterals) would be laid along the contour also. This is done to minimize changes in emitter discharge as a result of land elevation changes.
Drip irrigation is suitable for most soils. On clay soils water must be applied slowly to avoid surface water ponding and runoff. On sandy soils higher emitter discharge rates will be needed to ensure adequate lateral wetting of the soil.
Suitable irrigation water
One of the main problems with drip irrigation is blockage of the emitters. All emitters have very small waterways ranging from 0.2-2.0 mm in diameter and these can become blocked if the water is not clean. Thus it is essential for irrigation water to be free of sediments. If this is not so then filtration of the irrigation water will be needed.
Blockage may also occur if the water contains algae, fertilizer deposits and dissolved chemicals which precipitate such as calcium and iron. Filtration may remove some of the materials but the problem may be complex to solve and requires an experienced engineer or consultation with the equipment dealer.
Drip irrigation is particularly suitable for water of poor quality (saline water). Dripping water to individual plants also means that the method can be very efficient in water use. For this reason it is most suitable when water is scarce.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Drip Irrigation
Advantages of Drip Irrigation:
- Maximum use of available water.
2. No water being available to weeds.
3. Maximum crop yield.
4. High efficiency in the use of fertilizers.
5. Less weed growth and restricts population of potential hosts.
6. Low labour and relatively low operation cost.
7. No soil erosion.
8. Improved infiltration in soil of low intake.
9. Ready adjustment to sophisticated automatic control.
10. No runoff of fertilizers into ground water.
11. Less evaporation losses of water as compared to surface irrigation.
12. Improves seed germination.
13. Decreased to tillage operations
Disadvantages of Drip Irrigation
- Initial cost is high.
- May cause clogging if water is not filtered correctly.
- Problems in moisture distribution.
- Salinity problem.


VanEtten is working with a company that is building a 300 car parking garage for the college. We were contracted to provide paving services for the project. The project consisted of milling a college road, repaving the road and associated out door parking ares. In addition, we converted a tennis court into a temporary parking area.
How do you convert tennis courts into a temporary parking lot?
Take an Acrylic Resurfacer made for especially for tennis courts, add sand, water and mix well and apply two coats. Converting back to a tennis court is simply matter of repcoating the surface.
Milling SUNY Orange Roadway
Due to the existing asphalt condition the top layer was removed. This created a surface that was flat with groves and a good surface for the application of a new layer of asphalt.


Tree Survival in Unsettled Weather
In wet and windy weather, your first priority should be trees planted in the last three years. These newly planted trees often have roots that have not developed fully. As a result, they are not yet anchored firmly into the ground and are particularly at risk from extreme weather conditions such as high wind and heavy rainfall.
Spotting a tree with wind stress
The signs of wind stress vary according to tree species and age, but some common signs in young trees are:
Spotting signs of damage to a tree from waterlogged soils
It can be difficult to judge a tree’s reaction to waterlogged soils, since trees in general are slow to show symptoms. Symptoms of water stress can include:
Top 10 tips for caring for young trees in unsettled weather:
1. Since the weather is unpredictable, regularly check your trees to ensure that damage has not occurred due to extreme conditions and take appropriate action.
2. After stormy weather, check for abrasion on the bark caused by rubbing against the stake or loose ties. Replace the stake or re-tie the ties to prevent further abrasion.
3. If a stake has been snapped by the tree moving in windy weather, replace it and re-tie.
4. To prevent newly planted trees from being rocked backwards and forwards and becoming loose, stake them firmly back in place if necessary. Re-stabilise wind blasted small stock that is not staked by treading the soil around it.
5. On windy sites, two or three stakes can be inserted opposite each other, or equally spaced around the tree outside the root ball, and secured to the trunk by long ties or a timber crossbar and tie.
6. If windy conditions have caused the tree to lean to one side or to become top heavy, reset or shorten the stake and replace the tie at the top of the stake to ensure the stem stands upright.
7. If your trees survive wind damage or waterlogging, remove any dead or damaged limbs once the bark has dried out.
8. Ensure that the tree guard has not filled with water, by raising its base above the soil level. Also check that it is not so tight to the tree that water cannot escape.
9. Mulching can reduce compaction and soil erosion that can often follow heavy rain.
10. If the tree has died due to waterlogging, replace with an appropriate species that tolerates wet soils, for


It's such a great time of the year. Cooler weather. Beautiful color. And don't forget all the outdoor fun!
With fall, however, come all those leaves.
Living in the mountains we are very, very familiar with leaves. Dogwood leaves, oak leaves, maple leaves, ash leaves, birch leaves, redbud leaves...well you get the idea!
One thing we like to do is be sure and enjoy our leaves and appreciate the nature that they are!
After the fun what do you do with those leaves? We're sharing some of our great green ideas of what you can do with your leaves this Fall!
Mow 'em! If you don't have a ton of leaves, you can actually leave them in place in your lawn and mow over them. These mulched leaves create wonderful organic matter and nutrients that can be tremendous fertilizer for your lawn.
Got a vegetable garden? Use leaves to create a wonderful insulated cover and weed barrier in your vegetable and flower garden, whether they are whole leaves or chopped.
Compost! Add your unwanted leaves to your compost pile. Leaves, along with grass clippings, vegetable waste and more, over time, creates a wonderful nutrient rich compost that you can later add to your vegetable or flower garden, and even lawn, to feed your plants and help them grow organically.
Get crafty! Over the years we've created some wonderful, beautiful crafts from leaves, and the dried weeds and flowers we find in the fields and woods. We made this front door wreath from old grape vines we found, along with some dried hydrangeas and sedum, reused raffia and topped it off with a nice fall ribbon.
Have fun! And we'll leave you with one of our favorite photos from our back deck last fall....a beautiful view of the fall mountains of North Georgia in the fall.


On small patches of urban land, no larger than a tennis court, and dotted around the country, tiny roots are digging into the soil, fighting for space and battling to grow.
Planted by an army of little fingers in corners of school playgrounds, and by community volunteers in parks and on spare ground, as nature takes its course where once was just a patch of grass, a row of garages or unused car park will eventually sprout ‘wee forests’, lush with oak, birch, hazel and larch, carpeted by shrubs, bordered by hedges and home to wildlife.
Over the past few months, a remarkable urban nature project has seen more than two dozen ‘wee forests’ planted at carefully selected spots in cities and towns around the country, each packed with an incredible 600 ‘baby’ trees and shrubs in an area of less than 200 sq metres.
Barely in the ground, already the tiny forests are giving back, providing natural havens for new communities of bugs, butterflies, moths and birds, frogs and rodents.
It’s estimated that within three years, each new woodland will attract up to 500 different animal and plant species, while also benefiting the environment by capturing carbon and helping reduce the risk of flooding.
At the same time, the ‘pint sized’ forests will provide natural retreats for the community around it, outdoor classrooms for school children – in one case, help train teachers of the future in how to lead lessons in the outdoors – while also feeding into a global ‘citizen science’ project looking at the benefits of small, urban woodlands.
The project, led by NatureScotland and supported by Earthwatch Europe and £500,000 of Scottish Government funding, has seen more than 16,000 native trees planted since the start of the year, bringing the notion of rewilding – often thought of as being large scale, long term ventures in sprawling Highland estate – to the heart of towns and cities.
Two sit just off Govan Road in Glasgow, in Vicarfield Street and in Orkney Road, overshadowed by towering tenements and planted on land which was once just grass. Another is quickly sprouting on what was a grassy mound in Shawhill Park near Pollokshields, one of five small forests planted by children from Southside primary schools.
While in Aberdeen, a corner of a playing field at Woodside Park was dug, the soil enriched, and pupils and staff from Woodside School along with volunteers set about planting an array of native species: alder, cherry, Scots pine, crab apple, holly, juniper, elder, willow, oak, rowan, and hazel trees, along with dog roses, broom, gorse, blaeberry, heather, hawthorn, and blackthorn all packed onto a tiny patch of land.
In all, 27 new urban ‘mini forests’ are taking root from Dundee, where two sit in housing schemes close to GP surgeries and will provide shade and respite for staff and perhaps even space for outdoor consultations, to Kilmarnock, where a wee forest established near Dean Castle Country Park shares the area with a newly planted orchard.
In all, more than 50 schools, 1,000 volunteers spanning ten local authority areas have been involved, with enthusiastic groups of ‘treekeepers’ established to help nurture nature until the forests are fully established.
The forests will also become a focal point for citizen science projects involving schoolchildren and volunteers, which will record growth, environment impact, carbon capture and biodiversity.
Scotland’s Wee Forests are now part of the global family of Miyawaki Forests, including more than 100 ‘Tiny Forests’ in England, planted according to a method devised by Akira Miyawaki, a Japanese botanist who found packing native trees nto a small area sparked competition for nutrients and light, encouraging fast growth and more carbon capture.
“I think of these Wee Forests as a supercharged green intervention in the city,” says Kevin Frediani, Curator Dundee University Botanic Garden, who has been involved in establishing the two Wee Forests in the city.
“The city is very hard and brutalist. We have ended up with fragmented habitats and although we have corridors of street trees, there is very little in between.
“These can go in the corner of a park or playground, and can be used as an adjunct to a hospital as a place for respite or wellbeing. At universities, they are the perfect place to go between lectures.”
Growing a forest may seem like a long wait, but, he adds: “They grow quicker than you think.
“Within three years you can walk into a Wee Forest and people outside won’t see you. Next year, our Wee Forests will be over waist height and start to become a community rather than individual trees.”
At Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, the Wee Forest planted earlier this year by school children, students and academics will help train the next generation of teachers in outdoor learning.
In a few months’ time it will feature a shelter, where student teachers can take part in lectures aimed at equipping them with the skills to lead children in nature-based lessons.
While it is already being used by local primary classes as an outdoor learning space.
Patrick Boxall, Lecturer in Initial Teacher Education at QMUniversity, said although just a few months old, the horseshoe-shaped Wee Forest is already well established.
“Some of our trees have doubled in size since they were planted in February,” he says.
“We are seeing frogs and rodents, we have evidence of sparrowhawks hunting – we have found the kills – and there are lots of bugs.
“Right now it looks like a garden with a lot of wee trees growing in it. In two or three years it will look like an overgrown thicket.
“Then nature will do its work and the variety of trees will push through.”
Ivan Clark of NatureScot, which has coordinated the Wee Forest project, says the Wee Forest have multiple roles.
“Their main purpose is a way to teach people, particularly young people, about how urban trees can help tackle some of the effects of climate change like extreme rainfall events, heatwaves and how native trees can help local biodiversity as well.
“It’s also about getting young people involved in monitoring the trees as part of a ‘citizen science’ project over the next ten years.
“The Wee Forests are not big, but are in small areas in urban locations that are not well used, near a school so the children can take part in a range of activities.
“They can put paving stones down and look underneath and count the number of creepy crawlies, enter what they find into the database using their mobile phones.
“They also measure the trees and make calculations, such as how much carbon the trees will capture and how well the soil is.
“Normally it would be just boring grass or lawn.”


Bad Lippspringe is always praised for its floral attractions and when the town entered in the Federal competition, "Our Town is blooming" for the first time, it was awarded the gold medal. The jury was truly impressed by the great variety of events and the innovative and impressive activities around the pedestrian precinct and parks. Following this great success, the town organises most colourful events for its residents and visitors. Enjoy the array of flowers throughout the town and in the Spa parks. The 'Kaiser-Karls-Park' with its splendid flower arrangements and illuminated fountains has been designed with particular care and attention to detail. Every August the park is the venue for its traditional park illuminations.
The Bad Lippspringe Spa Forest extends across an area of 200 hectares from the exit of the Kaiser Karl’s Park. 25 kilometres of flat-country rambling routes and many benches make it an ideal place for recuperation. The Mersmann Ponds, the Chapel of Peace and the Fisher Hut (Fischerhütte) restaurant are popular venues for a well-deserved rest on route.
The Armenius Park to the east of the town was designed in the English style; it delights with its expanse, its ancient trees and generous Greens, where walkers are welcome to step onto the grass and enjoy the spacious ambience. An artificially created ‘meadow of mist’ forms part of the ‘Communication Park’ project designed to experience the subject of health at first hand.
Once a year, over the Whit weekend, the Armenius Park hosts the popular Park Festival. The ‘Prince’s Palace’, an historic manor house at the edge of the park was built as the ‘new Spa House’ in 1854 / 1855. From here, visitors can meander into the neighbouring Jordan Park, where the characteristics of a natural forest site have been retained; one of its added features is an outdoor water-play park, which is hugely popular with the children, especially during the summer months.


Cumbersome yard waste becomes beneficial compost at Green Soils Management’s facility in East Dundee, IL. Our superior process ensure the highest quality compost available.
Our strict receiving guidelines and superior manufacturing process and the ability to blend onsite with materials mined by our aggregate division makes us virtually incomparable in product availability and cost.
Green Soils Management’s blended compost products are extremely popular and used in many of Chicagoland’s top golf courses and by landscaping companies of all sizes. Our compost products are used for a variety of turf management applications as well as a number of planting applications. A couple of our most recent and most notable jobs have been providing these compost blends to Chicago’s Millennium Park, Chicago Botanic Gardens, and Lisle’s Morton Arboretum.
Choose from a wide selection of specialty blends for your next landscaping project. Compost is sold by the yard, and is available for pick up or delivery.
We produce and sell a wide variety of bulk compost sales, and top soil blends, and custom mixes. These include:
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Tuesday, April 22, 2014
NORTHAMPTON — A landscape architecture firm leading the first redesign of Pulaski Park since 1976 will lay out its preliminary vision for the park and solicit ideas from the public at the first of three forums starting this week.
Officials from Stephen Stimson Associates, of Cambridge, will kick off the Thursday workshop by going over the existing conditions at the park and how it’s currently used, followed by an overview of the plans it drew up five years ago as part of a design competition sponsored by the city. Pulaski Park is located between the Academy of Music and Memorial Hall downtown.
“We’re interested in getting new ideas and information from residents,” city engineer James Laurila said. “We’re really encouraging people to come to this critical meeting so we can incorporate their opinions into the design.”
The charrette-style meeting will be held at the Northampton Senior Center, 67 Conz St., from 6 to 8 p.m. Stimson officials will incorporate ideas culled from the forum into a preliminary site plan to be unveiled at a second workshop scheduled for May 22. The firm will then present the park’s official site plan for fine tuning at a final meeting June 26.
Stimson’s preliminary drawings call for a “Great Lawn” in the center of the park, an outdoor performance structure, plazas next to entrances on Main and South streets and a walkway through the back of the park. Laurila said Stimson’s review of this design is intended to get the “creative juices” going, but he said the final plans could be much different depending on community feedback.
“Stimson represents a certain vision but it may not be a vision that everyone shares,” Laurila said.
He said the new plan will likely incorporate some lessons learned from the Department of Public Works-led redesign studies from 2007-2009. Some of those include coming up with ways to highlight the Pulaski memorials and time capsule in the park, as well as efforts to preserve as many mature trees as possible.
“These are some unique things that we want to be aware of,” Laurila said.
The city lacked money to spruce up the park for years until a recent change in Community Preservation Act funding requirements that allows grants to renovate parks, rather than fund only projects for new parks. That change breathed new life into the $1.4 million project.
The DPW, which oversees the park, landed a $194,500 CPA grant last fall that enabled it to hire Stimson to build on its previous designs. That work is expected to take place this year, with construction pegged at next year if the city can secure construction funding, Laurila said. The department is in the process of applying for a $400,000 state Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities, or PARC, and will likely apply for another CPA grant.
Additionally, the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission has applied for a federal grant that would pay for a series of stormwater and flood control projects along the Connecticut River. Laurila said Pulaski Park’s redesign is included in that application because the plan would use less concrete and incorporate stormwater management upgrades as part of the redesign.
“It’s quite exciting,” Laurila said. “The timing of these grants is perfect.”
Plans for the park are moving ahead before the city determines how it will develop the nearby Round House lot, despite concerns from a few residents and city councilors last year that the renovation should wait until the city has a clear picture for the Round House parcel. The city is in the middle of reviewing potential development options for that site.
Most of the council and Mayor David J. Narkewicz maintain that the park can drive future development efforts at the Round House lot, rather than the other way around.
Laurila said the park plans may examine ways to improve the link between the bike path at the Round House lot and the park, but that Stimson is focusing exclusively on the remake of the park.


Public spaces provide facilities for people to carry out personal or groups activities. Malang city center is a place for community activities with different intensity in each place. The existing condition of Malang city centre shows a mismatch with the ideal conditions of a comfortable public open space. The empty spaces that are not utilized, inappropriate sidewalk, and supporting facilities that do not meet the requirements also the limited place of activity convenient for the urban community are some indications of the gap in the ideal condition of a public open space beside the problem of open space public quality in downtown area in supporting the community activities. This study employs qualitative approach and ergonomics. The data collection on physical and nonphysical conditions is followed by data processing then is analysed based on related theories followed by concluding the results of the analysis and producing recommendations in the form of design directions. The results obtained: first, differences in quality between sub-regions, both physical quality and nonphysical quality; second, the linear sub-region has better quality than the square type sub-region; third, from the side of responsive aspect, sub-regions with mixed functions have more quality than subregions with a single function; fourth, from democratic aspects, subregions with shady vegetation and diverse functions have better quality. Therefore, the further recommendation is instructions of structuring public open spaces that utilize all sub-regions as a place of activity for people living in the centre of Malang.


HYDRO MC – mulch – is a composition of cellulose fibre made of wood and paper, with a unique differentiated structure consisting of long and short fibre, which ensures perfect reinforcement of surface.
HYDRO MC is used as cover of the surface by means of hydroseeding in order to ensure proper conditions for protection and growth of grass seeds.
Mulch creates a layer on the soil surface that prevents from erosion of soil, leaching and blowing off seeds and organic materials from soil.
It ensures appropriate moisture that is necessary in the process of germination of grass seeds. Moreover, mulch creates a layer that significantly prevents weed from growing.
The mulch property ensuring “reinforcement” of soil surface is used for reinforcing of embankments and dykes, in particular in places that are not easily accessible.
Mulch is biodegradable in time and it delivers necessary organic material being the main soil forming factor.
- Flat land 900 – 1200kg / ha
- embankments and dykes 1500 –1800kg / ha
PACKAGING: plastic bags – 15kg
NOTE: the volume of mulch used depends mainly on land relief and category of soil. Also weather conditions, such as too much exposure to sun, too low or too high temperatures are an essential element that affect the volume of mulch used. In such cases you should base on experience of hydroseeding professionals


Eutropian collaborated with the URBACT III network focusing on sustainable mobility as engine for social and economic cohesion of local communities. An overview on the integrated plans and pilot actions developed by nine cities involved in the network.
Streets and squares of our cities play a key role in making our urban experience more enjoyable, creating the conditions for economic growth, social interaction and sustainable mobility.
The cities involved in the URBACT network Thriving Streets developed original plans and actions with their local communities which can inspire other urban contexts around Europe to act on the interaction between mobility and other spatial policies with a direct impact on creating more resilient and attractive cities.
In the following stories you can find how the cities of Thriving Streets tackled the most urgent challenges on urban mobility and public space and what they are planning for the future.
Antwerp’s district of Deurne has suffered for a long period the lack of a distinct centre, with the decline of the retail sector, the dominance of cars and the absence of public spaces for the local youth and pedestrians.
The city intervened at the intersection between Frank Craeybeckxlaan and Te Couwelaarlei streets creating three pop-up squares and the introduction of 30 km/h speed limit, transforming this new public space into the heart of the district. This action was the result of an intense dialogue with local retailers and residents, who gave useful inputs for the transformation of the public space.
On the medium and long-term, Antwerp aims to reinforce the local retail cluster, fostering the concentration of more shops in the district, and in implementing innovative street designs solutions to increase the rate of public space available and the off-street parking offer.
The second largest city of Hungary is committed to completing the regeneration of its downtown area, characterised by the presence of an excessive amount of cars and by few public spaces available for the residents.
Debrecen tested a temporary closure of the main street from car traffic in a special Car-free day, during which many parking lots were converted into temporary green spaces: this new green oasis was strongly appreciated by the residents, offering a glimpse into the future of the street.
The integrated plan developed in collaboration with residents and stakeholders aims to make the city centre more vibrant through the creation of a new public park for community activities and encouraging active mobility and the use of bikes. Inspired by the principle of the 15-minutes city, Debrecen wants to reduce the use of cars as a way for improving quality of life and public spaces for all.
90% of households of the coastal Greek city owns a car: urban space is designed for cars more than for pedestrians, while cycling network is still limited and fragmented.
In order to contrast this trend, Igoumenitsa installed a parklet on a couple of parking spaces in front of the municipal schools, sparkling the debate on alternative ways to use the public space.
Making streets more attractive for different types of users is the objective of the action plan developed in collaboration with the local community, which is mainly focused on the creation of new green areas and bike paths, but also on the installation of ramps to help people with disabilities and the organisation of a programme of sport activities to enable citizens to reclaim public spaces.
The third largest city of Lithuania accounting for around 10% of the national GDP needed a strong revival of its city centre, heavily polluted due to the presence of offices and business activities but scarcely populated by residents, who prefer to populate malls and indoor spaces, and not accessible for persons with disabilities.
The organisation of a series of events, such as cinema night or concerts, was the ideal ground for testing how a street closure model for small events could work in Klaipeda, if well combined with an action of promotion and active involvement of the Old Town businesses.
Rebuilding trust with the local community is the first step for making the Old Town more vibrant all the year long, with the organisation of events and the installation of new infrastructures to improve sustainability and accessibility, which are the main points of the action plan to be implemented on medium and long term.
Fostering the connection between peripheral neighbourhoods and the modern city centre, reconstructed after the 2nd World War, is the main challenge of the city placed on the border between Slovenia and Italy. The Solkan district is the oldest part of the urban area but is characterised by unpleasant public spaces, lack of services for residents and degraded or vacant buildings.
The temporary rearrangement of parking spaces in one of the squares of Solkan created a new, high-quality public space for the residents. The installation of a small green kiosk in the square eased the organisation of public events of different kind, fostering the community spirit and the sense of ownership of the public space.
The consolidation of this programme of activities for reviving the public spaces of the Solkan area is the main point of an integrated urban plan, that aims to improve the sustainable connection with the rest of the city through the creation of bike lanes, but also to promote the renovation of heritage buildings, which may become potential attractions and venues for cultural events in the future.
In recent years Oradea made huge investments in reviving public spaces and mobility infrastructure, but the abundance of parking places in the city centre is still encouraging residents to move by car. At the same time, the information included in the streets signposts are often not visible and don’t encourage people to considerate alternative modes of transport.
The temporary closure of the main square to car traffic gave the opportunity to the residents to regain access to the public space, increasing at the same time the business opportunities for shops and commercial activities of the city centre.
The reduction of on-street parking slots and the installation of new streets signposts to invite residents and tourists to discover the city by walking are part of a strategy that Oradea is going to implement on medium and long term to improve walkability and incentivise the reduction of car use by the residents.
Lead partner of Thriving Streets, Parma has designed several policies to promote the transition to climate neutrality, such as the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan and the Sustainable Energy Action Plan. However, the road to reducing congestion and air traffic is still full of challenges, particularly in areas such as Oltretorrente where public spaces need to be revived and active mobility infrastructure needs to be improved.
Animated by the objective of making this area of the city an open laboratory for sustainable solutions in terms of urban mobility, Parma launched a survey to assess the accessibility and effectiveness of the public transport in the area but also a gamification activity for primary school kids, who tested different mobility options to go from home to school.
The promotion of Oltretorrente area as a potential tourism destination is the long-term objective of Parma, starting from actions of placemaking incentivising the creative use of public spaces as a way to reinforce the sense of cohesion among the inhabitants.
Car dependency is growing in Santo Tirso, with increasing traffic and unauthorised parking in public spaces, but also due to the lack of decent infrastructure for cycling and walking. Improving the perception of the public space by the residents is critical in reviving the local economy and also the retail sector of the city located in the metropolitan area of Porto.
The organisation of an open street event gave the opportunity to test different approaches in the pedestrian zone, showing the potential in terms of attractiveness of the city centre with the organisation of a series of events and public activities.
Increasing the modal share of walking and cycling in school trips and decreasing car dependency are some of the long-term objectives that Santo Tirso aims to reach acting on different dimensions of the public space, also with the active involvement of the retail and cultural sectors.
The redevelopment of Lower Road is the major project ongoing on in this London’s borough, characterised by the diversity of its social tissue and the rapid growth of its population. However, the area is still much car-oriented and not pedestrian-friendly, with narrow sidewalks and lack of playing infrastructure for kids and youth.
The engagement of the local community through a series of events on the public space, from acoustic concerts to chalk drawing and free bike maintenance, sparked the conversation with different categories of residents showing that an alternative way of living the public spaces is possible.
Improving the attractiveness of the area through the active involvement of business activities and residents is the objective that Southwark aims at reaching through a mix of interventions on the road design and on the surrounding environment.


The breakthroughs in the home building products have shifted focus on a few benefits of having a green or eco-friendly roof. There are a variety of explanations why homeowners should consider choosing this answer, rather than normal roofing. For starters, it’s apparently far better to work with nature, instead of against it. The harmful effect of construction and building could be reduced by adding a natural vegetative roof over the building.
In urban environs, wherever concrete covers nearly all soil areas, very much less porous surfaces are remaining. Eco-Friendly or green roofs increase and restore the ecological environment of the urban wide open spaces, particularly in the thick communities. In reality, an eco-friendly roof space has a greater ecological advantage.
Loss of environment-friendly areas within the urban living environs is usually substantially decreased by setting up eco-friendly roofs on homes. The great component is the fact that adding a green roof isn’t rocket science and almost every horizontal surface, much like a top, can be converted into an appealing vegetative roof. You are able to develop several interesting and also comfortable plant life on the top and do your share towards preserving the dynamics in the process.
It’s almost like having a little self-sufficient garden area on your top. Besides, you will find many economic gains that you are able to have by adding the rooftop gardens. Aside from the different natural benefits, you are able to have much better insulated, much more durable, sustainable and power-saving building information, being used on the top of your home.
By and large, location on the upper part of a top continues to be rarely used by the homeowners, whereas a green or vegetative roof turns it right into a more functional, breathable and livable space.
Psychologically, individuals often do much better, in case they’re subjected to or even encompassed by purely natural attractiveness, like backyards, landscapes, etc. A rigorous garden on the top has got the strength of de-stressing and soothing the mind. Besides, it is able to also act as an excellent leisure activity. In brief, incorporating a green or ecological look into a home is able to make a far more visually pleasing space.
There are also several insurance companies available, which proffer insurance fee reduction for adding the green roofs. Marketing of the green building devices and also green roofing technologies are now very common.
Actually, with the brand new initiatives and advances in generating more sustainable structures, many perks are now being given to inspire green building practices. These brilliant strategies are able to save a very good quantity of your money, boost you’re well being and also, above many, contribute towards a great environment. The great green industry, working to enhance the planet, is well on how to succeed. If you are more so leaning towards asphalt roofs, this asphalt roof company based in Toronto is highly commended by many customers.
The quantity of heavy cities switching to green roof practices has substantially increased in the latest few years. The great part is the fact that this number is almost certain to rise in the future, also. In case you also want to capitalize on all of the above-mentioned advantages of adding a green roof and preserve the planet, then go forward, as it’d certainly offer you much more than what you expect.


It’s early Autumn in the garden. The weather changed drastically practically overnight from hot and dry to cool and damp. It’s at that stage where it’s too warm for a fire, but just warm enough to leave the bedroom window cracked at night time. I’m putting away the summer decorations and starting to change over to Autumn colored accents. I love decorating for the fall.
The garden is looking much, much happier with the little rainfall we’ve had. It was a very hot, dry summer here in the PNW. A few roses have some reblooms, the clerodendrons are pretty much done blooming. The only crocosmia still going is the lovely dark yellow “Solfaterre” which would look even better if I planted some autumn crocus in front of it for next year. Always planning! I have pockets of autumn crocus planted in various spots throughout the garden. I also like it next to a creeping burgundy sedum, and in front of a big stand of sedum “Autumn Joy.” Autumn Joy is the standout right now. It is at its peak. The ornamental grasses haven’t bloomed yet. The hypericum “mystical orange” has passed its orange stage and gone straight to black – a little early for Halloween decorations. I would plant more asters as they are so beautiful this time of year, but the deer seem to find them and enjoy them on their salads. We’ve had a doe with two little toddlers hanging around the yard lately.
A few maple trees are starting to show signs of turning into their fall colors. The Shasta Viburnum is usually the first shrub to turn color, but it hasn’t really started quite yet. Usually I’m thinking “no- no – don’t turn color yet! it’s too early!” but not this year. It should color up right on time. I personally don’t want to see fall colors until it is cool outside and I am in the proper Autumn Mood.


Title:Gardening with Grasses
Ornamental grasses are among the most important plants used by garden designers. This book shows how to use them to transform a garden. Grasses lend an architectural quality to a garden; they provide texture, background interest and a year-round range of subtle colours. They are also highly versatile, hardy and reliable. Many are evergreen and some perform better in shade, particularly useful in awkward corners where other plants struggle. The distinctive appearance of grasses makes them invaluable in combinations with flowering annuals or textured perennials. A catalogue of over 150 varieties and cultivars gives details of the best ornamental grasses, sedges and bamboos for a wide range of garden situations.
Second hand Hardback


Minimalist small pool design with beautiful garden inside 01. They only consist of vessel beam with wall tile and the blue water.
They have to be unique with some features and decoration.
Beautiful gardens with swimming pools. See more ideas about swimming pools cool pools pool designs. Old world pools are usually simple in shape and design often rectangular and you won t see waterpark features with tricked out slides or massive faux boulders. No need to bury it and without the compulsory intervention of a professional in just a few days you will be able to display a magnificent swimming pool in your own garden.
From a tuscan style retreat to a rustic farmhouse swimming pool and even an indoor lap pool these design savvy pools will make you want to dive right in and float the day away. Open daily from 6 30 a m. Water is an essential element in this type of garden design so it s only natural that swimming pools are often incorporated into mediterranean landscapes.
Amanda patton landscape garden design created a swimming pond with the pool located in the deeper section while the shallow area houses a planted filtration zone. Swimming pool garden design the definition of an attractive and beautiful swimming pool is not an ordinary swimming pool one that you have seen in your entire life. The best news is you can get the million dollar pool view for just 5 50 for adults and 3 50 for kids.
Modern day pools arrive in various forms but are always a wonderful add on to the house and can even raise the value of the land. Ik kil cave pool. Want to dive and swim all summer without leaving your backyard.
On weekdays and 6 30 p m. The advantages of a traditional swimming pool are that they add value to your house thus making the entire feel more chic and pricey. Patton says one of the pros of a swimming pond is that it looks good throughout the year and doesn t need to be covered during the winter since it s a pond.
Above ground swimming pool dressed in bricks in the backyard. So take a mental. This historic 50 meter public saltwater pool has been around for over a century attracting visitors from all over the world.
Installing an above ground pool will help you turn your dream into reality. Oct 21 2020 the best there is in swimming pools ponds natural pools and swimming grottos. May 14 2019 ideas for a stunning garden featuring an endless pool centerpiece.


We’re talking about where your grass meets a driveway, pathway, or flower bed.
Because of foot traffic to locations such as a flower bed, the lawn tends to press down towards the object border. Pedestrian traffic along the edges of lawns that meet pathways and walkways experience the same phenomenon. Eventually the grass on the edge of your lawn deteriorates in quality or worse, dies.
Here is the most effective way to edge a lawn.
Install Edging Material
The most effective way to prevent a lawn edge from lowering or becoming disfigured because of constant foot traffic and vehicle wheel impact involves installing edging material. Wood, stone, metal, plastic, and concrete all perform admirably as edging materials. However, stone, plastic, and concrete never run the risk of rot or corrosion, which can diminish the edging performance of wood and metal for you if you live in a humid climate.
Steel provides homeowners with a pliable edging material that easily bends to conform to all types of lawn contours. Width size varies between 75 and 125 millimetres, with each piece of steel edging running about one metre to offer maximum design flexibility. Manufacturers offer a wide variety of colors to give homeowners more design options. Most homeowners opt for classic brown or green steel edging pieces.
Stringing It All Together
To create high-performance edging, you need to gather a rubber mallet, string line, spirit level, and flat head screwdriver. Make sure to trim the lawn along the edges to gain more access to the ground. The rubber mallet comes in handy for pounding the edging pieces into the ground, and the string line, spirit level, and flat head screwdriver ensure you create consistent edging material height. You can vary the size of each edging for design and logistical purposes.
The key to completing a successful edging project is to plan ahead. After you install the edging system, walk around the perimeter of the system to see if the grass needs to be built back up. You might have to add top dressing over grass seeds to get the job done properly. Because one side hangs over lawn edging, using a rotary lawnmower represents the best option for cutting grass along your newly created edging system.


The time to make money is before your house goes on the market!
Recently, Linda Haynes wrote an article that appeared in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in which The Janet Jones Company realtor Katherine Melhorn explained how preparing your home for sale translates into additional dollars at the time of sale.
In the article, Katherine offered these suggestions:
Enhance the street appeal.
“First impressions are huge, so to get prospective buyers eager to see your house, get the exterior of your home cleaned up, sparkling and inviting,” Melhorn says. “Power-wash the porch and front door if they need cleaning. Add some potted plants or flowers — either at the front door or in the front flower beds. Adding fresh mulch to the flower beds is…
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· Paved final surface layer of asphalt pavement along North Branch Road
· Complete asphalt driveway restorations along North Branch Road
· Installed and graded final layer of topsoil along North Branch Road
· Completed sod installation along North Branch Road
· Completed sod installation along Longvalley Road
· Completed final testing of underground utilities along North Branch Road
· Adjust manholes in parkways
· Miscellaneous repairs to underground utility structures.
Work to be completed in Spring of 2017
· Review all sod restorations to ensure a healthy stand of grass is established
· Perform final walk-through of project with Village staff.
· Minor repairs along the project site
With the arrival of the first snow event of the season, construction operations are completed. The weather did hold out long enough for all the major items to be completed, including sod installation which was completed the day prior to the snow arriving!!!
Please be assured, although the sod was installed at the end of the season, the Village will perform a site walk through in the Spring of 2017 to ensure a healthy stand of grass is established prior to final project close-out.
This will be the last Blog Post of the project. We hope that you found the information provided informative and useful. If you have any additional concerns or questions, please contact the Village Project Manager, Chris Gray, at 847-904-4325.
Thanks again for all your patience and understanding during this long construction season / project. We are hopeful you are satisfied with the results, now that the project is completed.


Join the City of Eureka and the Da gou rou louwi’ Cultural Center as we begin a series of events to beautify Old Town.
This first event is limited to cleaning up the beds around the Gazebo. There will be weed and grass pulling and, time permitting, we will lay down weed mats.
The long term vision is to plant native species and have it be an interactive area for locals and tourist to enjoy. Come join the City of Eureka and Wiyot Tribe as we beautify the heart of Old Town.
- Location: Old Town Gazebo, Eureka CA
- Date: Saturday, June 11, 2022
- Time: 10 AM PDT – 12 PM PDT
Come help beautify Old Town!
RSVP at the Facebook event here.


Oxford Green is a one-of-a-kind shop.
We are a home & garden boutique located in Lafayette Village in northern Raleigh, NC which sells unique, curated goods.
Oxford Green is a fresh experience every time. This is the perfect place to find a unique accessory, gift or sparkling centerpiece for your holiday table.
During the warmer months, you will find us with our hands in the dirt as we provide Landscape Design Services for residents of the Raleigh area.
We sell a variety of outdoor home garden items including pots, plant stands, fountains, statues, outdoor furniture & rugs, metal garden sculptures, watering cans, and more! Once you get those beautiful pots home, you can hire us to build a marvelous container garden inside it.
WE SPECIALIZE IN DESIGN FOR THE HOME:
Interior Design, Landscape Design & Floral Arrangements
Come visit us at Lafayette Village in North Raleigh, NC to see for yourself.


Fire Pit Under Pergola
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A fire pit blazing under a pergola in the privacy of the backyard is certain to be an enjoyable experience whether alone or in the company of friends and neighbors.
Fire pit under pergola. If you have a pergola over your deck you can use a fire pit safely. But to answer the question of whether its safe to have a fire pit under a gazebo or pergola our answer would be YES. With proper ventilation mindful placement and common-sense safety practices you and your family can safely enjoy the ambiance of a fire pit beneath your StruXture pergola.
Always consult with the city or county regulations before investing in a fire pit. Just a simple cement path that winds around the yard. How to Build your Own Pergola Preparation Choose a large enough area about 22-24 in diameter and place a stake in the center Use a tape measure to determine fire pit and pergola radius mark the points materials specified are for a 4 fire pit radius and 12.
Top 40 DIY Fire Pit Ideas Stacked Inground and Above Ground Designs 40 Simple Fire Pit Setting Ideas on a Budget for DIY Designs Covered Pergola Designs for Best Shade Ideas Consumer Guide. Its entirely possible to safely use a wood fire pit under your pergola but its generally more of a hassle than a gas fire pit. Dec 18 2020 - Explore Ryan Gaerkes board Fire Pit Pergola on Pinterest.
Smoke is highly toxic and can build up quickly if a fire is not properly ventilated. Locate a flat level spot to. The little bikescooter path I designed for the kids is my favorite part.
Apr 17 2018 - Explore Matthew Cottens board Fire Pit Pergola followed by 153 people on Pinterest. You see what is not advisable is to have a fire pit in an enclosed area as these could be dangerous because of lack of proper ventilation more so with a wood burning fire pit. Do not place the pergola or gazebo with the fire pit close to overhanging limbs of trees branches or leaves.
Can you put a fire pit under a pergolaYes you can. Here is a picture of this space during construction. See more ideas about backyard fire backyard fire pit.
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Tree trimming and pruning are necessary and vital for any tree out there. It is done for a variety of reasons including safety, curb appeal and view enhancements. Your safety is a must and tree branches can be very dangerous. Old, dead branches fall all the time, so whether you are underneath the tree when that happens, or not, which is what makes trimming so important!
We treat, cut and remove deadwood and old branches to prevent any kind of danger. Many customers have beautiful trees that could use trimming due to branches that have not grown in the right way or are visually unsightly. We can quickly remove all unsightliness and restore your tree(s) to their natural beauty.
Another reason for trimming and pruning might be because the branches are blocking a satellite dish or blocking a driveway entrance. Low hanging branches can be annoying, in the way and even a hazard. Pruning and Trimming provides a huge resource of benefits whether it pertains to aesthetics or the safety of people. Our skilled climbers are ready to help with any trimming you may need done.


Get your hands dirty! The American Psychological Association has found that gardening and exposure to nature has profound mental health benefits. Lake County Parks is happy to foster that communion with nature through a variety of plant and gardening programs and activities.
help your parks
Do you have a green thumb, and some spare time? Consider volunteering to help plant and maintain our flower beds and green spaces. Your handiwork will be appreciated by all who visit the park throughout the year. Interested? Fill out a volunteer application HERE to let us know your availability and areas of interest.
Throughout the year Lake County Parks hosts a variety of gardening and horticulture events. These events include:
Perennial Plant Swaps at Deep River County Park -Just separate and pot some of your perennials and bring them to the swap, and leave with something new! Arrive early, plants go fast!
Spring Perennial Plant Swap- Saturday, April 16, 2022 at 10 AM (meet in back of parking lot near head trail)
Fall Perennial Plant Swap takes place mid-September. Exact date to be posted.
Native Plant Sales hosted by Gibson Woods Wild Ones. Dates typically in May.


Desire paths can tell us how to design safer, better public spaces.
"A desire line, or desire path, is an unplanned trail that forms as a result of traffic, either by humans or other animals, and often veers away from conventional paths.
"Mike Harris, an urban design researcher at the University of New South Wales, said … in many cases, desire lines showed those who planned or designed a space ‘fundamentally got it wrong’.
"‘It’s just simply that they weren’t cognisant of how people actually want to use that space,’ he said.
“Dr Harris said with people increasingly living in built-up environments, those designing urban spaces were examining desire lines, or desire paths, more frequently.”


We are a Licensed and Insured Hardscape Company that takes great pride in the quality of our work. We offer both Commercial and Residential services. We are located in Northeastern North Carolina, but our company offers services outside of the immediate area.
Services we offer are as follows:
Paver Installation, Driveways, Walkways, Patios, Retaining Walls, Outdoor Fireplaces, Outdoor Kitchens, Fire Pits, Landscape Lighting, Pool Decks and Coping, Permeable Pavers, Drainage, and Full Landscape Design and Installation. Estimates are free and references are available upon request.
Joseph Wayne Long
1932 Peartree Rd, Elizabeth City, NC 27909


It’s hard to understate the importance of open spaces, both within the house and in your immediate surroundings. Homes with less open space inside lend themselves to a cluttered and unorganised lifestyle for all the residents within. It’s hard to communicate well when you don’t have your own space to think and reflect on what you’re about to say, isn’t it? Besides the aesthetic benefits of having more space to arrange your stuff in and the functional benefits of having more space to move around in, open spaces have many other imperceptible benefits.
Let’s take a look at some of these!
1) Recreation, indoors and out!
Your children and pets don’t care about the amount of fancy furniture you can squeeze into every room. They want their space to run around and do what they are meant to do. Having well-planned interiors and additional rooms at home means your children can bring the fun indoors when the weather doesn’t allow them to be out. Balconies with a view also contribute towards enhancing your mood, by connecting you to the wonderful outdoors, especially if you live in a high-rise apartment or a villa project that’s surrounded by greenery that you were meant to enjoy! It goes without saying that residential projects that offer better outdoor amenities such as parks, gardens and sports courts are always preferable to the soulless concrete monoliths that have sprung up in our city centres.
2) Interactions in the real world!
In 2021, we have all become well-versed with the concept of digital connectivity, be it for work or to stay in touch with our loved ones living abroad. In fact, we have become so comfortable with this idea that most people have begun to prefer virtual meet-ups for every occasion. It may well be the case someday soon, that the only people we talk to regularly are our neighbours. And open spaces in your residential project enhance this sense of community, providing a space for natural interactions among adults and children. The park in your apartment complex is the new ‘town square’ where everyone met up in the past, to share in each other’s joy. Having well-structured open spaces, with cul-de-sacs for your picnic spots and waterways for your kids to run along and dip their feet in, is an invaluable benefit of living in the right place.
3) Be environment-friendly
We are literally being swallowed by concrete, everywhere we go. With little thought having gone towards creating sustainable cities in the past, most of our urban hubs have sacrificed their green spaces to meet the ever-growing demand for development projects. Water bodies have either been filled in or paved over. In this regard, there is an urgent need to rethink how our residential projects are constructed. Projects that make space for water bodies, carefully selected flora & fauna that complement the natural environment and properly planned water harvesting, purification and disposal methods need to be prioritised, both by governments and home buyers. These projects offer an oasis of calm not just for the residents, but also for the people in surrounding areas. Having open green spaces and trees within a residential community also helps in reducing the temperature in the vicinity. And the more the carefully considered residential projects, the merrier!
4) The economic benefits
Finally, let’s consider the financial benefits of being surrounded by open spaces. After all, your home is an investment, whether you plan to ever sell it or not. Well-maintained projects with large open spaces add to the aesthetic and monetary value of your home. People in cities are always going to want to move to such homes, so they can connect with nature. Also, such projects tend to have dedicated spaces for sports courts and amenities, which add to the value of your home going forward. In case you ever need to sell or rent your home, these features can attract a premium over standalone houses.
So, as you can see, there are too many positive benefits to living with wide open spaces, inside the home and out. At Bricks & Milestones, we have always built our homes around this concept, whether we construct row villas or apartments. In fact, we have dedicated over 75% of the project area at Wonderwall, our 1,2,3 BHK apartment project at Sompura Gate, towards open spaces, so you and your family can grow up with enough place to hold all your dreams, whatever those may be!
Take a look at the details of our projects on this website and get in touch with us if you’d like to know more!


WHICH BUNDLE IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
RECYCLED, ORGANIC, NATURAL SOLUTION THAT NOT ONLY BENEFITS YOU BUT ALSO CONTRIBUTES POSITIVELY TO THE ENVIRONMENT
Produced from organic waste that has been converted using our range of Harp Bio-digesters.
twice as much organic carbon content than compost and 73% more than synthetic fertilisers
Harp’s Bio-Technology both sequester more carbon and restrain more nutrients. By retaining higher NPK values, Infusion significantly reduces the reliance on chemical landscaping fertilizers.
NOURISHES FROM LEAVES TO ROOTS
Optimal Soil Health
Infusion enriches the soil with vital nutrients, organic matter, and beneficial microorganisms, creating an ideal foundation for plant growth.
The enriched soil encourages robust root development and promotes healthier plant growth, resulting in more abundant yields and vibrant gardens.
Harp Infusion can help balance soil pH, ensuring that it falls within the optimal range for most plants, flowers and vegetables, which is essential for nutrient uptake.
Infusion acts as a slow-release fertilizer, providing extended nutrient availability, reducing the need for frequent application.
Beyond Compost: the True Potential of Infusion
Your All-Season Solution
Infusion Bucket Label
Infusion Pouch Label


Does your garden need freshening up? And are you tired of the eternal hatch in the ground and between the tiles? Then you can advantageously acquire crushed granite for your garden. They add a nice and stylish look to the garden, while being completely maintenance-free - and then granite chips become even nicer with age, because it is a natural product.
To the maintained garden
A garden can be a big job. A lawn to be mowed, shrubs and hedges to be trimmed, beds to be mowed down and weeded, flower pots to be cared for - and much more. If you do not have green fingers and do not feel that you have the time to take care of the garden so that it becomes as fine as you want it, then crushed granite is a really good solution. It can make it easier to keep a nice and proper garden that looks nice, even if you do not spend whole weekends tending it. You can e.g. use granite chips for:
Small paths in the garden
Pray with shrubs and small trees
The only thing you need to be aware of with crushed granite is to have a proper layer laid so that they lie neatly and evenly on the ground. How thick the layer should be depends on the size of the shards - the larger they are, the thicker the layer should be.
You need to know this before laying granite chips
Once you have found a nice type of granite shards and have calculated how much you need, then remember to think about the substrate under the shards. Because if you want as little maintenance as possible, then it is important that you remember a good and weed-inhibiting substrate. It is typically a good weed cloth or a non-woven cloth that also helps keep the granite layer even.


Prior to the 2017-18 academic year, Capital Golf announced its partnership to make Oakhurst Golf Club the official home to the Capital men's and women's golf teams.
Built in 1959, Oakhurst Country Club was designed by Ohio native Jack Kidwell, who took great care to preserve the beautiful natural terrain while still providing a premier championship course. Kidwell deftly utilized the rolling landscape covered with mature trees to create one of Central Ohio's most challenging private golf courses.
The layout features narrow fairways and small, sloped greens that demand both accuracy and careful strategy. There is an abundance of water throughout the course that adds to both its challenging nature and scenic quality. The design has an interesting variety of holes with several that long hitters will enjoy and others that will test your short game skills. Although it offers a formidable test, Oakhurst Country Club is still approachable to all skill levels thanks to four sets of tees.


Prior to Planting
Daylilies are usually sold with
the soil removed from the roots (bare roots), thoroughly washed,
and air dried. They may be shipped or remain out of the soil
for up to five days without permanent damage if they are not
exposed to too much heat or freezing conditions. The less
days they are out of the soil is ideal, especially during
the bloom season.
Bare root plants usually have
the foliage trimmed to help the plant stimulate a new and
vigorous root system and new foliage.
The roots of the plant should
be soaked for 30 min. or up to a few hours before planting.
While the plants are soaking, you could prepare the planting
site. Read the fertilizer label for exact amounts, but you
should take a half-strength mixture of liquid or water soluble
fertilizer and dissolve in luke warm water.
Daylilies have scapes, known
as bloom stalks, of different heights and bloom sizes. When
placing the plants in a bed, the taller scaped plants may
be planted toward the back and the shorter ones in the front.
They could also be placed as an accent with other flowering
annuals and perennials to enhance the overall design of the
Daylilies should get at least
a half day of sunshine. Partial shade from intense afternoon
sun may help darker colored blooms to maintain their vibrant
Daylilies should be planted in
rich soil. The ideal environment is a flower bed or garden
mixture of organic matter, topsoil and peat moss tilled to
approximately one foot. Established soil can be dug and planted
without soil settling, which generally occurs in newly prepared
At least a two foot
diameter is recommended between daylilies and other annuals.
This will allow plants to multiply without disturbing the
root system for several years. Dig a hole that is one foot
in diameter, and loosen the soil to a depth of 10-12 inches,
depending on the size of the root system.
A mound in the center of the
hole should be firmly formed to provide support for the plant
during the planting and to maintain proper depth (see illustration
below). The root system should be placed around the mound,
while keeping the crown of the plant, no more than one inch
below finished ground level. The "crown" is that
narrow area between the plant's leaves and root system. Place
the remaining soil into the hole, packing gently until the
root system is covered. Water with the fertilizer water used
earlier to soak the plants.
Various mulches are fine for
daylilies, such as pine needles, decomposed sawdust, chopped
leaves, etc. However, large wood chips should be avoided,
since they could attract slugs. Mulch helps retain moisture
during hot or dry spells and in weed control, as well as adding
to the overall beauty of the bed.
Water soaking is needed during
the late spring and summer growth at least once per week.
More frequent watering may be needed during the blooming season
or very dry summers.
Fertilization should be done
in the spring, mid-summer, and fall. Use any good fertilizer
(6-12-12, 8-8-8, 8-14-12, etc.). Scratch into the soil and
water well. Organic fertilizers are encouraged. There are
some that are available as a 'foliar' spray.
Daylilies are generally resistant
to garden pests. If there is a problem, they can be easily
controlled by products on the market.


Hiratsuka Sogo Park: Soak Up the Japanese Spirit at a Park Full of Activities
Home to a full range of sports and fitness facilities including a baseball diamond, a gym, and tennis courts, Hiratsuka Sogo Park is also well known as the site of the J.League soccer club Shonan Bellmare.
Surprisingly, one lesser-known fact about the park is that alongside these other attractions, it is also home to a serene Japanese garden.
The park has three entrances. During park hours, you can freely enter and leave through any of them.
The Japanese garden here was created by local landscape architects back when the park was a plot of land used by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry for fruit tree research. In 1991, after the Fruit Tree Research Station was relocated, Hiratsuka Sogo Park was established here to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the formation of the municipal government.
The garden has a path that goes all the way around, with a pond in the center. Taking a walk on the path and enjoying the sights along the way is considered the best way to enjoy the garden, which has an unmistakably Japanese atmosphere.
At the entrance to the slightly elevated hill zone, you will find a statue of a "Good-Luck Tanuki" (also known as a raccoon dog) with an expression of innocence.
This is also a chance to see a suikinkutsu, an upside-down buried pot used as an ornament in Japanese gardening. When water overflows from the wash basin, it drops into this underground cavern and makes a pleasing sound. Try putting your ear up to the nearby bamboo tube and listening quietly.
Hiratsuka Sogo Park also features a spacious field called "Hiratsuka no Harappa" as well as amenities such as a rest house, making this a great place for families to enjoy a leisurely day of play.
This Kaiyu style garden lets you enjoy its seasonal scenery while strolling the 8,150 square meter site centered on its pond. It's broadly divided into "Mountain," "Forest," and "Water" zones. You move from east to west, with the eastern section of the pond considered "Upstream," and the western section "Downstream."
Address1-1 Ohara, Hiratsuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture
TEL0463-35-2233 (General Park Management Office)
Business Hour9: 00-17: 00 (9: 00-19: 00 from June to September) * Free admission
Art / photographyFrom the atelier in Kita-Kamakura ~ Prayer delivered by Kann ･･･10 minutes walk from Kita-Kamakura station. Climb up the hill with Zunsun, with the residential area lined up in the lus ･･･
others[Series] I want to ride Inamura Jane (3)-In search of Keisuk ･･･The director Keisuke Kuwata's work, which I thought I would never see again, is back! This series was a challenge to ･･･
othersThe future of "people" and "towns" conne ･･･Koganecho Area Management Center ✕ The NPO "Koganecho Area Management Center" started in 2009 with the vision ･･･
othersThe 56th Kanagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition sent by Kanagaw ･･･Kanagawa Kenmin HallThe Kanagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition, which started in 1965 and is celebrating its 56th anniversary this year, is one ･･･


Our naturally recycled Blue Slate Chippings 20mm is one of our most popular decorative slates.. Also referred to as Welsh Slate with a blue/grey colour that darkens when wet, they are suitable for garden borders, landscaping projects, and perfect for pathways where a flatter finish is required. Due to this slate being a fish-friendly product it can also be used in water features, ponds and aquatics. The pictures show the product wet and dry. We also stock a larger Blue Slate Chippings 40mm, along with our a wide selection of other coloured slates, all of which are also available in a variety of other colour options.
Price shown is for 900kg bulk bag.


Bridal Photography on Shamian Island in Guangzhou.
Shamian Island in Guangzhou is crowded with beautiful old archecture that acts as a drawcard and stunning backdrop for brides and photographers.
- © Jillian Mitchell
- Image Size
- 3336x5209 / 2.5MB
People, architecture, bridal, bride, british, building, camera, china, colonial, colourful, dwelling, flowers, french, garden, gardens, guangdong, guangzhou, jillian mitchell, models, old, photographer, photos, pictures, plants, shamian, shamian dao, shamian island, streets, structure, tourist attraction, trees, wedding


Today’s guest blog post is by Carol Krawczyk, a landscape architect whom I first met at the 2010 ASLA Healthcare and Therapeutic Design Professional Practice Network tour of restorative landscapes in Washington, D.C. We have been corresponding ever since, and Carol has become an active member of the TLN groups on Linked In and Facebook, as well as the new TLN “Autism and Special Needs” subgroup on Linked In. Her insights about research, especially research methodologies, are important in this field, where we are placing more and more value on evidence-based design (EBD). Carol’s doctoral work focuses on environments for children with autism. If this is an area of interest, please join our Linked In group, and stay tuned for a page devoted to this topic on the TLN website. Many thanks, Carol!
Click here to continue reading "“Methodologies frame how we produce knowledge.” Guest post by Carol Krawczyks"


The High Country Garden Club gifted the Humane Society of Central Arizona with a specially designed 400-pound bench for its new pergola Tuesday, Oct. 8.
Each year, the members of the group raise funds through a plant sale. The money goes to scholarships and special projects around the community.
For a number of years, the HSCAZ has benefited from the proceeds.
When the new shelter was built several years ago, members of the High Country Garden Club felt it needed some landscaping and planted two ash trees and then, with the help of Home Depot, put in waterlines and a timer.
A memorial donation to the Humane Society made it possible for the group to plant Rose of Sharon bushes and ornamental plum trees.
Members admired the benches the Town of Star Valley had constructed for its community park by Florence State Prison, so the High Country Garden Club reached out to the facility and had a special bench built for the HSCAZ.
It turned out, around the same time as plans for the bench were underway, the Humane Society was able to obtain a grant to have a pergola built to provide a shaded area for walking dogs. It was decided the bench would be a perfect addition to the area.