Concrete Planks

Concrete pavers come in all shapes and sizes these days.  They are now even available in a linear, board-like configuration.  I love the random openings in this one. 

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These openings are filled with rocks, plants and even water.

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These little beauties are available from Stepstone, Inc.  They are just perfect for long, linear applications such as paths or boardwalks.  People, by nature, love to follow a path and these concrete pavers are so directional.



I wonder if New York City’s High Line Park had any influence over their creation?

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I won’t miss any opportunity to bring up the High Line.  It is truly one of my favorite parks!  If I lived in New York City, that’s where you’d fine me – strolling, walking, jogging or just sitting and watching the world go by.  Yep … who doesn’t like to stroll above the concete jungle amidst Piet Oudolf’s amazing plantings?  Now that we’ve got these cool new concrete pavers, hopefully we’ll see more of these linear parks in the works!

Old Thing, New Use

 

Invasion Verde is a public park and play space in Lima, Peru that utilizes old car tires as street planters.  Created by architects Genaro Alva, Denise Ampuero, Gloria Andrea Rojas and industrial designer Claudia Ampuero, the street garden was completed in 2010 for the “Gran Semana de Lima,” otherwise known as Lima’s Great Week.

 

 

The public street garden also features mounds of grass with implanted tires that can be used for seating or for climbing on.

 

 

What other new uses can you think of for old car tires? 

Weekly Garden Fix

A San Francisco residential garden conceived as “Outdoor Architecture for every day living.”

The curved bronze wall with the fountain is very dramatic against the light limestone paving.  I love the drama, but I’d also like to see more seating and/or outdoor living in this space. 

 

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The residential garden is composed of a series of three walled/enclosed outdoor spaces.  Each of the garden rooms is different and separated from the other.  There are thresholds through which one must exit and enter. 

 

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The garden is very monochromatic and consists of greenery along with both bronze and transparent walls, and light limestone or gray slate paving materials.

 

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This entrance into the garden is most inviting to me.  The half-open door is beckoning and makes me want to enter the space to see what the wall is concealing.

 

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I think the spaces are very contemporary and intriguing, albeit a bit cold.  I would love to see how the different garden spaces or rooms are used in real life, wouldn’t you?  The garden was designed by Lutsko Associates for a residence in San Francisco. 

 

I hope you are off to a good start in 2013.  Please stop by here weekly!

Curb Appeal in Real Estate

 

I was recently interviewed by Jamie Walker for Wrightsville Beach’s Lumina News.  The subject for the article was on how Curb Appeal can help sell a home.  Sometimes, a picture is worth a thousand words.  Here is a “Before” and “After” of a recent project my husband and I worked on in the Wilmington, NC area.

 

Before (Home Redesign by Kersting Architecture)

 

After (Landscape Design by Pam Kersting)

Curb appeal is paramount in selling a home as it offers the first glimpse of the home to prospective buyers.  If the landscape is neat and tidy and well-kept, it is a good bet that a buyer will also find the home that way.

When entering a yard, there should be an obvious progression from street to parking to front entrance or from curb to courtyard to front entrance.  Visitors or buyers shouldn’t have to guess where and how to enter a home.  

 

 

It’s a good idea to highlight the entrance in some way using annuals or some other speciman plant or object of interest or both.  Also, foundation plantings should always be trimmed several inches below windows so as not to obstruct the architectural features of the home.

 

Landscape Design by Richard Hartlage

 

Perhaps most importantly, the landscape should never detract from the home.  Rather, it should be a setting for the home where one would not imagine the house without it’s landscape nor the landscape without the house.

 

Landscape Design by Richard Hartlage

 

Remember these few tips the next time you go to put your home on the market, and I guarantee that your home will get lots of showings and be one of the first in its price range to sell!  And when you do decide to sell your home contact me.  I also am in real estate and would be happy to refer you to an outstanding agent in your area!

Recycled Steps

 

In 2013, we must all do what we can to reduce our Carbon Footprint!  Recycle, reuse – this will be my mantra this year.  I will also try to bring you many ideas on how YOU can also do this in your own gardens. 

Here is the lovely Helen Mirren showing us a wonderful new use for discarded car tires.  What a great way to navigate a steep slope!  I am seriously considering doing this in one of my clients’ yards.

 

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Thoughts?

HELLO 2013!

 

Happy New Year to all!

The eve of a new year is always a time to reflect on the many blessings we received in the year just ended.

 

Photo by Laitham Haddad

I am thankful to you for stopping by my Blog this year.  I look forward to making positive changes here in 2013 and to posting a lot more.   I hope you will stick around and come back and visit me then.

So best wishes as you look to tomorrow and a year full of many possibilities ahead!

Where will your path take you in the coming year?

Playgrounds for the Ages

Playgrounds aren’t just for kids anymore!  Gone are the playgrounds of yesteryear …





They are OUT with the old. 

Here is what is IN with the new …

Playgrounds for all ages.  The new trend in playground design is the creation of MULTI-generational facilities that will accommodate seniors as well as children and everyone in-between.



Fun for all ages!



Playgrounds today are designed to be ACCESSIBLE to everyone.  Double-wide ramps and handrails allow just about any person to enter and play.



Play equipment is placed at just the right height for use by all!



Playground surfaces are soft and firm allowing everyone, young or old, to have access to the area.  Landscape Structures has developed a PebbleFlex® surfacing system that provides enhanced safety and durability.  This material is softer, making for a safer play surface.  It comes in a variety of colors and will accommodate custom graphics.



Concrete walks as well as sitting areas are built around the perimeter to allow walking surfaces for mom’s who want a little exercise while keeping a close eye on their children at play.



Today’s playgrounds are better than ever and FUN for all ages!

Wall Coverings to the Rescue

Photo by Astek, Inc.

When Product developer Eric Chu built his prefab house on a narrow lot in LA, he put it face to face with another identical one.  Both featured vast walls of glass overlooking a motor court, and each other.  What to do about views and privacy?  According to dwell magazine (Dec/Jan 2013), Chu and Architect Whitney Sander brought in Astek, Inc. to cover the facades with a graphic wall covering using bus wrapping material.  The material only covers 50 percent of the window thereby allowing views from the inside out and preventing views from the outside in.  The mural features a photograph of a Chinese Pistache tree also found on site.

Emerald is the Pantone Color of the Year

According to the people at Pantone, this emerald green is … “Lively.  Radiant.  Lush … A color of elegance and beauty that enhances our sense of well-being, balance and harmony.”
The closest green I could find in nature that matches this emerald, was found on the leaves of the Sedum ‘Autumn Joy.’  It appears more as a blue-ish green than a true “emerald” green to me.



Pantone’s emerald appears to be a color not readily found in nature.
When I think of Emerald green, some of the plants that come to mind are …
Emerald Green Arborvitae.


Green peas.


And of course, the Irish Shamrock.



Let’s just throw the whole Emerald Isle in there too.

And, who can forget the Emerald City from the Wizard of Oz?

Carbon footprint

I’ve been reading lately about our carbon footprint.  Here is what I have learned. 

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.  It also defines our carbon footprint.  Basically, this is a measure of the impact our activities have on the environment, and especially, climate change.  It relates to the amount of greenhouse gases or carbon dioxide that is produced in our day-to-day lives, typically through the burning of fossil fuels for electricity, heating and transportation.   Simply put, it is the amount of total carbon dioxide emitted for us to carry out our daily lives.

The carbon footprint consists of two parts.  The primary footprint is a measure of our direct emissions of CO2 from the burning of fossil fuels including domestic energy consumption and transportation (e.g. car and plane). We have direct control of these.

The secondary footprint is a measure of the indirect CO2 emissions from the whole lifecycle of products we use - those associated with their manufacture and eventual breakdown. To put it very simply – the more we buy, the more emissions will be caused on our behalf.

Are you aware that your home is typically the largest contributor to your carbon footprint annually? 
Why is it important to reduce our carbon footprint?  Because carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that damages the environment and contributes to global warming.  It is important for all of us to be aware of this and take steps to reduce our carbon footprint.  To see what you can do to reduce your carbon footprint, go Here. 

Finally, if you’re interested, you can also go Here to calculate your own carbon footprint.