KLC Garden Design Graduates scoop awards at RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. Graduate Matthew Childs won a Gold medal and Best Conceptual Garden for ‘Light at the End of the Tunnel’.  This is a fantastic success for Matthew’s first ever flower show. The strong theme of this garden is linked to his experience overcoming the London bombings of 2005. The garden about hope and recovery aims to take visitors on a journey and this is achieved by clearly narrating the transition from darkness to light with chosen plants and materials.

Anoushka Feiler won a Gold medal and Best in Show for her garden entitled ‘Bridge over Troubled Water’. This is Anoushka’s second year at the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show – last year her conceptual garden entitled ‘Excuse me while I Kiss the Sky’ was awarded a Silver Gilt Medal, as well as the People’s Choice Award.

And Jo Hanslip’s garden, ‘Free Fall’, was awarded a Silver Medal. This conceptual garden showcases, via a large linked water feature, the 5 stages of individual emotional response to ‘loss and failure’ – shock, fear, shame, anger and despair.   

This is the second year running KLC has had three graduates with gardens at the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show – just metres away from the studios in Hampton Court Palace where they completed their Diplomas in Garden Design.

Scott Hostetler and HZS USA Landscape received the excellent news from The Association of Professional Landscape Designers that they were awarded three International Landscape Architecture 2012 Awards. Chengdu Jingli Master Garden of Chengdu, China received the Gold Award and Dalian Yida Fifth County Lot 5 and Dalian Yida Blue Bay Beach of Dalian, China have each been awarded Merit Awards. HZS Landscape received the most winning entries out of any firm worldwide and is the only firm with built projects in Asia recognized in this year’s awards.

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) July 04, 2012

The 2012 APLD International Landscape Awards Competition of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers received the most entries ever in its history and Scott Hostetler and the HZS design team are pleased to have received the most landscape architectural design honors of any firm worldwide and Asia’s only winning entries. The HZS Landscape built works were recognized for their sustainable landscape architecture design excellence by an elite judging panel comprised of well known experts in the field, namely: Robin Templar Williams, APLD, FSGD; Helen Billetop, FSGD; Sara Kinbar (former editor of Garden Design magazine); Eric Liskey (Deputy Editor, Better Homes Gardens magazine); Natalie Warady (Style + Markets Director, Country Living magazine); and Rosalind Reed, FAPLD. More information can be found in the July issue of Design Online, http://apld.org/_media/Design%20Online/0712_DesignOnline_FINAL.pdf APLD’s monthly publication.

Gold Award – Chengdu Jingli Master Garden

A bioretention lagoon system was incorporated into the design within the heart of this luxury residential resort community to aid in filtering nonpoint pollution and reducing and directing stormwater runoff towards strategically located rain gardens. Hostetler’s Design seamlessly interconnects the adjacent Mt. Qingcheng China World Heritage National Forest and Nature preserve with a long history and where Taoism was founded on one side of the property along with the Dujiangyan Nature Preserve on the other side. The spa-like landscape acts as a flood protection buffer between, mountain, river and nature preserves as the extensive lagoon and rain garden system design and educational nature trails within the resort community seamlessly connect this luxury living residential eco-community’s residents with its natural paradise.

Merit Award – Dalian Yida Fifth County Lot 5

Located close to the Dalian Airport area, this community was built on formerly polluted industrial land with petroleum contaminated soils. A memorable and diverse woodland roof garden landscape with strong ecologic aesthetic was built along with a three dimensional natural landform over parking garages. Mature trees of diverse heights along with native plant species were aesthetically placed and created to appear as a majestic multi-layered and diverse forested roof garden. Vegetated drainageways direct stormwater runoff towards strategically located rain gardens. Roof Garden fountains use rain water within large glass bottom basins that emit natural light and elegant water movement patterns to the car parking area built under the residential community.

Merit Award – Dalian Yida Blue Bay Beach

The community’s lagoon landscape blends seamlessly with Lvshun National Forest and Ecological Preserve and Ta He Bay. The former site polluted the adjacent bay with storm water runoff. A landscape for residents to enjoy year round with a regenerative design strategy transformed the site into a diverse landscape ecological system that employed multiple sustainable strategies including innovative urban stormwater management through beautifully designed bio-retention lagoons that serve as an ecological purification system.

The fall 2012 issue of The Designer magazine will feature photos and more detailed descriptions of Scott Hostetler and HZS Landscapes’ three winning projects above. “What an incredible honor to win three APLD awards for our China Projects. It is a proud day for our amazing design team here at HZS Landscape and we are overjoyed to be the most awarded landscape design firm worldwide for this year’s APLD competition” said Scott Hostetler, Chief Designer, President and CEO. He looks forward to receiving the award in person on behalf of his design team at the upcoming APLD International Design Conference in San Francisco this September.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prwebScottHostetler/HZS-APLD/prweb9665730.htm

Many people think of the White House as a museum that never changes. However, after learning some of its history, they quickly discover that it is like any other house, always in the process of being redecorated and re-landscaped.

When George Washington took office in 1789, he began work designing a presidential residence with the help of Pierre L’Enfant, a French architect. The proposed site on Pennsylvania Avenue was nothing but fields and swamp land. When L’Enfant presented his finished design to Washington, Washington was dissatisfied with its grand, European-style of architecture, and the project was put on hold.

In 1792, Washington and Jefferson collaborated on finding a new design for the President’s House by holding a contest for architects to submit design ideas. James Hoban’s design was chosen; and in 1793, construction finally began.

It wasn’t until 1800 that the President’s House was completed, and second president John Quincy Adams was the first president to reside there. The exterior sandstone walls were covered in a lime whitewash, and everyone quickly nicknamed it the “White House.” However, it wasn’t until 1901, when Theodore Roosevelt was president, that its name was officially changed from the “President’s House” to the “White House.”

Along with directing construction of the White House, George Washington also envisioned a large botanical garden, so he purchased land nearby for that purpose.

President John Adams in 1800 ordered construction of the first flower garden and vegetable garden on White House property. Succeeding presidents added trees, shrubs and even a greenhouse. The greenhouse was later removed to create the West Wing garden, now called the Rose Garden.

Franklin D. Roosevelt hired Frederick Olmstead, designer of New York City’s Central Park, to prepare a plan for the White House grounds that is still followed today.

On our country’s centennial birthday in 1876, Rutherford Hayes began the tradition of planting commemorative trees on the grounds. Ronald Reagan planted a willow oak, George W. Bush a cutleaf silver maple and a littleleaf linden, and Barack Obama, a littleleaf linden.

Today, beautifully manicured gardens and parks surround the White House. The White House grounds include the South Lawn, North Lawn, Rose Garden, Jacqueline Kennedy Garden and Children’s Garden. Outside the White House grounds, there is a seven-acre park, Lafayette Square, named in honor of Frenchman Marquis de Lafayette who fought with American soldiers during the American Revolution. Another park is President’s Park South, usually called The Ellipse, which covers 52 acres and is located on the south side of the White House.

A staff of 20 National Park Service employees maintain the White House grounds and plan the seasonal displays. Dale Haney, current superintendent of White House grounds, was first employed 40 years ago as a gardener. He has lived the American dream by working his way up to the top position of superintendent.

The South Lawn is seen from the South Portico of the White House and has a large expanse of grass, groves of trees and a fountain. The annual Easter Egg Roll is held on the South Lawn and is the largest public event held at the White House. Hundreds turn out to watch children use spoons to roll Easter eggs down the grassy race course to the finish line.

The North Lawn, adjacent to the front of the White House, has the same design of lawn, trees and a fountain as the South Lawn. The South and North Lawns’ flowerbeds bordering the fountains are changed three times a year. In spring, thousands of tulips and grape hyacinths are in bloom. In summer, geraniums, marigold lilies, salvias, lantanas, foxgloves, hollyhocks and petunias bloom. In fall, chrysanthemums, salvias and asters are on display.

Richard Nixon and his wife, Pat, first invited the public to tour the White House Gardens in 1972. The tradition has been continued, with tours offered on the second weekend in October and the third weekend in April. The public is admitted on a first-come, first-served basis.

In 1801, Thomas Jefferson, our third president, began the practice of inviting the public to tour the inside of the White House. Today, a limited number of tickets are issued to view certain public areas. Requests must be submitted through your state’s congressman three weeks to six months in advance so that a security check can be done. When you are cleared, tickets are emailed to you.

Time passes and presidents come and go, but the White House and its lovely gardens and parks will always remain as a symbol of our great country.

***

Through the years, first ladies have also had a hand in designing the White House gardens.

In 1902, Edith Roosevelt designed a colonial garden where the Rose Garden is today. Her garden was replaced in 1912 by a rose garden designed by Woodrow Wilson’s first wife, Ellen. It was redesigned in 1961 by Jacqueline Kennedy. Today, the Rose Garden is the best-known White House garden because it is adjacent to the Oval Office and is often seen on television when presidents are making special press announcements or during special ceremonies.

The Rose Garden has a large rectangular area of lawn and flower beds outlined with hedges of low-growing boxwood. Flowering crab apple trees, magnolia trees, roses, annuals and 3,000 tulips fill the beds in spring. In fall, chrysanthemums add bright color. Some of the roses in the garden are Queen Elizabeth, Pascal, Pat Nixon, King’s Ransom and Nevada Rose.

Lady Bird Johnson renamed the East Garden the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden in 1965 because its renovation had been started by Jacqueline Kennedy. It was designed to be a formal garden based upon an 18th century American garden. A brick path leads through the garden to the White House, with flower beds lining the walkway. Low hedges of boxwood and American holly border the beds. Flowering bulbs create brilliant color in spring, and shade is provided by littleleaf lindens and saucer magnolia trees. The garden has a grassy center with holly hedges on the north and south sides.

The East Colonnade on the north side of the garden is lined with a row of linden trees. Flower beds in this area are filled with tulips, pansies, and grape hyacinths. Rosemary, thyme, and chives grow under eight American holly trees, and White House chefs can be seen clipping herbs to use in dishes prepared for the first family.

In 1969, President and Mrs. Johnson donated funds to create the Children’s Garden. This is a secluded nook where a president’s children or grandchildren can play without being seen by the public. An apple tree makes the perfect climbing tree, and a goldfish pond surrounded by flagstones keeps children entertained for hours. Clumps of Spanish bluebells grow here and there, and a pathway through the garden includes stepping-stones with hand and footprints of past presidents’ children and grandchildren.

Like our own gardens, the White House gardens are in constant change with the seasons.

***

All our local garden clubs are strong supporters of our Marines and Army personnel stationed here. We will be placing a Blue Star Marker plaque at the civic center in the fall honoring our military. I will be writing an article about the event when it happens.

Karen Bowen is a master gardener and member of Yuma Garden Club. This column is sponsored by the Federated Garden Clubs of Yuma. For more information, go to gardeningfun.vpweb.com.

Living outdoors is a special treat that can’t be passed up in Southern California and the trend keeps gaining momentum as home activities spill out the back door. Urban designer Molly Wood of Mollywood Garden Design believes outdoor living is here to stay. A recent recipient of the 2012 Star of Design award, Wood creates beautiful designs for living and enjoying life outdoors. While relaxing on vacation with her family surrounded by the beautiful Sierras, she gave me some insights to making the outdoors a special gathering place for family and friends, and the trends that are sprouting up in yards everywhere.

Q: The trend in backyard landscapes has everything to do with eating, yes?

A: Edible gardens have slowly been making their way into gardens. People are becoming more aware of the importance of having food as fresh as possible and the role it plays in a healthy diet. It’s a great way to introduce good foods to kids and at the same time have fun with them digging in the dirt and watching things grow. Start out with delicious edibles such as tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers that require minimal care. Make sure you give the edibles lots of water so vegetables or citrus fruit stay nice and juicy and get a lot of sun to sweeten them up. A drip irrigation that goes down to the roots of the plants is the best way to keep them hydrated. Plus, adding a good amount of mulch to the top of the soil helps sustain moisture and keep the weeds to a minimum. Malibu Compost is my favorite. The company not only provides great biodynamic compost, it rescues dairy cows from uncertain fates.

Q: What creative ideas do you have to spruce up the outdoor area?

A: For this summer, beautifully bright vivid pillows are a great way to spruce up a garden. Right now an all-American look with locally made picnic tables is gracing the outdoors. A nice snappy white table surrounded by bright oranges and yellows livens up the place and goes so well with the green in the garden. I also see a lot more being done in the front yards where people can enjoy the outdoors by throwing down some gravel and placing a fountain with some chairs to lounge on and chat.

Considered by his contemporaries as one of Florida’s pre-eminent landscape architects, Wallis carved out of half-century-long career marked by designs for much of Leu Gardens, Orlando International Airport, the Orange County Convention Center and the Florida Mall. He died last week at the age of 81.

“He was a gentleman, an extremely skillful designer and a wonderful plantsman,” said Bill Baker, Wallis’ business partner for more than four decades. Several years ago, the two donated to the University of Florida hand-drawn landscape-design plans valued at more than $600,000.

One of Wallis’ early successes was landing the contract to create the master plan for Orlando‘s Leu Gardens. Baker said Wallis was an astute businessman and a favorite of former Orlando Mayor Carl Langford. After Harry P. Leu and his wife, Mary Jane, donated about 50 acres off Corrine Drive to the city in 1961, officials selected Wallis to design what would become the city’s most celebrated botanical gardens.

Baker described Leu as a “plantsman” who collected and studied plant species and who enjoyed working with Wallis on the designs.

From Leu Gardens’ renowned rose garden to its gazebo wedding setting, surrounded by trellises, topiaries, camellias, azaleas and exotic perennials, much of Wallis’ original plans stand today, said Robert E. Bowden, director of Leu Gardens, which serves about 150,000 visitors annually.

“A lot of what you see today — the floral clock, the landing, the expansion of the walkways to accommodate large crowds — those are the types of things he envisioned and that were necessary for the gardens if they were going to be a world-class destination,” Bowden said.

Wallis, a longtime member of the Rotary Club of Winter Park, worked hard to develop business relationships, Baker said. The two businessmen started making the connections to pursue the Orlando International Airport project years before the job was publicly announced, Baker added.

In the late 1980s, the American Society of Landscape Architects selected Wallis as a fellow, making him one of the few Floridians to earn that distinction. He retired at the age of 70, never gaining an affinity for computer-assisted landscape design, one of his sons said.

Whether it was creating the landscape design for landmark projects seen by millions of visitors, or tending the flower beds at his home or at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Winter Park, plants were Wallis’ life.

“His hobbies were coming home and working in the yard,” said Frank Wallis, one of three surviving children. “He didn’t like sports or read books much. He was all hands-on with plants. He even donated his time at the church — cutting, trimming and weeding.”

DANBURY — The day was sunny and a gentle breeze carried strains of string music during the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Lake Kenosia Buffer Garden.

Some 100 people turned out Saturday to tour the lake by kayak and canoe and walk along the buffer and rain gardens.

The Lake Kenosia Buffer Garden project was six years in creation. In 2007-08, a test buffer along 10 percent of the perimeter of the lake was planted. The goal was to discourage visits by Canada geese and limit their droppings in the park and to filter runoff from rainstorms before it reaches the lake.

When the test buffer garden proved a success, the rest of the shoreline was planted. The buffer garden has proven to be a natural habitat, attracting birds and other small animals, dragonflies and butterflies.

The geese fear that predators lie in the growth, so they do not visit the beach or park, said Jack Kozuchowski, science adviser for the Lake Kenosia Commission.

The $250,000 cost of the project was funded with an open-space bond and a $10,000 donation from the Albert Helen Meserve Memorial Fund.

“Lake Kenosia has historically been an under-utilized facility,” said Mayor Mark Boughton. “As a boy, I swam in the lake and you still can. Today, we’re reclaiming a tremendously valuable parcel of open space.”

Landscape architect Jane Didona, of Didona Associates Landscape Architects, and garden designer Camilla Worden, were on hand Saturday to see the results of their design and labor, a greenway buffer garden and rain garden along the lake shore.

“Camilla created the aquarian buffer, and then we realized there was such an extreme water runoff into the lake, that a rain garden was also needed,” Didona said.

“Keith Beaver, from my firm, did the design plans for the rain garden,” Didona said.

Didona said any water that flows more a yard absorbs high levels of nitrogen and silt. Being filtered through the buffer garden before reaching the lake, the rain water is purified.

The rain garden adds a water catchment component and infiltrates purified rainwater back into the soil instead of the lake, she said.

Regina Ofiero, chairman of the Lake Kenosia Commission, called the lake and park “a hidden jewel in Danbury.”

“We knew we needed to find a solution for eliminating the geese from coming here and to bring people in,” Ofiero said. “The rain gardens and buffer gardens are a wonderful addition.”

stuz@newstimes.com; 860-355-7322

Showing what can be achieved on a tight budget with a bit of imagination is
Our First Home, Our First Garden by Turkish designer Nilufer Danis. Intended
for a young couple in a new home, the garden was built for £7,000 – the
cheapest in the show and no small feat when you consider that some Chelsea
show gardens can cost 50 times that.

“The idea is that you don’t need a lot of money to create something striking,”
says Nilufer. “You look at all the show gardens and think ‘wow’, but I hope
that we’ve still got something which people will look at. It’s also more
practical; the reality is that many people don’t have much space at home, so
hopefully we’re doing something which can be a real inspiration.”

The garden is just 5m x 8m (16ft x 25ft), or 40 sq m – much smaller than the
main show gardens. Nilufer has created a simple design – a sunken seating
area, with a chiminea and log store, surrounded by simple planting.
Herbaceous perennials are planted in contrasting colours, with blues of
Allium caeruleum and Erygium ‘Sapphire Blue’ paired with yellows such as
Hemerocallis ‘Missouri Beauty’ and Verbascum bombyciferum.

Ornamental grasses, such as Deschampsia ‘Pixie Fountain’ and Calamagrostis x
acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’, help create a sensation of light and movement.
Three small scarlet crab-apple trees provide a focal point. “We can’t afford
anything more expensive,” Nilufer says. “But these help to give the garden a
firmer shape.” Year-round structure is provided by evergreen Pittosporum
tobira ‘Nanum’.

“When you’re gardening with a space this small, it’s important not to try to
do too much,” she explains. “The garden still needs room to breathe, and to
have a sense of openness. One key thing is to use the right size of plants
for the space – small plants, and small trees in a small space – to help
keep everything in proportion.”

The garden is not only low cost but eco-friendly. “Using recycled materials is
a good way of keeping the expense down,” she says. “The seating area and the
steps are all made of recycled cardboard.

“It’s my first time at Hampton Court, so I’m excited but also very nervous,”
says Nilufer, who studied at the University of Greenwich after moving to
Britain in 2000. “But even though the summer hasn’t really become summery
yet, I hope we have created a garden that a young couple could enjoy. It’s a
flexible space – you could sit in it, eat in it, or put candles out and
entertain in it. It’s in a contemporary style, but it is also very homely.
It’s a show garden, but it’s realistic.”

Ed Cumming

For more information see 01276 856145;
landformconsultants.co.uk

Discover Jordan Garden GW3

Designer: Paul Hervey-Brookes

Sponser: Jordan Tourism Board/ Cox and Kings

As the child of parents once posted to the Middle East, and having also
studied botany, Paul Hervey-Brookes didn’t immediately think “desert” when
he was called upon to design a Jordanian garden. In fact, he was already
aware that this country has 2,000 native species (that’s more than the
British Isles) concentrated in less than four per cent of the land.

His garden marks the 200th anniversary of the rediscovery of Petra by Swiss
explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. Famous for its rock-cut architecture,
carved out of a red sandstone valley, Petra was founded around the sixth
century BC and is Jordan’s most visited attraction as well as a World
Heritage Site. This year is also the 50th anniversary of Lawrence of Arabia,
filmed in Wadi Rum which, with its sheer cliffs and red sand, is still the
classic vision of the region.

Today, Jordanians are eager to spread the word about other aspects of their
country: species-rich areas such as the south-central Dana Nature Reserve,
and the newly opened Royal Botanic Garden, 20 minutes from Amman. This is
why Paul has been strict about using only Jordanian native plants.

“Some, such as cistus, are quite easy to find,” he says. “But I had to plead
with some very small nurseries for the most unusual plant, Onopordum
acanthium, cotton thistle. I saw it growing everywhere in Jordan in March,
along with a lot of sea onion (Urginea maritima).”

Paul says he has never lost his fascination for seeing plants in their native
habitat. “I visited Jordan just before everything was fully out. There is so
much detail in the landscape that you’d never appreciate unless you’d been
there” he says. “I also love the way that local people treat the
2,000-year-old monuments such as Petra – they still use them for sheltering
goats.”

Paul’s design evokes Jordan’s landscape without reproducing it – he uses
architectural fragments to move from bright light to shade, and suggest the
atmosphere of Petra.

Joanna Fortnam

Cox Kings organises escorted group and tailor-made tours to Jordan. An
eight-day escorted tour is from £1,565pp, incl flights (020 7873 5000; coxandkings.co.uk).
Royal Jordanian flies daily from Heathrow to Amman, from £259 incl taxes
(08719 112112; rj.com)

For more, see paulherveybrookes.com

Light at the end of the tunnel TH70

Designer: Matthew Childs

London had just been chosen to host the 2012 Olympics, and Matthew Childs was
eager to read about it on his way to work. He was so engrossed he missed his
stop. “I meant to get off at Paddington but ended up at Edgware Road,” he
says. “So I got on to the Circle Line train going in the other direction.”

As the train was pulling out, a fellow passenger, Mohammad Sidique Khan,
detonated a home made bomb in a backpack, killing himself and six others.

At first, Matthew thought he was among them. “There was a flash of light,” he
says. “My first thought was that the tunnel roof had collapsed and taken my
head off my shoulders. I heard people screaming. Then I blacked out and came
to in a bombed carriage. My leg was badly fractured, and I lost a lot of
blood from my ankle. But I was one of the lucky ones.”

Two years later, a trip to the Chelsea Flower Show prompted a dramatic career
change. “I liked the job I had in advertising. But I wandered down Main
Avenue and I thought to myself, ‘People do this for a living?’ ” I took a
course at KLC School of Design [he came top of his year], then in 2010 I
started my own garden-design business.”

For his first Conceptual show garden called Light at the End of the Tunnel,
Matthew has created a space that he hopes tells some of his story. “I
haven’t spoken much about the bombings before, but it feels like the right
time,” he says. “The starting point for the garden is a traumatic
experience, but as you walk through I hope it reflects the journey of
recovery that I’ve been on.”

Visitors enter through a rough concrete wall, into a tunnel clad in wood and
metal. Here there are shade-tolerant plants, mosses, and ferns such as
Asplenium scolopendrium. The cladding gradually breaks up, giving a more
hopeful feeling, with lighter grasses and perennials. Then at the end, there
are six silver birches, with airy plants such as Gypsophila paniculata
‘Bristol Fairy’, and Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’.

Matthew says his garden isn’t political. “My approach has always been how
lucky I am to have survived. I’ve never seen the benefit in having negative
feelings. I hope the garden marks the end of a chapter in my life.”

EC

For more, see matthewchildsdesign.co.uk

Newport Beach, CA, July 01, 2012 –(PR.com)– ima staff enjoyed a gorgeous, sunny Saturday in Santa Barbara for the ASLA – Hidden Gems Santa Barbara Private Gardens Tour. The tour included four private gardens not open to the public and considered to be the Hidden Gems of Santa Barbara. Each garden has its own unique character, beauty, individual personality and good design. Attendees experienced how sustainability, good design and even chicken micro-flocks were incorporated into these exclusive Upper East Side landscapes. The tour allowed ima staff to examine garden design and critique the successful creation of space and place with plant material and garden structures.

ima used this opportunity to reinforce two of its in-house design mentorship program presentations from the ima Design Series lecture, “Planting Topics.” The first part was “Mechanics of Planting and Site Components” and the next “Creation of Space Place with Plants.” Part one discussed the mechanics, science, constructability and the utilization of plants as a living material and part two incorporated a strong design and visual focus component building on the introductory lecture theme of Design Excellence. Throughout the year, each installment of the series reinforces the topic of excellence in design. As chapters of a larger story, each one builds upon the next and develops the design skills of ima’s staff.

ima creates exceptional spaces that give form and character to the landscape, providing distinctive artistry and economic value for our clients with Master Planning, Development Services and Landscape Architecture. We consult, collaborate, imagine and define a project’s scope and character –from retail and mixed-use destination to office developments and large scale master planning – to create exciting people-oriented environments. We have built our business on pushing the boundaries to create the right solution. We thrive in collaboration and believe that the right design is a balance between vision and reality. We strive to find this balance in a design that can transcend the value for our client to enrich the community experience.

To learn more, please visit the ima’s website at http://www.imadesign.com or contact Jason Gladding, Marketing Manager at jgladding@imadesign.com.

Contact Information:
ima
Jason Gladding
949-954-7500
Contact via Email
www.imadesign.com

Click here to read the full story: ima is in ASLA – Hidden Gems of Santa Barbara Private Gardens Tour

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In summers soaring temperatures, shade gardens are hot properties: Its easy to beat the heat in the dappled light under the trees./ppGreat shade gardens have a lot going for them. Theyre inviting and relaxing, perfect places for a secluded garden seat, a patio for entertaining, a striking piece of garden art or a cooling fountain. The plants that thrive naturally in shade add texture and richness to a garden./ppHostas come to mind, of course, but an astonishing variety of plants flourish in shade./ppPeople come to me and say, I dont have sun anymore, and I say, Oh, you are lucky such an opportunity, says Gwen Wheeler, president of the Heartland Hosta Shade Plant Society. /ppWheeler admits to an uninhibited indulgence in hostas in her garden in Blue Springs (she has about 350 varieties), but she isnt simply planting rings of hostas around trees and lining her garden paths with big, leafy specimens./pp We have shade perennials in our garden that many people dont know exist, she says. /ppThe combinations make her garden sing./ppTo make a pretty shade garden, think of the space as an environment, says Joann Schwarberg, a landscape architect who lives in Johnson County. Youre trying to evoke a feeling, not trying to see how many varieties of plants you can put in. For me, its more about what they do for the space./ppGardens in sun can be relied upon for great splashes of color roses, daylilies, iris or a cottage-garden tumble of cheerful zinnias, marigolds, cosmos, and other summer flowers. In shade, the palette is different, and the mood is, too. /ppIn shade, its more about shadow and texture and nuance and 70 shades of verdant green, Schwarberg says. Its a completely different way to plant./ppWhen Carmen and Bob Martinache moved from Fort Leavenworth to Oak Grove in Jackson County in 2005, they planned and planted their shade garden before they turned to the sunnier parts of their yard./pp Their six-acre property, which they call Rock Bluff Gardens, is on a significant slope and includes a couple of acres of woods. They built a retaining wall on the slope, brought in truckloads of topsoil, and then laid a flagstone path through the developing shade garden. They picked a place for a small fountain and defined the border of the shade garden with a split-rail fence./ppCarmen has about 50 different hostas. She grows them with ferns, shade-loving ornamental grasses, handsome colonies of variegated Solomons seal, frosty White Nancy lamium and golden creeping Jenny. /ppSedums, hardy plumbago and lilies of the valley spread willingly to cover the ground around the hostas and other perennial plants. /ppThe shade garden is my favorite, she says. It is so peaceful. Shade is a delight./ppThe Martinaches designed their garden themselves. They use big flower pots as strong sculptural elements in their shade garden, raising them up on boulders to give them even more presence among the exuberant plantings. Carmen grows about 20 different early-blooming clematis on the fence rails, taking advantage of spring sun before the trees leaf out. Oakleaf hydrangeas flourish along the garden path./ppKansas Citys older neighborhoods are full of opportunities for fantastic shade gardens, says Laura Assyia, a garden designer and co-owner (with Tia Browning) of Earth Expressions./pp Our clients, if they have a shade area, want us to enhance it, Assyia says. She loves the sparkle of variegated plants: boxwood, osmanthus and columnar Silver King euonymus are three of her favorites. Variegation is huge, she says. It really brightens up a shady spot./ppBeautiful flower pots filled with shade-loving tropical plants and a few bright impatiens also dress up shade gardens. It draws you to that spot, Assyia says, and makes it a place where you would like to spend some time./ppIn her garden in Overland Park, Assyia has grown her own shade./ppIt was once a plain suburban backyard and its now a shade mecca, she says. /ppShe plants chartreuse and deep burgundy coral bells for their texture and color, and uses hostas as accents. The big white blooms of Annabelle and oakleaf hydrangeas are luxuriant and graceful; variegated euonymus seems to draw light into the dark corners, and a fountain bubbling out of a boulder splashes quietly near the patio. When she wants to get outside, even on hot days, she simply walks out her back door and into the shadows./pph3Not all shade is equal/h3/ppThere are big degrees of difference in what kind of shade you have, says Don Archer, a garden designer who works mainly in Kansas Citys older neighborhoods. /ppMost shade gardens in our area are dry shade: the trees are so big and so dense that they compete with other plants for moisture and nutrients in the soil. In dry shade, plants will need more attention to watering. In moist shade on the north side of a house or at the bottom of a slope there is more moisture available and less competition./ppSolomons seal, coral bells and hostas all grow well in dry shade, once they are established, Archer says. Korean azaleas (A. poukhanense) and Herbert azaleas are very tough and durable really rock solid, he says; witch hazels, which are known for their fall or winter blossom, are also hard-working shade-garden shrubs./ppMany plants do particularly well in high, light shade or in about four hours of sun./ppExperiment, Archer says. /ppIts trial and error, he says. We try to push the limits./ppGrass is a challenge. You can grow turf in just about any situation if you are willing to reseed two or three times a year, Archer says. Ground covers may be a better choice. He likes the ground cover Mazus reptans (it needs some sunlight and moisture), small ferns and English ivy. Vinca minor is drought-tolerant and spreads relatively quickly, but it can be prone to root problems in moist areas; bugleweed (Ajuga) is susceptible to crown rot./pph3Design for comfort/h3/ppWhen you think of a shade garden, you feel cool, says Joann Schwarberg, a landscape architect who lives in Johnson County. Its all about that visceral feeling of cool and woodsy and comfortable./ppHere are a few of her observations about gardening in shade:/ppbull; Choose plants with interesting textures and forms./ppbull; Keep it simple. Instead of planting 50 different things, choose just a few and repeat them. It helps the design hang together./ppbull; I use hostas like throw pillows, Schwarberg says. Plant them as though they had spread naturally through a woodland: not in masses or rows, but here and there./pph3Top hostas/h3/ppCarmen Martinache grows more than 50 different hostas in her garden in Oak Grove./ppThese are her favorites:/ppbull; span class=”bold”Sagae/span grows 2 to 3 feet tall and wide. The leaves are a handsome blue-green with a creamy variegation. This is one of the all-time most popular hostas, according to the American Hosta Society./ppbull; span class=”bold”Thunderbolt/span has blue-green leaves with a flash of gold at the center; the variegation turns creamy white in summer./ppbull; span class=”bold”Blue Mammoth/span is one of the largest blue hostas; clumps of puckered, light-blue leaves can grow to 5 feet wide./ppbull; span class=”bold”Night Before Christmas/span has somewhat narrow green leaves with splashy white centers. Clumps grow to about 20 inches tall and 2 to 3 feet wide./ppbull; Great Expectations is known for its showy variegation; the puckered leaves are golden in the center and edged with streaks of green and blue-green. It grows to 2 feet high and wide./ppHostas should be watered while they are becoming established; they also need moisture in spring, when their leaves emerge, but then they are surprisingly drought-tolerant. Their leaves shade the soil, which limits evaporation and keeps weeds under control. Dont worry about dividing them, says Gwen Wheeler, president of the Heartland Hosta Shade Plant Society./ppTheres no reason to divide a huge clump unless you are moving and you want to take a piece with you, she says. If you have an 18-year-old Sum and Substance, it might be as big as a table, with huge leaves. They just cant do that if you keep dividing them./pph3 span class=”bold”Resources/h3/pp span class=”bold”bull; Earth Expressions:/span a href=”mailto:earthexpressions@kc.rr.com”earthexpressions@kc.rr.com/a/ppbull; span class=”bold”Joann Schwarberg, ASLA/span: a href=”mailto:joann@jschwarberg.com”joann@jschwarberg.com/a/ppbull; span class=”bold”Don Archer Garden Design:/span on a href=”http://www.facebook.com/pages/Don-Archer-Garden-Design/109537055821752″ target=”_blank”Facebook/a/ppbull; span class=”bold”The Heartland Hosta Shade Plant Society:/span a hef=”http://www.heartlandhostas.org/” target=”_blank”HeartlandHostas.org/a, The clubs next meeting is planned for Sept. 22; Doug Beilstein, president of the American Hosta Society, is scheduled to speak.

The opening of a new restaurant in a community always creates a sense of excitement and provides new employment opportunities. That’s the case with the June 25 opening of Olive Garden at 1010 Allen Drive in Grand Island.

General Manager Roy Ussary said the public’s reaction on the first day was “great.”

“Everyone was very excited and also very happy that we’re finally open to treat them to a great Italian experience,” Ussary said.

According to Olive Garden, the opening of the restaurant created 180 new jobs. The restaurant in Grand Island is the newest of the 750 in the Olive Garden family.

The chain employs more than 88,000 people and has more than $3 billion in annual sales. Olive Garden is a member of the Darden family of restaurants, the world’s largest full-service restaurant operating company. In 2012, Darden was named to Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” for the second year in a row and is the only full-service restaurant company ever to appear on the list.

The 7,441-square-foot restaurant can host up to 246 guests and features a design inspired by traditional farmhouses of Tuscany, Italy. Olive Garden design teams traveled to Italy to work with Italian architects Fabio and Lucia Zingarelli.

The Grand Island Olive Garden has a rustic stone exterior and an interior accented by Italian imports. Ceilings supported by exposed wood beams, stone and wood accents throughout and terra cotta tile highlight the interior.

In addition, the bar top is crafted from lava stone and hand-painted by artisans in Italy with a design created exclusively for Olive Garden. Vibrant imported fabrics decorate windows and dining seats, while hand-painted plates adorn rustic stone and stucco walls.

The restaurant also will feature a number of sustainable design elements, including recycled building materials, enlarged windows to increase natural light, low-water landscaping and energy-efficient equipment.

Ussary said he is honored to lead the team helping to bring Olive Garden to Grand Island.

“In addition to our Italian specialties, including signature items like our homemade soups, garden fresh salad and warm, garlic bread sticks, the menu at the Grand Island Olive Garden will feature limited-time offers like our smoked mozzarella chicken and spaghetti with four cheese meat sauce and meatballs, available now,” Ussary said.

Ussary has been with Olive Garden for five years, most recently as manager of the location at 90 Gateway in Lincoln. Ussary received a bachelor’s degree in hospitality and restaurant administration from Missouri State University in Springfield.

He said the excitement of the new Olive Garden led to a fantastic reception on opening day.

“We expected to be busy, and we weren’t disappointed,” Ussary said.

But despite Olive Garden’s national reputation and Ussary’s experience, he said his staff is a “very essential element to the success of our restaurant.”

“We have a great group of trainers in town for the opening, and they play a big part as well. However, the continued success of our restaurant will lay heavily on their shoulders,” he said. “We as managers play a huge roll in giving our team the leadership and a second-to-none work environment to come to day in and day out.”

Ussary said he is a “firm believer that our guest experience will never exceed our team member experience.”

“That is why I will tell you that they are the most important part in the continued success of this restaurant,” he said.

To emphasize what he said, Ussary quoted Olive Garden founder Bill Darden, saying, “Our greatest competitive advantage is our people.”

“Olive Garden treats everyone as friend and family,” Ussary said. “This, to me, is the biggest reason why there is so much passion leading this company. We value everyone and want to delight everyone with a genuine Italian dining experience and a great working environment.”

Ussary wants the community to know that “we want to be a place not only to celebrate special occasions but to be there for people’s everyday needs.”

“We want to become a staple in the community that gives back,” he said.

Ussary said Olive Garden and Grand Island are a good fit.

“I can’t tell you how thankful I am for the generosity and kindness that the people of Grand Island and the surrounding areas have shown to my family as we made our journey from southeast Missouri to Grand Island,” he said. “The businesses and people we have interacted with are amazingly kind, and we know this will be a great place to raise a family. Olive Garden is built on this kind of kindness and generosity, and we feel that we will grow together in the years to come.”

Olive Garden is committed to making a difference in the lives of others in the local community, Ussary said. As part of that commitment, he said, the Grand Island Olive Garden will participate in the Darden Harvest program, which has donated more than 50 million pounds of food to local community food banks across the country. For more information, visit www.olivegarden.com.

To recognize Ussary’s role as head of the Olive Garden family in Grand Island and to emphasize the importance the company places on its general managers, Olive Garden honored Ussary by setting his name in stone. Travertine marble imported from Tuscany was chiseled with Ussary’s name and placed prominently by the restaurant’s front door.

“I would like to thank all of the guests that came out on opening day and that continue to come this week and in the future,” he said. “It was a lot of fun getting to know many of you, and I hope that I will get to know many more and see some familiar faces in the future.”