Landscape + Urbanism, a landscape architecture blog, noted that Dwell magazine has published a basic guide to landscape architecture, “Landscape 101,” which explains the balance of “aesthetics and function” required for successful sustainable designs.
Dwell touches on a range of sustainable landscape architecture practices, and argues that standard lawns can often have negative impacts on the environment, due to their use of enormous amounts of water and chemical fertilizers. “Though it’s taken years (and billions of dollars and gallons of water) it seems that consumers are finally beginning to realize that a green swath of grass is not necessarily an ideal yard, particularly in arid climates.” (In fact, taken at a macro-level, Sustainable Sites argues that if all lawns in the U.S. were added together, they would cover the territory of Mississippi. This means huge amounts of water and fertilizer).
Instead, Dwell says landscape architects should focus on xeriscaping (landscaping that doesn’t require irrigation), including the use of native plants and mosses. “Take moss, for example. As an article published last spring in the New York Times states, ‘In recent years, this humble, hardy plant, which has been around for at least 450 million years, has been growing in popularity as an alternative to the traditional lawn.’ According to some purveyors of moss-scapes, sales in moss have gone up at least 30 percent in the last few years, and rightly so: Moss grows easily in poor, acidic soil, and requires shade, making it great for yards with heavy tree cover. Moss, along with a few other key plantings in and around the yard, can make up an extremely attractive, resource-efficient landscape. Moss takes in all of its nutrients through the air and requires much less watering than conventional grass. It can grow on rocks, allowing people to cultivate a greenscape without having to manipulate the existing landscape.”
Dwell cites two ASLA award-winning projects, Passage to the Lake, by Michael Van Valkenburgh, FASLA, and the Hilltop residence by H. Keith Wagner, ASLA, as examples.
Go to Dwell’s landscape architecture articles, including Michael Van Valkenburgh and Kathryn Gustafson’s take on the future of landscape design.
Image credit: ASLA 2008 Professional Awards / Elizabeth Felicella
Let us take “Landscape 101” and the goal of successful sustainable design and look further at our standard chemically enabled lawns. The concept of banker plant systems that are utilized to provide a suitable habitat for rearing beneficial insects should be taken one step further; lawns should be encouraged to become “banker plant systems”. Keep the lawns mowed and perhaps even irrigate once or twice a month but use no pesticides, fungicides or commercial fertilizers. Then over time watch all of these tiny little flowering plants move in; these are the plants that support beneficial insects. This method will enable a further reduction in pesticide use in surrounding landscapes.
While I appreciate and support (for a quarter century) Jeff’s position, I think we would find many local ordinances that would prevent the conversion of lawn to “Banker Plant Systems” under sections dealing with the accumulation of debris, refuse and rubbish, usually including weeds. Perhaps as Landscape Architects we need to be more proactively involved to educate local planning departments for ordinance revision to allow more sustainable approaches. At the same time dealing with their concern of the developer (or owner) who are only willing to take the lowest code requirement as a design approach. In our office we are involved in revisions to the county landscape ordinance and with LID codes.
The two projects mentioned above are both very deserving of award status, but are located in areas where a “no irrigation” approach is a reasonable solution. Here in northern Nevada we are challenged with 10-12 inches annual precipitation, summer temperatures over 100 with hot afternoon winds, winter conditions that are below zero with the possibility of no precipitation for up to two months… It would be interesting to see the response of Dwell editors in the face of our harsh reality. Before hitting the “Submit” button, yes we have been implementing Xeriscape principles since the early 80’s with many innovative projects (and some interesting experimental failures.) Perhaps we need more help in marketing consumers and single family residential developers (who appear to make the most impact) in sustainable practice.
Perhaps I should have written about lawn/banker plant systems that are currently and successfully functioning in Miami, Florida and other cities. No zoning ordinances had to be rewritten for these lawns because they look quite acceptable, not filled with rubbish and debris. Education is the key and when developers and owners are shown that applied sustainable methods not only work but are cost effective, they pay close attention.
[...] turf substitutes include drought-tolerant plants, mulch and permeable ground cover.” (see earlier post on sustainable landscape architecture). Drought-tolerant substitutes may require just 15 inches of water per year (the same amount as [...]