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Posts from the ‘Toward Sustainable Living’ Category

Jan 29

peak oil 1-14
2 Comments

Landscaping in 2013 and Beyond

Why it will never be quite the same

What if I told you Climate Change was only one half of the problem we face today? What’s the other half, you say? Kim Kardashian? Maybe. But how about Peak Oil? It hasn’t been on the radar of the general public since bell bottoms were raging and pandemics of ‘disco fever’ were breaking out all over. Unfortunately for us, Peak Oil hasn’t gone into the dusty vintage bins of the local thrift store.

Peak Oil is recognition that the world’s supply of oil is limited and that we have reached the zenith of production. In other words, it’s halfway gone. Or if you’re an optimist, there’s still half left! Read more

Feb 16

Funny Video About Poop in a Bucket, by Ric Sternberg

To tie in with my article on the $42 million toilet,

here is a funny video created by Ric Sternberg

Aug 16

nature toilet
1 Comment

A $42 Million Toilet for Your Garden

Dear Bill Gates,

Your search is over. Please send the $42 million check to my house. I have invented the toilet of your dreams. Read more

Jul 16

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Growing Landscapes Organically

In the previous article, I covered why growing food organically was so important for our everyday lives and our children’s future. We can apply the same principles at home to grow safe and healthy landscapes. Read more

Jun 18

strawberry leadenhall

What is Growing Food Organically Really All About?, Part II

(Continued from Part I…)

Organic growing is about working with Nature. And I don’t mean beating drums in the middle of the night within a circle of candles during Read more

Jun 12

japanese booger organic

What is Growing Food Organically Really All About?

Part I: The Real Deal, Organically Speaking

Is Organic farming really just about a getting in touch with Nature? Is it Organic farmers getting out their Gaia drums and random instruments, beating a rhythm as they march through their crop rows? Do tomatoes grow better to a salsa beat, potatoes to a Celtic jig? Does burning incense add flavor to crops? Read more

May 7

Brandon Husby photo

Native Plants Part 3: Landscape Design Should Include Habitat Restoration

Great to have received such passionate comments to Part 2 of my article on Native Plants. Not so much that Read more

Mar 27

bloedel cropped
1 Comment

Native Plants Part 2: Non-Native Plants – The Immigrants

Part 1 of this series was about love and good feelings for Native Plants. In part 2, hold on to your garden pants, there’s going to be a bit of a native plant smackdown. In this article the unwarranted hype surrounding planting natives will be body-slammed in a Read more

Feb 26

Where's the 'Bam!' factor? Native NW landscapes are a little more subtle. Bloedel reserve, WA.
2 Comments

Native Plants Part 1: Favorites for Your Small NW Garden

The following NW native plants earned their status as favorites for having good foliage, all-around toughness, and ease of growth while still being beautiful and functional plants that will fit a smaller city garden.

One of the challenges of Pacific NW native plants is that they are typically, how shall we say this… subtle. Does this mean dull and depressing? This recently unearthed Haiku from an early Japanese settler may enlighten us to the beauty of the original NW landscape: Read more

Feb 17

dervaes family
4 Comments

The Insanity of Trademarking Sustainability

NEWSFLASH!: Update March 3, 2011

This just in, garden writer Michael Nolan says the Dervaes family plagiarized his work on several occasions. Read the dirty details here:  How the Dervaes Family Stole My Victory Garden, Earth Garden Blog. Oh the humanity!

Read more

Dec 10

photo-full

Coppice Book Project

Here is an interesting project that is looking for funding. The Kickstarter program officially ends today but you can still donate after the close.

In the category of ‘what’s old is new’, coppicing may become an important part of our near future as fossil fuel sources are reaching their peak availability. Coppicing can provide fuel crops for masonry stoves as well as material for sustainable crafts and many other uses. Read more

Nov 27

Seoul_Cheonggyecheon_night
3 Comments

Landscaping Large Scale: Seoul Replaces Freeway with Urban Stream

The story of Seoul’s Cheonggyecheon river provides a master class on landscaping large scale. It presents an exceptional look back through the history of the industrial revolution as well as a forward looking example of modern urban landscape design.

The start of the restored stream at night. (Pic from preservenet.com)

Read more

Oct 15

Funny Bit About a Local Goat Rental Company – Colbert Report

The Colbert Report taped this bit about a local company called Rent-a-Ruminant. They rent goats to eat your landscape!

The Colbert Report Mon – Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
People Destroying America- Goats Steal Landscaping Jobs
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes 2010 Election March to Keep Fear Alive

Aug 15

street

Landscaping Large Scale: Pedestrian Streets

I’m not just interested in how landscape design can improve our home lives. Our cities can do a lot to improve our public landscapes to enhance our quality of life. The following are two examples, near and far, about how greatly our lives can be improved by simply making our urban environment more friendly to people sans automobiles. Read more

Jul 30

ed alexander

Another Article Reinforces Gardening is Good for your Health

Nice article in the Seattle Times (original source: Daily Press) about the healthy effects of chemical free gardening. In case you missed it, link here:

Ed Alexander Story – Seattle Times

Photo by: Joe Fudge / McClatchy Newspapers

 

Ed Alexander is 84 years old and has lived longer than both his father and grandfather by 23 years. He attributes his health to gardening and Read more

Jul 9

2 Comments

Business Model for the Future

I was reading an article about Leslie Blodgett, a CEO of the cosmetics company, Bare Escentuals (of all things not landscaping). The article is summed up with her words: “I don’t want to be a business, I want to be a community”. This struck a cord with me. It is similar to why I went into landscaping as a business. Not for profits but to fulfill a need that our community has for a connection to our environment. Read more

Jun 5

dscn2135

What a Great Idea for Using Compost

I’ve been following a blog by Rob Frost called: One Straw. It’s about an individual making a real contribution toward a truly sustainable future.

I had to add this link to one of Rob’s projects that is really exciting. Read more

Apr 15

planter-construction-1-300x225

Broadview Garden Phase 2: circular patio, Trex deck, trellised fence, raised planters

[editor's note: this was originally posted on 3/26/10 by Licia on LiciaBeads blog]

We build gardens. Call us and get your dream garden to stay outside in.

Garden installation by Ginkgo Landscape Design, serving Seattle northward to Edmonds and select Eastside locations.

As we go along in a landscape it comes along slowly but eventually prompts a lot of reaction from the homeowners as well as Read more

Apr 7

maple leaf impression
2 Comments

Stucco Raised Planter Project

Photo essay on the building of concrete raised planters with a soft stucco finish for one of our clients.

In this photo you can see the concrete foundation and the blocks we used to build the curved walls. We used masonry block construction instead Read more