Ok so you might find the next few links interesting. These are from around the web, just random snippets that I’ve picked up in my reading, but I found some very cool information in them. You might too. Here goes…

The future of landscape architecture

The reason for the visit was because it was the location for the annual meeting of the American Society of Landscape Architects. This year's focus for the … Read More…

Opportunity to weigh in on Last Chance Park

The day before, designers from the American Society of Landscape Architects will tour the locations selected by approximately 30 residents who participated … Read More…

Museum Chooses Landscape Architect; Gets $5 million

“We have charged our architect and now our new landscape architects with bringing together the idea of art and nature and a visit to a museum, he says, … Read More…
That’s all the news for today guys, so until next time, thanks for stopping by.

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Back with more news for you today. It’s amazing how much good information there is on this stuff out there if you know where to look. Three in particular that I found really valuable were…

Fort Worth tour offers a rare glimpse at a garden by noted California designer …

Ruth Carter Stevenson, daughter of fabled Fort Worth publishing magnate Amon Carter, hired California landscape architect Thomas D. Church in 1956 to design … Read More…

Design Week 09 in Saskatoon

The range of disciplines encompasses architecture, community planning, engineering, graphic design, interior design and landscape architecture. … Read More…

Putting the 'lake' back in Lake Oswego

MacLeod Reckord Landscape Architects designed the new waterfront space, which will extend south of Millennium Plaza Park, another MacLeod Reckord creation. … Read More…
That’s all the news for today guys, so until next time, thanks for stopping by.

Identifying the cost savings architects and designers can deliver and assessing whether they are worth their fee.

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Identifying the cost savings architects and designers can deliver and assessing whether they are worth their fee.

Knowledge can be categorized as follows -

* There are things you know

* There are things you know that you don’t know

* Then there are things you don’t know that you don’t know.

We are all at our best when we live and work in environments which are aesthetically pleasing and function efficiently. Form and function are uniquely personal and we all aspire to live and work in environments which reflect our personal style. We know what we like. We know what we want.

However, it is the knowledge that falls into the second and third categories which presents the most compelling reason to use architects and designers.

Architects and designers are qualified and trained in their disciplines. They have access to industry contacts and product information which is not readily available to the public and broader industry. These are the things we know that we don’t know.

But even more significant is the knowledge which architects and designers possess about the effect of proportions, dimensions, perspectives, surfaces, textures and colours not only on a structure itself but on our physical and emotional reaction to a structure. These fundamental elements of design can heighten our response to a structure – they can turn a house into a much-loved home, energize an office environment and turn an outdoor space into a haven. These are the things we don’t know that we don’t know.

Whether a project is residential or commercial, it is invariably a significant financial undertaking and the process can be time consuming. Mistakes are costly and the impact of both financial pressure and time constraints can turn what should be an immensely enjoyable experience into an absolute nightmare.

Architects and designers can alleviate that pressure. Once you brief your architect or designer you can leave it to them to create a design and source the materials and products which deliver the desired outcome.

They have the potential to create a design which you simply couldn’t have comprehended by yourself but which you love. They have the potential to source materials and products which you didn’t even know were on the market but which are perfectly suited to your project.

The involvement of an architect will ensure that the orientation of the house and the placement of windows, doors and overhangs together with the selection of materials and products produce energy efficiencies, that the dimensions of rooms ensure that they suit their purpose, that the relationship of rooms encourage fluency of movement and that the dimensions, placement and allocation of benches, cabinetry and storage spaces facilitate an efficiency of lifestyle. The time and cost savings which these initiatives deliver is considerable.

Comprehensive architectural drawings and specifications will maximize the prospect of your builder and sub-contractors completing your project without error, without the need for variations, on time and on budget. Materials and products sourced through your architect or designer will cost less. They often pay wholesale – you pay retail.

Crisanne Fox, Head of Australian Design and Interior Design Consultant for prestigious international French provincial and home wares company Ashton Grove, says that in most cases home owners are often unaware of the various ways designers can save them money. “The common misconception, regarding interior designers, is that once employed, a designer will not only cost you money to retain but also force you to spend a fortune on each and every item. The truth is that, in most cases, a good designer will actually save you money by working with what you already have, and combining that with the overall vision you have in mind for your home or space.”

According to Ms Fox, ‘many interior designers have the added skill of being able to source items at wholesale prices, and also have access to a much wider variety of products and home wares that are not generally available to the public, and the benefits for the time-poor homeowner begin to emerge.’ The other factor to consider, which is actually more common than most people think, is that many homeowners tend to spend quite a bit of money decorating their homes, only to later realize that one or several key pieces in a room simply don’t work together. ‘When you’re talking about central feature pieces such as couches, coffee tables or dining room tables this then equates to an incredibly substantial amount of money that must be re-spent six months down the track trying to rectify the problem. With a designer, you pay them to get things right the first time and eliminate any margin of error and this is exactly what they do,” Ms Fox added.

A misconception is that, by retaining an interior designer, the whole house or at least a whole room needs to be fitted out – not so. If you have your basic pieces you can bring in an interior designer just for the finishing touches; anything from curtains and fabrics to just a few cushions for the couch.

Possibly the biggest mistake made by home owners is in the garden. Home owners often fail to allocate part of their budget to the garden and erroneously think that they will save money doing it themselves – not so. Landscape architects and designers will create opportunities and movement in an outdoor space to ensure that it will be used for its intended purpose. They address important issues about irrigation and drainage and, importantly, they make plant selections based on what will thrive in the context. Again, they purchase plants and materials at wholesale. Any money spent on a garden without the input of a landscape professional will be wasted if the top soil washes away, the plants die or if the space is simply not inviting so is not used.

Again, there is a misconception that, by retaining a landscape architect or designer, the whole garden needs to be done – not so. Starting a garden is the most important step. Many people endure a dust bowl in their backyard
153c
for the duration of their time in the house only to put in a garden in the lead up to selling the house. From inception you should at least put in some infrastructure, some trees and some shrubs. Your landscape architect or designer will be able to provide you with a comprehensive planting schedule which can then be implemented in stages. An established garden adds value to your property.

Another common mistake is to retain interior designers and landscape architects and designers after the architectural project is complete. Interior designers and landscape architects and designers can and should be involved in the project from inception. This in itself delivers valuable cost savings by streamlining processes and avoiding duplications. For example, architects, interior designers and landscape architects and designers all have a positive input on lighting and flooring. Standardization of these elements will have a significant impact on the design integrity of the structure. Sometimes an architectural feature becomes unnecessary because the effect can be achieved through homewares. Other times the purchase of large items of furniture can be avoided because the functional requirements can be achieved through cabinetry. The placement of plants in the garden can have an impact on the need for window furnishings. A dialogue between your architect and your landscape architect or designer from inception will best deliver water efficiencies in the house and garden.

When you work with both architects and designers from inception you are best equipped to ensure that your home or office achieve your spatial and visual requirements and are fully decorated when you move in. “Many people don’t realize that aside from colour and visual appeal, designers are experts in space, technical design and drafting, and it is these skills that cross over with the role of your architect to save you money in the long run by making sure you get the home you have always wanted from the laying of the first piece of cement. There is nothing worse than finally finding that perfect dining setting or lounge room ensemble, only to get it home and realize that you did not allow enough space when deciding on the placement of walls during the initial design and construction phase,” explains Crisanne Fox.

Another misconception is that, in using architects and designers, you end up with a space which is a reflection of their style not yours – again, not so. The secret, however, is to retain architects and designers whose style you love. Just as we have our own personal style, so too do architects and designers. Historically there has been limited access to the design profession so there have been many instances of architects and designers being obliged to undertake work which does not really reflect their style and of home owners struggling to describe their desired outcome through lack of reference. Sourcing an architect or designer whose work is an exact match of your project expectations will streamline the process, promote an effective dialogue and, ultimately, save you money. The benefit of successfully matching design professional to client is one of the core motivations in the development of Domain Design.

Jason Grant, Melbourne Editor for Australia-wide interior decorating magazine Inside Out, agrees. He feels that one of the easiest ways for a designer to save you money is by choosing one whose style reflects the vision you have for your home. “We work with quite a few interior designers on a range of ongoing projects for the magazine and one thing that you will notice is that every designer has a unique look or signature style.” Using both print and online resources to source design professionals will achieve significant time efficiencies.

And ultimately, the intangible benefits of health, success and happiness to be derived from living and working in environments which are a triumph of form and function transcend quantification. These are benefits which architects and designers can deliver.

Karen Vosjan is the owner & operator of Domain Design, Australia’s leading image driven portal featuring leading Architects and Designers, and showcasing their projects, and capabilities. For more details, visit: http://www.domaindesign.com.au

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Landscape design is an environmental profession that merges the artistic, scientific, and technical knowledge required to care for the Earth’s landscapes. It may include the artistic design of the soils, plants, or landscape architectural features that make up the outdoor garden area of a business or home. Landscape designers and landscape architects, two specialists in the field, must take into account the soils, climate, drainage, and other issues that are essential in the survival of plants and in the design of features that make the outside of a home or business look beautiful and in harmony with its environment.

In its early history, landscape architecture was focused more on garden design. Two specific regions in Europe were very influential in shaping the styles of current landscape design, France and England.

French landscape architecture focuses heavily on orderly, pristine, and neat gardens with straight hedges, immaculate lawns, trees, and shrubs. One magnificent example of this is the garden at the palace of Versailles. The expansion of the palace and gardens happened mostly during the reign of Louis XIV in the 17th century when he commissioned his landscape architect Le Notre with redesigning the gardens. Versailles, even today, is a symbol of the pristine and formal French garden.

English landscape architecture became the focus of desired design in the 18th century. The most famous of English landscape architects was Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown. Brown remodeled the great estate parks of England to be tidy and neat, similar to French design. However, in the 19th century, English gardens became more gardenesque, including sweeping, untamed flower beds, wooded areas, and often other Romantic elements, like a Roman temple.

The early landscape designers and architects of these two regions have heavily influenced much of modern landscape design, often combining elements of both. Modern designers owe much to these early pioneers of landscape design.

Lone Star Land Design (http://www.lonestarlanddesign.com) is a full service Austin, TX landscape design firm that specializes in the entire process of landscape design, from initial design to installation. Billings Farnsworth is a freelance writer.

Technology and collaboration can boost water conservation

Again, get some heavyweight architects, irrigation manufacturers and landscape engineers involved up front,” Underwood said. … Read More…

Kaiser Permanente acquires Kearny Mesa office building

Keith Mittemeyer, principal at Urban Arena landscape architects in Sorrento Mesa, said the plantings include coast live oaks and California sycamores to … Read More…

ASLA Rendezvous in Boise, Oct 22 – 22, 2009

By Special Advertiser, 10-06-09 The Idaho Montana Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects is excited to invite you to be a part of the … Read More…
That’s all the news for today guys, so until next time, thanks for stopping by.

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A landscape designer is someone who has great passion in exploring the beauty of merging art and science together for the uniqueness and its excellent piece of astonishing buildings or land-yards with its finely decorated gardens and natural landscape surroundings. He is responsible to further enhance the beauty of the streets, walkways, play-ground, and also to restore the uniqueness of the natural habitats. This is the end result from an overly-advanced modern technology with many high rise buildings replacing the old habitat such as forest, lake and fountains along the mountains.

The designer’s work can be performed by preparing the design, specifications, and cost estimates for any assigned projects. Landscape architects talent is needed in many types of organizations such as the Government, Universities, Colleges, Hospitals, & many more. Most of their projects are on recreational parks and highways landscaping.

The work of a landscape designer is to make places look beautiful by planning, designing and managing open spaces including both natural and built environments. They work to provide innovative and aesthetically pleasing environments for people to enjoy, whilst ensuring that changes to the natural environment are appropriate, sensitive and sustainable. A landscape designer need to have the ability to assess a site’s potential to meet the client’s specifications as well.

Their work covers diverse projects for both urban and rural, which ranges from designing the layout of parks, gardens and housing estates to city-centre design to improving land affected by mining or motorway construction.

A landscape architect’s job may involve:

• surveying the site and investigating its natural resources and features as well as the wildlife and plants in the area

• using computer-aided design (CAD) packages to turn ideas for the project into plans

• choosing trees, shrubs and plants that will suit the land type and the needs of the site

• making sure there is suitable access to the site for disabled people and other users, for example people with pushchairs

• estimating the costs of constructing the landscape and maintaining it once it is complete

• giving presentations about the project to groups including clients, council committees, local people, and occasionally public enquiries

• once the initial work is kick-off, always remain close visit the site to make sure the designs are being followed and work is running smoothly.

For more information about landscape designer job description and landscape design schools, visit LandscapeDesignerCareer.com.

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Ok so you might find the next few links interesting. These are from around the web, just random snippets that I’ve picked up in my reading, but I found some very cool information in them. You might too. Here goes…

Treasure Island Could Be San Francisco By Year's End

The result is a grid of streets rotated exactly 68 degrees, as determined by the geniuses at CMG Landscape Architects. And thus shall pedestrians enjoy the … Read More…

Developers think big

Woods is handling surveying, engineering and planning with Landscape Architects Simon Ferrick doing the design and planting. Brandmad is responsible for … Read More…

University of Wisconsin-Madison hockey rink plans in jeopardy

… forward on this project until we have a funding source in place,” said Gary Brown, UW-Madison's director of campus planning and landscape architecture. … Read More…
That’s all the news for today guys, so until next time, thanks for stopping by.

Technorati Tags: Landscape Architects

Who uses scale drawing in everyday life other than mapmakers and architects?

Civil, mechanical, plumbing, industrial and structural engineers, planners, landscape architects, surveyors, machinists, interior designers, ALL fabricators whether it be for toys, iron work, doors, etc. Any product you see in everyday life was created by someone who used a scaled drawing.

Architects are recognized professionals specializing in the field of design. They create and innovate through conceptual ideas and work towards forming designs that can be appreciated by many. Architects may take on projects ranging from designing a mug to designing a new skyscraper for the country. The type of architect jobs available includes among others, landscape architect and product architect. Architects naturally require license to practice and remuneration is relative to number of years of experience.

Landscape architect is one of the many architect jobs available. They work to design a functional yet beautiful area, compatible with nature so that it can be used and enjoyed by many. These include parks, walkways, shopping malls and residential areas. They are also involved in the construction of roads, restoration of natural sites and are responsible for the designing of site from its conception. Landscape architects study a site holistically and work closely with other professionals such as civil engineer to design the best layout for a project. It is projected that there will be increasing need for landscape architects as the demand for natural site preservation increases. The continuous demand for better and quality landscape will also drive the need for more architects.

The sight of a beautifully designed product is pleasant to behold, and the person behind the design is known as a product architect. Combining function and form effectively, a product architect works to deliver intelligent designs and develop new product offerings. This field requires creativity and familiarity with user expectation. The ultimate purpose of the designed product is to be desirable and sellable. There is no use designing artful products but not well-received by consumers.

Mentioned above are just two of the architect jobs available. Through the designs and ideas, many more interesting and creative products will be birthed in the years to come.

At the end of this article, I’d like to share cool websites with more information on topics like Home Remodeling and Find a Roofer in Queens. Visit for more information.

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Landscape architect personality type…?

Hey there,

Hoping there are some landscape architects out there to answer this!

I have a BSc Ecology and have been thinking about going back to university to train to be a Landscape Architect. But in doing my research into the profession, I keep coming across articles which say that landscape architects must be excellent at communicating verbally as they have to give a lot of presentations to clients and be able to get across their ideas well.

I was very shy when I was younger and am still pretty quiet. I get on well with people and I think I can communicate well (I've worked in retail, call centres etc) but I still hate giving presentations.

In your opinion, is this something that should really make reconsider becoming a landscape architect?

Thanks.

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Landscaping For Small Spaces

Most people think that only large outdoor spaces deserve professional landscape services. Well, this notion is rather outdated. Homeowners with small or limited space can also hire landscape architects to have beautiful and attractive gardens. Just because you have a small yard does not mean you ought to be contented with just applying only whatever limited knowledge you have about gardening and landscaping, or that you ought to be contented with merely stacking and arranging flowerpots and nothing more.

Of course, we don’t intend to undermine. There are indeed people who possess an instinctive eye for great design ideas in spite of not having taken any home landscape design courses. But what about the execution of these design ideas? And what about those who do not have the natural eye? Just because yours is a small outdoor area and you are not an artist by nature do not mean you don’t have the right to a magnificent garden, to water features, and all the works that big gardens enjoy. This is the very reason why more and more people are calling in expert landscapers, regardless of the area of their yards.

The fact is, the less area you have, the more you need to develop a sense of space. And more often than not, it’s the professional landscapers who know exactly how to do this. They can help you develop a sense of space by including a patio area to place seating and dining furniture (and not overcrowd it), and by using planters wisely to add some colour. Or they can use devices like arches and screen to indicate more depth, a pathway leading to a focal point, a statue or a birdbath to provide more perspective. They know that a large mirror will help create an illusion of more plants and a larger garden.

Landscape experts also know that another useful way to create a sense of depth is to position taller plants at front of garden and use diminishing heights to smaller plants at rear. Alternatively, try distorting perspective, making the lawn wider at front than at the back. They know how to use scale wisely, not distorting the overall design by using plants or features which are very big, overpowering, and perhaps out of scale.

Rest assured, landscape designers won’t laugh at you when you hire their services to prettify your teeny weeny space. In fact, these landscape experts think that far from being restrictive, small-s
1000
pace gardens present some unique design opportunities. If they can come up with countless design ideas for big spaces, they also can do the same when it comes to small ones. The limit to creativity is not physical space, and the experts know this. This is why many landscaping companies have come up with countless innovative ways to turn a relatively small space into a wonderfully practical entertaining garden area.

Homeowners who worry about not knowing how to turn their tiny yards into the magical garden they have always dreamed of can now get professional landscape designers to make this dream come true.

For more information about professional landscaping for small spaces, please visit http://www.entrenched.com.au/ .

By: Landscape Designer

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Technorati Tags: Landscape Architects

Ok so 3 more posts today that I’ve dug up – I’m an information JUNKIE on this stuff lately. Give em a browse and let me know what ya reckon. They’re just from a few different sites I’ve been surfing lately that are generally good for information like this…

Eco-City Beautiful

This collaboration between landscape architects and ecologists is complex, and not without conflict. There is a basic difference in stance: landscape architects necessarily apply a design intention to a landscape, while ecologists …

urban systems design and the architectural disciplines

One of the intentions of my first post, which may not have come across because of brevity, was to argue against the idea that architects or landscape architects ought to “seize back” this or that piece of technical expertise from other …

Landscape architects plot our urban environment’s functional …

The job: Working with architects, surveyors and engineers, landscape architects help determine the best arrangement of roads and buildings. They create detailed plans indicating topography, vegetation, walkways and other landscaping …

Hope you enjoy the read as much as I did and please if you have something to say, use the comments form below to let everyone know your thoughts.

Have a great day!

Grandson of police department employee shot, injured at home

Terms & Conditions The following comments are provided by readers and are the sole responsiblity of the authors. The reviewjournal.com does not review comments before publication nor guarantee their accuracy. Full Story;

Las Vegas-based Citadel Broadcasting files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

Citadel Broadcasting Corp., the nation’s third-largest radio broadcasting company, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Sunday in an effort to restructure its hefty debt load as it continues to face declining advertising revenue. Full Story;

At 88, former county commissioner still stands her ground

“Just keep moving,” Thalia Dondero said firmly. Full Story;

Senate bill passes test

WASHINGTON — Landmark health care legislation backed by President Barack Obama passed its sternest Senate test early today, overcoming Republican delaying tactics on a 60-40 vote that all but assures its passage by Christmas. Full Story;

‘Pawn Stars’ glitters

Here’s your unlikeliest feel-good story for Christmas week: Las Vegas’ newest rising celebrities are four local guys who have been quietly running a family-owned pawnshop downtown for years. Full Story;

Health district releases final report on hepatitis outbreak

It was a medical scare which forced more than 60,000 people to get tested for hepatitis C. On Monday, the Southern Nevada Health District released its final report on the outbreak involving two endoscopy clinics. Full Story;

Governor Gibbons opens doors to budget deficit reduction ideas

This week is traditionally a slow week at the state capitol, but it isn’t for state lawmakers who are grappling with a growing budget deficit that could cripple state agencies and send state workers home with pink slips. Full Story;

Portion of MLK project wraps up

It’s a construction project that has seen its share of missed deadlines. The widening and beautification of Martin Luther King Boulevard is a multi-million dollar project which was supposed to wrap up this past summer, but didn’t. Full Story;

Body found in trunk of burned car

Police say Clark County coroner’s investigators will have to identify a body found in the trunk of a burned vehicle in the desert northeast of Las Vegas. Full Story;

Counterfeit cash and the holidays

Counterfeit cash is a bigger problem than you may think here the valley. That’s especially true during the holidays. The Secret Service is sending a warning to both retailer and consumers. Full Story;

Obama welcomes ‘historic’ health care advance

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Monday welcomed what he called the Senate’s “historic vote” to advance health care reform on a path toward possible passage – but by midday Republican senators had vowed to continue fighting the bill to the final hour on Christmas Eve. Full Story;

Gibbons, Nevada legislators discuss state budget

CARSON CITY – Gov. Jim Gibbons is promising to address the inequities in state government where some employees don’t have to take a furlough or a pay cut. Full Story;

Jim Gibbons attacks Harry Reid on health care bill

CARSON CITY — Gov. Jim Gibbons attacked Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s health care bill today, saying that it will bankrupt Nevada state government and accusing the Nevada Democrat of putting “his national political ambitions ahead of Nevada, this time on Christmas Eve.” Full Story;

Man arrested in shooting death of cousin

A Sandy Valley man was arrested Sunday for shooting and killing his cousin outside his home. Full Story;

Boyd Gaming moves for credit flexibility as it seeks growth options

Boyd Gaming Corp. of Las Vegas on Monday said it amended a bank credit facility to give it more flexibility as it pursues growth options including its proposed $2.45 billion acquisition of Station Casinos Inc. Full Story;

Grandson of Metro Employee Accidentally Shot in the Hand

Shortly after 7:30pm Monday night a small child was struck by a bullet that was discharged by a off duty Las Vegas Metropolitan police officers weapon. Full Story;

Therapists Slammed with Holiday Depression Cases

The holidays are supposed to be happy and festive, but not for everyone. Experts say millions of Americans suffer from holiday depression and therapists and counselors say this year has been one of the worst ever. Full Story;

Christmas Package Shipping Deadline Looms

If you’re one of the millions who have waited to send off your Christmas presents, time is running out. Monday is one of the busiest shipping days across the country, as procrastinators make sure their presents arrive on time. Full Story;

Las Vegas Bowl Offering Space-Available Tickets

Organizers of the MAACO Las Vegas Bowl say a limited number of space-available tickets will be offered for sale on game day. Full Story;

Health District Releases Final Hepatitis C Report

The Southern Nevada Health District has released the final report in its investigation in the hepatitis C outbreak. Inside, a link to the report. Full Story;

5 year old child recovering after shooting himself with a Metro employee’s gun

A child is recovering from a self – inflicted gunshot wound by a firearm belonging to a Metro employee. Full Story;

Deals to be had on Las Vegas Strip hotel room rates

This time of year everybody is looking for a bargain. There are deals to be had in some of the world’s top hotel, but not necessarily during the top times. Full Story;

Law enforcement working to curb bank robberies

The tough economy could be reason more people are resorting to desperate measures this holiday season. Full Story;

Good Samaritan killed on US 95 identified

It will be a tragic holiday season for one family in the valley, after a man is struck and killed on U.S. 95 while trying to help another motorist. Full Story;

Artisan facing foreclosure

The offbeat, off-strip Artisan Hotel is going into foreclosure and one of the owners is now behind bars. Full Story;

Police: Off-Duty Officer Shot Child

Authorities say an off-duty Las Vegas Metro police officer shot a child while cleaning his gun. Full Story;

FBI Issues Mixed Report On Nevada Crime

The FBI said violent crimes and robberies decreased slightly in and around Las Vegas in the first half of 2009, compared with the same period in 2008. Full Story;

Stripper-Mobile Coming To Town Near You

The never-ending saga of the Las Vegas Stripper-Mobile will begin a new chapter in 2010 when the portable pole dancers embark on a coast-to-coast tour. Full Story;

A Look At Shipping Deadlines For Top Retailers

A look at shipping deadlines for major online retailers to guarantee delivery by Christmas. All times are Eastern Standard Time. Full Story;

Gov’t Imposes 3-Hour Limit On Tarmac Strandings

Stinky toilets, crying babies, airless cabins — the Obama administration said Monday passengers don’t have to take it any more. It ordered airlines to let people get off planes delayed on the ground after three hours. Full Story;

Lee Hugh Spencer

Lee Hugh Spencer, 60, passed away Dec. 10, 2009, in Pahrump. He was born July 6, 1949, in Illinois, and was a resident of Pahrump for three years, having come from Indiana. Full Story;

Pahrump Valley Times – Nye County’s Largest Newspaper Circulation

Referring to a story in the Dec. 9 issue about CCA we incorrectly characterized a declaration by Frank Smith. Smith provided three e-mails obtained from the U.S. Marshal’s Service under the federal Freedom of Information Act and a description of how they came into his possession. Full Story;

IN BRIEF

University of Nevada Cooperative Extension 4-H Junior Master Gardeners will be Christmas crafting from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Dec. 19 at the farmer’s market in the Bob Ruud Community Center parking lot. Full Story;

Patches fascinate kids

Butch Harper continues to visit children’s hospitals around the country to deliver the collages he creates in Pahrump from patches, ribbons and medals worn on uniforms of servicemen and women and first responders. Full Story;

Community Calendar

VFW donation dinner — 5-7 p.m., VFW Post 10054, Homestead Road, $6. Open to the public. Prayer meeting — 5:30 p.m., Victory Christian Center, Highway 160 and Winery Road. Full Story;

Special session likely for state lawmakers

The holidays haven’t passed yet, but talk is already swirling about a legislative special session in 2010. And at least one state lawmaker is urging business leaders to avoid treating political participation like last-minute Christmas shopping. Full Story;

EXECUTIVE SNAPSHOT: Steve Malloy, General Manager, SignsWest.com

Introduced to the industry right out of high school, Steve Malloy began his graphics career in the mailroom of a newspaper company. Working his way through prepress production, customer service, management and ownership, the native New Yorker landed in Las Vegas roughly six weeks ago. Full Story;

TIME AND PLACE

Call for time and location weekly, CCBN: B2B Renaissance Chapter, call for location, 434-8800. 7:30 a.m. first and third Monday, Being Your Own Boss, The Cracked Egg, 6435 S. Rainbow Blvd., 492-4664, ext. 244. Full Story;

ON THE MOVE

The National Society of Accountants appointed Don Stewart director for the state of Nevada. Hematology & Oncology News & Issues honored Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada with a Hematology & Oncology Practice Excellence Award for its customer service. Full Story;

Book tells us laissez-faire commerce isn’t quite what it seems

The Black Monday crash of Oct. 19, 1987, John Cassidy recalls, stripped 508 points from the Dow Jones industrial average and sparked selling intense enough to snarl the New York Stock Exchange’s trading systems. Full Story;

There goes the neighborhood

If there’s ever a contest for the worst neighbor in Las Vegas, Melinda Sumner has an inside track on an odds-on favorite. Full Story;

Howdy, neighbor!

Here’s a list of those deemed by city officials as the Las Vegas top 10 housing code offenders, based on both the amount of fines they face and the persistence of their violations. Full Story;

When clutter is a crime

What constitutes a housing code violation, and does your clutter count? Full Story;

A sign from above

Rich Hermsen is a skeptic, not a Scrooge, so he didn’t set out to spoil anybody’s Christmas. Full Story;

A shock to the system

Was it the best of timing or the worst of timing? Just as room rates in Las Vegas were beginning to bottom out — and in some instances even enjoy the proverbial “dead cat bounce” — CityCenter floods the Strip with 5,900 more units. Full Story;

Winning tradition started with hard work for Green Valley High baseball

Longtime Green Valley High baseball coach Rodger Fairless had one requirement for the ballplayers in his program. Fairless, who guided the Gators to six consecutive state titles from 1993 to ’98, wouldn’t settle for anything less than an athlete’s best effort. Try going about your job in a lackadaisical fashion and the hard-nosed coach would find someone to take your place. Full Story;

Prosecutors to seek death penalty for accused child killer

Prosecutors have decided to seek the death penalty for a 21-year-old Henderson man accused of killing his girlfriend’s baby. Rayshaun Coleman is charged with first-degree murder, child abuse and neglect. He pleaded not guilty to all charges Dec. 1 during his arraignment. Full Story;

Photo Highlight Slideshow

Pint-sized snowmen are seen on a railing at Central Park in
New York. REUTERS/Finbarr O’Reilly

Opinions & Editorials: Diverse views on news from the right, left, and center.

Technorati Tags: Landscape Architects

I hope you’ve been enjoying my posts lately. I thought I might do something different today and rustle up a few bits of info from around the WWW. These are some of the news items and blog posts that have been popular over the last few weeks. Leave me your thoughts.

Of Earth and Water

Jim Patchett has a lot of titles: landscape architect, hydrologist, educator, environmentalist—visionary. But more significantly, he's a man on a mission to sustain Earth's ecological balance by treating water as the precious resource …

Grafico Filipino: Landscape Architecture – October 2009

Landscape Architecture – the magazine of the American Society of Landscape Architects provides timely information on built landscapes and new techniques for ecologically sensitive planning and design. _. Download link: …

HANDBOOK OF SOILS FOR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS

Landscape Architecture curriculum at colleges and universities often requires a course in soils. During my teaching in the College of Agriculture and Forestry at West Virginia University, I was requested to teach a course specifically …

Hope you enjoy the read as much as I did and please if you have something to say, use the comments form below to let everyone know your thoughts.

Have a great day!

It is common for people to feel that what they think about

designing their landscaping isn’t correct since they are not

experts. They are worried about ruining their yard by relying on

their own tastes, so they seek out the help of landscape

architects.

The design itself isn’t what typically ruins things,

it’s improper installation, which is not completed by the

architect. Whether you design your landscaping on your own or

hire a professional to help, you will still have to either

install everything yourself or hire another professional to do

that. Will a landscape architect’s help be needed for your

landscaping?

A landscape architect is helpful in figuring out how to use a

space most efficiently, while looking good at the same time. In

your backyard, building a square deck could save you money, but

if it looks out of place and will waste space or not be fully

usable it won’t do you much good. A landscape architect will

look at what space is available and give you options on what to

do with it to make it look as nice and be as useful as possible.

Having a consultation with an architect can cost $50-$200. If

you can afford that advice, it can be helpful to you. They can

offer advice on decks, walkways, fences, and patios. They can

also suggest where plants can go, but they are not gardeners so

specific plant questions would be better suited towards workers

at your local garden store.

Because landscape architects are not plant experts, they often

suggest plants that are native to the climate that you live in.

This is a smart choice, but you are not paying them so much to

give you that simple advice that will make your yard look similar

to so many others in your area. Also, if your soil is not right

for a certain kind of plant, the architect will not likely know

what to tell you about how to change it.

Architects often use

mature plants in their designs since they look nicer when in

bloom and fully grown, but it is much more expensive to buy

mature plants. Keep these things in mind.

Basically, you can probably figure out what you like and how

you’d like your lawn to look on your own by coming up with your

own plan. You can ask plant specialists what grows best in your

area and seek advice of others to give you confidence in your

plan.

You can even get some ideas online from other peoples

designs, using what you’d like for your garden and leaving out

what doesn’t fit. If you trust your own taste, it is simple to

plan your landscape on your own.

Instead of consulting with and then hiring a landscape architect

to design your yard, you can buy computer software to help. The

architect can end up costing close to $1000, and the software is

much cheaper. The software is fun to use and it can tell you

what materials you will need for the landscaping design you come up with. It

can even give you cost estimates.

If you have the budget for it and are not sure of how to use your

space most efficiently, a landscape architect can surely help.

They are often more practical to use for very large projects

instead of medium to small ones. Sketching out your ideas and/or

using software is likely adequate for the medium to small jobs

where hiring an architect would be out of your reasonable price

range.

It may take some effort on your part but your landscape design plans can really take the needs and wants of your lifestyle into focus. At http://www.plant-care.com you can find more landscaping plans and ideas to your home the envy of the neighborhood.

Technorati Tags: Landscape Architects