Comments on: avoid, or embrace the inevitable? http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/2009/06/05/avoid-or-embrace-the-inevitable/ Sat, 11 Feb 2012 06:51:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: lostlandscape http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/2009/06/05/avoid-or-embrace-the-inevitable/comment-page-1/#comment-2814 lostlandscape Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:32:00 +0000 http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/?p=6118#comment-2814 Bird, I was surprised nobody else picked up on the plastic garden. To me it's a stunt--mildly clever, but not even that well done. I'm sure there were a few gardens at the show that were worth a visit, but this is the only one that got any press. Bird, I was surprised nobody else picked up on the plastic garden. To me it’s a stunt–mildly clever, but not even that well done. I’m sure there were a few gardens at the show that were worth a visit, but this is the only one that got any press.

]]> By: Bird http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/2009/06/05/avoid-or-embrace-the-inevitable/comment-page-1/#comment-2812 Bird Fri, 12 Jun 2009 16:15:50 +0000 http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/?p=6118#comment-2812 Oh, that <i>stupid</i> plasticine garden! I hate Top Gear and everything it stands for, and no matter how witty and clever their artificial garden parody might be, it just says something about our attitude to gardening and nature in general that makes me nauseous. Your idea for breaking up concrete and doing something a little more interesting has, however, made my day. Oh, that stupid plasticine garden! I hate Top Gear and everything it stands for, and no matter how witty and clever their artificial garden parody might be, it just says something about our attitude to gardening and nature in general that makes me nauseous. Your idea for breaking up concrete and doing something a little more interesting has, however, made my day.

]]> By: [ Lost in the Landscape ] » reclaimed from concrete http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/2009/06/05/avoid-or-embrace-the-inevitable/comment-page-1/#comment-2798 [ Lost in the Landscape ] » reclaimed from concrete Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:38:18 +0000 http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/?p=6118#comment-2798 [...] Two posts ago I mentioned the Crack Garden, a winner in this year’s ASLA awards program that made me think in a new way about dealing with too much concrete. Ryan over at Dry Stone Garden has some different thoughts on the project that are worth a read. [...] […] Two posts ago I mentioned the Crack Garden, a winner in this year’s ASLA awards program that made me think in a new way about dealing with too much concrete. Ryan over at Dry Stone Garden has some different thoughts on the project that are worth a read. […]

]]> By: lostlandscape http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/2009/06/05/avoid-or-embrace-the-inevitable/comment-page-1/#comment-2795 lostlandscape Tue, 09 Jun 2009 02:20:58 +0000 http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/?p=6118#comment-2795 Ryan, I really appreciate your comments. No, I don't consider it flaming at all. It's good, healthy discussion about an imperfect project, and I liked reading what you had to say over at your blog. One thing that grabbed me about this project out of all the residential "winners" was how small and attainable it was. Almost always these programs recognize residential projects that I'll never have a chance of living in the middle of. Ryan, I really appreciate your comments. No, I don’t consider it flaming at all. It’s good, healthy discussion about an imperfect project, and I liked reading what you had to say over at your blog. One thing that grabbed me about this project out of all the residential “winners” was how small and attainable it was. Almost always these programs recognize residential projects that I’ll never have a chance of living in the middle of.

]]> By: ryan http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/2009/06/05/avoid-or-embrace-the-inevitable/comment-page-1/#comment-2791 ryan Mon, 08 Jun 2009 23:33:44 +0000 http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/?p=6118#comment-2791 I just wrote a post about this garden. The name started to seem really insensitive to me as I saw it on more and more blogs, and it seems to reflect some bigger things about the ASLA and the powerhouse firms that design our public space. I liked your post, and even as I crit the project I do find it thought provoking. So don't think I'm flaming you. I'm really responding more to the landscape architecture blogs and landscape architecture community which seems to lack some important perspective on this project and to be out of touch with the urban areas where they do a lot work. I just wrote a post about this garden. The name started to seem really insensitive to me as I saw it on more and more blogs, and it seems to reflect some bigger things about the ASLA and the powerhouse firms that design our public space. I liked your post, and even as I crit the project I do find it thought provoking. So don’t think I’m flaming you. I’m really responding more to the landscape architecture blogs and landscape architecture community which seems to lack some important perspective on this project and to be out of touch with the urban areas where they do a lot work.

]]> By: lostlandscape http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/2009/06/05/avoid-or-embrace-the-inevitable/comment-page-1/#comment-2783 lostlandscape Mon, 08 Jun 2009 02:24:05 +0000 http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/?p=6118#comment-2783 Tina, most of our concrete is actually in pretty good shape, but some of it was poured with seams. That's where the plants colonize and where I spend too much time keeping after them. Tedious! Steve, glad to make the link. I guess I can end up taking anything seriously...looking for the BIG MEANING in everything. But Big MEANINGs can be fun too. Ryan, I think what got me about this project was the basic concept, practicality be damned. I can see that there'd be compaction and drainage issues. And how do you water something like this without watering the concrete? (I suppose drip in the cracks could work...) I'd also probably end up designing things differently. It's surprising how "cottage garden" the results look, even through they're coming out of some other tradition. Town Mouse, I'm convinced that when the humans are gone it'll be oxalis vs the cockroaches. How do you kill the stuff? Hate it. I could see this project working well with some of the rock-growing dudleyas. They might actually like all that reflected heat coming off the concrete. The project doesn't look particularly low-water as planted. Tina, most of our concrete is actually in pretty good shape, but some of it was poured with seams. That’s where the plants colonize and where I spend too much time keeping after them. Tedious!

Steve, glad to make the link. I guess I can end up taking anything seriously…looking for the BIG MEANING in everything. But Big MEANINGs can be fun too.

Ryan, I think what got me about this project was the basic concept, practicality be damned. I can see that there’d be compaction and drainage issues. And how do you water something like this without watering the concrete? (I suppose drip in the cracks could work…) I’d also probably end up designing things differently. It’s surprising how “cottage garden” the results look, even through they’re coming out of some other tradition.

Town Mouse, I’m convinced that when the humans are gone it’ll be oxalis vs the cockroaches. How do you kill the stuff? Hate it. I could see this project working well with some of the rock-growing dudleyas. They might actually like all that reflected heat coming off the concrete. The project doesn’t look particularly low-water as planted.

]]> By: Town Mouse http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/2009/06/05/avoid-or-embrace-the-inevitable/comment-page-1/#comment-2781 Town Mouse Sun, 07 Jun 2009 04:06:22 +0000 http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/?p=6118#comment-2781 Unfortunately, the oxalis that's trying to make a home in the cracks in my concrete will spread aggressively into the rest of the garden if I don't pull it right away. Thyme and other low-growing herbs have not done well without extra water where I live. I'm always amazed how these things look in the photos, and always wonder whether it's just me that it doesn't quite work out that way for me... Unfortunately, the oxalis that’s trying to make a home in the cracks in my concrete will spread aggressively into the rest of the garden if I don’t pull it right away. Thyme and other low-growing herbs have not done well without extra water where I live. I’m always amazed how these things look in the photos, and always wonder whether it’s just me that it doesn’t quite work out that way for me…

]]> By: ryan http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/2009/06/05/avoid-or-embrace-the-inevitable/comment-page-1/#comment-2779 ryan Sun, 07 Jun 2009 00:45:23 +0000 http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/?p=6118#comment-2779 The CMG project caught my eye, too. It's interesting and pretty cool -- love the poppy-- but I have some reservations. It doesn't seem like it solves any of the real issues of concrete -- lack of drainage and high embedded energy. A lot of people use recycled concrete as if it were flagstone and then plant between the cracks to get a nicer effect than the CMG project in my opinion and because they are usually redoing the subsurface, too, they can get better water infiltration. The CMG planting would be better if it had the irregular geometry of a crazy-pattern flagstone patio instead of straight lines. But, I guess it wouldn't be in the modernist, embrace-your-materials tradition, and it would take a more labor. I might be biased by having some friends at CMG and worrying that they get a little more praise than is healthy. I do like the idea of embracing the inevitable. Time is the most implacable foe, followed by gravity and water. The CMG project caught my eye, too. It’s interesting and pretty cool — love the poppy– but I have some reservations. It doesn’t seem like it solves any of the real issues of concrete — lack of drainage and high embedded energy. A lot of people use recycled concrete as if it were flagstone and then plant between the cracks to get a nicer effect than the CMG project in my opinion and because they are usually redoing the subsurface, too, they can get better water infiltration. The CMG planting would be better if it had the irregular geometry of a crazy-pattern flagstone patio instead of straight lines. But, I guess it wouldn’t be in the modernist, embrace-your-materials tradition, and it would take a more labor. I might be biased by having some friends at CMG and worrying that they get a little more praise than is healthy.
I do like the idea of embracing the inevitable. Time is the most implacable foe, followed by gravity and water.

]]> By: Steve http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/2009/06/05/avoid-or-embrace-the-inevitable/comment-page-1/#comment-2775 Steve Fri, 05 Jun 2009 19:30:47 +0000 http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/?p=6118#comment-2775 Wow, James, now there is an alternative worth thinking about. Hey, thanks for referring me and for taking what I say more seriously than I probably do, lol. Just kidding. I actually love adapting to the inevitable and there is much to be said for inserting some funkiness into droll spaces like that. I admire that process and that person's most interesting take. Wow, James, now there is an alternative worth thinking about. Hey, thanks for referring me and for taking what I say more seriously than I probably do, lol. Just kidding. I actually love adapting to the inevitable and there is much to be said for inserting some funkiness into droll spaces like that. I admire that process and that person’s most interesting take.

]]> By: tina http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/2009/06/05/avoid-or-embrace-the-inevitable/comment-page-1/#comment-2772 tina Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:52:52 +0000 http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/?p=6118#comment-2772 That looks pretty cool! At our other house we have tons of cracks and I think this would work there. Here I am diligent about getting plants out of cracks and hoping to avoid more cracks. It is frustrating. This is an idea I never would've thought of. That looks pretty cool! At our other house we have tons of cracks and I think this would work there. Here I am diligent about getting plants out of cracks and hoping to avoid more cracks. It is frustrating. This is an idea I never would’ve thought of.

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