http://www.lweanerdesign.com/
Practicing since 1977 Larry Weaner has become a great influence in the landscape industry. He founded Larry Weaner Landscape Associates Inc. In 1982 and has since been very successful designing across the United States, and featured nationally and internationally. He has authored several articles for various industry magazines.
There is a finite sense of concern from Larry Weaner concerning the modern landscape. "In an attempt to attain the perfect lawn, Americans are using enormous quantities of water, fertilizer, herbicides, pesticides and fossil fuels to make grass grow more vigorously, then spending time and money on a weekly basis to keep it short (Wildflower)." With the increasing concern for the environment and the push for "greener" practices Weaner spearheads the movement by suggesting alternatives to the traditional or classical landscape. There is a definite return to naturalism that can be seen in his landscapes, particularly in his execution of the natural meadow. Here is a sample of his writings.
Wildflower Meadows: Lets Get Real
"In order to fulfill the requirements of long term sustainability and low maintenance the meadow must be designed as a functional plant community first and a flower garden second. Only by understanding and incorporating the compositions, patterns and processes inherent in our naturally occurring meadows and prairies can we create landscapes that will be viable over long periods of time without massive amounts of assistance."
"Why is it so difficult to find a seed mix that provides the plants needed for the long haul?"
"By following the lay of the land in placement of plants or plant groups, you not only increase survivability of
those plants, but create a landscape that automatically appears natural and graceful."
"The current trend toward ecological concern, economy, and appreciation of the natural world has created a public eager for new ways to incorporate nature into their homes, businesses and public lands. Native meadow and prairie plantings blend perfectly with these emerging attitudes, presenting an outstanding opportunity for those landscape designers, architects and planners who have made an effort to understand the ecological principles needed for their successfully design and implementation."
Full Article Here
http://www.lweanerdesign.com/
"What then are some of the functions of the perennial ground layer in nature, and how can these functions be incorporated into garden design?"
"The perennial ground layer is as much the foundation of the house as the icing on the cake."
Full Article Here
http://www.lweanerdesign.com/NativePer2009.pdf
The Ten Elements of Natural Design
"Too often, random informality passes for “natural,” when in reality nature is highly ordered and anything but
random. Understanding this order and using it in our designs is the key to making natural design workable and successful. This does not mean, however, that we must design exclusively with native plants, attempt to copy nature exactly, or exclude the influences of other design styles. The goal is to create a framework for the overall designed landscape that has an aesthetic and ecological relationship to our indigenous landscape through the use of native plants in their natural associations."
"The basic considerations of natural design can be broken down into three categories: aesthetic, managerial and environmental."
"Landscape designers and architects influence the treatment of vast areas of land. We have a responsibility to treat the land as more than our personal paint canvas. The landscape designer should be part artist and part repairman, restoring some of the aesthetic qualities and environmental functions of the native landscape that have been destroyed. By making an effort to truly understand the workings of our indigenous landscape, and combining that understanding with the horticultural and design knowledge long associated with our profession, we can legitimately lay claim to the word “natural” when describing our work."
Full Article Here
http://www.lweanerdesign.com/TenElementsofNaturalDesign.pdf
Click Here for Larry's Podcasts on Natural Landscapes
http://www.ndal.org/podcast.html
Picture Credits:
Larry Weaner and meadow http://www.nybg.org/plant-talk/tag/larry-weaner/
Meadow (top) http://www.lweanerdesign.com/
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