Greetings APLD CA colleagues,

Half of the year has gone, and with the help of our incredible and highly dedicated group of volunteers throughout the state, we continue to accomplish many great things.

The Chapter Advocacy Committee is working on a modified version of our original plan to develop an educational program that will help build the APLD brand and help support all that we advocate for in the industry. 

Please see the Advocacy article in this Newsletter to find out more about all that we are doing and, hopefully, if you find yourself inspired and interested, to find a way to support the development of this program. We do need and appreciate your help, at any level.

I encourage you once again to make the most of your membership by staying connected and engaged, wherever and whenever you are able to.

The topic of ‘the next generation’ is quite diverse and interesting. 

One of the things that inspires me about our industry is that learning seems to be endless. There are so many things to learn, to become proficient in. In a way, we are always beginners, constantly adapting to a changing world, a changing climate, a growing industry. 

I find that APLD offers great opportunities to both educate and be educated.

From one point of view, a great mix of the old and the new. 

How do we define the old versus the new?

In a way, I wish that we all, as we grow in our practice, will remain young at heart, open to the changing issues, adaptable, growing with the needs of our times. 

That we may encourage, inspire, be inspired by that New Generation and in some way, fully be a part of it as well.

With best regards,
Martin G. Carrion van Rijn

Member Highlights

The Next Generation of Landscape Designers
Emerging Professional Members + Student Members

Designer’s Toolbox

The Next Generation of Plants

Sun Seeker: a Product Review by Gün Ünsal

Educating the Next Generation by Debbie Seracini
- Landscape Design Programs Around the State
- Q & A with Stephanie Landregan, Director of UCLA Extension Landscape Architecture Program

So You Want to Be a Landscape Designer
APLD’s DesignShare Mentor Program

Advocacy Corner

New Advocacy Webpages Launch

Show the Flow Tour by Soleil Tranquilli

Landscape Design Education Update

Our Sponsors

From Roots to Shoots: Irrigation Solutions for All Stages of Tree Development by Hunter

Upcoming Events

Contributors

Call For Submissions

Emerging Professional Designers: The APLD membership category “Emerging Professional” refers to individuals who have been practicing landscape design for less than three years. We’ve contacted a few and asked them a bit about themselves.

Donna Bodine  BeeLand Farms
El Cerrito, CA 

It’s kind of been a short but long journey for me that led me into landscape design. I’ve made tons of mistakes and did all sorts of gimmicky things as an amateur home gardener before seriously considering a landscaping career. 

Previously, I was working as a designer for digital experiences and products for ad agencies and tech companies. Feeling burnout, I thought, “I’m going to take a sabbatical for a month!” During that break, I wanted to disconnect from technology, the computer, social media, etc., and I joined a vegetable gardening class to get my mind off of work. This led me to learn more about horticulture, both at Foothill College & Merritt College. I felt better… renewed? To learn something new and unfamiliar to me. Growing up in pretty urban area of So Cal did not give me much exposure to plants or nature. This was all definitely new to me.

I have way more experience as a fine gardener than a landscape designer, having learned a lot from my internships at a few gardens and being part of the gardening staff at Gamble Garden. Working for a couple of landscape design/build/maintain companies rounded things out, particularly my role as a designer/project manager on properties that involved building permits tied to MWELO.

I feel so fortunate to have many mentors (both in gardening and design) and support from friends in our tight community here in the Bay Area. The work of landscape designers/architects like Scott Shrader take my breath away—OMG YES! I also love California so much—it’s a special place and so dang challenging to design for. 

Ultimately, I decided I really like being a landscape designer. It’s a lot of problem solving, and plants are simply amazing. When I see my clients spending more time outside, enjoying their spaces and connecting to plants, it makes me happy.

Q: What was the moment you realized you had made the transition from student to professional designer (aside from finishing your educational program)? Was there a specific moment when you realized “I am a professional landscape designer”.

A: It was probably the moment I felt confident charging money for my time. While I was studying environmental horticulture, I did a lot of free work for friends, family and neighbors to gain experience—and confidence, really. I took advantage of every educational and hands-on opportunity I could find, and after about two years of work experience, I made the leap of legally filing my business and admitting out loud that I was a landscape designer. It’s been full speed ahead ever since and so much fun.

Q: How has Covid affected the launching of your new career?

A: When everything shut down, we were all really nervous and unsure of what was going to happen. Looking back, I now think one of my fear responses is to get really really busy—because it was during this time that I completely immersed myself in everything horticulture and set my sights on making an official career change. I couldn’t have done it without the amazing support of my family. The four of us created Rootsy together, everything from my then 3-year-old toddler pointing to her favorite logo draft (which is now my logo!) to my teenager helping take photos for the website. And my husband did way more than his fair share to keep the kids fed and the house managed while I sat behind piles of plant books and drafting tools in my makeshift office (a.k.a. our kitchen table). Covid forced all of us to be home together 24/7, which gave me a support network and an opportunity to learn from amazing teachers who were not previously available online. To say it was an intense two years would be an understatement, but Covid presented a unique opportunity for me to nurture the idea of a career change into a reality.

Christine Gertner is a creative innovator with a long history in art and design.  She has trained and dabbled in a variety of disciplines from 2D & 3D fine arts, textiles and even living walls.   She always aspires to understand her medium and her mission.

After an early career in fashion and textile design, she had no viable professional options later in life. This reality, although dismal at first, eventually led her into  Foothill’s Environmental Landscaping  program.  She took classes part-time while raising her two children, trained in fine gardening and living wall care. When covid sent the world into lockdown, her front yard became a work-zone, a catharsis, and an opportunity to engage with the dog-walking, work-from-homing neighbors. Two-years out it is a flourishing reminder of the journey.  It also launched her onto a series of projects and a solid start as designer for hire.

Christine and her business, Inviting Gardens, are based in Menlo Park, CA. She works flexibly with clients to inform and support  them throughout the creative and installation processes.  She is particularly inspired by perennial wave gardens, principles of Japanese design, and Californias’a native flora. 

A New York native, she has called California home for more than 20 years. She has also proudly raised two college-age children.

My journey with plants started as an agronomist mainly doing research in the plant science field (breeding, intensive crop production, plant pathology). Plants have never stopped to amaze me, but back in Argentina (where I am from), I never had the opportunity to develop my passion for landscape design as a career. However, a piece of my heart always remained dreaming of becoming a landscape designer some day. 

When my husband and I moved to Europe (England) 15 years ago, it was there where I could indulge in horticulture, design and got spoiled by the frequent visits to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Gardens, Chelsea flower shows and the gorgeous garden centers full of ornamental varieties where I still take inspiration from. In the UK I had the opportunity to continue my studies and put my horticulture knowledge into practice, designing for friends and family in Europe. It always came out so naturally and fulfilling to me, that deep inside I knew I would eventually need to have the courage to change my career path. However, It wasn’t until we moved to California and joined Foothill College that I felt ready to become a landscape designer. 

In a way, the pandemic helped my career turn into the direction I always wanted, by giving me that extra push I was needing. During this time, many people realized how important it was to have a space to ‘escape’ from the stressful environments the pandemic had created within their own house, now turned into schools and offices. Many found the answer was in their gardens. The requests for design and consultations were overwhelming during this time. And without even noticing, in 2021 my business took formal shape. I started offering garden and design consultations focusing on growing food in an organic and regenerative way, and by coaching people in their own gardens or on-line as there was a lot of need or interest in ‘do it yourself’ (DIY). I love to transfer the knowledge I have gained through the years of gardening in different countries and weathers, but most importantly for me is to pass on how to apply horticultural practices that help the environment while my clients are ‘growing’.

My design work is based on observing nature. I like to create landscapes that feel natural in their space and tuned into their environment, while at the same time meeting my client's garden needs for beauty and purpose. I work promoting organic and regenerative practices in the landscape that contribute to healing the soil, preserving water in place and providing a safe space for wildlife and its diversity incorporating low water needs and California native plants as much as I can.

Many designers are part of my daily inspiration: Christian Douglas, Stefani Bittner and Leslie Bennett, Rosalind Creasy (influencing my Edible landscape journey). Piet Oudolf, Nigel Dunnett, Dan Pearson, Andy Sturgeon and Bernard Trainor (For their naturalistic approach, so close to my heart). 

Being a landscape designer makes me feel accomplished and hopeful. If through my love for plants and nature I can transmit and contribute to people reconnecting with the land where they are growing their gardens, then for me it is the most rewarding experience I can have. I then would be able to feel I have contributed to nurture our beautiful Planet, even if it is one garden at a time.

It’s a wonderful thing to wake up every morning excited to start my work as a landscape designer. I love everything about what I do—every aspect—from strategizing with clients to hunkering down in front of the computer for hours. When I recognized this enthusiasm in myself, I knew I had found something I would enjoy calling my career for the rest of my life.

Three years ago I would never have guessed I would be doing this. I had recently quit my job, having spent decades running an advertising design agency. I was playing the stay-at-home-dad role while I explored what my work future might look like. In the meantime, I began working in the backyard. I designed a master plan for our outdoor space and began building retaining walls and an elevated deck. It was my first such venture, but I pushed the boundaries of design and engineering. Once complete, the results were positive and the feedback I received was great. I soon found myself craving to be back outside doing more. That’s when I decided becoming a legit landscape designer might be worth pursuing.

I absorbed as much content as I could, approached friends and started putting together designs for free to get some experience and work samples. Feedback continued to be great and so off I went. Despite being relatively new to this, I now have a waiting list of clients. 

Outer Spaces Exterior Design provides outdoor design, space planning, and facade makeovers. Every project is different; every client is unique. Drawing from my experience in advertising/marketing, my client engagements begin with a comprehensive discovery process to draw out what my clients really need and want from their outdoor spaces. This leads to a highly tailored landscape design that clients feel truly represents what they want—even if they were unable to communicate what they wanted initially. My goal is to leave my clients so excited about the design that they can’t wait to pick up a shovel and get started.

Landscape design wasn’t my first “calling.” A difficult postpartum experience with my first child forced me to better prioritize my mental health, and perhaps not coincidentally, make an exit from the corporate world. 

In the years prior, gardening had become somewhat of an obsession and I began to embrace my creativity as a “maker” in order to fulfill my desire for involvement in something more creative than my professional experience. Landscape design seemed like an incredible leap of faith and the only “right” choice at the same time. I spent a couple of wonderful and transformative years back in school (Merritt College) then crept back into the workforce as a newly minted landscape designer. 

I graduated with my first college degree at the height of the economic crisis in 2008 and my experience the second time around could not have been any more different. Since starting my business in 2019, it’s been an absolute non-stop, drink from the fire hose experience. From my first project, referrals have flowed and my network from Merritt College has paid dividends in the form of mentors, friends and jobs. I do not take this abundance for granted and often cherish the realization that I am, in fact, getting paid to do things like a perspective sketch, peruse inspiration images or best of all, purchase plants.  

One of the things I appreciate most about this field is infinite opportunities to hone my skills and grow my knowledge base in such diverse creative, scientific and social subject matter. As the daughter of a retired schoolteacher, the addiction to lifelong learning runs deep in my blood.

I could spend countless hours fueling my knowledge of plants (Janet Sluis is quite the inspiration) or diving into the latest garden design books. However, the social impact of our role as garden designers is a primary source of meaning for me in this work.

My first “calling” and passion was in the field of international development, with a specific focus on the promotion of democratic governance in sub-Saharan Africa. I worked with an organization closely tied with USAID project implementation and still carry a deep passion for social justice. My ability to speak French doesn’t directly serve me in landscape design but I’ve spent a year now slowly learning Spanish so I can better acknowledge, respect and communicate with many of my counterparts in this field.

I greatly admire the work of Terremoto and others in extending their mission beyond our shared and important goals of creating beautiful gardens, increasing biodiversity and reducing water use. They are prompting difficult and honest conversations around the imbalance of power and recognition in our field. These efforts make me proud to be a part of this field and give me a deeper sense of purpose in my daily work. 

My goal for the future is to grow as a designer, help educate clients about our collective impact with our gardens and play a greater role in advocating for our hardworking partners in construction and installation. 

Q: What was the moment that realized you had made the transition from student to professional designer (aside from finishing your educational program)? 

A: The moment when I realized that I was a professional designer was during my first consultation with a client. I remember insecurity running through my veins. The thoughts of how I am going to do, replayed over and over again as I went through my client brief. The classes I took, and time I spent preparing didn’t truly get me ready for the moment when a client and her husband were talking about their yard, and the goals that they had. At that moment, something clicked as we sat down in our chairs and I asked to take a look at their space. Once, we got outside and I saw how their vision would play out the fears and doubts kind of melted away as we began to discuss their lifestyle and how we were going to plan their space out to accommodate their lifestyle and goals. Once, I finished the appointment, and finalized the contract to be commissioned for the landscape design. I felt very accomplished, and also a responsibility to honor their space, and request. The point in which I was able to embrace the insecurity, and turn it into a tool to better serve my client, is when that ‘aha moment’ hit me , me being a professional landscape designer. That same doubt and fear still exist, but I find it to be a useful tool that stretches the imagination, and helps push the design process forward in a positive direction. 

Q: How has Covid affected the launching of your new career? 

A: The effects of Covid have caused a massive increase in business that I could’ve never imagined! Covid has served as such a unique transitional point in a business as a whole. Before Covid, I was a professional athlete playing football in Canada. Covid canceled our whole season, which caused me to transition into landscape design full-time. [It was then that] I made the decision to commit full-time to developing and growing my landscape design business. It seemed everyone was at home, spending more time together, and focussing on what they prioritized. A backyard that was previously neglected before covid could no longer wait for people who were forced to live at home. I think the protocols to keep people home really started to generate conversations at home amongst people. Homeowners started to ask themselves how they could turn their backyard into more functional outdoor living spaces. That, in combination with not being able to see people frequently, caused our society to value nature for its innate beauty far more than it did before Covid. People wanted a more practical outdoor living space that catered to their needs. Landscape design is a perfect avenue to explore solutions for homeowners. I’m very excited to see increased growth in the landscape design industry, as it is such an underrated and underutilized profession. 

Student Members: The APLD membership “Student” category refers to members who are actively enrolled in a landscape design, landscape architecture or horticulture program. We’ve checked in with them to see where they are headed.

Q: Where are you studying Landscape Design currently? 

A: Foothill College's program in Environmental Horticulture

Q: What influenced you to explore a career in landscape design? 

A: My passion for designing with California native plants began to spread from my own small garden into friends' gardens. I took on a few test projects for friends and neighbors—designing, installing and planting, and in some cases maintaining—and each time I finished one, I found myself ready and eager to learn more.

Q: What do you hope to accomplish with your training in landscape design (i.e special areas of interest or career goals)? 

A: I hope to design and build ornamental native habitat gardens in urban and suburban spaces in the Peninsula. 

Q: What do you most hope to learn by the time you finish your education? 

A: I want to learn how to make the absolute most of onsite resources and materials, from the existing soil to water retention to reuse of construction debris. 

Q: Where are you studying Landscape Design currently? 

A: At present, I am completing my thesis for my Master’s in Landscape Architecture at Cal Poly Pomona. My thesis is investigating the intersection between public space and the fields of landscape architecture and landscape design, specifically the attitudes of landscape professionals in Los Angeles County relating to their role, if any, regarding social justice issues, especially the issue of homelessness, and the attitudes of the homeless population regarding the landscape.  

Q: What influenced you to explore a career in LD? 

A :The natural world has always had a profound attraction for me and the rare opportunities I had to explore it as a child left an indelible imprint.  While living in Paris as a young student studying French language and political science, I found myself entranced by the design of the public spaces and gardens in that country. They were egalitarian, welcoming, and beautiful. Their design was also persuasive. “Come, stroll, and take your ease” they seemed to say and I could never resist them, even when I was late for class! Despite the strict design of some of the spaces, I nevertheless found myself luxuriating in a slower tempo and lulled into a calmer state of mind. A testament to the power of good design!

Q: What do you hope to accomplish with your training in LD?

A: Landscape design to me is essential to the improvement of the quality of life. I hope to create beautiful garden spaces for all kinds of people in all kinds of neighborhoods. Just imagine what our communities could be if everyone had a garden in which to live, breathe deeply, and ponder life’s mysteries!

Q: Where are you studying Landscape Design currently? 

A: I am currently studying Horticulture Design at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, CA. I plan to be finished with the certificate program in Spring 2023. 

Q: What influenced you to explore a career in LD? 

A: I’ve always loved studying horticulture and my education is now building on that. I hope to retain as much plant identification knowledge as possible but the botanical name memorization has been very vigorous. 

I’ve just completed a Design Process class. My final project was a presentation demonstrating how I would turn two shallow rooftop gardens into 1. a tea garden with fresh herbs that can be picked and built-in handicap-accessible folding tables and 2. a meditation garden with a walking labyrinth. Both low-maintenance gardens are filled with sun-loving natives, grasses, and herbs. 

I’m grateful to be a member of the APLD and have all the educational opportunities that the association offers. 

Q: What influenced you to explore a career in LD? 

A: I’m coming into the career as a second career because my passion has always been gardening and creating inviting spaces for my friends and family. As I become more and more knowledgeable on native gardening and gardening for pollinators, I think I get as much joy out of watching native bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies enjoy the garden as much as people.  

Living in Silicon Valley has influenced me. You can make mistakes and try new things. I’m eager to apply my startup technical and marketing background to a career in horticulture and see where that leads me. 

Q: Where are you studying Landscape Design currently? 

A: I am at Foothill College located in Los Altos Hills.

Q: What influenced you to explore a career in LD?

A: I found the horticulture program at Foothill College when I was trying to change my career and had a light bulb moment. As many people who are involved in horticulture have in common one way or another, my grandparents were avid gardeners, and they planted a seed in me to love working with plants. As I take more classes, my instructors made me realize the dynamic nature of the landscape design and how rewarding it may be as a career. 

Q: What do you hope to accomplish with your training in LD (i.e special areas of interest or career goals)?

A: Pandemic forced us to get along with the space we had then. Even in the most anxiety ridden, crazy times, I appreciated and felt at ease when I went to the favorite corner of my yard. I would love to make residential outdoor spaces the place of joy, and all the good things in life for clients. I believe that includes being responsible and as sustainable as possible for the space you occupy and beyond. I hope to one day be able to design space clients deserve while being aware of the ecosystem we are in.

Q: What do you most hope to learn by the time you finish your education?

A: One of the most surprising facts I learned since I started studying is, how wide breadth the subject you must be well versed in to be a successful landscape designer. The more I learn, the more I know I don’t know. I hope to acquire sources, network of people, and tools I trust to revert to when I get stuck by the time I finish my education.  The rest, I suspect is going to be learning process forever.

Q: Where are you studying Landscape Design currently? 

A: I am excited to say that I have just graduated from Merritt College in Oakland with an Associates of Arts Degree in Landscape Architecture.  

Q: What influenced you to explore a career in LD?

A: I have always known I wanted my forever job to involve being outdoors, hands-on, and creative.  I used to jokingly say to my friends that I wanted to make a “fairy garden” for myself in the future.  When I went to a career counselor and told her all of this, she immediately came up with Landscape Architecture and when I heard it, I thought it could not have been a more perfect job for me.  

Q: What do you hope to accomplish with your training in LD (i.e special areas of interest or career goals)?

A: My hope is to one day have my own design/ build firm for residential gardens.  The goal is to create beautiful, functional spaces that benefit the ecosystem and that the client will love.  Also, from the start of my interest in Landscape Design, I have wanted to integrate edible foods into the design.  I think it is not only important that we grow our own food, but it is also beautiful in the garden.  Not to mention yummy! 

Q: What do you most hope to learn by the time you finish your education?

A: I feel like Merritt has given me all the tools I need to be successful entering the Landscape Design field and I am excited to learn more from real life job experience! 

Q: Where are you studying Landscape Design currently?

A: I’m currently finishing up my Landscape Design certification at Merritt College in Oakland, California. 

Q: What influenced you to explore a career in LD?

A: I’ve always been passionate about plants, nature and the outdoors, but felt it was something I “should” only do in my spare time. After many years in the client service and project management spheres, I decided that my passion and previous work experience would complement each other and decided to make the leap!

Q: What do you hope to accomplish with your training in LD (i.e special areas of interest or career goals)?

A: I’m really excited to learn as much as I can about design in particular, as I know it is a lifelong pursuit; it’s always so fascinating and inspiring to see how different designers would approach a project. I look forward to partnering and working with landscape designers and small firms so that I can gain as much hands-on experience as I can. My friends tell me that they love to go hiking or for walks with me because they learn about plants that I point out along the way (and I enjoy walking and hiking with THEM because they indulge me when I randomly spot a rare native or interesting plant!) I’d love to take that plant knowledge and apply it.

Q: What do you most hope to learn by the time you finish your education?

A: I have learned so much already – the knowledge of my colleagues and instructors is astounding! –  but I hope to further hone my design skills to see how plants with different textures work together. I’m a problem solver by nature, and so I hope that someday I can walk into any garden and see a number of potential solutions for each space. I think when you design a green space for someone, you’re really giving your clients a gift – sometimes that gift is relaxation with an accessible green space, sometimes it’s the gift of wildlife and beauty, and I’d love to be able to provide that gift. 

Quercus oblongifolia
Mexican Blue Oak

This one of our special trees in production right now. An evergreen oak common in open woodlands, foothills, and canyons of the Southwest United States. Deep grayish blue leaves are leathery, and populate a broad and open canopy. Bark is deeply fissured and grayish brown. Inconspicuous flowers bloom in May, followed by acorns.

USDA Zones: 6 - 9
Sunset Zones: 1 - 9, 16 - 22
Mature Size: 30 feet high and wide
Light Needs: full sun, partial sun
Water Needs: low

Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Beach Ball’

It’s not brand new, but it hasn’t gotten much attention, and the designers who have used it love it! Once pruned to shape, this extremely compact form is slower growing, and requires fewer maintenance visits than other compact selections. Left unpruned, Beach Ball will form a 3-4' tall by wide ball. Perfect boxwood replacement for containers and low hedges.

Eriogonum nudum ‘Ella Nelson’s Yellow’, Naked Buckwheat

At The Watershed Nursery we focus on seed grown, straight species because we believe in promoting genetic diversity.  That being said, we do carry a few native cultivars and a favorite is Ella Nelson’s Yellow Buckwheat. We love the sprays of lemon yellow pom-pom flowers in late spring, and the native bees, honeybees, and butterflies that feed on the nectar. It is also an important host plant for acmon blue butterfly caterpillars.

Tecomaria capensis ‘Cape Town’™ series

We’ve been successfully growing and are crazy about the new Tecomaria Cape Town™ series in the Sunset Plant Collection. It has the brightly-colored blooms nearly year-round like the regular species, yet they stay more contained at 4 ft. tall x 3 ft. wide, making them even more versatile.

Ajuga reptans Feathered Friends 'Tropical Toucan'

Peren. Herb: Evergreen. Deer, drought & bog toler. Feathered Friends named for its feather-like folg. & the way it mingles nicely w/other plants in combos. First gold colored large-lvd variety! Use in borders, pots, between stones, rock gardens & as a ground cover. Spreads quickly by runners. Attracts butterflies & hummers. Blms: spring-summer. Blm color: cobalt blue. Folg.: vivid gold. Ht.: 4-6". Exp.: pt shade/shade. Water: mod./moist. USDA Z4. PPAF

Although this app is popular with the photographers to estimate where the sun is going to be for events at a later date, it is a boon for horticulturalists and designers as well.  

The app is available for Android and for iOS. It has various widgets, but we use the sun trajectory application in the 3D view the most to see how much sun each area of the garden is getting on a given day. Before we start our designs, we note the hours of sun for each relevant location on the summer solstice for the hottest sun. However, you can also note any other dates, especially winter solstice and equinox days easily as these trajectories are shown in different lines in the same view.

This app can also be useful to look at how much your solar panels are going to get exposed or blocked by your neighbor’s house or your tree, etc. See the screen shots taken on an iPhone below.

Follow the red line as you move your phone around to follow the sun’s summer arc. The spring equinox is the green line and the blue show the winter solstice. The yellow line will be the current day trajectory.  Look at the hours that you get unfiltered, unobstructed blue skies. Note when you get filtered light through the tree canopy. If you have deciduous trees, but are using the app while the tree has leaves, you will have to imagine in your mind’s eyes where the leaves would start and end if you are interested in guessing the winter exposure. Or if a tree is going to be removed and you know that, you will have to do the imagination in your head and add those sun hours to your notes. It might be beneficial to come back and re-measure if there are going to be a lot of tree canopies that will be removed.

One important note: Make sure to calibrate the app before using it for best accuracy. After calibrating, make sure what you see makes sense as in where the north arrow is or where the sun is currently on the yellow line and the time you are looking at it are a perfect overlap. If not, re-calibrate. 

Below are some screen shots using the app to check some specific cases. First example, I am standing in front of a fruit tree and looking at the morning sun situation and the second capture shows the afternoon sun to see why this tree is having such trouble fruiting. In the middle of the day there is a big, dense tree canopy with no direct sunlight. What do you think? Is it a sun exposure issue?

The second example is taken from the second floor window of the house to see if solar panels installed over the first floor roof will get enough sun. This one is specifically checking for the afternoon. Is the nextdoor house going to block the sunlight for the solar panels? This screen capture shows that we have excellent summer sun in the afternoon. The yellow line shows the current day (in this case April 10, 2021). In the spring the sun will set at 5pm over the panels.

If you are looking to expand your horticulture knowledge or advance your career, there are quite a few public schools in California that offer A.S. Degrees and/or Certificate programs in Landscape Design and Landscape Architecture. The programs vary at the different schools, and typically focus on developing skills in either designing landscapes or maintaining them. A common thread among them all, however, is the emphasis on sustainability, conservation, and sound horticultural/environmental management and business practices. 

It is well known that the future for landscape designers and architects is being shaped by the ongoing threat of global warming, which will put them into more key positions of defending and promoting sustainable practices – especially if they are on a team designing large urban development projects. Designers must consider the dramatic decline in California’s reservoir water levels and the rising recurrence of large wild fires. As urban populations grow and require more green space, combined with the growing demand for carbon sequestration, it is imperative that sustainable practices are incorporated into all landscape designs, no matter how large or small, or whether public or private.

The threat of Covid-19, and the possibility of future pandemics, has also changed the outlook for landscape designers and architects by creating a public demand for more expansive spaces (residential and commercial), that can safely accommodate large functions and more people while social distancing.

California’s colleges and universities are well prepared for teaching the upcoming generation of landscape designers and architects by including sustainable practices ideology in their curriculum. Click the button below for an alphabetical list of the state’s schools with a brief description and/or link to their degree or certificate programs in Landscape Design or Landscape Architecture.

So you want to be a Landscape Designer…

Do you have:

• A passion for plants

• Artistic talent

• Concern for the environment

• Problem-solving skills

• Formal education or life experience in the landscape industry

• A business license

Congratulations! You can be a landscape designer!

But wait, there’s more…
Do you also have:

• A knowledge of municipal, state, and federal taxes

• Presentation skills

• Marketing skills

• The ability to identify pests and diseases

• Sales acumen

• The ability to specify landscape materials

Just a few more…Do you ALSO also have:

• Skills to perform a site analysis

• Understanding of soils

• Insurance coverage

• Knowledge of local licensing requirements and ordinances

• Satisfactory office skills

• Understanding of profit and loss

And, surely you must have:

• A legal contract

• Understanding of water use and protection 

• A network of suppliers, vendors, contractors

• Reasonable people skills

The skill set is immense, the applications broad, and for many skills, in constant flux. Of course, there are fundamentals skills needed to start a landscape design business. Many skills are learned and perfected over time, experience (successes and failures), and training.

APLD’s DesignShare Mentoring program is a member benefit open to all members. Read about the conversations of recent participants:

For the any member, new skills can be invigorating and paralyzing all at the same time. 

A message to all members: promote your strengths and seek assistance with your weaknesses, network with peers, pay it forward.

Every engagement with a colleague is an opportunity to learn, not only for those new to the profession but for seasoned pros.

Read what Erin and Victoria have to say about APLD’s DesignShare:

Mentors are needed for the program, so please do consider sharing your expertise.

Contact: Dawn Losiewicz, Director of Member Engagement

APLD Members ADVOCATE

Stay tuned… In addition to the STFVT and webinar event, the APLD California Chapter Board is supporting and encouraging the San Diego, Greater Los Angeles, and Bay Area Districts to create short watershed-based videos pertinent to your districts that demonstrate the unique conditions, biodiversity, and climate of each region. Please contact me for more information. We look forward to sharing district videos at apldca.org/advocacy. 

Sign up today to join the HPHP Initiative.

Get involved with the Advocacy Committee. Beyond ideas. Actions.

— Cheryl Buckwalter, APLD CA Advocacy Chair, advocacy@apldca.org

APLD CALIFORNIA CHAPTER SPONSORS

Through sponsorship of APLD California Chapter, these industry leaders declare their support for best practices, educational programs and events, and the highest standards in landscape design. From veteran materials suppliers to producers of cutting-edge landscape products, these companies have committed to connecting with professional landscape designers and our clients. 

Trees are notoriously difficult to irrigate. That’s because the watering needs of trees change greatly over their lifespans. Starting with a root zone of just a few square feet and growing to cover several hundred feet, a tree’s irrigation footprint changes dramatically as it matures.

With that growth comes a wandering irrigation application zone and the potential for tree damage if not properly managed. It’s the responsibility of an irrigation designer to develop a solution that adjusts to the watering needs of a tree as it grows.

The goal of any irrigation design is to apply water efficiently to a targeted area so soils and plants can absorb it effectively with no runoff. This is a straightforward approach for a newly planted landscapes.

With trees, however, we need to think further into the future. Often, the irrigation solution must be modified over a tree’s life to ensure continual delivery efficiency and adequate irrigation management.

How can we approach an irrigation design for newly planted trees that accommodates future growth? Consider these three approaches:

• Hydrozone trees separately from surrounding plants. Trees have vastly different water requirements compared to shrubs and groundcovers. Design tree irrigation on different hydrozones and valves to ensure maximum management success.
  
  

• Design a system with built-in flexibility. Trees have different watering needs over time. Choose irrigation products that can be modified or retrofitted to provide a variety of application solutions.
  
  

• Combine several irrigation application solutions for trees. Depending on its life stage, a tree may require different watering solutions — subsurface irrigation, bubblers, micro irrigation, sprays, and more. Design a system that provides multiple solutions for maximum flexibility, including various valves and application devices.

Trees provide tremendous green infrastructure value in any landscape project. Ensure that landscape and irrigation managers successfully promote tree health and growth by designing an irrigation system that accommodates tree irrigation needs now and well into the future.

To learn more about best-in-class Hunter tree irrigation solutions, review our Irrigating Trees Design Guide. 

Don't waste valuable time running from supplier to supplier. SiteOne has everything you are looking for with a wide selection of irrigation, lighting, turf and landscape maintenance, nursery and pest control supplies. With 63 stores across California and now Online ordering, we are here to serve you however we can. We'll get to know you and your unique challenges, so we can meet them like no one else. Make every moment of your workday count, go to the one destination that has it all.

An alternative to hiring a surveyor for your site plans, you can easily order customized site plans now that are produced using GIS technology and software. Your plans will be professionally drawn and downloadable in a day. 

Although we do not drive to your site, and make measurements of the property we are able to meticulously work on extracting the data from multiple sources, which are cross-checked to match and sometimes exceed the accuracy of site plans done the traditional way.

Basalite is one of the largest manufacturers of building materials in the Western United States and Canada. Our products include architectural CMU, interlocking paving stones, segmental retaining wall systems, garden line, outdoor living kits and a full line of packaged concrete/mortar products.

Part of the Mendocino Family of Companies, Humboldt Redwood is a proud PLATINUM SPONSOR of the APLD California Chapter. To learn more about Humboldt Redwood, please visit https://www.GetRedwood.com/.

JUNE

New Directions in the American Landscape: 2022 Summer Education Series
June & August 2022

Laundry to Landscape Webinars at The Urban Farmer Store (an APLD CA sponsor)
June – October 2022

ReScape Events Webinar Series and Training Events
June – November 2022

The Hangout – Virtual Networking Event for APLD Members
June, September, & December 2022

JULY

Multi-Disciplinary Approaches to Resilient Landscapes
July 14, 2022

APLD 2022 International Design Conference
July 21-24, 2022

California Native Plant Society, Events & Volunteer Opportunities
Summer – Fall 2022

AUGUST

Bay Area Designer Plant Fair
August 3, 2022

Farwest Show, The Biggest Green Industry Trade Show in the West
August 24 - 26, 2022

Pacific Horticulture, San Francisco Bay Area Gardens
August 24-28, 2022

SEPTEMBER

Pacific Horticulture, Santa Cruz – Monterey Bay Gardens
September 14-18, 2022

The Beauty of Knowing Our Place: Under Western Skies
An evening with author Jennifer Jewell, featuring gorgeous photos of California gardens and inspirational thoughts. Hosted by APLD Sacramento District.
September 15, 2022

Rescape Design Qualification Training – Online
September & October 2022

OCTOBER

Pacific Horticulture, San Diego & Southern California Gardens
October 6, 2022

The Splendor of Portuguese Gardens, a travel tour with Pacific Horticulture
October 1-9, 2022

CNPS 2022 Conference | Rooting Together: Restoring Connections to Plants, Place & People
October 20- 22, 2022

NOVEMBER

The 2022 Anaheim Landscape Design – Build – Maintain – Supply Expo
November 16-17, 2022