Friday, August 5th, Cameron Scott, Owner of Exteriorscapes, will be serving as a judge for Portland’s Northwest Natural Streeet of Dreams. This year’s street of dreams is putting the emphasis on Green Building. Check out the link to see the houses and if you want to talk to Cameron in person he will be at the summer block party the night of the 4th.
News
Portland: Northwest Natural Street of Dreams
July 29, 2011
Exteriorscapes’ Water Features on Houzz!
July 15, 2011
Check out the online article “35 Fabulous Fountains” on Houzz’s website for two Exteriorscapes’ designed features and more.
Irrigation – Can Save Time and Money
July 8, 2011
By Patricia Lenssen, RLA, ARCSA AP
Exteriorscapes LLC
Automatic irrigation is a popular topic when the sun finally comes out and the garden needs water. At first, it seems like irrigation is a luxury, but it can actually help you to save water. Hose nozzles and portable lawn sprinklers are easy to purchase and require no installation, but you will never know exactly how much water you are using or if it’s being applied in the right places. Standing in the garden after work holding the hose can be a great stress reliever, but if you are ready to let an irrigation system do that work for you, and you want to know how much and where you’re watering, an automatic system may be right for you.
There are two main categories of systems available – spray systems or drip systems. Spray systems are laid out with rigid pipes 18”-24” below grade and have nozzles above ground or nozzles that pop up out of the ground and spray either streams of water or water mist. Drip systems are made up of small flexible tubes just under the surface of the soil. Water emitters are punched into the line and slowly drip/trickle out water either right above or below the ground, depending on whether you are using an in-line or micro emitter system.
The choice can be a tough one, but here are some pros and cons that might help you decide.
Spray Pros
• More rigid and longer lasting than drip systems.
• New micro-stream heads (such as the Hunter MP rotator) are around 30% more efficient than regular spray heads, cutting water use and run-off associated with older spray systems.
• Requires less day to day maintenance. Problems are easier to identify and fix.
Spray Cons
• Function best with an irrigation clock, which can be expensive, but can also do things like detect rainfall and reduce water output, run several zones from one control location and programmed for daily, weekly or monthly variations. It’s easy to shut off some zones when plants are mature and no longer need regular irrigation.
• More difficult to change the layout and zones if plant types or other garden features change.
• Water loss is greater due to distribution above ground (sun, wind).
Drip Pros
• Most efficient of all types of irrigation systems.
• Can be set with battery operated timers which are inexpensive and hook right to the hose bib.
• System is quiet to run.
• Easiest to install by homeowners – less digging required.
Drip Cons
• Tubing is flexible and tends to shift around and work up to the surface – so maintenance is required to re-set the lines. Take care when digging and weeding to not slice drip lines.
• Emitters can clog easily and need to be flushed periodically.
• It is difficult to see if the emitters are not working if they are underground.
Some maintenance is unavoidable with automatic irrigation. Any system must be winterized in the fall and started up again in the spring. Checking for leaks and overspray are essential to achieving water savings. A professional will be able to help you get started or can take care of all of the ongoing maintenance for you. Being aware of your garden watering is an essential part of being in touch with the landscape – whether you decide to water by hand, or automatically. As water becomes more and more scarce and regulations tighten up on how much water you can use on your landscape, we will all have to do our best to save water and be efficient.
And REMEMBER, watering your garden consistently in the first three years is essential to establishing a healthy garden but be patient…we like to remind our clients of the following rule for plant establishment: first year – sleep, second year – creep and third year LEAP!
Good luck and happy watering.
Exteriorscapes featured on Houzz!
June 29, 2011
Check out Exteriorscapes’ work featured in an online article “Out in the Yard: Creating an Art-Inspired Garden” on the Houzz website.
Peter’s Pulpit: BEES
June 26, 2011
This is the first entry on the blog from Peter Lavagnino, Exteriorscapes’ Maintenance Manager & Plant Designer…our resident plant whisperer.
Bees don’t bother me. In fact, I invite them into my garden. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve learned to give them a respectful distance. I’ve also learned to identify aggressive species and the real estate they like to call home. In the end, though, we rely on them for food and for beauty.
The Modesto ash tree that grew in our family’s back yard while we were growing up was just such a piece of bee real estate. Its great canopy breathed and hummed from March to October, and we avoided it at all costs. Up one side of the block and down the other, everyone knew to run past this tree or risk being stung!
Inevitably, I was compelled to test that belief.
On a rare day when I had the back yard to myself, I thought it was time to challenge the tree. I strolled casually past the ash, making sure to avert my eyes so as not to appear threatening, just like I’d seen Jane Goodall do with Chimpanzees in Africa. As I cleared the danger zone, I turned to confirm that I was not actually being chased by a black swarm, à la Yogi Bear.
It was right then that I realized that it was just that…the cloud was 12 inches from my face and closing in fast. The last thing I remember before the pain hit was an extreme close-up of a bee face, his martyr’s dive landing right between my eyes. I ran blinded and bawling into the kitchen where my mother applied a paste of baking soda and water to the swollen forehead of her slobbering child. She explained a very important distinction that has remained helpful ever since: these were not bees but hornets!
You would think that experience and the numerous times I’ve been stung as a gardener would make me happy to see bees less and less, but that is not the case. Bee activity is responsible for over 60% of food production in the U.S., and the decline in their numbers has impacted the agricultural industry and home gardeners alike.
While I have learned that bees are territorial and protective, I have also learned that they do all the work. I just keep the weeds out. They provide me with prize-worthy produce and a display of ornamentals that constantly surprises. I have even moved in a small family of mason bees to bolster their fight against declining numbers.
Now when we meet at a crossroads in the garden, each of us busy at our tasks, they are given right-of-way. I also try to make them feel at home by providing plants that bloom for as long as the weather allows. The early part of the growing season is easily covered by Northwest staples such as daphne, hellebores, and Galanthus. Spring and summer are no-brainers, but the challenge increases toward autumn. Below is a list of plants that will invite bees over for a late summer party and make them want to stay.
Shrubs:
Arctostaphylos
Caryopteris
Carpenteria
Rosemarinus
Lavandula
Artemisia
Buddleia
Hebe
Teuchrium
Perennials:
Achillea
Agastache
Aster
Calamintha
Borage
Asphodeline
Gentian
Lobelia
Erigeron
Eryngium
Echinacea
Coreopsis
Helianthus
Helenium
Gerardia
Cucurbits
Linaria
Gnautia
Lilium
Liatris
Penstemmon
Aconitum
Salvia
Solidago
Scabiosa
Sedum
Monarda
Chelone
Eupatorum
Kirengoshima
Platycodon
Perovskia
Verbena
Ceratostigma
Be sure to see Valerie Easton’s article “Keeper brings bees to Seattle gardens” in today’s Seattle Times.
Flagstone Day
April 22, 2011
Last Friday Cameron gave a lecture and demonstration on flagstone patios and installation. The group consisted of people from the industry, homeowners, architects & designers. After the lecture everyone got to eat pizza straight from Maranakos’ wood-fired oven.
Maranakos will be hosting these educational events once a month, so stay tuned for more information about upcoming events!
Permeable Paving 101
April 8, 2011
By Patricia Lenssen, RLA, ARCSA AP
Exteriorscapes LLC
Stormwater runoff is a still a big problem in most urban areas. Impervious surfaces, such as rooftops, pavement, lawns and roads all prevent water from soaking back into the ground when it rains. Take a look at an aerial photo of the city and you can see how much impervious surface there is – from commercial areas, to industrial facilities, to each individual house. In an effort to slow water down and get it back into the ground, one strategy is to make pavement more pervious. In areas where the soils are not already saturated and removing impervious surfaces is not desired, there are several permeable paving solutions to lessen the impact of our urban development.
Permeable Concrete: Permeable concrete resembles a rice krispy treat. Concrete is used to coat aggregate particles and secure them together while maintaining space in between each particle. Water moves right down through the pavement and into a base gravel material, eventually soaking into the sub-soils. The maintenance of this type of paving includes periodic vacuuming by a large vactor truck to prevent clogging, making this type of paving most appropriate in commercial and public facilities.
Permeable Asphalt: Permeable asphalt is similar to permeable concrete. Larger aggregate particles are used to maintain open spaces that water can travel through. This pavement also requires periodic vacuuming and is also most appropriate for commercial and public facilities.
Permeable Pavers: All pavers are somewhat permeable due to the open spaces in-between the units. Using a gravel base with fewer small particles can leave more open space for water to fill in. Permeable paver products have extra gaps designed into the paver layout to increase the void spaces where water can filter into. Using an extra-deep, large particle base can provide an area for many gallons of water to be stored and filter slowly into the underlying soil. Some permeable pavers are designed for vehicular traffic, while others are just for foot traffic. Many more attractive types of these pavers have become available recently.
Grid Systems: There are many products available featuring an open-cell concrete or plastic grid, that is filled with soil and planted with lawn. These are designed to increase the traffic load that can be accommodated on lawn, thereby decreasing the amount of concrete, asphalt or stone that is needed for foot traffic or parking. These systems are placed on top of a gravel base. The stormwater benefit of these systems is better than traditional paving, but not as good as the rest of the solutions listed.
Lawn: Contrary to what you might think, lawn is often almost completely impervious. A new lawn can slow and infiltrate some water, but an old, compacted lawn with a significant thatch layer is similar to concrete. Lawn should not be thought of as surfacing that infiltrates water.
Planting: Planted areas are the most basic and natural way of allowing water to soak into the ground. A healthy soil and mulch layer and low-maintenance plantings act like a sponge, taking in and holding water then releasing it down into the soil profile. Whenever possible, removing lawn and pavement and building up healthy soils is the best option for reducing stormwater runoff on the ground.
Check out the Green Stormwater Infrastructure page on the Seattle Public Utilities website for more information on rain gardens, green roofs, rainwater catchment and other strategies for slowing our stormwater down and recharging our aquifers.
Look who else likes Exteriorscapes!
April 3, 2011
Our garden design was featured in a Lowe’s Idea Magazine ad with HGTV Landscape Designer, Jamie Durie. Click on the image to see our raised veggie beds made of corten steel.
Exteriorscapes wins three WALP Awards for 2010!
March 12, 2011
Grand Award: Residential Construction- Single Family over $50,000
Grand Award: Residential Construction – Single Family Maintenance over $3600/year
Award of Merit: Waterwise Landscape
