Orange Princess Tulip – Image courtesy of http://www.johnscheepers.com

A couple of our favorite varieties are Peony tulips and Viridiflora tulips. Peony tulips, also sometimes known as Double Late Tulips, have blooms closely resembling peonies. These blooms last a bit longer than other tulip varieties and have large, full blooms that are lovely for the garden and as cut flowers. Peony tulips grow to 14″-22″, depending on the variety.

Tulip Miranda – Image courtesy of http://www.johnscheepers.com

Unknown variety of Peony Tulip

The Viridiflora tulip, also known as the ‘Green Tulip’, is another beautiful variety that adds an artistic look to the garden. They typically have yellow,
pink, orange, red blooms brushed with soft green markings and unusual designs.

Viridiflora Tulip image courtesy of http://www.madisonsquarepark.org

Tulip viridiflora ‘Spring Green’ – Image courtesy of http://www.davidhuntergardencenters.com

September and October are the best months for planting bulbs. Ample time must be allowed for the bulbs to root before the ground freezes. Here in Aspen, this freezing can come on early in the winter, or even in late fall. Soil should be well drained, the best being a sandy loam. Bulbs are planted deeper than traditional seeds, with the growing tip pointed upwards. Depth is very important – as a general rule, this depth is four times the height of the bulb between the soil surface and the tip of the bulb. Fertilizer must also be present in the root zone to be effective – make sure to apply phosphorus fertilizer at planting time so it is available to the roots. Finally, water thoroughly after planting unless a freeze or heavy rains are on the immediate horizon.

As a general rule, though you may be tempted, try not to cut flowers from the garden for your vases inside – think about planting a separate cutting garden. Allow blooms to die, dead-head the flower to prevent it from going to seed, and then let the foliage die back naturally.

For more resources on planting bulbs in Colorado, try the Colorado State Extension page on bulbs and corms here.

Find another one of our favorite resources on bulbs, John Scheepers here.

And always consider us here at Alpine Design and Planning a resource – feel free to comment on this post or contact us via email for more questions or to find out how to get some tulips growing in your garden!

Image of the Colorado River retrieved from http://www.sustainabilityninja.com

The Colorado River winds 1,470 miles from our backyards in the Rocky Mountains to the Gulf of California’s Sea of Cortez – or used to in it’s better days (it no longer actually reaches the sea). Due to the average American’s water habits, the Colorado is being depleted at an alarming rate. Our average consumption here in the US is 2,000 gallons per person per day. That’s the equivalent of 140 showers a day. And 2 times the global average. The almost more shocking fact is that nearly 95% of this water use is hidden in the choices we make on a daily basis. Our food, the products we buy, and our daily habits contribute to this number. According to an article in National Geographic, a shocking 70% of this water goes to our diets, largely towards the production of meat.

We came across this pledge recently, sponsored by National Geographic, called ‘Change the Course‘. For each individual pledge made to reduce your daily habits that contribute to water consumption, Change the Course will replenish 1,000 gallons of water to the Colorado River. In order to start to understand the impact of your own daily life, Change the Course has come up with this water use calculator. Simple choices in how we manage our homes, yards, diets, energy, and consumer patterns have a huge effect. For more intriguing and motivating statistics, there is an entire section of National Geographic’s ‘Environment’ website with hundreds of links to data, articles and resources on the impact we are placing on our fresh water resources, and ways in which we can begin to reverse these patterns. Things as simple as knowing the source of your water can begin to make a difference. If everyone knew where their drinking water was coming from, would they not pay a little more attention to the things they were putting back into it? The EPA also has a great interactive watershed mapping tool called “Surf Your Watershed“. Check it out to see where your own water is coming from… you may be surprised, and inspired.

Another significant way we can reduce our impact is by designing and treating our landscapes appropriately given the climates in which we choose to live. Plant choices and site appropriate design are decisions we make when we design our surroundings. Paying attention to the constraints of our environment might mean a slightly smaller palette, or a smaller lawn than we think we need, but these decisions will have a huge impact on the water necessary to maintain them and we must consider if those choices warrant a reduced amount of fresh water available for our future fellow humans.

Colorado River, imaged retrieved from http://www.ivn.us

Read up on more info on the Colorado River, and how to take an active role in preserving it, and other fresh water sources worldwide, here. Take the pledge, and most importantly, become informed on how your decisions can change the course of our rivers.

Image courtesy of http://www.hdwallpapers.in/cenote_dzitnup_mexico-wallpapers.html

While in Mexico recently I had the opportunity to snorkel in a couple of the cenotes on the Riviera Maya.  Much of the Yucatan peninsula, particularly along the west coast is made of limestone.  There is so much rain in this area that the fresh water leaches through the limestone, creating caverns filled with stalagmites and stalactite.  The fresh water, as it permeates the limestone, brings with it minerals, primarily calcium I suppose, into the water.

Cenote means sort of literally, ‘well’, in English so these caverns are filled with fresh water that is recharged during the rainy seasons with rainwater that percolates through the stone.

The water in the cenotes is incredibly clear, and ranges from open pools to partially covered pools, to completely underground water-filled caves that you can dive through with a flashlight.

It’s like swimming through a bowl of our childhood Magic Rocks, except that there are no psychedelic colors.  In fact there is a startling lack of color, vegetation or aquatic life in the cenotes.  I have tentatively asked my personal guide, Alex, if would hold my hand the entire time in the water as I am afraid, really, of water in general and can’t imagine snorkeling in an enclosed cave where I can’t get out and spears of stone have have me in an Iron Maiden.

Wonderful, sweet Alex agrees to hold my hand at all times, not to take me anywhere I don’t feel comfortable, and to let me experience the caves slowly, gradually, not leaving sight of open sky until I am ready.  Of course I feel like an overly timid middle-aged woman, but Alex and I chat about the plants and animals of jungle as we walk toward the first cenote, the First Eye of Dos Ojos.

Dos Ojos Cenote (image courtesy of http://www.cenotedosojos.com/

He cautions me gently to watch my footing on the wooden steps leading down to the water since they may be slippery and then shows me how to dunk my wetsuit in the cool water to help slide it over my sweaty body.  Suit on, I put on my lifevest, chaleco, again feeling silly as no one is wearing a life vest.  But he assures me that the reason is provide more buoyancy for my very slim body and help to keep me warmer since I don’t have the body fat of most. (He’s A-1 on my list at this moment, smart fellow).  I figure out how to get enough suction between my mask and face to seal out most of the water, stick the snorkel in my mouth and feel like a big dork again, sitting there on the side.  Alex encourages me to gently slide into the water so, anticipating the big shock of the 55 degree water, I take my last breath and slide in.

Wonder of wonders the water is cool on my now neoprene wrapped 100 and 5 degree skin and I bob like a cork!  Alex offers his hand, grip it like grim death, and we put our faces in the water and push gently away from the steps.  The underworld of limestone formations comes alive with cones, spires, hoodoos and elephants.  We just float there for a few minutes as I try to stop hyperventilating.  When he senses I am relaxing, he gently steers us out about 10 feet into the cave pool.  We pop up and he explains that we will circumnavigate the pool for about 7 minutes and then exit to walk over to the Second Eye pool.  Basically he tows me, ever so gently and slowly, around the while I reach dumbly for the little silver fishes that seem to be the only inhabitants.  Of course the little fishes are much farther away than they appear so rely grasp at water.  Our flashlights show their little silvery sides with the occasional flash of yellow, and the grey, white and blacks of the formations below us.

I am finally able to relax my grip on poor Alex and when we enter the third snorkeling area, close to the Cueva Murcielagos.  Murcielagos are Bats, so we have found the secret entrance to the Batcave, but Batman, my friend Mikey, is off with another group actually diving through the caves as they connect completely underground.  So I Robin, alone but for my trusty guide, must enter the Batcave on my own.

We glide into the water, and this time can venture just a hair closer to the walls where the water is more shallow.  Alex can tell I’m getting very relaxed now so he points out a way we can cross into a a completely subterranean cave by swimming through an narrow path between stalactites hovering only a few inches above the surface.  So we go, gently scraping our snorkels against some mineral sugar cones and emerge into complete darkness.  I turn off my light, and so does Alex and we bob gently, our heads out of the water, listening to the darkness.  Absolute quiet.  The ceiling here is perhaps 5 to 10 feet above our heads, a dome sloping down at the sides to meet the water which is perfectly still.  Finally I put my light back on, Alex his, and we resume exploring the stalagmites under water again.

He have never let go of my hand, and he has now gone from A-1 to Superman, or perhaps my future ex-husband.  Except that he’s half my age, and has two seven-month old twin girls Dasha and Disha.  A treat like this is rare, a new experience, from fearful to relaxed, a personal guide who seems to understand exactly what I’m feeling and what I need.  Bless you Alex.

Image courtesy of http://www.informaltea.co.nz/blogs/news/6471538-you-are-here

Tea is made primarily from Camelia sinensis in the Sichuan province of China.  Both black and green tea is made by plucking the tender top two leaves and the terminal shoot from the slowing growing shrub.  Hence probably the relatively new business in the Roaring Fork Valley called ‘Two Leaves and a Bud’.

Black tea is made from fermenting the leaves, then heating and drying.  Green tea skips the fermentation process.

A couple of times in the 19^th and 20^th centuries the USDA tried to get a tea industry going in the States, according to an article for Landscape Architecture Magazine contributed by Constance Casey, but apparently farmers in the South and Gulf Coast areas did not see the profit in harvesting four and a half pounds of these tiny leaves from this slow growing plant to make just one pound of tea.

The Charleston Tea Plantation is the only remaining tea plantation in the US according to Ms. Casey, and they seem to have mastered a harvest method. Walk softly and carry a big hedge trimmer to flat-top your tea bushes.

Many people who want to build a new home on a piece of property have difficulty visualizing how house would sit on the lot in 3-D.  Particularly on a sloping site with a substantial elevation difference from one side to the other, clients may not easily understand the ramifications of the slope on the ‘constructability’ of the home and other site improvements.

It is so easy to draw in a driveway from street to garage without taking into consideration the culverts that may be required to cross a borrow-ditch, the retaining walls necessary to keep the driveway at a manageable grade as it crosses the property, or the necessity to direct rainwater away from the garage and home while it gains velocity down a paved drive.

The Landscape Architect is a valuable member of the team of professionals a client uses to develop property, from the civil engineers and surveyors, to the soils testing specialists, architects, interior designers, and mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems engineers.  Landscape Architects can help the architects and clients to situate the home on a site in such a manner that not just views and privacy are addressed, but the functional and aesthetic placement of living spaces to provide access to the landscape.

Perhaps the home is really a ‘crow’s nest’ overlooking a stunning view, but there is such a trend to provide outdoor living spaces, even in urban environments, that the LA can help the team discover the meaningful attributes of a site, the orientations best suited to the uses, and how to set finish floor levels to allow access to landscape amenities like patios, spas, kitchens, fireplaces with grace and style.

The accomplished LA will have worked with a number of civil engineers and contractors to have a deep understanding of the functional needs and cost implications of various design elements and be able to express those to the clients and their teams to ensure maximum bang for the bunk in terms of needs, wants, and costs associated with different options.

Recap of talk given by Eisenberg and Wallison for M2M Homebuilders Association, January 10, 2013

CRISES, CLIFFHANGERS, AND CHANGES

By Cathy Markle

THE CRISIS

Members and guests of the Mountain to Mesa Homebuilders Association recently heard the best brief description of what actually happened to create the ‘financial crisis’ in America!

Peter Wallison, former General Counsel of the US Treasury Department, White House Counsel to President Reagan and author, and Dr. Elliot Eisenberg, a renowned Washington DC-based national economist, President of GraphsandLaughs, LLC  and former Senior Economist for the National Association of Home Builders gave a quick but informative run down on the causes of the crisis at a discussion on January 10^th in El Jebel.

Mr. Wallison explained that the ‘bubble’ was caused by banks being encouraged to buy and sell mortgages, in order to stimulate the housing market and increase home-ownership in the U.S.  Then, in 2006, the Federal Reserve started to raise interest rates.  When interest rates rise, banks start to offer competitive, better terms for borrowers — longer payoffs, cheaper up-front costs, less down – because people can’t afford to pay the costs and rates of borrowing.  So, by design of government incentive, many people were able to buy homes and get mortgages who previously may not have been able to qualify.

However, about half of those mortgages were weak, sub-prime notes, on the books of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  In 2007, at the top of the bubble, defaults and delinquencies drove housing prices down 30 – 40 percent.

Elliot Eisenberg went on to describe what housing is to Americans and what its place as a resource is in our economy.  What is housing?  “Sticks, and bricks, neighborhood, and land”, defined Mr. Eisenberg.  What makes a house more expensive?  “1) the value of the land, and 2) the value of the sticks and bricks.”  In most parts of our country, housing is a ‘non-scarce’ resource.  In other words, we can develop more land and build more housing, except in finite growth areas like Washington D.C., San Francisco, and Aspen.

Traditionally, the price of a home in a given area was about three times income (i.e., income of $100,000/year x 3 = housing prices of about $300,000).  At the peak of the bubble, housing prices across the nation averaged more like five times income.  So super-valuation, drove lots of folks to buy houses and flip them.  At first this raised prices but eventually a dearth of buyers and excess supply of houses drove down home prices, and borrowers began to owe more than their homes were worth, instead of the old scenario where primary housing was an investment.

So bank assets were devalued, personal net worth declined, debt grew on both the private and commercial sides, and in addition, much of that bad debt was government owned by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, meaning now debt of the citizens.

THE CHANGE

Mr. Wallison and Mr. Eisenberg went on to discuss the new Dodd-Frank Act which came into effect just prior to our event.  In a nutshell, both agreed that the Act creates a risk shift in lending.  Whereas previously, if a borrower defaulted on a loan he was responsible for the debt and a lender had recourse of foreclosure, under the new Act, the lender is actually now responsible if a borrower can’t pay, and the borrower has a defense to foreclosure for reasons like ‘the job market’ or current income.

Eisenberg and Wallison believe that the net result of this situation is that the debt will be passed off to private investors (in the case of banks) or to the taxpaying public (in the case of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or FHA).  Not only will investors be leery of lending, but also the risk of the government guaranteed loans will be passed on to citizens whose taxes fund Fannie, Freddie, and FHA.

THE CLIFFHANGER

Peter Wallison says that in June of 2012, debt was predicted to stay the same if the Bush tax cuts were to end.  But, both he and Elliot believe that the result of recent laws making the Bush-era tax cuts permanent (making the tax rates on ‘middle’ class Americans fixed) is that the only way of reducing debt now is to ‘starve the beast’.

So this will help explain why Republicans and Democrats are at each other’s throats, failing to agree on anything.  Now, because debt is so severe and money is so tight, there is bitter competition between the factions as they are now fighting over the little money that remains.

Eisenberg explains that if the current deficit is $1 trillion, it can be financed with several tools: a) the 100 billion in increase by reinstituting the Social Security tax in full, b) and about 400 billion in ongoing sustainable debt, leaving about 500 billion.  In the immediate future, his analysis is that half of that will be generated by basic growth, leaving about 250 billion in necessary spending cuts.  Our legislators MUST figure out what to cut in spending, however they (we) have resolved NOT to solve the problem.  Currently, government spending, according to both Wallison and Eisenberg is higher than ever and revenue is lower than ever.

Eisenberg and Wallison differ a bit on the approach to problem solving however.  Mr. Eisenberg believes that both cutting spending and raising taxes are a part of the solution.  Mr. Wallison agrees that cutting spending is crucial, but believes that raising taxes in addition will result in restriction of development and growth in business.  He states that keeping money in the private sector eventually brings more money to government over time by increasing business, employment and growth.

We heartily thank both Peter and Elliot for a fascinating look at these and other topics at the January event, and hope to continue hearing from them regularly.  If you missed it, be sure to come next time we host an event as they are relevant, engaging and stimulating!

Perennial garden planted throughout a stone retaining wall in Aspen, Colorado.

All too often we hear the issue – “I wanted more color.” The problem being when this complaint is filed days after laying out and planting a garden. Patience and longevity are the values to embrace here. Sure, annual flowers can fill a space with immediate pink and purple hues, but the true gardener finds value and satisfaction in seasonal color, texture and form.

Operating in a region with many tourists and second home owners does offer it’s complications. Understandably, homeowners want to experience the beauty and [most often] color of the gardens they pay to have installed and maintained. If one is only in town for 2 weeks of the summer season, expectations run high for growth, bloom and maintenance perfection. This is where the value of the annual flower lies. However, let us stress and explain the importance of native perennial flowers and shrubs in the Colorado garden…

Native perennial plants are naturally adapted to Colorado’s climates, soils and environmental conditions. When planted in the proper site relative to local conditions, they are ideal in creating a sustainable landscape. Native plant gardens can also create wildlife habitat for a variety of birds, mammals and insects. Additionally, the water input requirements for native alpine plants should be less, which we must address in our environment, and especially in these recent times of drought in the region. Native perennials are simply more suitable for our Colorado mountain gardens, and over time (years, not days or even months) can grow and blossom into lush, colorful and textural landscapes that provide much more than the easy, instant gratification of annuals.

CSU Extension provides a great list of Native Herbaceous Perennials for Colorado Landscapes here.

In addition, check out the work of renowned perennial garden designer Piet Oudolf. Famous for his use of seasonality, color, texture and form as art in the garden, his work is inspiring in it’s designed, yet completely natural beauty. His work and books can be found here.

Perennial garden and waterfall design by Alpine Design and Planning.

Please have patience with your garden and in the end you will be rewarded with natural beauty that ebbs and flows with every season throughout the years to come.

San Francisco Parklet

What is a parklet exactly? Parklets are a more recent trend, often in cities where public open and green space may be lacking. Of course we don’t have to worry about that in Aspen or the surrounding area, but as the town works towards a more walkable and pedestrian friendly agenda, parklets could be a great use of a few spare parking spaces downtown. Residents of San Francisco, Vancouver, and Philadelphia have initiated numerous parklets throughout their cities, adding simple places for people to linger, relax, and enjoy the city from a perspective normally cruised by cars and people rushing this way and that through hectic city streets.

Check out a few examples from around the country. San Francisco has several great parklets scattered through the city – they can be permanent or portable to move through the city to areas in need.

Here in Aspen, we aren’t hurting for green space. But how about space in town other than the pedestrian mall for lingering, chatting with family and friends, and enjoying the view of our mountains. It’s a trend we’d be silly not to keep up with, as the town thrives on being a comfortable and enjoyable place for pedestrians – tourists and locals alike.

Aerial view – very modern design

These examples are mostly in warmer climates – what if we designed some cozy winter parklets with stoves, heat lamps, and holiday lights? Heat is a magnet during our cold winter days. My guess is that parklets for winter lounging would be an immediate draw. And if not, parklets can easily be designed to be temporary – what’s the harm in trying one out? As the Aspen Times article relates, Aspen’s downtown pedestrian mall began as a silly idea. Now, the town is hardly imaginable without it’s pedestrian core.

Parklets in Aspen could be an excellent use of public space for the public – we can sacrifice a couple of parking spaces, especially if the goal of the town is to provide a pedestrian-centric place to explore and relax. Parklets have the potential to increase pedestrian-oriented activity and encourage people to linger and enjoy their surroundings. They could also be a project for local landscape architects, architects, artists and designers to showcase their creativity. Parklets can be made of anything…. check out these examples from the Bay Area…

Yet another creative use of pallets…

Shipping container idea…

Cheers to town council for introducing the topic – lets not let this one die!

[P.S. Check out the Aspen Times article here for more info!]

In thinking about the potential of landscape architecture to effect people in their daily lives and in the future, I have come to realize that what I see in landscape architecture is its ability to provide options and encouragement for healthy living. Our culture has become invaded by threatening lifestyles – a result of auto-centric, disconnected, stagnant communities that lack access to healthy environments with the natural services of clean air, water and food. Of course we all do not choose to or have to live this way, but for many it is not a choice, it is the norm.

The sustainability question asks how we can meet the needs of the present without compromising the potential of future generations to meet their own needs. Yes, we have all heard this. But how to do that is the real question. How do we even tackle such a question? I am convinced more and more that sustainability is and will become directly related to our access to healthy, non-toxic mental and physical environments. And this is why I believe in landscape architecture. More than designing people’s aesthetic backyard gardens (though I am not at all discounting the importance of this task), landscape architecture has the power to change the environment and the accessibility to healthy environments that will help to sustain a healthy population in the future. Designing spaces that are regenerative and focus on human health and well-being benefits could put landscape design at the forefront of ‘sustainable design’.

As humans we can only be as healthy as the environment we surround ourselves by. Only with knowledge and a bit of common sense can we protect ourselves from the levels of toxicity that are deemed ‘safe’ for human life. Physical and mental health requires so much more than the standards set by government agencies. Taking charge of creating healthy landscapes must be a task that we take on with passion if we are to create a sustainable ecosystem for the future.

A program with the right ideas in mind is SITES (the Sustainable Sites Initiative). As a response to LEED for building, SITES will attempt to ensure sustainability in development beginning with site selection, not just using ‘green’ materials in an inappropriately situated new building. While SITES is still in it’s pilot project phase, I hope to see that it follows through with its potential to set a standard for healthy living through landscape design. Their website claims that the complete 2013 Rating System and Reference Guide will be released mid-2013. For a little background information on SITES, ASLA’s Lunch and Learn series has a great episode available to view here.

For additional resources, check out ASLA’s Healthy and Liveable Communities Professional Practice Network page here.