Join Billy Goodnick, a landscape architect in Santa Barbara, CA, who specializes in small-scale residential projects, as he shares his logical, holistic design approach. Billy will review some fundamental visual garden design principles and showcase some simple yet highly effective plant selection methods that play a crucial role in the creation of useful, sustainable outdoor living spaces. Whether you're a seasoned designer and would like a refresher, or you're just starting new, you're sure to benefit from this presentation!
Webinar Contents:
Note: The following catalog of content covered in this webinar is time stamped to allow you to follow along or skip to sections of the video that are relevant to your questions. You can also search for content on this page using the FIND command in your browser (CTRL + F in Windows, Command + F in Mac OS.)
- Intro/TOC
- A Look at Logical Design Process
- Beauty, Function, Beauty
- Plant Palette Development
0:00 – 7:41: Intro/TOC
7:42 – 25:31: A Look at Logical Design Process
Cornerstones (7:42)
- Beautiful
- Senses
- Harmony & contrast
- Balance & scale
- Style
- Materials
- Plants
- Usable
- Not just decorating
- What do you want to do?
- Make it comfortable
- Make it convenient
- Sustainable
- SITES Rating System (LEED-like)
- Soil as living ecosystem
- Stormwater management
- Improve air quality
- Improve/provide wildlife habitat
- Reduce energy consumption
- Benefit human wellness
- Increase outdoor recreation value
Design process (11:55)
Three steps:
- Analyze: Desires + conditions
- Define: What does it all mean?
- Synthesize: Refine into design
Needs assessment: Outdoor living needs (12:50)
- Cooking & entertaining
- Meditating & reading
- Growing food
- Hobbies & play
- Storage
- Mobility, vision
- Maintenance
- Resource conservation
Site analysis (13:27)
The "Now What?" or "So What?" drawing (14:19)
Concept statement (15:20)
- Activity
- Feeling/sensation
- Appearance
Bubble diagrams (18:30)
"Brain dump" (19:59)
Landscape styles: time and place (21:20)
25:32 – 29:49: Beauty, Function, Beauty
Visual design principles (25:32)
- Spatial concepts (25:47)
- Space, shape, line (27:02)
- Learn your plants! (27:53)
- Plant selection priorities (29:50)
Crimes Against Horticulture: When Bad Taste Meets Power Tools (29:03)
29:50 – end: Plant Palette Development
Plant selection guidelines (29:50)
- Step 1: Function (30:30)
- Screen
- Modify climate (wind, shade)
- Food, flowers, herbs
- Control erosion, retain topsoil
- Beauty, seasonal change, fragrance
- Soft floor for recreation
- Step 2: General size/category (31:23)
- Tree
- High shrub/vine (above eye level)
- Medium shrub/perennial (eye level to knees)
- Ground plane (below knees)
- Step 3: Growing conditions (32:23)
- Right size and spacing
- Solar/aspect
- Soil/water
- Wind
- Hardiness
- Atmospheric conditions
- Step 4: Appearance (34:00)
- Style
- Architecture
- Density
- Foliage color
- Flower color
- Fragrance, fruit, seasonal
Plant composition (34:50)
Leave room for predictable mature size (34:55)
Plant characteristics (color, form, texture) (37:02)
- Visible characteristics
- Architecture
- Cool green gardens
- Foliage color
Wonderful world of color (43:08)
Color theory basics (43:28)
Harmony & contrast (45:52)
- Complimentary
- Warm analogous scheme
- High-contrast form & color
- Schematic planting
Core of Four (51:27):
Design one plant from each category:
- Tree
- High
- Medium
- Low
Resources (59:09)
Discussion on walking the balance between meeting the wants of the client vs. what the designer knows better (1:02:19)
Working within limitations, including fire, deer, four seasons, etc., and still creating interest (1:07:22)
