Now that we are experiencing more warmer spring weather, there are trees blooming just about everywhere you look throughout Mid-Michigan! As we are approaching mid- to late-spring, the flowering trees are primarily shades of pink and purple, with still some white blooms to break up the color. While these flowering trees are beautiful for us […]
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What is that Flowering Tree?
Spring has finally come to Michigan! Some trees are leafing out while others are in full bloom. And we want to tackle the question: What is it? Differentiating between various flowering trees and shrubs opens our eyes to the unique and beautiful nuances of nature. But these plants can be tricky! There are some look-alike […]
2 (Normally) Invisible Ways That Landscapes Impact Storm Water
With the recent flooding that we’ve been having here in Mid-Michigan, I’ve been thinking about how our landscapes impact storm water, flooding and groundwater infiltration. Many of these ecosystem services that our landscapes provide are often invisible. And once they are out of sight, they are also out of mind. However, our recent weather in […]
Ecosystem Service Functions of Landscapes – Part II: Urban Heat Islands and Biodiversity
In wrapping up the functions of landscapes series, it is fitting to end with ecosystem service functions. Ecosystem services function in order to sustain life through the use of natural systems. As Landscape Architects it is our responsibility to design landscapes that utilize natural systems for human benefit. In Part I of the ecosystem services […]
Engineering Functions of Landscapes
In the Architectural Functions of Landscapes blog post, we took a first look at how landscape elements can be used to serve very specific functions that in turn create interesting people places. These functions fall into 4 categories: Architectural, Engineering, Aesthetic, and Ecosystem Services. This post will explore the engineering functions of landscapes and plant […]
Architectural Functions of Landscapes
We’ve discussed the value of placemaking and creating people places before, but not based on the values that landscape elements provide. The functional uses of landscapes fall into 4 categories: Architectural, Engineering, Aesthetic, and Ecosystem Services. I find the nuances of each of these functions to be very intriguing. When I see landscape elements in my day-to-day […]