This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects. For more information about our business and our services, click here.

Related Posts:

• Building a Deck – What is the Best Decking Material?
• How to Design Your Landscape to be a Sponge for Rainwater
• Using Aerial Photos to View a Water Saving Landscape Renovation – Before and After
• 5 Reasons to Reconsider your Hatred of Juniper Bushes
• What Not to Do – Turfgrass in Parking Lot Islands

A beautiful deck starts with careful planning and design.  The best looking deck often reflects some architectural elements from the house and uses them in the deck.  If you have multiple decks on your home consider using matching handrails and decking material for uniformity.  Consult with your builder or designer for the many options available today.

Overall deck costs tend to range from $25-$35 per square foot and cost varies due to height and complexity of construction.  The cheapest decking material on the market is probably pressure treated pine the most expensive include exotic hardwood species and top-end coated composite decking.  Here is a quick run-down on some of the decking materials available:

Decking Materials:

Redwood – soft wood prone to damage from hail, includes the removal of old growth forests that take centuries to recover.  Redwood takes hundreds of years to mature and therefore is not a sustainable wood source.  Redwood coast around $3-4 per linear foot depending upon the quality ordered.

IPE – Brazilian rainforest lumber that is very dense (hard) and durable.  It has a dark color and requires pre-drilling for fasteners.  I do not know of any that is sustainably grown / harvested lumber.  IPE costs around $4 per linear foot depending on thickness used.

Tigerwood – Brazillian or African rainforest lumber that is very dense (hard) and durable.  It has a light dark color variation (tiger striping) and requires pre-drilling for fasteners.  I do not know of any that is sustainably grown / harvested lumber.  Tigerwood costs around $4 per linear foot depending on thickness used.

Cedar – Soft wood prone to damage from hail, be sure to specify better grades of wood and tight knot or better, can come rough sawn for beams or trimmers and  works well for handrails.   Tight knot cedar cost around $2 per linear foot and the price almost doubles for clear cedar.

Pressure treated pine:  Typically made from southern yellow pine which is pressure treated forcing chemicals into the wood that resist rotting and insect damage.  The treatments usually contain copper compounds & other chemicals that are highly corrosive to metals, so extra zinc treatment to galvanized fasteners is recommended to avoid rusting.  Older treated wood, produced prior to 2004, often contain arsenic & chromium which can be easily released if burned.  It is important to allow the wood to dry out prior to staining or sealing.  Pressure treated wood is prone to warping, splitting and twisting and these qualities seem to be exacerbated in dry climates.  I believe that staining & sealing these woods can help their look and performance.  P.T. pine should be either screwed in place nailed with 16d ring shank nails all fasteners should be hot dipped galvanized.

Composite:

Should you use real wood or composite decking?  In the last ten years composite decking materials (plastic/ wood particles glued together) have taken hold of the market and are used on over half the decks being built.  Several companies use 90% recycled plastics in their products which will help reduce waste.  However, I do not know of any composites that are recyclable when they need replacement.  If decking could be continually recycled it would truly be a sustainable product, but no companies, to my knowledge, have produced such a product.  All composite decking materials rely on a type of adhesive or glue that bond all of the plastic and wood particles together.  These adhesives can be any number of polymers(resin) some which can cause environmental concern if released into the environment especially if burned.  The life span of composite decking is similar to a wood deck that is maintained, around 25 years.  Eventually all decking materials will end up in a landfill.

There are around ten different companies producing composite deck materials in the U.S. with Trex being one of the first and widely know.  These materials include decking and handrail systems and most companies offer different product lines that vary in color and consistency.  One California company even offers a bamboo composite BamDeck which uses 30% bamboo and 70% recycled plastic.

The cost of composite decking varies from $2-$4 per linear foot of decking board.  Common sizes for composite decking boards are 12’, 16’, 18’ and some 24’ lengths are available from certain manufacturers.  Try to design your deck so that no butt joints are required.  Composite boards require spacing butt joints from 1/8”-1/4” for board expansion which can be unsightly.

THE GOOD

• Composite decking does not require as much maintenance as natural wood products.
• Does not splinter or split.
• Have built in slip resistance.
• Are consistent in color, shape, and texture.
• Grooved boards can utilize hidden fastener systems which are attractive.
• Boards can be heated and bent into circular patterns.
• Boards are often made with recycled plastic materials up to 90%, which make it more sustainable.

THE BAD

• Boards without a pvc treatment are prone to staining from many different sources.  PVC treatments usually cost around $1 more per linear foot of board.
• Material holds heat and can reach temperatures that will burn bare feet in the summer.
• Material is not structural and typically requires a maximum joist spacing of 16 inches, which also limits what can be done with handrails.
• Material shrinks and swells more that wood which requires spacing at butt joints if used.
• Material requires pre-drilling in many circumstances for fasteners.
• Catastrophic failure, rapid deterioration is possible and almost all manufacturers have had to warranty their product for this reason at one time.
• Material is not recyclable.
• Polymers used to glue product together can be harmful if released into the environment, i.e. burning.

People often ask me what is the best composite to use and to be honest I don’t know.  The reason for this is that almost all of the companies making composite materials have produced materials that have failed and needed to be replaced.

In 2009 Louisiana Pacific recalled around 48 million linear foot of decking that was sold under three different trade names (WeatherBest®, ABTCo., and Veranda®).  Many other companies have had warranty claims for products that are less than five years old.  When composite decking fails you will often notice that the color comes off like chalk when you rub it with a finger.

Once composite decking boards start to fail, they can simply start to rot or you may notice flaking, splits, bubbling or other abnormalities.  Boards can also break between joists in extreme failures causing injury.  Warranties vary from company to company, but in general you can expect a limited 20 year warranty.  One thing to note is that the manufacturer’s warranty will only cover material replacement, not labor to remove the old boards and replace them, which can be a substantial cost.  Therefore, do your homework and make an informed decision based on a company’s track record.

Some things you should consider if you are planning to use composite decking:

• Texture (slip resistance) especially in frost prone areas.
• Color – try to compliment your homes color.  Most composite deck materials fade 30% in the first year and then stabilize.  Some even change color so look at samples that have been weathered when possible.
• Cost – almost everyone is on a budget so pick the best material you can afford.
• Warranty – since there have been failures in the past research the company’s products that you are considering and find out their track record and read the fine print on warranties.
• Maintenance – consult manufacturer’s suggestions but most can be cleaned with mild soaps and water.

There are a lot of things to consider when it comes time to build or replace a deck.  A new deck can cost as much as a new car so take the time to weigh your options and hire a competent builder.  I suggest that you not only talk with a builder’s past client but also take the time to see one of their completed projects.

No decking is completely environmentally friendly or sustainable.  In general, many of the natural wood decking products available are from hardwoods or slow growing softwoods which make them less sustainable.  Pressure treated southern yellow pine is a faster growing, more sustainable wood product but it utilizes chemicals for rot and insect resistance.  If the composite decking industry can develop a product that is recyclable and will consistently perform it will climb to the top of the sustainability chart and my “A” list.

This is a guest post by Bruce Kehr.  The owner of Sunlit Builders, LLC, Bruce is one of the top deck builders in Colorado.  You can reach Bruce via email at info@sunlitbuilders.com.

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• Collecting Rainwater Still Illegal in Much of Colorado

But should ornamental grasses be cut back to the ground in winter?

Most ornamental grasses develop tall seed heads late in the summer that naturally persist through the winter.  When temperatures start to drop the plant will die back, leaving the dried foliage, stalks, and seed heads.  The general rule that you should cut back the grasses before the next growing season, so that the new year’s growth will be more vigorous and healthy.

I have found a couple of exceptions to this here in the Denver area, particularly with Mexican Feather Grass (Nassella tenuissima), which did not regenerate as well or look as good the year after I cut it back.  I have since started leaving it uncut, which results is the new growth coming up right through the beautiful finely textured golden old growth.  But with most varieties, they should be cut back before new growth starts in the spring.

So the question, then, is whether you should cut them back in the fall, or wait until the spring.  Many people enjoy the colors and movement that these elements provide in winter.  Others prefer a more “neat” or formal look.

I thought it would be interesting to explore the advantages each approach:

Advantages of leaving the grasses for the winter and waiting until the spring to cut them back

• When shrubs lose their leaves, and perennials wither to the ground, grasses can provide form in the landscape
• Texture:  Interesting textures can stand out, collecting frost or snow, and reflecting sunlight
• Movement:  Winter winds and soft breezes can move and sway the stems and seed heads of ornamental grasses
• The grasses can add color to the drab winter landscape, including shades of reds, yellows, browns, and blues
• Upright grasses can be used to help screen views when deciduous plants have lost their leaves
• The grasses can provide habitat and shelter for birds and other small animals

Advantages of cutting back ornamental grasses right away in the fall or early winter

• This can be interesting and different look, I have seen some nice formal plantings that looked stunning with the grasses cut back
• Some grasses hold their form better than others, while some varieties may flop over under heavy snow
• Cutting them back may give the impression (rightly or wrongly) that a commercial landscape is being better maintained
• In some cases the grasses may block sight lines, such as to important signage in a shopping center
• In high foot traffic areas, it may be beneficial to cut back ornamental grasses to avoid them being trampled

So what do you think, is one method better than the other?  My personal taste is to leave the grasses up all winter, but there are situations where you may want to cut them back.  And you can always decide to cut them back later, if you feel the need to tidy them up.

This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects. For more information about our business and our services, click here.

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It can save you money on water bills and maintenance.

There are many reasons for you to renovate your landscaping to save water.  But why would a water provider or utility want you to use less of what they provide- water?

Since we work with customers to reduce their water-use, we hear this question quite often.  It does seem counter intuitive:  Why would someone who is in the business of selling water want you to use less of it- in many cases offering rebates and incentives to do so?

Can you imagine a Walmart employee standing outside of the store offering to give you $20 back, if you spent LESS money inside the store?

There are a few key reasons why water conservation is encouraged by water providers:

First, water demand will always continue to increase, regardless of how much our water use is reduced.  Population growth and land development put a great deal of strain on our water supply and the water delivery system.

Because the demand will always be there, it is in the water provider’s best interest to slow the rate of growth as much as possible.  There are large systems for treating, storing, and delivering water that need constant expansion and repair.

Secondly, water conservation is already built into the billing system.  Most water suppliers now use a conservation-oriented “tiered” rate structure.  These rate structures charge a base rate regardless of how much water is used, and separate rates for the levels of water that is actually consumed.

Finally, water utilities often consist of complex public/private partnerships, so there are environmental and public health considerations that are just as important as profit.  Would we really want our water system to be based totally on how much revenue and profit could be generated?

When considering the public good in terms of water conservation, there are numerous considerations:  Preparedness for droughts; the health of our rivers, lakes, and streams, and aquifers; impacts to other cities and states “downstream”; and even national security.

This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects. For more information about our business and our services, click here.

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• California Water Provider Announces New Water Conservation Rebate Programs
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Aunt Bethany:  Is your house on fire, Clark?
Clark:  No, Aunt Bethany, those are the Christmas lights.

While anyone can load their house up with a gazillion flashing holiday lights and plastic reindeer, there is a lot of planning and work that goes into decorating a home tastefully for the holidays.

Ideally, the entire curb appeal should work together to create a scene that enhances the building and looks like it belongs there.  The shrubs, trees, and other landscaping (along with the structure) are important elements to the scene you are creating.

So, how can landscaping enhance the holiday decor?  Here are 5 ways to plan your landscape to work well with holiday decorations.

1.  Select plants that have good winter interest

Try to use a variety of plants that not only look good in the summer, but also have good winter interest.  There are many trees and shrubs available that have interesting bark and stem color (think red twig dogwood).

Utilize ornamental grasses, shrubs, and perennials that will catch the snow on their stems and branches.  On a cold day or night the snow will glisten in the sunlight or from the glow of holiday lights.

Also, use a mixture of evergreen and semi-evergreen shrubs.  Semi-evergreen shrubs are those such as Fernbush and Broom that have green stems and whose leaves may persist into the winter.

2. Add power receptacles to outdoor spaces and planting beds

Consider adding outlets to the outside of your home (remember to use the GFCI type outdoors), and even running them off of switches that give you the ability to turn them on and off from inside the home.

If you are building a new home, and you intend to run a lot of holiday lights remember to up-size your breaker box accordingly (or you might end up like Clark Griswold).

If you have a large lot and you want to have lighting a long distance from the home, you might add GFCI outlets in selected landscape beds, or below trees that you wish to light.  These can be installed on low wooden posts so that they are not noticeable during the day.

3. Create “layering” in the landscape

Many of the same considerations that go into good landscape design are also applicable here.  You want to think about how a visitor or viewer of your holiday decorations will experience and move through the space- do you live on a busy highway where viewers will be primarily be in cars and moving at high speeds?  Or are you in a more intimate setting where you will have pedestrians and visitors that come to your front door- or both?

Layering in the landscape is created by having foreground, mid-ground, and background plantings.  Holiday decorations can be arranged in the same way, with lights and clusters of decorations placed on and around the landscape elements.

4. Tree selection and placement

As you already know, there are numerous ways to hang lights and decorations on trees in the landscape.  Deciduous trees can be draped with handing lights, or lights can be wrapped around trunks.  And evergreens can be decorated like Christmas trees.

Remember that in the winter there will be no leaves on deciduous trees, so consider placing evergreen trees and shrubs to screen utility areas and to block an undesirable views.

Also, evergreen shrubs and trees that are not lighted can be used as a dark backdrop for lighted decorations.

5. Utilize traditional landscape lighting for holiday decoration

This is a good one for commercial properties as well as houses.  Landscaping lighting such as path lights, up-lighting, and flood lighting can be a beautiful way to accent a building and landscaping all year round.  If you have a nice lighting setup already in place, then you can simply swap out red and green bulbs or lenses for the holidays.

A few good examples of this might be doing a light “wash” of a building wall with colored light, using up-lights at the base of a tree to highlight the trunk and branches, or replacing house number lights with colored bulbs.

Of course, there are many other considerations, but this list is a good starting point.  Do you have any other ideas?  Let us know below in the comments.

This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects.  For more information about our business and our services, click here.

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• The 2 Common Types of Rebates Available for Renovating Your Landscaping to Save Water
• The Best Plants for High Altitude Landscaping
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Well, after putting a great deal of time into formatting the images and debating the merits of several layout options, the Outdoor Design Group Portfolio has finally been revealed:

A screenshot from the new Outdoor Design Group online portfolio

As with each of our websites, this was designed in-house.  We looked at several ways to display images before settling on a simple black background and clusters of images.  The main goal was to have something that showed off our work, yet was simple to navigate and that loaded quickly without the use of a spacial image viewer or flash.

We approached this design challenge by using many of the same principles we use to approach landscape design:

• Eliminate clutter, keeping the design simple and elegant, less is more
• Make the design functional and practical first, then integrate form
• Imagine and anticipate how the user will interact with, experience, and move through the space

The main portfolio page shows an example of our diverse areas of design work.  By clicking on “Residential”, “Land Development”, or “Site Renovations”, you are able to move into a separate portfolio section that displays each respective type of work.

I would love to hear what you think – Do you think this layout and navigation works well?

This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects.  For more information about our business and our services, click here.

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Population growth is straining water supplies and delivery systems, causing many water providers to provide great incentives to reduce water use.  Homeowner’s, businesses, and HOA’s are also looking for ways to trim their budgets and increase their long-term sustainability.

But landscape renovations can get expensive.  Thankfully, there are some great rebates out there that you can take advantage of to help offset the costs.  When you factor in the rebates, as well as significant water and maintenance savings, a landscape renovation can make a lot of sense for your property.

Irrigation Upgrades vs. Turf Removal

Most of the rebates out there focus on 2 main areas: Irrigation Upgrades and Turf Removal.

Irrigation upgrade rebates are offered to water customers to increase the efficiency of their irrigation systems.  Rebates are often offered to install more efficient spray nozzles, rain sensors, and controllers.

The rebates for these items are usually calculated per item installed, for example, $5 per efficient rotary nozzle, and $50 for a rain sensor.  For larger commercial properties there are often limit to the maximum rebate that can be obtained.

Turf removal rebates are geared toward removing areas of high water-use landscaping (usually lawns and turfgrass) and replacing those areas with low water-use landscaping.  The replacement landscaping can consist of  Xeriscape, native plants, and a variety of colorful shrubs, perennials, trees, and ornamental grasses.

This approach has the ability to lower water use dramatically, as the landscape itself is being changed to REQUIRE less water to be healthy.  As such, the rebates offered for a turf removal landscape renovation are generally much higher.

Turf removal rebates are usually calculated based on the square feet of the area being changed, for example $1.50 or $2.50 per square foot of area that is changed from high water-use to low water-use.  The total amount available varies by water provider or City, and can be a couple thousand dollars to as much as $25,000 and more for larger properties.

When pursuing a turf removal type rebate, a good landscape design can be very beneficial and is often required in order to get the rebate.  Most rebates require that the replacement landscaping consist of a variety of low water-use plantings that will help to create an interesting and beautiful replacement landscape.

Consider hiring a professional landscape architect- In most cases the rebate you receive will more than pay for the services of a professional, and your experience will be a lot more enjoyable.  In some cases, additional rebates are offered to customers who use a professional to do the design.

It takes a little bit of research to figure out which rebate is right for you, but in the end a rebate can be a great way to offset the cost of renovating your landscaping.

This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects.  For more information about our business and our services, click here.

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The Challenges of High Elevations

When landscaping at higher elevations, there are many challenges to consider.  The plants themselves are often limited in how cold of winter temperature they can withstand.  And there are also the challenging microclimates, wind, and levels of moisture that can occur at high altitudes.

Grazing deer and elk are also a common problem at higher elevations.  All of these factors should be carefully considered in the design of the landscape.  Consult the USDA Plant Hardiness zones for your local area, and consider working with an experienced landscape architect or garden designer.

It would be a great idea to do some nature walks in your local area to observe the native plants that are thriving naturally, and are well adapted to the various microclimates that can be found in your area.

I have decided to limit the list to plants that I feel will do well above 8,000 ft.   There are several plants that are advertised to do well above 7,500 ft, but I am not comfortable recommending all of them, so lets go with 8,000.

Deciduous Trees

• Quaking Aspen    Populus tremuloides
• Canada Red Cherry    Prunus virginiana ‘Canada Red’
• Russian Hawthorne    Crataegus ambigua
• Ginnala Maple    Acer ginnala
• Apple and Crabbaple    Malus (several types)
• Alder    Alnus tenuifolia
• Tartarian Maple    Acer tartaricum
• Birch    Betula (several types)
• Mountain Ash    Sorbus aucuparia
• English Oak    Quercus robur

Evergreen Trees

• Southwestern White Pine    Pinus strobiformis
• Ponderosa Pine    Pinus ponderosa
• Colorado Blue Spruce    Picea pungens
• Douglas Fir    Pseudotsuga menziesii glauca
• White Fir    Abies concolor
• Limber Pine    Pinus flexilis
• Bristlecone Pine    Pinus aristata

Deciduous Shrubs

• Burning Bush    Euonymus ‘Turkstanica Nana’
• Peking Cotoneaster    Cotoneaster lucidus
• American Cranberry    Viburnum trilobum
• Currant    Ribes (several types)
• Lilac    Syringa (several types)
• Potentilla    Potentilla (several types)
• Siberean Peashrub    Caragana arborescens
• Snowball Viburnum    Viburnum opulus
• Rock Spirea    Holodiscus dumosus
• Sumac    Rhus (several types)
• Willow    Salix (several types)
• Sand Sage    Artemesia filifolia
• Serviceberry    Amelanchier (several types)
• Barberry    Berberis (several types)

Evergreen Shrubs

• Juniper    Juniperus (several types)
• Mugo Pine    Pinus mugo
• Dwarf Alberta Spruce    Picea glauca
• Blue Globe Spruce    Picea pungen ‘Globosa’
• Weeping Norway Spruce    Picea abies ‘Pendula’
• Yucca    Yucca (several types)
• Euonymus    Euonymus (several types)

Ornamental Grasses

• Blue Oat Grass    Helictotrichon sempervirens
• Blue Fescue    Festuca glauca
• Ravenna Grass    Erianthus ravennae

Perennials

• Aster    Aster (several types)
• Columbine     Aqueiegia
• Blue Flax    Linum perenne
• Snow in Summer    Cerastium tomentosum
• Wild Strawberry    Waldsteninia ternata
• Kinnikinnick    Actostaphylos uva-ursi
• Painted Daisy    Tanacetum coccineum
• Delphinium    Delphinium (several types)
• Bleeding Heart    Dicentra spectabilis
• Oregon Grape Holly    Mahonia repens
• Yarrow    Achillea (several types)
• Lupine    Lupinus (several types)
• Sedum    Sedum (several types)
• Black Eyed Susan    Rudbeckia fulgida
• Windflower    Anemone canadensis
• Serbia Iris    Iris sibirica

So, what do you think of this list?  I am sure that others reading this blog (myself included) would love to hear about your own experiences gardening at high altitude with any of these plants.

This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects.  For more information about our business and our services, click here.

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What does a Landscape Architect do? Do they dig holes? Sell flowers? Or do they just draw “pretty pictures?” The profession of Landscape Architecture has been perceived incorrectly by many and this upcoming Wednesday  that starts to change. Unknown to most, but Landscape Architecture actually requires a college degree which is a little longer than the typically 4 years. Internships are becoming the norm at universities giving students professional experience between their studies. Then even once you graduate you technically can’t even call yourself a Landscape Architect until you further your experience and pass the gauntlet that is the LARE (Landscape Architect Registration Exam).

So getting back to the original point, what does a Landscape Architecture do? Well they design and plan the environment that surrounds you. Basically everywhere you live, work and play at, has had a Landscape Architect’s touch put on it. Here are just a few examples of places that Landscape Architects create:

College Campuses
Commercial Property
Public & Therapeutic Gardens
Hotels & Resorts
Golf Courses
Parks & Recreational Areas
Residential Sites
Land Reclamation
Monuments
City Planning
Streetscapes
Transportation Corridors
Urban Environments

If you would like to see a little bit more, this video is a sample of what is to come this Wednesday 08-17-2011.  http://www.asla.org/Multimedia.aspx

This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects.  For more information about our business and our services, click here.

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How can this be applied to our own residential and commercial landscapes?

Brad advocates a change in the way rainwater and storm drainage is thought of. Often times buildings are designed to get water to drain off of the site as quickly as possible, and into an elaborate system of storm drains. This approach treats rainwater as a nuisance, where it is not being used on the site at all. With a landscape design and drainage design that captures and directs water so that it can be used for gardens, flowers, and trees, this water can be utilized on-site as a valuable resource.

This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects.  For more information about our business and our services, click here.

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• Why Do Water Providers Want You to Use Less Water?
• The 2 Common Types of Rebates Available for Renovating Your Landscaping to Save Water