My Class Today at NYBG - Learning from Before & After

I am teaching a landscape design class today at the New York Botanical Garden. 

It is called Learning from Before & After 

I share photos and use them to teach landscape Design Principles - it is a great visual way to learn. I give out handouts and even have a quiz.... Come join us! starts at 10 am.

Here is one example that I use - 

Modifying a Deck - How to make an outdoor space a little more Serene 

When this family asked me to make their backyard more serene and usable they never imagined I would tell them to alter their architect-designed deck!

But when I arrived and saw their property I quickly realized that the 'grand staircase' that led from their deck was more 'show' than anything else. It was perfect as a 'Gone with the Wind' stairway, allowing Vivien Leigh to descend in her long hoop skirt, but it did not fit a modern 21st century family. 

My suggestion? Remove the staircase entirely and build one on the side of the deck.  The husband was a little taken aback by my idea and so I did not hear back from them for 6 months! But when he called he told me that he was ready to modify the deck. 

The result was a lovely and more usable deck accompanied by a larger and more level lawn. The new railing also made the deck more inviting. I also added white birch trees, pennisetum, viburnum and more.   And note the tall planters placed on the deck in front of each deck column. 

The changes were a success and it appears a little more serene too, don't you think?