MICHAEL SPENCER

What exactly does the word xeric mean? Hmm? Why … why … it doesn’t mean anything at all, does it? No, as we have learned, it does not. Here at design headquarters, we have thrown the word out the door. ...

What do designers need to know about plant material to prepare a competent planting plan? Let’s conveniently divide this issue in two: what works horticulturally, and of course what works with your design. Notice that the horticultural information is necessarily ...

Resource stewardship is fundamental to landscape architecture, and nowadays, an important resource of concern is water. There is considerable pressure on the gardening community to reduce the use of water, and many, in despair, are seeing visions of ugliness and ...

You just know that your DP — Design Pundit — is an actual gardening DP, don’t you? Yes, it’s true, although, as I have mentioned, sweat does not appeal to your DP. Still, actual experience with plants and soil and ...

Two current and interesting projects are on my mind this week. Both are simple planting plans; there’s no real spatial design involved. Goals are primarily screening views, reducing costs, and controlling focal points.

Before we get started this week, an announcement: your Design Pundit will offer two courses this fall in the Collier Adult Education Program: “Identifying Common Plants” and “Residential Design.” Please do take a few moments to e-mail me if you ...

This week, a respite from design doctrine as we follow a winding road of sublime and spectacular plants of the Northwest. Why? Your Design Pundit has returned from a trip to Portland, Ore., and that is about all he wants ...

Here’s a test for you: Do you remember when WNOG was “our” station? What about Dave Briscoe? Do you remember when Carl Loveday’s daily 9 AM interview was an unavoidable test of fire for every local politician? What about Saturday ...

Over the past two years, this column has focused on a simple goal: explaining that “design” and “opinion” are entirely different things. I’ve de-emphasized the important role of art in design.

Your Design Pundit has a confession: He plays favorites. Here’s the story. Many years ago, we had a couple of ferrets in residence here at Peace and Plenty — Scooter and Rudy (named for Rudolph Nureyev, because the little guy ...

April is “National Landscape Architecture Month,” so let’s talk about “why” and “how” to engage design services, with focus on residential clients. Many of you have never been down this road.

Sometimes I ask my editor for advice: “For next week, do you want Topic A, or do you want Topic B?” Her answer: “I want Topic C”! Of course you do. It’s a idea, though: The topic is “small trees.”

A project called TwinEagles sprang into being along Immokalee Road some time ago; over time, it’s been resuscitated several times.

Finding reliable new plants isn’t simple. Even before I discovered my sublime profession, collecting those breathless seed catalogs was a passion. Over the years, while my own knowledge of plants has increased, I am still on the lookout for reliable ...

Why is sub-standard planting design the standard? This week, we slog through some of the possible reasons that the quality expectation is so low.

Surely magic is involved when a simple switch conjures the powerful mood of Willie Nelson’s “Stardust.” Magic is involved, too, when the addition of night illumination transforms a garden. Lighting is a frequent reader question, too.

What Is a xeric plant? Almost any plant can be xeric. Let me explain.

Many times this column has encouraged restraint in choosing plant material, and for good reason: you simply cannot chose plants until the site, and the site uses, are well understood. When they are, you choose plants.

I’ve received dozens of calls and e-mails from my readers wanting to know what to do with damaged plant material from the recent freeze, so let’s run down what we know.

This week, a few topics that I have wanted to tell you about, and a surprise interview. I appreciate every e-mail — please keep them coming.

Before we get started this week: the long version of ‘How to Hire a Maintenance Contractor’ has been well received and heavily downloaded. It is still available on my blog (see below for address). Now: Listen up, Design Lieutenants! I ...

This year, Harry Hanukkah brought your design pundit a long-sought device that shows the temperature inside and outside. There’s a smallish unit that sits inside, and then there’s a sensor module, about the size of a small TV remote, that ...

Many communities allow contractors to “self-specify”: The provider tells you what he thinks you need. It’s like opening your arms wide, asking “How much?” What are you people thinking out there?

Last week, we started building a qualified list of landscape maintenance contractors to sensibly limit due diligence.

Well. Here we are in the new year: as soon as Santa clears the chimney, homeowner association presidents are busy calling those joyful general meetings. Having made many presentations to these annual soirees, I know just how much fun these ...

Over the past year and a half, this column has been concerned with design and design criticism. I want to explain the process, and to explain what good design is and what it is not. Above all, know this: great ...

In the last year, I have occasionally used this space to talk about the wonder that is “form follows function.” It’s an astonishing process that does ALL the heavy lifting. When you know how something functions, you are able to ...

A few odds and ends this week as we finally move from summer and into fall and, I hope, into winter. The vegetable garden is spouting, as all sorts of seeds are finally visible. There is a lot to do ...

My discussion of Vanderbilt Beach Road focused solely on horticulture. Briefly, many plants, chiefly green island ficus, will die due to overcrowding. In addition, silver saw palmetto has been planted far too close together. Both of these errors have resulted ...

Two weeks ago we looked at some of the essential resource material needed by every planting designer. This week, we will dig a little deeper.

As I watch my garden pond with Stan Getz’ rendition of “Early Autumn” in the background, I am wondering if we are to have autumn at all this year. November conditions are more typical of August. My early vegetable garden ...

There are two things that easily capture my attention: plants and books. As one can imagine, I’ve acquired quite a pile of both. This is a good thing, because in my correspondence I am frequently asked to recommend “the best ...

Let’s take a step back this week from recent contentious columns! Before moving on, though, I want to briefly address some reader responses.

As I write this, my wife is in Mumbai. Suzie will spend the month of October studying Iyengar Yoga with the Iyengar family in Pune, India. I’ve been on this trip twice, both times as a student, once to attend ...

Some of the fertilizers we use in our gardens are finding a home in our lakes, rivers and in the Gulf instead. This is not a good thing, and to ameliorate this nutrient movement, many municipalities and counties are taking ...

e average water temperatures for August and September are 87 degrees and 86 degrees, respectively, but in October the temperature drops to 81, and stays in the 70s and 60s until June. So, when the beach disappears, what to do, ...