Red Ink, Green Joy
ASLA publishes Professional Practice Network (PPN) newsletters each year that highlight projects, programs, and issues of interest to the particular PPN. Below is the ninth article in a series of reprints from 2008 newsletters that feature topics of general interest to ASLA members, entitled, “Red Ink, Green Joy.” The author, John Black, Student ASLA, provides some interesting perspectives during these challenging economic times. The piece is from the Spring 2008 Residential Landscape Architecture PPN Newsletter.

Image courtesy Christian Fischer

On my soggy drive home today, talk radio was filled with opinions about the pending "economic stimulus package" and the looming recession driving it. Lots of doom and gloom, both here and abroad. And it got me thinking (as most things do) about gardens and the people who live with them.

On the one hand, a well-designed garden is a true luxury: It doesn't shelter us from these incessant rains, it doesn't furnish us with cotton or wool to spin into garments. It costs money to design, money to install, and money to maintain. The average tax rebate from our government will be something like $1600, which will hardly buy you a yard full of gorgeous plants, much less my design fees to wrap them up into a dramatic and fabulous package. Let's face it, you need a custom garden about as much as you need quilted teddy bears on your bath tissue.

On the other hand, a well-designed garden may be an absolute necessity, especially in darker times. It can save you money on energy and water through intelligent planting design and efficient irrigation and lighting. It can lower your grocery bill by providing physical sustenance, i.e. delicious fruits and vegetables, every month of the year. But most importantly, it can bring you joy every day by creating an environment filled with vibrant colors, intoxicating scents, soothing sounds, bejeweled birds and butterflies, or those priceless spaces where your children can play or you can relax.

So, what would I advise to someone who wants to upgrade their landscaping, but isn't sure now whether that's such a good idea? Obviously, I can't tell anyone how to prioritize their budget, and I certainly don't advocate going deep into debt with a landscaping project. But given that it is a short-term investment in your spirit as well as a long-term investment in your most significant asset, maybe — just maybe — a well-designed garden is a luxury you can't live without.

John Black, Student Affiliate ASLA, is principal of Verdance Fine Garden Design in Palo Alto, CA. He can be reached at verdancedesign@gmail.com.

Visit the Residential Landscape Architecture PPN webpage for more information about this PPN. Learn about the ASLA's professional practice networks from the PPN homepage at: http://www.asla.org/PPNLanding.aspx, or Rachel Shaw, ASLA's Manager of Professional Practice, at rshaw@asla.org.