St. Thomas More Prayer Garden

Some ideas for the St. Thomas More proposed prayer garden.

Labyrinth - http://labyrinthcompany.posterous.com/

Catholic Prayer Garden blog - http://catholicprayergarden.blogspot.com/

Ranch Style Plant Palette

This palette is suitable for ranch houses and other rural or informal settings.  The design concept accents rustic or agrarian elements of the architecture and reinforces them through informal planting and plant selection.  Some of these plants are more common in the Eastern United States but will grow in the West (if you can find them).

Trees (Botanical Name - Common Name)
Acer rubrum - Red Maple
Acer saccharum - Sugar Maple
Aesculus californica - California Buckeye
Albizzia julibrissin - Silk Tree
Carpinus caroliniana - American Hornbeam
Castanea spp. - Chestnut
Catalpa spp. - Indian Bean
Cedrus deodora - Deodor Cedar
Celtis occidentalis - Hackberry
Chionanthus virginicus - Fringe Tree
Citrus spp. - Lemon, Orange, etc.
Cladrastis kentukea - Yellow Wood
Cratageus spp. - Hawthorn
Disopyrus virginiana - Persimmon
Fagus spp. - Beech
Fraxinus spp. - Ash
Gleditsia triacanthos - Honey Locust
Juglans spp. - Walnut
Liquidambar styraciflua - American Sweet Gum
Lirodendron tulipifera - Tulip Tree
Populus spp. - Poplar, Cottonwood
Prunus spp. - Cherry, Plum, Peach
Maclura pomifera - Osage Orange
Magnolia grandiflora - Southern Magnolia
Nyssa sylvatica - Sour Gum
Persea americana - Avocado
Pistacia chinensis - Chinese Pistache
Platanus racemosa - California Sycamore
Prunus caroliniana - Carolina Cherry
Quercus agrifolia - Coast Live Oak
Robinia pseudoacacia - Black Locust
Schinus molle - California Pepper
Sorbus spp. - Mountain Ash
Thuja occidentalis - Arborvitae
Tilia cordata - Linden

Shrubs
Abelia grandiflora - Glossy Abelia
Amelanchier canadensis - Serviceberry
Buddleja davidii - Butterfly Bush
Camellia japonica - Camellia
Cotoneaster spp. - Cotoneaster
Chrysanthemum frutiscens - Daisy
Euonymous spp. - Euonymous
Euryops pectinatus - African Daisy
Felicia amelloides - Blue Marguerite
Helianthus annuus - Sunflower (annual)
Genista spp. - Broom
Iris spp. - Iris
Juniperus spp. - Juniper
Ligustrum japonicum 'Texanum' - Texas Privit
Pennisetum setaceum - Fountain Grass
Pieris spp. - Lily-of-the-Valley Shrub
Rosa spp. - Roses
Xylosma congestum - Shiny Xylosma

Groundcover
Chrysanthemum spp. - Daisy
Frageria chiloensis - Ornamental Strawberry
Juniperus spp. - Juniper
Oenothera berlandieri - Evening Primrose
Sisyrincium bellum - Blue-eyed Grass

Grasses
Buchloe dactyloides - Buffalo Grass

Vines and Espalliers
Pyracantha spp. - Firethorn
Rosa spp. - Climbing Roses
Vaccinum ovatum - Huckleberry

Spanish-Style Landscape Plant Palette

Much of California and the Southwest United States has elements of Spanish architectural influence.  The following plant palette is appropriate to use to accent stucco buildings with tile roofs.

Trees (Botanical Name - Common Name)
Acacia baileyana - Bailey's Acacia
Brachychiton acerifolius - Australian Flame Tree
Brahea armata - Mexican Blue Palm
Butia capitata - Pindo Palm
Cassia leptophylla - Golden Medallion Tree
Chaemerops humilis - Mediterranean Fan Palm
Chilopsis linearis - Desert Willow
Citrus spp. - Orange, Lemon, Lime, Kumquat, etc.
Cupaniopsis anacardioides - Carrotwood
Lagerstroemia indica - Crape Myrtle
Maytenus boaria - Mayten Tree
Olneya Tesota - Desert Ironwood
Pinus pinea - Italian Stone Pine
Pinus radiata - Monterey Pine
Pinus torreyana - Torrey Pine
Phoenix canariensis - Canary Island Date Palm
Phoenix dactylifera - Date Palm
Persea americana - Avocado
Platanus racemosa - California Sycamore
Quercus agrifolia - Coast Live Oak
Rhus lancea - African Sumac
Strelitzia nicholai - Giant Bird of Paradise
Schinus molle - California Pepper
Thevetia peruviana - Yellow Oleander
Washingtonia robusta - Mexican Fan Palm

Shrubs

Acacia spp. - Wattle
Agave americana - Century Plant
Baccharis pillularis - Coyote Brush
Cassia artemesioides - Senna
Cereus peruvianus - Night-blooming Cereus
Chorisia speciosa - Silk Floss Tree
Cistus spp. - Rock Rose
Cytisus spp. - Broom
Echium fastuosum - Pride of Maderia
Genista spp. - Broom
Heteromeles arbutifolia - Toyon
Ilex spp. - Holly
Juniperus spp. - Juniper
Leucophyllum frutescens - Texas Ranger
Ligustrum japonicum 'Texanum' - Texas Privet
Limonium perezii - Sea Lavender
Pittosporum tobira - Mock Orange
Prunus ilicifolia - Hollyleaf Laurel
Rhus spp. - Sumac
Romneya coulteri - Matilija Poppy
Rosa spp. - Roses
Salvia spp. - Sage
Sanseveria trifacinata - Mother-in-Law's Tongue
Spartium sp. - Broom
Strelitzia reginae - Bird of Paradise
Yucca spp. - Yucca

Vines and Espaliers

Bougainvillea spp. - Bouganivillea
Macfadyana ungis-cati - Cats Claw Vine
Rosa spp. - Climbing Roses

Groundcovers

Trachylospermum jasminoides - Star Jasimine

Pueblo Style Plant Palette

The Pueblo landscape style relies on native and natural-looking plants.  Plant groupings are natural and informal with contrast between foliage and form. 

Trees (Botanical Name - Common Name)
Acacia smallii - Desert Wattle
Acacia stenophylla - Shoestring Acacia
Carnegiea gigantea - Saguaro cactus
Cercidium spp. - Palo Verde
Chilopsis linearis - Desert Willow
Cotinus sp. - Smoke Tree
Geijera parvifolia - Australian Willow
Lagerstroemia indica - Crape Myrtle
Lysiloma microphylla - Fern-of-the-Desert
Olea europaea - Olive tree
Olneya tesota - Desert Ironwood
Parkinsonia aculeata - Jerusalem Thorn
Phoenix dactylifera - Date Palm
Prosopis spp. - Mesquite
Rhus lancea - African Sumac
Washingtonia robusta - Mexican Fan Palm
Yucca brevifolia - Joshua Tree

Shrubs

Acacia spp. - Wattle
Agave americana - Century Plant
Aloe sp. - Aloe
Atriplex sp. - Salt Bush
Caesalpinia mexicana - Desert Bird of Paradise
Calliandra californica - Baja Fairy Duster
Cassia artemisioides - Senna
Dalea sp. - Indigo Bush
Dasylirion wheeleri - Desert Spoon
Echinocactus sp. - Barrel Cactus
Encilia farinosa - Brittle Brush
Foquieria splendens - Ocotillo
Hesperaloe parviflora - Red Yucca
Kniphofia uvara - Red Hot Poker
Leucophyllum frutescens - Texas Ranger
Opuntia spp. - Prickly Pear
Salvia spp. - Sage
Stenocereus thurberi - Organpipe Cactus
Yucca spp. - Yucca

Vines and Espaliers

Bougainvillea sp. - Bougainvillea
Macfadyena ungis-cati - Cats Claw Vine

Groundcover

Penstemon spp. - Beardtongue
Verbena spp. - Verbena

Many of the plants listed here were inspired by a list published in Landscape Design for Architectural Style Volume 2 by Scott Bradstreet.  The plants listed are appropriate for the semi-arid to arid western United States and California. 

Landscape Architectural Styles

Styles From Other Parts of the World

• more to follow

Original American Landscape Architecture Styles

• Pueblo
• Spanish
• Ranch
• Cabin
• Craftsman
• Praire
• Cape Cod
• Mediterranean Revival

The Business of Landscape Architecture - Useful Books

While there are many great design books for landscape architecture, good quality books on the business aspects of the profession are in short supply.  Here are some books that I have found interesting or useful.


Landscape Design Documentation: Strategies for Plan Checking and Quality Control
By Brian T. McDonald
ISBN: 0-978-0471-76137-2

This book has two main sections.  First, the book discusses the various functions within a landscape architecture design office and describes the functions and roles found therein.  Second, the book has many detailed quality control checklists to help establish a quality control program within an office.  A CD with MS Word files for the checklists is included on a CD.