Oh, you mean like "curb appeal"?

Notice how that conjures up a different set of emotions from "displaying our home" even though it's the same thing. Or is it?

Ooooh... Interesting analogy!

IronBelly

In thinking in terms of "curb appeal" and "displaying our home", could it also be said (perhaps more accurately) that homeowners, be they gardeners or clients, are actually displaying themselves? Most people haven't the time, money or skill to express themselves with the architecture of their homes. Driving through an older neighborhood like mine, the owners' personalities are on display at LEAST as much as the house- whether the yard reflects a dogmatic adherence to the 1950s chemical lawn with moustache beds, an eclectic yet exuberant mix of free-but-not-necessarily-appropriate plants (my neighbor with 6 magnolia grandiflora planted 8' o.c. along the sidewalk comes to mind), or a planned and thoughtful rejection of the "lawn" as the ideal.

Dave

Yes, Dave. I think you have successfully differentiated between the two.

IronBelly

Isn't the idea of "how to best put our homes on display" rather limiting? Shouldn't landscape design be about creating outdoor areas that are both beautiful to look at but also functional...areas that serve a purpose? About breaking away from the "foundation shrubs + pressure treated deck + wall to wall lawn" formula?

I agree about the word landscape and its derived words. If somebody said they hired a landscaper I would assume it was a mow-n-blow guy. I do tell my friends that I enjoy gardening but I would never tell them that I enjoy landscaping. It is hard to say what image comes to mind when I say "beautiful landscape" (though it probably includes a lot of lawn) but an image certainly pops in my mind for "beautiful garden".

Actually, now that I think about "gardening" sounds a bit too feminine. I am also never quite sure if somebody says that they "garden" do the grow flowers or vegetables.

- Brent

I am not sure whether this is just a question of semantics or if there is genuine difference other than the words offered. I do agree that if, subconsciously, your aim is to display your house then this may cause confusion when others put the emphasis elsewhere. The motivations for having a garden are different for those who do it themselves and those who have it done for them and it is a false assumption that everyone has display on their minds. Subconsciously don't we regard our house first as 'shelter'and it is conceivable some would feel more comfortable with a complete separation between the vegetative and the man made.

This type of topic seems to always come up when the weather is too miserable outside to garden or landscape... Landscaping certainly has a different connotation in a climate where it is possible to treat the garden as an outdoor room and not be chased back inside by all those annoying insects or weather that is too hot and humid or too cold. It is a given that landscaping will entail more than just planting in climates where outdoor living and year round gardening are possible.

I think I would be more inclined to retreat to the 3 season screened in porch if I was constantly battling mosquitos and no see-ums and biting horseflies while gardening, and treat the garden as something to be viewed from inside and upon entering/exiting the house. But then again, we are all wimps here in Lotusland where 28F constitutes a major freeze, and I can't be bothered to cover tender plants with freeze fabric, unless I know that it will actually be killed and won't recover.

Still getting quite abit of both landscaping and gardening done lately, best time to plant things and not have to water them in! I love being able to plant all the subtropical but fairly cold hardy bromeliads such as Aechmea gamosepala nivea and Ae. kertesziae in full bloom for instant effect, and throw in some blooming Florist Cyclamen and Primula obconica and P. malacoides as well. The Brugmansia and Black Taro foliage around the neigborhood did take a hit, however, but still blooming, as well as the Tibouchina urvilleana. Also the first Magnolia soulangeana and M. denudata are blooming! On the otherhand, it is not exactly shirtsleeve and shorts weather to be working in, only 58F for the high today here in San Francisco/Berkeley/Oakland, and more possibilities of frost again tonight.

This topic stikes me as having too much time indoors, and will it really change anyone's opinions that isn't able to be outdoors in a garden, landscape or outdoor room, (and comfortably), for more than a few months, anyway?

By the way, this is a great time to go hiking here locally, as the landscape is waking up and turning green, with deciduous trees still in full leaf, and the first wildflowers already blooming, such as our gorgeous Ribes sanguineum and California poppies.

Happy holidays to all!

I like the proposed new phrase of "displaying our home." As an owner of an urban/suburban sized lot, I get the feeling from reading many of the posts that many of us want to hide our homes, or at least hide portions of them with plants. Alternatively I think that too often we try to ignore the house and focus just on the plants. However, the phrase "displaying our home" is a different way of thinking about the elephant in the closet (or the house on the lot). Landscaping and gardening may be words used more appropriately for parks and flower and vegetable gardens rather than placing vegetation etc. around a home.

Words and phrases are important and do cause people to think about projects differently. I for one am now going to take a couple of steps further back from my house and re-think some of my projects as displaying our home.

The Online Etymological Dictionary defines these two terms as such:

Landscape
1603, "painting representing natural scenery," from Du. landschap, from M.Du. landscap "region," from land "land" + -scap "-ship." Originally introduced as a painters' term. O.E. had cognate landscipe. Meaning "tract of land with its distinguishing characteristics" is from 1886. The verb meaning "to lay out lawns, gardens, etc., plant trees for the sake of beautification" is first recorded 1927, from the noun.

Garden
c.1300, from O.N.Fr. gardin, from V.L. hortus gardinus "enclosed garden," via Frank. *gardo, from P.Gmc. *gardon (cf. O.Fris. garda, O.H.G. garto, Ger. Garten "garden," O.E. geard "enclosure," see yard (1)). The verb is first attested in 1577. Garden variety in figurative sense first recorded 1928.

This suggests the idea of landscaping arose from the desire to create or copy certain types of scenery, while the idea of gardening arose from copying or the desire to create a certain type of natural enclosure. The former is yang and the later is yin. IronBellys comments about the connotations of "house" and "home" are very apt here. I dont think this is merely a game of semantics but a reflection of how we hold, view, and use these spaces.

I find it somewhat ironic that this discussion has arisen during the holiday season, since there is an obvious connection between the two. As a homeowner, I see landscaping as a necessity, not an option, in the same way that many people view buying Christmas presents. The same driving forces of time-pressure and social expectations that lead people to purchase gift cards also (oftentimes) drives the cookie-cutter, one-size-fits all mentality that is present when people "landscape." My landscaper was so appreciative of the fact that we were active participants in the landscaping process, since most of his clients simply tell him to "dig a hole and put something in it" but then complain bitterly two years later.

On the other hand, the idea of a garden or gardening has more of a sense of choice, more of a feeling of investment and engagement. To put it another way, I can easily see the idea relationship as a garden, whereas I would be horrified if my cherished soul-mate told me our relationship was like landscaping.

Interestingly, the Etymological Dictionary offered the match "Paradise" when I searched on the term "garden." No such choice was offered under "landscaping."

Are we "displaying our home"? (i.e. "curb appeal," making our house look good on the outside for visitors, etc.)

Or are we "displaying FOR our home"? (i.e. expression of our personality, creating useable spaces and privacy, designing views from our window, etc.)

Are these two goals necessarily contradictory?
Do some people preference one goal over the other?

My hat goes off to all of you landscape designers that take the time to ensure that you precisely understand your clients desires. The fact that your client may not speak the landscape language but that youve taken measures to bridge that gap and ensure your proposal matches their vision deserves applause.

I am a mere humble gardener, and not a master one at that; that said, I found the statement "I believe the house should be a major focal point of the landscape" to be thought provoking and perhaps confirms that Im becoming more off-center as I age. Taking into consideration my "joy of gardening" disposition, I have found commonplace homes to be an absolute delight because the homeowners have utilized an appropriate balance of landscaping to enhance the home. In fact, the house is secondary to the whole picture. Acknowledging once again my predilection, I note that in many instances these homeowners have created layers of mystery and intrigue that cause me to want to investigate further; indeed, I have to smile as I realize that this philosophy translates into discussions with my daughter as she dons jeans with a mere 1" zipper.

Cathy in SWPA

When I think about gardens/landscape/the natural world, I think about how what I do can enrich lives--not display buildings. If there is a building there, I try to enrich it's use and relate the outside in and the inside out.

In this violent digital sedintary climate challenged age, gardens do so much more than suggested above.

In responding to Miss R, I believe this is an example where we can honestly utilize the journey concept from another thread. I have no quarrel with her above statements other than to say that very few who read this forum are at her level of knowledge, skill and abilities. Oh, how we wish we could, just once, manage to accomplish what she does on a routine basis!

Most forum readers are still at the "toddler stage" and are anxiously trying to sort out the confusion. Are her comments or those of Tony and/or Bahia out of place? Certainly not. However, for most of us, their comments are certainly stretch goals inspiring ones at that.

Readers of this forum write (and read) from many different paradigms. As Cathy in SWPA so astutely notes, there are effectively different languages being spoken. For mutual understanding to take place, that gap has to be bridged.
Miss R is certainly on target with her societal concerns that reach further than the living room Nintendo game. These are concerns common to most of us. How do we get past this problem to reach the "toddler paradigm" mentioned by Marcinde above: "...a planned and thoughtful rejection of the "lawn" as the ideal."?

I have an abiding faith in the power of the common person. If they use their minds, great things can and do happen. All too often, enlightenment is just a few intellectual impediments away from being achieved. A different way of looking at a situation is often all it takes. Thoughtfully combined words arranged in unfamiliar ways can offer mental routes to circumvent obstacles of understanding.

IronBelly

It is a quixotic venture, however, complete with gigantic, unthinking windmills of language and culture, on the one hand, and Don (Dan?) Quixote, on the other.

Language is slippery stuff. Particularly English. I often jump out of the bed in the morning and thank God I'm not French. Pardon moi. No denegration intended here. In fact, I was a French major once upon a time for about 10 minutes. It's just that English is a powerful language because it's such a slut It will lay down with any partner from anywhere in the world and find itself impregnated with yet another word. That is the up side. We have a powerful, very large language household at our disposal.

The tricky thing, the slippery part, is not reserved for English only. It lies at the root of this weird thing that humans do. We utter a sound, Cracking at the back of the throat, open in the middle, finishing on a tongue tip. Someone has just spoken the word "cat".

Somewhere along the way that sound gathered meanings and associations. The sound is a symbol for something. I say "cat" and I want you to think of something like what the word stands for. Language is always, always metaphorical, as elusive as water held in the hand.

I say "cat" and one person imagines a small silver tabby female sleeping on a cushion. Someone else pictures a large-boned, scarred, rangy orange marmalade Tom. Another is thinking of the black kitten killed by a passing car and lying still in the snow. One considers her allergies. Another hears "cat" and leaps to green jungles and Bengal tigers. Someone else instantly thinks of his sister Catherine who goes by a nickname.

Words are like can-openers. Put a new phrase on the counter, like, for instance, "displaying our homes" and people will try it out for flavor, texture, nutrition, usefulness for the verbal cookpot. Trouble is some of us are bound to spit it into the sink. I'm not just talking about those who grumble "What's wrong with the old word. It was good enough for my grandpappy, and it's good enough for me" or "We've never used words around here like that before".

No, some will have a reaction to the words themselves. I did. I don't like thinking that "display" is essential to what I am doing in any aspect of my life, much less in wedding my home to its setting. I know that display happens, whether I like it or not, any time someone else sees my person or my car or my home, but I am not comfortable with the term "display" as my root motivation in life.

That is just my reaction to the words, not an assessment of the line of reasoning behind them. Instead of seeing a pedigree Persian, I'm wanting to hunt tigers.

Wellspring

This morning we visited an art exhibit. At first glance the framed 10"x12" water colors, hung at eye level, were crisp and well done scenic paintings of gardens, houses and landscaping. A very steady hand had painted these little gems which had been found in a crumbling manilla envelope by an area resident cleaning out a relative's home. Yet, each one had been painted by candle light in a 3' by 3' space formed by a dining room table pushed under a stairway where the artist and her two little children hid from bombs falling on London during the blitz. As I walked through the exhibit a second time I marveled at the achievement of this painter working under duress, reaching deep into the world of gardening/landscaping and capturing beauty.

Sorry, I have no great words to pontificate on this subject under discussion. Each property to be landscaped presents different problems...perhaps opportunities would be the better approach. A designer's work improves with each hands-on experience. It's the doing and learning.....

If there was but one bit of advice that I would impart to anyone contemplating the design of a new garden/landscape, it would be to celebrate the local character of the region,to work with it, perhaps enhance it, but not to try and deny it altogether. Abstracting the local character still fits this theme, but totally disregarding it never seems to work as a setting that seems to belong to its surroundings.

Admittedly it can be difficult to replicate or abstract landscapes that are dependant on large open space for their full appreciation. It is also true that most mass produced housing has very little local character, and so does not serve as a starting point for a regionally based design.

While I do agree that beauty is a desirable goal in itself in creating a landscape, if it is achieved at the expense of fitting it into the local surroundings, or is no more than a stage set that requires super efforts to maintain, it will not be lasting.

Pardonez moi mais David has slided in another aspect to unsimplify the thought process. If we are to assume display (he calls it beauty) as the raison d'etre for that space around your house or home but we must also make sure that what we are displaying is not a sore thumb then we are back to the Home Owners Nazi's. Add to this my wish that, as this year ends, you all celebrate the closeness of family and use this Christmas time as an excuse if need be. In this I include those without eyes but more than enough of what is required to see a garden. Also old friends who no longer feel that the effort is worthwhile, to Andrew and the kids to eric and his dog, to susanne, to Dan and his muse, gardengal, karin who will never forgive my criticism and to those who shrink at the word neophyte who make this forum worthwhile. May your god bless us: everyone.

Most places I can see from the street here have comparatively spare planting sprinkled around a clearly dominant house. Older bungalows may be obscured because the subjects selected grew large, rather than because a quantity of them were put in initially. A few will be occupied by plant nuts, who have exuberant plantings that draw attention to themselves.

Some neighborhoods have mountain and/or water views, whole hillsides of houses being kept exposed so everyone can see as much as possible. Topping of trees and close shearing of informal shrub plantings is rampant. If you look up from on or near the water or beach the facades with their windows look like the faces of people seated in a theater staring back. Covenants prohibiting the planting of anything growing above an impossibly low height (for a tree) are not rare.

I have to chuckle at Wellspring's aversion to my word choice of "display". Her lament is a mirror image of my aversion to the word choices used in the "Its about the journey more than the destination" thread. As long as I can stimulate the thought process, I consider my word choices a success even if an individual chooses to discard them for more favored prose.

I will acknowledge that I also am a bit challenged how to best display the house featured in the currently running thread from Tennessee, "Landscaping Ideas".

{{gwi:54069}}

Admittedly, the word "display" certainly is not the first word that comes to mind. If more thoughtful consideration had been devoted before the purchase, the poster probably would have looked elsewhere. This situation certainly lends credence to Colebugs statement, "I get the feeling from reading many of the posts that many of us want to hide our homes, or at least hide portions of them with plants." On the other hand, I understand that personal circumstances often necessitate purchase of these ill-conceived house planning and siting blunders. I am sure that the owner enjoys their home it is just too bad that enjoyment does not include the landscape as well. As Laag so astutely noted, much of this morass could have been avoided by simply putting the garage on the other side of the house.

My concern is not that persons aspiring to gain competency with their own landscapes use my term, "displaying". I would rather they use their own minds and develop their own terms. Too often we see folks wanting ideas to copy rather than effective concepts. I especially encourage people to take note of the sage advice from David (Bahia), an accomplished designer with a substantial body of work behind him. "If there was but one bit of advice that I would impart to anyone contemplating the design of a new garden/landscape, it would be to celebrate the local character of the region, to work with it, perhaps enhance it, but not to try and deny it altogether." I could not agree with him more. However, I wish he had told me that years ago! Instead, I had to blunder my way along and learn that lesson the hard way. I, too, started out parroting things I had seen. I was always left less than satisfied mainly because the advice I was hearing came from the east coast; but more accurately, originated in Great Britain. Horticulturally (and literally) the British growing environment is miles removed from my regional conditions. As I have been telling Midwesterners for years now: Gardening is like picante sauce Neither one should come from New York City.

In a parallel way, Tony reinforces Davids advice in another thread where he said, "You must excuse British authors for not considering how a garden looks when covered in snow as this is rare in the UK. But if you live in a part of the world that has regular snow cover for a significant period in a year then it seems important to design around this rather than deny it." Clearly, this is essentially the same central thought; just expressed using different words.

We always talk about thinking "outside of the box". Perhaps we need to also start thinking outside of the cardboard container or wooden crate maybe even start thinking outside of the packaging vessel.

IronBelly

Judging by your last sentence you are taking this all too literally Dan, and this may well explain your confusion. I walk out of my house into my garden, it matters not that you prefer that I walk out of my home into my yard. It matters even less that someone tries to explain what the words mean or more precisely 'meant'in spoken latin seventeen hundred years ago. It is not the words that make the difference but the thing the words are describing. You are correct though that our idea of garden is right there in our subconscious along with cat so that I see my grandmother and lavender and you see it differently. Interestingly there are similarities and this is where any conversation about gardens should begin. A garden is not a word.

Somewhat true, Tony. However, even though words may always be present, thoughtful reflection is too often absent. In many ways, I am attempting what generally happens in any good lecture. The information is often presented in three different ways. Classically, we hear this explained as:

1.) Tell them what you are going to say.
2.) Tell them.
3.) And in conclusion, tell them what you just said.

The art of speaking is to interestingly convey your message three times without the repetitive structure becoming obvious. You are obviously hearing old lessons, learned long ago, that you have progressed far beyond.

I have always learned more from those who held viewpoints askew from normal -- not because they were necessarily correct but because it challenged my mind.

Backing a few postings up this thread, Brent asks a question squarely on target: "Isn't the idea of "how to best put our homes on display" rather limiting?" He then goes on to explore (and question) additional aspects. David (Bahia) essentially simplifies things even further by suggesting that addition of simple beauty is, in and of itself, reason enough. Many others have joined in with many different words -- all responses to my singular quest: a different point of view.

I wish my wordsmith abilities were as efficient and concise as an Al Hirshfeld caricature masterpieces of a different (albeit exaggerated) point of view. He has earned the nickname, "The Line King" with his signature, ever-so-few strokes of the pen, to entirely capture a persona.

{{gwi:54072}}

Is there any doubt that this is Bob Hope? The power of his pen is at least three times as powerful as mine. It only requires him one effort. I struggle to forge three attempts into a success.

IronBelly

I think that the notion of 'display our home' may be true for parts of the landscape/garden, but does not always apply to other parts. Close to the house and near the front of the property (curb view) the goal of displaying the house is strongest. As I move away from both the house and the front of the lot, my plans tend towards other goals. Maybe more functional, and in my case more related to the desire to grow different kinds of plants.

"It is not the words that make the difference but the thing the words are describing." --INK
"Words have power. ...'As we think So shall we become.'" --IB
You two may be coming at this from opposite sides of the field.
Myself, I appreciate the reminder that thinking and naming affects how "reality" will play out, described so nicely in the first post.
This thought seems especially important now, as tempting as it is to "cave" at this dark time of the year.