UM Landscaping for Residential Spaces

Posted by seoexpert131 on August 30th, 2023

Many homeowners are designing their homes with nature in mind, from sourcing sustainable construction materials to forging connections between interior spaces and surrounding landscapes. This transformation by designer Richard Tubb blurs the lines between inside and out with a glass-walled addition that looks like a tree house from the water.

Functionality

One of the key goals of any landscape design is to provide functional use for you and your family, your pets, and visitors. For this reason, it's important to consider the ways your yard is used and how you would like to use it in the future.

As a founding member of the MLA program, Tealdi helped lay the groundwork for ecological design principles that are still a hallmark of the U-M landscape architecture tradition. His early work as director of the Nichols Arboretum reflected these principles, and one of his most beloved garden designs was the peony gardens. https://umgcllc.com/landscaping

Grese is an esteemed professor and longtime advocate of a regional approach to landscape design with an emphasis on regionally native plants. She is one of 19 new 2020 ASLA Fellows, the highest honor the association bestows on its members.
Energy Efficiency

A well-designed landscape reduces energy usage for heating and cooling by lowering indoor air temperatures, according to the US Department of Energy. Shade trees, windbreaks and other strategic landscaping are especially helpful for homes in cool regions. The use of drip irrigation, soaker hoses or rainwater collection systems can reduce water consumption by 20 to 50%.

UM FLAT members live in a house and cottage that were built in the 1940s, leaving a lot to be desired in terms of structural energy efficiency. Through the use of Kless Sustainability Funds, FLAT members have been able to upgrade these structures with window inserts and insulated curtains to greatly increase energy efficiency. These projects are expected to save 27% of electricity usage annually, which is a huge step towards our carbon neutrality goal!
Education

A landscaping project begins with a base plan that defines the budget, area use and maintenance costs. It also notes utility placements and any structures on the property (such as fences or sheds). A concept design is next, used to visualize the landscape spaces. It takes into account the climate, sun exposure and existing trees, as well as the layout of the buildings on the site. The draft also includes a site map, which shows the general dimensions of the property and its boundaries.

Urban landscape design can also teach new skills to the community at large, such as how to grow and maintain a garden. Manel Seridji, a student at the University of Miami, was surprised to learn how much work went into growing a simple plant like hibiscus in a class taught by Professor Richard Weisskoff.

If you want to convert your yard from grass to flowers or vegetables, educate your neighbors in advance about the benefits of natural landscaping, such as attracting songbirds, eliminating pesticide use and reducing noise pollution from lawn mowing. Then, coordinate a meeting to share your vision for the neighborhood and address any concerns or apprehension. This may help the neighborhood accept your change in aesthetics, as it will seem less invasive.