APLD Members ~ Member of the Month
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Annette Vierling, APLD
Featured Member for October 2005
The
temperatures in southern Alberta, Canada are often described as
either blistering hot or bone-chilling cold. Although we have
the most hours of sunshine in Canada , it is somewhat challenging
to design gardens to withstand our fierce changes in climate coupled
with our short growing season. Thankfully, these challenges do
not thwart the most determined gardeners, and we have a city full
of beautiful gardens.
One such garden was designed in the spring of 2003. In just two
short seasons, the homeowners have managed to coax this brand
new garden into something quite spectacular. 
Although
our homeowners do enjoy gardening, they are very busy people who
do not have an abundance of time available for maintenance. One
of the key elements of this design was to provide a garden as
maintenance free as possible.
The design intent of this private backyard was to provide a relaxing and comfortable space and to include an abundance of varied plant material. The planting plan incorporated many varieties of perennials the homeowner already possessed, and with the addition of shrubs, trees, and some additional perennials, the yard developed into a restful garden retreat.
Our
design work began shortly after construction of this new home
was complete. After client consultation, we began by defining
and allocating space for the specific elements requested. By creating
raised beds with retaining wall systems, the homeowner found the
planting beds easier to maintain and satisfied the look they were
trying to achieve. A large lawn was a requirement to allow grandchildren
to play freely, and a pond complete with waterfall was desired
to add interest to the yard.
The
planting plan was developed to include a large assortment of perennials
the homeowner already owned. A lush and colorful garden area was
the result as shown in the photos. Drip irrigation provides necessary
moisture while limiting evaporation. Generally, rainfall is minimal
in the summer months here, and we strive to protect our water
resources.
About the Designer
Annette
Vierling has over 17 years experience in the fields of Landscape
Design, Horticulture, and Landscape Construction. She studied
Landscape Design and Horticulture at Olds College , Alberta as
well as Landscape Architecture through CLARB at the University
of British Columbia in Vancouver . Annette became APLD certified
in 2003, her website is www.specialtygardens.ca.
Certified Members seeking to be profiled should send before and after photos with SHORT design intent statement to:
Bethany Dennis
APLD Communications Manager
Email: communications@apld.org
Phone: 717-238-9780
* PHOTOS SHOULD BE CLEAR COLOR PRINTS OR JPEG COMPRESSED FILES