Professional and Career Topics

I am curious to know if anyone has come across workshops or short courses for landscape designing.

Local zoning ordinances typically require a landscape plan for buffer yards between parking lots and public ways or between different zoning districts, etc. There is typically a list of allowed species and plant sizes.  I can lay such a plan out, but not very confidently.  

Furthermore, along with landscape plan per ordinance, we typically include a planting plan for landscaping around the buildings or pedestrian paths within the site.

Just looking for suggestions on how to boost my confidence when laying out a landscape plan.

Thanks!

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Trae Livick PE,MASCE
Roanoke VA
------------------------------

Please hire a landscape architect.

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Kim de Rubertis
Cashmere WA
(509) 782-3434
------------------------------

I do not know of short courses on landscape design for civil engineers. There could be something local. It's best to learn about plants locally because there are so many variations for geography and climate.

------------------------------
Meredith Upchurch
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 02-21-2019 09:44
From: Kim de Rubertis
Subject: Landscape Design for Civil Engineers

Please hire a landscape architect.

------------------------------
Kim de Rubertis
Cashmere WA
(509) 782-3434
------------------------------

I haven't taken any courses about landscaping so far, but I would like to learn about the mentioned subject. I think it will help us as civil engineers to be familiar with the topic.

------------------------------
Shahla Salih
General Directorate of Highway,Reconstruction and
Sulaymaniyah
(964)770 139 6411
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 02-21-2019 09:44
From: Kim de Rubertis
Subject: Landscape Design for Civil Engineers

Please hire a landscape architect.

------------------------------
Kim de Rubertis
Cashmere WA
(509) 782-3434
------------------------------

This book should help.

The Fundamentals of Landscape Architecture

Amazon		remove preview
The Fundamentals of Landscape Architecture The Fundamentals of Landscape Architecture provides an introduction to the key elements of this broad field. From climate change to sustainable communities, landscape architecture is at the forefront of today's most crucial issues. This book explains the process of designing for sites, calling up... View this on Amazon >

------------------------------
Kim de Rubertis
Cashmere WA
(509) 782-3434
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 02-24-2019 07:46
From: Shahla Salih
Subject: Landscape Design for Civil Engineers

I haven't taken any courses about landscaping so far, but I would like to learn about the mentioned subject. I think it will help us as civil engineers to be familiar with the topic.

------------------------------
Shahla Salih
General Directorate of Highway,Reconstruction and
Sulaymaniyah
(964)770 139 6411
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 02-21-2019 09:44
From: Kim de Rubertis
Subject: Landscape Design for Civil Engineers

Please hire a landscape architect.

------------------------------
Kim de Rubertis
Cashmere WA
(509) 782-3434

Kim,
Thank you for pointing me to this resource.

------------------------------
Trae Livick M.ASCE
Roanoke VA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 02-24-2019 12:37
From: Kim de Rubertis
Subject: Landscape Design for Civil Engineers

This book should help.

The Fundamentals of Landscape Architecture

Amazon		remove preview
The Fundamentals of Landscape Architecture The Fundamentals of Landscape Architecture provides an introduction to the key elements of this broad field. From climate change to sustainable communities, landscape architecture is at the forefront of today's most crucial issues. This book explains the process of designing for sites, calling up... View this on Amazon >

------------------------------
Kim de Rubertis
Cashmere WA
(509) 782-3434
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 02-24-2019 07:46
From: Shahla Salih
Subject: Landscape Design for Civil Engineers

I haven't taken any courses about landscaping so far, but I would like to learn about the mentioned subject. I think it will help us as civil engineers to be familiar with the topic.

------------------------------
Shahla Salih
General Directorate of Highway,Reconstruction and
Sulaymaniyah
(964)770 139 6411


Original Message:
Sent: 02-21-2019 09:44
From: Kim de Rubertis
Subject: Landscape Design for Civil Engineers

Please hire a landscape architect.

------------------------------
Kim de Rubertis
Cashmere WA
(509) 782-3434

Writing as both a landscape architect and civil engineer, I concur with the guidance to hire a landscape architect.
I encourage your efforts to expand your practice but believing that you can gain the knowledge of a landscape architect (or horticulturist) from an introductory text on landscape architecture is analogous to believing that a landscape architect could practice engineering from reading an introductory text on engineering.

Work with a landscape architect to learn the information from them. Most will be happy to share and you will probably find that your projects benefit in other ways from their participation. They will also be able to direct you to other resources and continuing education courses that they are required to take and in which you may find the guidance you seek.

The specific information that you seek is found in the areas of planting design and horticulture. Plants come in all shapes, sizes, conditions, etc. It takes time, experience, and research to know what works best where, how large it will get, what its pros and cons may be, and so forth. Join your local botanical gardens or arboretum and spend some time getting familiar with those sites. The folks that work there are a wealth of information!
In any case, specify native plants. Pay attention to sun/shade requirements, mature plant size, plant spacing, water requirements, soil pH, etc. Natives will be better adapted to the climate of your region, better support local fauna, and require less maintenance. You may be able to find continuing education courses on the desired topics through your local agricultural university (e.g. Texas A&M, NC State, etc.) and ag-extension programs.

Good luck!
 


------------------------------
Tony Hauser, PLA, PE
Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions, Inc.
Asheville NC
------------------------------

There is much overlap between landscape architecture and civil and environmental engineering. Landscape architects can be very territorial when it comes to anything with plants and engineers are very territorial when it comes to paving and pipe systems. I specialize in stormwater and green stormwater designs. I live in the war zone between the two professions...and sometimes we get sustainability experts, geotechnical engineers, and soil scientists and more throw into the mix. I wanted to get a masters in Landscape architecture, but the nearest college offering it is an hour and a half away and it just isn't feasible.

All that said, there is no issue with being competent to do specific tasks where there is a slight overlap of professions. The key is being competent. Provided they do it correctly (and sometimes they don't), I have no problem with landscape architects doing storm sewers or porous paving designs. I don't feel threatened that they will take over the transportation market and start designing interstate highways. I also have added plantings to green stormwater designs and added screening to developments when necessary. Sometimes the budget doesn't include a landscape architect and you don't control the budget. This likewise doesn't mean that engineers will take over designing botanical gardens.

I would suggest looking for a county bases resource on what is native and what non-native plants are potentially appropriate. Virginia is even more diverse than Pennsylvania. What grows well in Norfolk may not grow at all in Roanoke and vice versa. I would also suggest Manual of Woody Plants as a reference. This is the version I have, but there are others out there that are slightly different: Manual of Woody Landscape Plants Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propogation and Uses

Amazon		remove preview
Manual of Woody Landscape Plants Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propogation and Uses Manual of Woody Landscape Plants Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propogation and Uses [Michael A. Dirr, Bonnie Dirr, Margaret Stephan, Asta Sadauskas, Nancy Snyder] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Hard to find View this on Amazon >

Soil and site conditions will dictate a lot too. As previously mentioned, local botanical societies offer a wealth of information. I belong to a few botanical groups and there is much less drama. PhD. Botanists are happy to talk plants with anybody with any interest. They often offer classes on plant identification and many other topics that are cheap or free. There may also be certificate courses offered locally too. I know Penn State has a master gardener program here and there may be something similar by you.

Hope this helps


------------------------------
Ron Zagrocki M.ASCE
Aliquippa PA
(717)580-5736
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 03-01-2019 11:14
From: Anthony Hauser
Subject: Landscape Design for Civil Engineers

Writing as both a landscape architect and civil engineer, I concur with the guidance to hire a landscape architect.
I encourage your efforts to expand your practice but believing that you can gain the knowledge of a landscape architect (or horticulturist) from an introductory text on landscape architecture is analogous to believing that a landscape architect could practice engineering from reading an introductory text on engineering.

Work with a landscape architect to learn the information from them. Most will be happy to share and you will probably find that your projects benefit in other ways from their participation. They will also be able to direct you to other resources and continuing education courses that they are required to take and in which you may find the guidance you seek.

The specific information that you seek is found in the areas of planting design and horticulture. Plants come in all shapes, sizes, conditions, etc. It takes time, experience, and research to know what works best where, how large it will get, what its pros and cons may be, and so forth. Join your local botanical gardens or arboretum and spend some time getting familiar with those sites. The folks that work there are a wealth of information!
In any case, specify native plants. Pay attention to sun/shade requirements, mature plant size, plant spacing, water requirements, soil pH, etc. Natives will be better adapted to the climate of your region, better support local fauna, and require less maintenance. You may be able to find continuing education courses on the desired topics through your local agricultural university (e.g. Texas A&M, NC State, etc.) and ag-extension programs.

Good luck!



------------------------------
Tony Hauser, PLA, PE
Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions, Inc.
Asheville NC
------------------------------

Dirr is an excellent reference (and a required text in many landscape architecture programs)!

Also check out these sites:
Plants | NC State University (NC reference and may be applicable to some parts of VA.)
Plant Finder (MO reference with comprehensive encyclopedia of plant material)
Native Plants for Conservation, Restoration and Landscaping (VA reference)
Natural Communities of Virginia (This is also an excellent reference for understanding plant communities in your area and what naturally works well together)

But keep in mind that references do not replace experience. Work with folks knowledgeable in your area (or the area of your project) to learn a basic planting palette. Diversity provides resilience (from disease, pests, climate fluctuations, etc.), so the more species that you learn, the better the result. Aesthetics are often a key component of planting design, so that is another layer of experience. Think about planting design in 3D (rather than 2D CAD cells dropped onto a plan). At its most basic, you have the ground plane, the understory, and the canopy, but the range of sizes, textures, shapes, and the relationships between the plants as they mature will have a substantial effect on the success of the design.
Good luck!

​

------------------------------
Anthony Hauser, PLA, PE
Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions, Inc.
Asheville NC
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 03-04-2019 09:55
From: Ron Zagrocki
Subject: Landscape Design for Civil Engineers

There is much overlap between landscape architecture and civil and environmental engineering. Landscape architects can be very territorial when it comes to anything with plants and engineers are very territorial when it comes to paving and pipe systems. I specialize in stormwater and green stormwater designs. I live in the war zone between the two professions...and sometimes we get sustainability experts, geotechnical engineers, and soil scientists and more throw into the mix. I wanted to get a masters in Landscape architecture, but the nearest college offering it is an hour and a half away and it just isn't feasible.

All that said, there is no issue with being competent to do specific tasks where there is a slight overlap of professions. The key is being competent. Provided they do it correctly (and sometimes they don't), I have no problem with landscape architects doing storm sewers or porous paving designs. I don't feel threatened that they will take over the transportation market and start designing interstate highways. I also have added plantings to green stormwater designs and added screening to developments when necessary. Sometimes the budget doesn't include a landscape architect and you don't control the budget. This likewise doesn't mean that engineers will take over designing botanical gardens.

I would suggest looking for a county bases resource on what is native and what non-native plants are potentially appropriate. Virginia is even more diverse than Pennsylvania. What grows well in Norfolk may not grow at all in Roanoke and vice versa. I would also suggest Manual of Woody Plants as a reference. This is the version I have, but there are others out there that are slightly different: Manual of Woody Landscape Plants Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propogation and Uses

Amazon		remove preview
Manual of Woody Landscape Plants Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propogation and Uses Manual of Woody Landscape Plants Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propogation and Uses [Michael A. Dirr, Bonnie Dirr, Margaret Stephan, Asta Sadauskas, Nancy Snyder] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Hard to find View this on Amazon >

Soil and site conditions will dictate a lot too. As previously mentioned, local botanical societies offer a wealth of information. I belong to a few botanical groups and there is much less drama. PhD. Botanists are happy to talk plants with anybody with any interest. They often offer classes on plant identification and many other topics that are cheap or free. There may also be certificate courses offered locally too. I know Penn State has a master gardener program here and there may be something similar by you.

Hope this helps


------------------------------
Ron Zagrocki M.ASCE
Aliquippa PA
(717)580-5736
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 03-01-2019 11:14
From: Anthony Hauser
Subject: Landscape Design for Civil Engineers

Writing as both a landscape architect and civil engineer, I concur with the guidance to hire a landscape architect.
I encourage your efforts to expand your practice but believing that you can gain the knowledge of a landscape architect (or horticulturist) from an introductory text on landscape architecture is analogous to believing that a landscape architect could practice engineering from reading an introductory text on engineering.

Work with a landscape architect to learn the information from them. Most will be happy to share and you will probably find that your projects benefit in other ways from their participation. They will also be able to direct you to other resources and continuing education courses that they are required to take and in which you may find the guidance you seek.

The specific information that you seek is found in the areas of planting design and horticulture. Plants come in all shapes, sizes, conditions, etc. It takes time, experience, and research to know what works best where, how large it will get, what its pros and cons may be, and so forth. Join your local botanical gardens or arboretum and spend some time getting familiar with those sites. The folks that work there are a wealth of information!
In any case, specify native plants. Pay attention to sun/shade requirements, mature plant size, plant spacing, water requirements, soil pH, etc. Natives will be better adapted to the climate of your region, better support local fauna, and require less maintenance. You may be able to find continuing education courses on the desired topics through your local agricultural university (e.g. Texas A&M, NC State, etc.) and ag-extension programs.

Good luck!



------------------------------
Tony Hauser, PLA, PE
Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions, Inc.
Asheville NC