Blog Posts By Month: April, 2009
"We shape our buildings, and afterwards our buildings shape us." Winston Churchill
I found this quote by Winston Churchill a couple of weeks ago and find it rather intriguing. Just how do we interact with our built environment and what affect does it have on how we go about our daily lives?
Today is Earth Day. Yippee! I remember waaaay back in the 70's when Earth Day first began. After a couple of years it sort of fizzled and now has made a strong come back. I hope you are able to do something a little special to celebrate and then carry that on throughout the year.
We are participating in an Earth Fair at San Diego Office Interiors having foregone several other opportunities. Our small "playhouse" with a green roof and living walls was set up in their parking lot along with one of our WaterHogs (rainwater retention). The event is from noon until 2pm and I'll be there to do the show and tell aspect. It even includes lunch!
I just learned that one of our short term plant rental installations is going to be featured in the Summer 2009 issue of Inside Weddings magazine. The designer called for two 15' tall weeping willow trees to be staged in the middle of the second floor ballroom at the Grand Del Mar. As trees this size do not easily fit in a freight elevator, let alone through a doorway, we decided to fabricate it on site. Our project leader brought in giant trunks from a set designer in Hollywood and literally built the trees from cut California Pepper tree branches. The lead "greensman" or "tree-dresser" was up in the tree on a ladder and was handed different branches per his request, which were then nailed and wired into place. The base was heavily weighted with sand bags and then disguised with ferns and sod, making a truly remarkable vision come true for the bride.
We're proud to have been a part of this process, and for helping make the day even more special for the happy couple. As soon as the issue comes out, we'll get some images up for you to view.
We're proud to have been a part of this process, and for helping make the day even more special for the happy couple. As soon as the issue comes out, we'll get some images up for you to view.
We've had a number of great opportunities to speak to wide audiences about our "living lab" and all the great things we're doing here at GreenScaped Buildings.
A few weeks ago, San Diego 6's Erin Mikael came by to do a Green Scene segment at our Kearny Mesa Headquarters. Check it out by visiting San Diego 6's Green Scene site and selecting the video option under "Green Roofs on the Rise." Yes, I love being the "plant guy!"
Last week I was happy to do a radio segment with my good friend Gayle Lynn Falkenthal on the Rick Amato Show. Check it out by visiting www.amatotalk.com and clicking on "The Rick Amato Show" on the top navigation bar. You'll see a "Podcasts and Archives" drop down menu. It's the very first item on the list right now.
And this week I'm meeting with The Daily Transcript about our green roof and other living lab products. I'll make sure to provide a link once an article is up.
Stay tuned.....
A few weeks ago, San Diego 6's Erin Mikael came by to do a Green Scene segment at our Kearny Mesa Headquarters. Check it out by visiting San Diego 6's Green Scene site and selecting the video option under "Green Roofs on the Rise." Yes, I love being the "plant guy!"
Last week I was happy to do a radio segment with my good friend Gayle Lynn Falkenthal on the Rick Amato Show. Check it out by visiting www.amatotalk.com and clicking on "The Rick Amato Show" on the top navigation bar. You'll see a "Podcasts and Archives" drop down menu. It's the very first item on the list right now.
And this week I'm meeting with The Daily Transcript about our green roof and other living lab products. I'll make sure to provide a link once an article is up.
Stay tuned.....
It has been a busy couple of weeks!
Our plantscaping business has landed a major contract with one of the local Indian Casinos. Unfortunately it's almost all replica (silk) plants and requires little maintenance - but it's still a good sized installation and perhaps award winning in its style and design. I'm guessing that we will enter it into PIA's National Awards program at Calscape this year - so we will see!
The Green Roof department submitted a bid for the Los Angeles Zoo's new Reptile House and Desert Building. The size and scope is a little daunting but this is a job through Roofscapes, Inc., so I am confident that it will go smoothly. Also through Roofscapes, Inc. I have been hired as a green roof consultant (inspector) to do a punch list on the newly installed JPL green roof in Pasadena. It's about 6,000 sq ft of all succulents using techniques that Charlie Miller, Euro American Growers and I have collaborated on.
Speaking of Euro- American Growers, I attended a Landscape Contractors open house that they had earlier this week. Really fun new plant material is being introduced with an emphasis on low-water use plants. I really liked the combinations they were promoting that weren't just succulents or natives but incorporated grasses, flowering plants and colorful foliage as well. My favorite was the Aligator Agave.
Our plantscaping business has landed a major contract with one of the local Indian Casinos. Unfortunately it's almost all replica (silk) plants and requires little maintenance - but it's still a good sized installation and perhaps award winning in its style and design. I'm guessing that we will enter it into PIA's National Awards program at Calscape this year - so we will see!
The Green Roof department submitted a bid for the Los Angeles Zoo's new Reptile House and Desert Building. The size and scope is a little daunting but this is a job through Roofscapes, Inc., so I am confident that it will go smoothly. Also through Roofscapes, Inc. I have been hired as a green roof consultant (inspector) to do a punch list on the newly installed JPL green roof in Pasadena. It's about 6,000 sq ft of all succulents using techniques that Charlie Miller, Euro American Growers and I have collaborated on.
Speaking of Euro- American Growers, I attended a Landscape Contractors open house that they had earlier this week. Really fun new plant material is being introduced with an emphasis on low-water use plants. I really liked the combinations they were promoting that weren't just succulents or natives but incorporated grasses, flowering plants and colorful foliage as well. My favorite was the Aligator Agave.
This past Saturday I had the pleasure of speaking about green roofs, living walls, rain water harvesting and plantscaping to the Orange County Master Gardeners Association. The event was held in Santiago Park in Santa Ana - a place I've driven through many times but never stopped. It was beautiful.
While not a large crowd, they were very enthusiastic and had many questions. Of course the top three questions are always: what does a green roof cost? How much does a green roof weigh? And what types of plants do you put on a green roof?
They loved our images of the brand new vegetable living wall. I was also pleased to share with them my experience doing interior and exterior plantscaping. The best part was once again being paid for my speaking!
And I heard a brand new question: "What if I get a bullet hole in my green roof, how will I repair it?" Seems that every New Years Eve and other assorted holidays the neighbors like to shoot their guns into the air and bullets rain down on houses. Apparently she got 5 holes last year! I assured her that repairing a leaking green roof as a result of bullet holes would be easy enough.
Now that's a question that's likely to remain unmatched!
While not a large crowd, they were very enthusiastic and had many questions. Of course the top three questions are always: what does a green roof cost? How much does a green roof weigh? And what types of plants do you put on a green roof?
They loved our images of the brand new vegetable living wall. I was also pleased to share with them my experience doing interior and exterior plantscaping. The best part was once again being paid for my speaking!
And I heard a brand new question: "What if I get a bullet hole in my green roof, how will I repair it?" Seems that every New Years Eve and other assorted holidays the neighbors like to shoot their guns into the air and bullets rain down on houses. Apparently she got 5 holes last year! I assured her that repairing a leaking green roof as a result of bullet holes would be easy enough.
Now that's a question that's likely to remain unmatched!
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- What is Growing at the O'Hare Airport?
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