Landscape Lighting Design Workshop with Rob DiSchino of Nightscaping®

In the "Landscape Lighting Design Workshop" attendees learned how to highlight outdoor features and how to use accent lighting to create silhouettes and shadows, and spread lighting to maximize their beauty. We explored landscape lighting design techniques and the interaction of light with different structures and elements in the landscape. Participants experienced the importance of equipment selection and placement to achieve a harmonious design.

Our guest presenter was Rob DiSchino, National Sales Manager for Nightscaping® in Redlands, CA.

Landscape lighting can have many purposes - safety, security, extended viewing and use, or enhancement of the beauty of the garden and structure. Well-designed lighting can transform a landscape into a dramatic scene and add the finishing touch to any outdoor room. It can add magic and illusion by enhancing some outdoor features while leaving others shrouded in mystery. Successful lighting design stems from knowing how to create effects and understanding how to balance light levels between areas of the visual composition.

Landscape lighting design is very similar to the design of the landscape itself: we must determine focal points, use areas, traffic patterns, outdoor "rooms," style, mood, etc. We need to consider how the proposed lighting will enhance the form, color and texture of the soft and hard landscape elements. Lighting should serve to unify both interior and exterior design themes, conceal what may be unattractive and shape the view of the landscape at night.

In this workshop Rob DiSchino showed how you can dramatically change any outside space with the right lighting scheme, whether your goal is to illuminate or highlight areas such as a pathway, deck, patio, pool, architectural plant or feature. He showed us what makes for a successful design and what common mistakes to avoid. He gave expert advice and guidance on the theory, design process, project needs, and techniques of landscape lighting. Whether you’re seeking to sculpt a landscape with light or make an outdoor space more useable at night you learned the creative and technical information needed to beautify your landscaping projects and consistently win client approval.

Please Welcome Jeff Barone as a New Steering Member

We would like to welcome Jeff Barone as a new steering member-at-large. Jeff is the owner of EssentialSpace Earthscapes in Newburyport, MA. We look forward to his participation in the operations of The Underground.

New Event Recording Notice Announced

Event Recording Notice
Notice Regarding Audio/Video Recording of Events

When you enter an Underground event (program, workshop or tour), you will be entering an area where photography, video and audio recording may occur.

By registering and attending the event, you consent to interview(s), photography, audio recording, video recording and its/their release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction to be used for news, web casts, promotional purposes, telecasts, advertising, inclusion on web sites, or any other purpose by The Underground and its affiliates and representatives. You release The Underground, its officers and employees, and each and all persons involved from any liability connected with the taking, recording, digitizing, or publication of interviews, photographs, computer images, video and/or sound recordings.

By attending and entering the event premises, you waive all rights you may have to any claims for payment or royalties in connection with any exhibition, streaming, webcasting, televising, or other publication of these materials, regardless of the purpose or sponsoring of such exhibiting, broadcasting, webcasting, or other publication irrespective of whether a fee for admission or sponsorship is charged. You also waive any right to inspect or approve any photo, video, or audio recording taken by The Underground or the person or entity designated to do so by The Underground.

You have been fully informed of your consent, waiver of liability, and release before entering the event.

Stop By and See Us at the New England Flower Show

This year they are calling it Plant Geek Night (Tuesday, March 11, 5:30-9:00) and The Underground will be participating. On hand will be several volunteer members to answer plant questions and distribute information about our "Find A Landscape Pro" wiki website where consumers can contact landscape professionals in their area.

We would like to say thank you to the following volunteers
Alya Shklovskaya, Joanne Neale and Russell Stafford. We really appreciate your contributions to our group.

Our heartfelt thanks also goes to our resident Underground authors for donating copies of their books for our drawing held at the show. Thank you to Barbara Gee, C.L. Fornari, and Vincent Simeone.

Join Us at NELDHA's Career Day

The President of The Underground is set to speak at NELDHA's (New England Landscape Design and History Association) upcoming Career Day on Friday, February 22, 2008.

Please join us for an afternoon of information exchange on The Business of Landscape Design and Landscape Design History. Hear business people in the field discuss their recipes for building their company's success and profitability.

Thanks to Our NE Grows Volunteers

All your help to make our participation at the NE Grows show on February 6-8, 2008 was very much appreciated. Thank you again to all the volunteers who made it happen.

Pamela Burton
Karen Fountain-Lantelme
Seija Halva
Sally Naish
Ted Chapman
Dori Smith
Denise Pegrum
Mike Smith
Melanie Neuman
Jay Bearfield
Kath Holland
Kathy Tunsley
Paul Shoemaker
Susan Quateman
Alya Shklovskaya
Barbara Gee

Compromise Language for HB3182

On January 25th, a meeting was held to discuss changes to the current language of this bill. As a result of this meeting the following compromise language was accepted by Laura Kuhn of the APLDNE and Heidi Kost-Gross of NELDHA.

The language:

“Nothing contained in the foregoing as amended shall be construed as constituting regulation and/or oversight of any designated firms or identified professional services. The amended sections shall apply to the procurement of services and the allocation of said services by agencies of the Commonwealth identified herein.”

Although this language does not specifically address the landscape design profession, The Underground has accepted this language based on its acceptance by APLD and NELDHA.

Thank you to Susan Tuttle and The Massachusetts Horticultural Society

We would like to express our sincere thanks to Susan Tuttle for making arrangements for our January program to be held at The Massachusetts Horticultural Society's Elm Bank. Susan has helped our organization over several years and has been a supporter of The Underground as a steering member-at-large and now as our newly elected secretary. She continues to volunteer at programs by helping with registration, setup and numerous other tasks.

We also would like to thank The Massachusetts Horticultural Society for providing their wonderful facilities for our program "Landscape Contractor and Designer Relations".

Landscape Contractor and Designer Relations

The "Landscape Contractor and Designer Relations" program showed you how you could improve your relationships with your contractor or designer. This program discussed the major components for an ideal designer - contractor relationship. Attendees were asked to come to this program prepared to ask questions of our panelists.

Our guest panelists included:
Jay Bearfield, Liquid Landscape Designs, Carlisle, MA
Carolyn Carleton, Outdoor Design, Inc., Southborough, MA
Ed Coykendall, Landscape Artisans, Shirley, MA

Landscape professionals, in their quest to build and design things, sometimes fall short in building relationships. Designers and contractors can find themselves competing for control and the good favor of a project owner. Although some rivalry is expected, we know that too much tension can turn what should be a collaborative relationship into an adverse one – perhaps delaying a project or driving up its costs. Why do contractors and designers clash in some cases, but not in others? Can conflict be avoided? Or, is a little tug-of-war important to building the best project possible for the client? This program explored the answers to these questions and more.

Our panel of landscape contractors discussed the issues that have faced them in working with designers and architects. They answered questions that you had about specific areas of concern – from pricing to change orders to the importance of having a designer on the job or having very specific drawings. They also suggested ways in which we can work more effectively together to produce jobs with fewer change orders and better quality for our clients. Program participants of learned how they could build better relationships.

Jay Bearfield - Is an Internationally Certified Pond Contractor, and owner & lead designer of Liquid Landscape Designs of Carlisle MA. Liquid Landscape Designs, Inc. is a New England-based company that specializes in the residential and commercial aquatic-landscape (aquascape) industry. www.liquidlandscapedesigns.com

Carolyn Carleton - Is the owner of Outdoor Design Inc. of Southborough, MA. In business since 1987, Outdoor Design Inc. has a team of skilled craftsmen, professional masons, site developers, and planting specialists to ensure the highest quality workmanship possible. They perform both residential and commercial property installations throughout New England. www.outdoordesigninc.com

Ed Coykendall - Is the owner of Landscape Artisans of Shirley, MA. In business since 2001, Landscape Artisans specializes in the construction of artisan quality residential landscapes. Their team creates custom landscapes by crafting various media including manufactured pavers, walls, natural stone, wood and plant materials. Their projects deliver high value by turning the clients relationship to the outdoors all within their budget - creating distinctive expressions on the land. Bachelors of Landscape Architecture, Massachusetts Certified Landscape Professional, International Concrete Paver Institute Certified Installer.

New Feature - Post Your Job Opportunities

We would like to announce a new feature that is now available at our wiki website --- the ability to post job opportunities to our members! Just visit our website and click on "POST YOUR JOB"

By filling out the Employment Opportunities form, members as well as non-members will be able to post new job openings that will be forwarded to members of The Underground via our Yahoo Group.

Looking for some help this coming season? Then please give it a try.

New Online Store

We would like to announce that The Underground now has an online store. We have a great selection of books and supplies that you may wish to purchase for the holidays and we are happy to add more based upon member suggestions.

A small portion of your purchase price of items selected through our website will go to benefit The Underground. We thank you for your support of our organization.

Please visit our website and click on STORE.

If you have other suggestions for great books or merchandise please let us know and we will add them to our store. What's in your top ten list?

Article About Native Plants As Part of the Sustainable Landscape

We would like to give a very big thank you to Scott LaFleur and Tom Smarr of The New England Wild Flower Society for writing our latest online consumer article "How Native Plants Work as Part of the Sustainable Landscape". This article can be viewed at our Find A Landscape Pro wiki website.

If you would like to contribute an article or photo to either of our wiki websites or to our forums please let us know. We welcome your contributions.

New Speakers Bureau

The Underground is currently developing a Speakers Bureau and will be providing listings on our 'Find A Landscape Professional' wiki website. All speakers must be members in good standing of The Underground. To add your speaker listing please visit our website and fill out our form.

Garden Ornamentation Workshop with Marie Stella and Artisans

Photos credit: Charlotte Fleetwood

Garden ornamentation has been integral to private and public garden spaces for more than two thousand years. In this "Garden Ornamentation Workshop" we examined the history of garden ornamentation, materials that are commonly used, and how fine garden art can be incorporated into your landscape projects. Our presentation was followed by a studio visit, artisan demonstrations and a self-guided tour of local installations.

Guest Presenter: Marie Stella, Kirin Farm Enterprises, Inc., Charlemont, MA
Guest Artisans: Ray Ciemny, Artist/Blacksmith and Doug Patten, Artist/Stone Carver, Groton, MA

Fine garden ornamentation adds a sense of embellishment to an existing garden. Using one-of-a kind pieces can establish a new sense of peace or provide a complete makeover for the garden. Incorporating extraordinary furnishings and art of the past or present can create a sense of ambiance and mood or establish a focal point that demands attention. It can draw people into the garden, frame an important view or anchor a perennial bed. It can create unity and harmony in a garden that might not otherwise exist.

In this workshop we looked at ways that we can enhance our landscape plans and add that special finishing touch to our projects.

Following our slide presentation we drove a short distance to visit a local studio to see wrought iron forging and stone carving demonstrations and talk with the artisans about their craft.

Marie Stella - MA, MS, is a landscape historian and designer. Her design firm, Kirin Farm Enterprises, Inc., specializes in historic gardens and environmental landscapes. She is on the faculty of the Landscape Institute, Arnold Arboretum, Harvard University, and adjunct faculty at the New York Botanical Garden, Tower Hill Botanic Garden, The Institute of Ecosystem Studies, and Cooper Union.

Ray Ciemny (Artisan/Blacksmith) - Ray received his initial professional art training at the Massachusetts College of Art. He worked as an illustrator and founded a computer design studio. When he first touched hammer to iron, however he knew this was his true passion. Mr. Ciemny began an apprenticeship with Master Blacksmith William Senseney of Williamstown, MA in 1987. Following years of honing his craft, Mr. Ciemny now offers his personal vision of the fusion of Art and Craft. http://www.ArtisanIron.com

Doug Patten (Artisan/Stone Carver) - DM Patten began carving small wooden objects as a young boy. While in his twenties he discovered stone sculpting and was instantly hooked. Over the years he has developed his own style and methods for working in various native stones. His skills are primarily self taught from readings and occasional conversations with old timers who practiced this craft many years ago. Patten’s work is peppered throughout Groton, the surrounding communities and beyond.

Thank you to Charlotte Fleetwood for providing her digital photos taken at this workshop.

Discount on Google SketchUp for Members

We have a special time limited offer for Underground members only. Purchase Google SketchUp Pro Single User license through 11/22 and save $50 off the current price of $495. If you are interested in this offer please and are a current Underground member please contact us for more information.

You do not need to have attended our Software Shootout to take advantage of this offer. Google SketchUp is PC and Mac compatible.

Discount on Dynascape Software for Members

Dynascape will offer members of The Underground a 10% discount on any purchase of DynaSCAPE Design, DynaSCAPE Quote, or DynaSCAPE Color through December 31, 2007. This includes any purchases made by Underground members since the Software Shootout on October 20, 2007. Please contact us for more details. Prior to processing the purchase, DynaSCAPE will validate membership in The Underground. The offer is open to any current member of the Yahoo Group. Purchases are to be made directly with the Sales staff of Dynascape at (800) 710-1900 or by visiting http://www.dynascape.com

2007 Election Results Are In!

The Underground Elections results are in, with 23% of our nearly 300 eligible members casting their votes in our first election. All candidates ran unopposed and received 68 votes each. The slate of candidates has been elected to serve for a two year term beginning in January 2008.

The announcement of theses results and introductions of the new officers were made at our annual meeting (required by the bylaws) on Saturday, October 20th at The Software Shootout.

Thank you to everyone for continuing on and working to build this wonderful organization.

2007 Annual Report Now Available

Yesterday we held our first annual meeting at the Software Shootout program. Our annual report as presented is now available at our website.

Thank you to our participants at yesterday's program - (Reid Bertone-Johnson, Mike Ambrose, Sally Naish and Len Hordyck) you helped make this program a tremendous success.

Congratulations also goes to our software winners.
Amy VanDoren - Google SketchUp Pro
Risa Edelstein - Dynascape Design and Quote

Much thanks goes to our program sponsors DynaSCAPE Software and Google SketchUp

A special thank you to Mary Coyne, Professor Emerita, Wellesley College and the Wellesley College Science Center for providing their wonderful facilities for this program.

2nd Annual Software Shootout

Howdy, pardner! Mosey on down and join us at the "2nd Annual Software Shootout" for a rootin' tootin' shootin' good time at this exciting program which will explore how landscape professionals are using today’s high falutin' techniques to create their landscape plans and documents.

The software presented at this program was representative of just a few of the applications available, and ranged in price, capability and complexity. Yeeeeeeeeeeha!

Our guest presenters included:
Reid Bertone-Johnson, Dodson Associates, Ltd., Ashfield, MA - Google SketchUp
Mike Ambrose, Ambrose Plants & Design, Millis, MA - Drafix ProLandscape
Sally Naish, Light & Shade Garden Design, Arlington, MA - Dynascape Design

Attendees learned the secrets to creating high quality, graphically rich landscape plans using their computers. Designers showed examples of their projects and described the step-by-step process for their implementation. They discussed their software products’ learning curve and the strengths and weaknesses from their personal perspectives. Handouts provided additional information including tips and tricks, equipment requirements, costs and other special considerations and comparisons. Attendees were also encouraged to bring in design examples that have been created using these software programs for a show and tell session at the end of the program.

DynaSCAPE Software representative Len Hordyk was on hand to answer questions about specific components of their software and show us their new product DynaSCAPE Color 1.0.

This program gave you information you need to find the software that will work for you in your landscape business. It gave a real-world perspective of the products’ capabilities from real users.

Working in Cooperation with NOFA OLC

The Underground is pleased to be working in cooperation with The NOFA Organic Land Care Committee. NOFA OLC provides education and outreach to landscape professionals, homeowners, activists and all concerned with organic land management. Offering the 5-day NOFA Accreditation Course in Organic Land Care annually in winter in MA, CT and RI; and the 1-day NOFA Organic Lawn & Turf Course annually in August in MA and CT. For more info contact Ashley Kremser, program manager. Visit www.organiclandcare.org