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?EUR??,,????'?????<????????How sweet it is,?EUR??,,????'?????<???????? Jackie Gleason used to say?EUR??,,????'?????<???????????an appropriate description of the sweet gum tree, perhaps, but not to New York City landscape architect Thomas Balsley. Balsley reportedly told UnderCover it was ?EUR??,,????'?????<????????kind of a mistake?EUR??,,????'?????<???????? for landscape architect Peter Walker to specify sweet gums for the plaza level of the World Trade Center Memorial and also for Freedom Tower Plaza. His reason? Because they are messy. He is referring to the tree?EUR??,,????'?????<????????????EUR??,,??s woody, seed bearing capsules (gumballs). We know them first-hand, as our buildings passageway is lined by sweetgums. They are lovely trees with beautiful fall coloring. The leaves are large and star-shaped. ?EUR??,,????'?????<????????Ours?EUR??,,????'?????<???????? have five points, but we?EUR??,,????'?????<????????????EUR??,,??re told they can have up to seven lobes.
But when it comes to messy, the sweet gums can?EUR??,,????'?????<????????????EUR??,,??t compete with the carrotwood trees that line the sidewalks near our offices. Their seed pods, shaped like three-leaf clovers, litter the sidewalks, are quite crunchy underfoot and keep the landscape crew busy.
Editor?EUR??,,????'?????<????????????EUR??,,??s note: We?EUR??,,????'?????<????????????EUR??,,??ve presented two of Mr. Balsley?EUR??,,????'?????<????????????EUR??,,??s project in the pages of LASN (?EUR??,,????'?????<????????A Plaza Runs Through It,?EUR??,,????'?????<???????? February 2005 and ?EUR??,,????'?????<????????Rockefeller University?EUR??,,????'?????<????????????EUR??,,??s South Campus: A Vortex of Knowledge, Healing and Connection,?EUR??,,????'?????<???????? June 2005), and one of Mr. Walker?EUR??,,????'?????<????????????EUR??,,??s, ?EUR??,,????'?????<????????A Landscape of Modern Sculpture Is Growing in Dallas,?EUR??,,????'?????<???????? February 2004).
These features can be viewed on landscapearchitect.com
Francisco Uviña, University of New Mexico
Hardscape Oasis in Litchfield Park
Ash Nochian, Ph.D. Landscape Architect
November 12th, 2025
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