Landscape Architect Articles

LASN Landscape of the Month September, 198809-01-88 | News

Landscape of the Month

Balancing Design with Maintenance Ensures Long Term Results

The Pacific Inland Bank Plaza, twice a CLCA award winner, was designed with maintenance of the site being a prime consideration in the design process. (photo by Patricia Braun)

Location
Pacific Inland Plaza Building,
Anaheim, California

Developer
Meyer Investment Properties
LaHabra, California

Architect
Lomax/Rock Associates
Venice, California

Landscape Architect
Closson & Closson, Landscape Architecture
Orange, California

Landscape Maintenance
Forever Green Landscape
Maintenance Awards ‘86, ‘88

This months award winning Landscape of the Month features the Pacific Inland Plaza in Anaheim, California, which was designed by Closson & Closson, Landscape Architecture, with maintenance specifically in mind. Forever Green Landscape Management of Brea, California, won the outstanding Achievement Award for 1986, and the first place trophy for maintenance in 1988 from the California Landscape Contractors Association, attesting to the excellent design with maintenance in mind.

The key to reducing the maintenance of any landscape is to take maintenance into consideration during the design phase. If this is achieved, maintenance costs and labor can be reduced without harm to your project. Within the maintenance consideration are criteria which must not be ignored. These include, but are not limited to, irrigation management, plant selection, drainage, street appeal, color impact, erosion control and signage.

A positive slope, drainage, and use of similar plant materials were all design elements used to maximize maintenance efficiency. (photo by Patricia Braun)

The Pacific Inland Plaza is a fine example of the design for maintenance concept employed and advocated by Closson and Closson. Dave Closson, president of Closson & Closson, states that, “there are several ‘general rules of thumb’ we use to aid in lower maintenance costs and management. Though these design elements may not be appropriate for every project, we will certainly try to establish similar design criteria for every commercial project we are involved in.”

These ‘rules of thumb’ are:?EUR??,,????'??+Keep the shrubs in your design adequately spaced to eliminate over-crowding and excessive pruning. In this case, shrubs were used primarily at the entrance of the Pacific Inland Bank Building and on the perimeter of the property. By doing this the amount of time involved in maintenance has been reduced as well as opening up the limited space around the building.

?EUR??,,????'??+Reduce the number of plant types so that maintenance expertise can be reduced. Similar plants require the same kind of maintenance and all grow at approximately the same rate so pruning for all plant material can be achieved at the same time. By using only similar plant and tree types, the overall maintenance program will be simplified because the requirements of the planting material is all similar.

?EUR??,,????'??+Equalize irrigation percipitation rates to develop equal water application. Specific irrigation techniques can be used within the project to give the exact amount of water required by each plant type. Closson and Closson designed the irrigation system using pop-up spray heads and drip irrigation in specific parts of the landscape to maximize irrigation efficiency. Also taken into consideration in the irrigation design was sun and shade, and the amount of time direct sunlight hits each part of the landscape. All these factors are considered in the design phase with maintenance in mind.

The gravel pocket' provides drainage and distance from irrigation spray

?EUR??,,????'??+Provide good drainage to eliminate wet spots. On this project Closson and Closson created a positive drainage field by sloping the landscape away from the building. In addition, a gravel “pocket” was installed between the building and the plant material to provide a drainage field moving water away from the building. This design element helps eliminate irrigation spray hitting the building and draining down against the footing by reducing the area of irrigation spray. The positive slope of the landscape creates a visual image that is at once pleasing, energy conserving, and reduces maintenance costs.

Closson and Closson designed someadditional elements into their plans on this specific project. Color pots at the entrance of the bank building that have irrigation heads in the pots and drain holes through the base of the pots. Plants with specific water or care requirements are easily maintained in the pots.

Dave Closson and Jack Vrtar, Forever green Landscape, outside the Pacific Inland Plaza

On this project, expansive turf areas were used to help reduce the amount of maintenance required at the job. Although turf is one of the most water demanding plant materials, because of the limited area of the site, maintenance requirements called for use of turf. (See turf maintenance in this months Xeriscape maintenance article by Martha Latta).

The Landscape of the Month is produced by LASN and sponsored by Nightscaping, who donates $50.00 to the Landscape Architectural Foundation for each featured project. Please contact LASN editorial staff before submitting materials for consideration.