Hardscapes Survey:
What argument do you find most persuasive when pushing back against the desire to maximize the paved surface area?
"When clients want to maximize pavement, I remind them that every additional square foot of impervious surface increases heat, runoff, maintenance, and ecological loss. Living landscapes, by contract, moderate temperature, absorb stormwater, support wildlife, improve human well-being, and become more beautiful with time. Ultimately, every square foot should justify its existence. If it isn't improving human experience or ecological function, plus being aesthetically pleasing, it probably doesn't belong." - Pete K., Arizona

What materials, textures, or integrated planting strategies most successfully have elevated a retaining wall or grade change in a recent project?
"Integrating the walls into the spatial experience rather than trying to hide the wall works best." - Stephan H., PLA, Indiana

"Water is often one of the most effective design tools. A retaining wall can become the origin of a stream, seep, waterfall, or seasonal cascade, transforming a structural element into the emotional focal point of the landscape." - Pete K., Arizona

What conversations do you think the profession needs to have in this topic?
"Maintenance of porous pavements to keep them porous - and how to sell that to the client. Actual 5- and 20-year results describing properly designed porous vs non-porous drainage with and without maintenance, including frost heaving, material and color failures, etc." - Andrew S., PLA, Ohio

 

"The most natural solution versus a strictly engineered one should be favored to handle drainage, erosion, and stormwater management. The most successful solutions require the combined efforts of Landscape Architects, Civil Engineers, Traffic Engineers, and Construction Management." - Bruce H., PLA, Florida

"Stormwater should be viewed as an asset rather than a liability. Every project should explore opportunities for infiltration, groundwater recharge, habitat creation, and natural filtration before relying solely on conventional drainage infrastructure." Pete K., Arizona

Comments from 2026 Annual Survey:
"You guys do a really good job, but I think more pieces on business development/management might be helpful for small-to-mid-size firms out there." - Kelly C., PLA, Texas

"Where are the old-timers, and what are they doing? How do they feel about where the profession is at? How can our past experience be utilized to help the new professionals?" - Gilbert F., PLA, California

"Keep up the good work. The magazine provides a strong outlet for the profession. Please keep promoting landscape architecture!" - Anonymous PLA, Florida

"I would like to see more info on nuts-and-bolts stuff . . . also, better ways to do housing development. Thought: could we do a newspaper-type rag that just contains articles, maybe quarterly? Ditch the high-end photography and dig deep into the psych of landscape, etc." - Rip W., PLA, Alabama

"I read this cover-to-cover because the content is always relevant. I do wish the organization was a bit different - a bit more readable for the smaller stories." - Willson M., PLA, Florida

"A continuing education section on technical specification writing. Maybe a section every issue, such as how to specify concrete and review contractor submittals. After 32 years in the industry, it is hard to find good education on technical things." - Tim J., PLA, North Carolina

"I like to save projects I'd like to visit in person someday from your articles on my Google Maps. Then, when I am in that state, I can eventually go visit them and would not know they exist without your magazine." - Aaron R., California

Responses to September Playgrounds Issue:
How do long-term maintenance realities shape your playground design decisions, and what design strategies have proven most durable over time?
"A fairly recent incident frustrated me where all of the integrated and carefully selected plants (edible, safe, touch, etc.) were removed from the project in the name of maintenance. Worse yet, PIP of a new color was used to replace all the mulch areas." - Anonymous PLA

"I believe there needs to be a stronger or bigger emphasis on renewable or sustainable materials being used in playground equipment. In general, playgrounds are designed to last only about 15-20 years before they can be expected to be replaced. That creates a great deal of waste. If planned better, this waste could be more reusable to continue being useful even after it has out-served its purpose as play equipment." - Tiffany T., Massachusetts

As seen in LASN magazine, October 2026.