Legacy Projects by Adam Clack

text here about the d. family garden, construction 2012-2013 (ongoing)

We placed initial focus on wholesale grading and soil nourishment, then focused on establishment of an outdoor social amenity while the outer landscape was shaped and seeded.

Our fundamental design motif: formal spaces near house, informal naturalistic plantings and landforms beyond. A proving ground for the Land Mechanic's process-driven approach to budget-conscious design. Attentive clients and regular, thorough maintenance have enabled an accelerated progression through the awkward stages of a naturalizing garden.

Over an acre of unusual plantings, paths, and outdoor rooms in the heart of Denver's Tech Center.

"Sogetsu Ikebana can be created anytime, anywhere, by anyone in any part of the world, and with any kind of material. Plants are the products of mother nature, but the basic principle of Sogetsu is 'Ikebana reflects the person who arranged it.' We are the ones, using these natural materials, to create beauty...this is different from natural beauty." - Akane Teshigahara

We sought to use a simple palette of plants and stones to effect a sense of entry, enclosure, seasonal delight, a circuit of children's paths, opportunities for discovery, and somehow marry a lone massive spruce to the rest of the site. The existing soil was compacted clay, and inhospitable to plant life. We integrated many yards of fine compost and nestled an eclectic mixture of resilient plants into an intriguing boulder array. We managed to get everything planted by mid-fall and excitedly await the surge of botanic spectacle this season. Stone elements include a dry well to capture roof drainage, and a dry-laid planter that encloses the front porch with a suggestion of shady forest.

The Land Mechanic's own garage, laboratory, orphanage, and proving grounds. Old ideas and new realizations combine in an eclectic, wildly enthusiastic celebration of Zone 5 (with a touch of Zone 6, of course). Also, occasionally, a place of respite.

Campus Planning and Extensive Infrastructural and Architectural Modifications, Including: Large Scale Planting Design, Utilizing Chiefly Native and Adaptable Plants Hardscape Design Including Sidewalks, Plazas, Walls, Planters Utilities Inventory and Relocation Project Management and Owner Representation

I consider terraria as small garden studies. All the elements of a larger landscape are present, as are the principles that govern good design. But my favorite aspect is that I finally have places to land all the small ecofacts I collect...shells, rocks, and sundry natural bling.

Everything got a little...WILDER

We regard the garden an infrastructure that invites and renders the dynamic play of light. Plants and plant combinations should be positioned with such effects always in mind. Such performances as silhouette, translucency, glow, sparkle, and shadow are main components of site theatrics. More so than any other factor, sunlight levels profoundly dictate plant selection. We carefully consider the spectrum of deep shade to full sun and seek both continuity and surprise in the dynamic margins.

Repurposed vessels, artifacts from local beaches and woods, curios from Bay Area shops and darling miniature plants including aeonium 'cyclops', senecio, dinteranthus, crassula conjuncta, graptopetalum paraguayense, sedums (makinoi 'ogon')

Principles of sustainability, applied to the making and tending of ground, are necessary and welcome. Equally important to us are the sensory enhancements that accompany the integration of native processes. The spectacle of nature unfolding on its own terms initiates an emotional response that grows into affection for land and the wonder in its complexity. We hope that our enthusiasm for process and its stewardship inspires our clients to heightened levels of ecological awareness and appreciation.

Color is probably the attribute of gardens that is most familiar to people. In fact, striking flower colors and combinations often seem necessary for a site to be accepted as a "garden". Using dryland plants presents some challenges in this respect; achieving convincing four-season spectacle requires experience with all stages of plant growth, maximizing the ornamental potential of the materials available to us on any given project. The color of early leaves, emergent blooms, seedheads, and other transient, subtle phenomena are frequently overlooked in the design process but are so very enjoyable to create and witness.

The branching structures of sturdy plants become a scaffold as the garden transitions from summer to fall to winter. Leaves and litter drop and drift, catching on the bodies of other plants, creating unusual combinations and making prominent some details that might otherwise be overlooked. When frost and snow arrive, even more subtle dimensions unfold. Outlines are emphasized, and once the storm clears, the upright forms project shadows onto a freshly rendered sheet of white.

Temporary, transitional, mobile gardens allow planting options that are almost limitless. We engage all ground with the same attitude of integrity, style, and affordability.

Everything got a little...WILDER

We used a simple palette of plants and stones to effect a sense of entry, enclosure, seasonal delight, a circuit of children's paths, opportunities for discovery, and somehow marry a lone massive spruce to the rest of the site. The existing soil was compacted clay, and inhospitable to plant life. We integrated many yards of fine compost and nestled an eclectic mixture of resilient plants into an intriguing boulder array. We managed to get everything planted by mid-fall and excitedly await the surge of botanic spectacle this season. Stone elements include a dry well to capture roof drainage, and a dry-laid planter that encloses the front porch with a suggestion of shady forest.

Compact but high-profile and stylish sculpture garden for a wonderful young family of four.

Creating mutual territory is central to our design philosophy. Bringing people into a space animated by the activities of animals and plants serves the human heart, not to mention our fellow denizens of earth.

We were retained in mid-season 2012 to develop a strategy to quickly improve the aesthetics of a high-profile area of the Courtyard. The owners were concerned that the views from within the building and from their outdoor plaza lacked vibrance and tidiness. On a small budget we removed the offending elements and brought spectacle to a fairly large area quickly. An ingenious combination of late-flowering, fast-growing perennials and tall annuals ensured the display retained luster well into the winter months.

Major overhaul of the steep south slope including terrace construction using poured concrete walls, multiple landscape stairways, and boulder gardens.

The latest stages of the maturation process and occasional new experiments.

Continuing to manage exotic species, reseeding bare areas, reconfiguring irrigation, soil conditioning, interplanting.

The latest stages of the maturation process and occasional new experiments.

Our focus shifted somewhat from fighting off the legacy of neglect towards expanding the range of spectacle, seasonally and spatially.

The initial year of Land Mechanic oversight. Priorities included invasive species control, aesthetic plant husbandry, etc.

During the second year of establishment, the garden experienced typical corporate groundskeeping. Over-watering, over-mulching, and neglect of emerging issues related to disturbance promoted an imbalance between desirable and undesirable species. Concern about the Courtyard's evident decline led to the hiring of The Land Mechanic.

Following completion of major infrastructure and soil preparation, the garden can now be brought to life through planting combinations and complementary stonework.

Adam Clack, with Civitas, Inc., was invited to redesign this courtyard by its new owners: LBA Realty. Our goal was simply to humanize the space. Their willingness to consider novel assemblies of naturalized landscapes within traditionally formal sitescaping promoted ingenuity.