Newsletter - May 2010
Landscapers in Terrible Fight at Ellerslie!
A fierce battle divided the country in two at the Ellerslie International Flower Show held in Christchurch. The Great North and South Landscape Build-Off was constructed during the event to showcase the high level of design and quality workmanship within Landscaping NZ. The garden was a celebration of the unique sense of place created through locally sourcing plants and construction materials.
Landscape Design Company’s Trish Waugh designed the soft landscaping for the North Island. Talk is already afoot for a rematch next year. Follow our link to photos and video. http://www.lianz.org.nz/EIFS/tabid/243/Default.aspx
Sunniest City Exceeds Water Demand by 2015
A resounding ‘Hoorah’ was heard throughout the city of Tauranga last month with the nations highest sunshine hours and equally highest mean average temperature. As we slipped on the jandals and dined al fresco, a hose pipe and fire ban came into effect.
Pertinent in the light of recent drought conditions was the Sustainable Business Network’s ‘H2O – A Precious Commodity’ seminar. Presentations by TDC, WBOPDC and consultants addressed the need to reduce the current water consumption in a city that is predicting high population growth in the next 5 years. Contemporary local examples of rainwater harvesting, recycling of grey water and low impact design showed us the direction we need to move forward.
How can we better integrate house and garden design for a more sustainable future? Landscape Design Company recently posed this question to Tauranga members of the Bay of Plenty Architectural Designers NZ. Our presentation talked about the need for a complimentary approach between our two professions to deliver the most sustainable outcome for clients and the environment.
River Reclaims the Road
Katikati has a reminder that in the early 1860’s the ‘River was the Road’ with supplies, new emigrants and visitors arriving up the Uretara River from Tauranga Harbour. Local contractors placed the boulders and undertook the planting at the newly formed pedestrian crossing. The river themed design creates a visual link to the nearby Uretara River, Haiku Pathway and Yeoman SculptureWalk. http://www.katikati.co.nz/
Take a Walk Down a Naked Street
It’s relaxing, enjoyable, easily accessible and a low impact exercise that’s free. Through walking you connect with the community you live in, get fresh air and use the worlds most environmentally friendly form of transport... your feet. However, this most common form of exercise rarely sees any allocation of funding from regulatory authorities. A recent workshop in Rotorua by WALK21's Rodney Tolley discussed why making our cities, towns and neighbourhoods walker friendly should be a top priority.
International examples demonstrated ‘shared space’ (streets that encourage integration between vehicles, walkers, cyclists etc), ‘naked street’ (streets with few signs, lines or traffic management) and ‘shared surface’ (an undefined area of paving for different activities), because segregation is not necessarily safer. http://www.walk21.com/
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