AboutMarc Chapelle, ASLA Expertise As a licensed Landscape Architect, I can answer general questions about style and design, ideas and suggestions for site amenities, larger site-planning issues, or recreation and park design.
IF YOU JUST WANT A PLANT SUGGESTION GO HERE: http://www.growit.com/PlantInfo/LandScape.htm
I prefer you ask somebody else why your petunias are not as perky as they should be...I'd LOVE to tell you how can use those petunias to increase your home's value!
Experience Member, American Society of Landscape Architects (ALSA.org); Past clients have been mostly contractors, developers and local civil engineering/architecture firms, plus the occasional homeowner. Currently, I design recreational facilities for the National Park Service (DOI).
I am located in the dry Great Basin area (Greater Nevada/Utah), so the use of landscape materials OTHER than plants is emphasized. As a licensed Landscape Architect on the East and West Coasts, I have been in practice over 20 years.
Organizations ASLA (ASLA.org)
Education/Credentials BSLA in Landscape Architecture, 1989
Many additional seminars, educational venues, and classes (both taught & attended)
Awards and Honors Best Multifamily project, 1993
Best Model Home Landscaping, 1993
Question We recently moved into a house that had an had an above ground pool that we knocked down. Now we are left with a sandy spot with weeds hahah! We had put a nice big 15 foot trampoline over the spot however it still looks bad underneath. We were thinking about throwing a big tarp over the ground so no weeds or grass can grow through and covering it with some nice colorful rubber mulch so it safe for the kids to play. We do not want to plant grass because moving the trampoline to mow it would be a pain since we live on a hill and its the only leveled out piece of land. Before this is done I wanted to make sure you can cover a 17 ft in diameter piece of land with a tarp or plastic of some sorts and covered with mulch. I don't know if it has any negatives to it with drainage...etc. Any advice you have would be great. Thanks for your help!
Answer Great idea, but don't use plastic sheets or tarps, as they WILL cause a drainage problem. Landscape fabric is designed to let water go through and stop the grasses/weeds from coming up.
Ultimately, barriers are not a permanent solution, and will only last about 10 years with even the best of premium grade fabrics...The trampoline shade will take care of most of the weeds underneath it. The fabric in conjunction with rubber mulch should do the trick for the rest of the area.
You may have to weed or chemically spot-treat certain areas as debris and seeds blow in and germinate over time.
This web-site sells weed fabric, but shop around locally (as they suggest)and elsewhere on line for a better deal, first.
17 feet isn't a big deal as the rolls come in sizes of 3 ft. wide to 6 ft. wide, so just roll out as many lengths as you need, and follow the pinning directions. 17 x 17 is only a little less than 300 sf., and the smallest roll is 3 x 250, or 750 sf.
Rubber mulch is a great "fall" surface, and keeps used materials out of the landfill...The quality has gone way up since it was first introduced (no more steel belt wires and color-fast dies). Recreational design guidelines call for a ring of 6 feet of additional "fall" zone around play equipment, so consider making the rubberized area a bit more generous, and a minimum of 4-inches deep.
