Joyous New Year

2007 has been a remarkable year for me: my Landscapers' Challenge victory finally aired; I was honored to lead a popular class at Gamble Garden; my practice expanded to include design modeling; and the quantity and (more importantly) quality of my projects increased even as I lost far too much sleep working toward my landscape architecture degree and license.

There were also a few achievements, mostly personal, that didn't quite get achieved. My vernal pool is still being formed; my narcissus bulbs still aren't in the ground; my back yard is little more than turf and a wall. But, I'm told, it's normal for the shoemaker's children to run barefoot (how cruel does that sound this time of year?!), and while my neighbors who told me they wanted to replace their lawns with water-wise plantings have installed… more lawns, I'm reducing or even eliminating the lawn in my own yard and my clients'. Score one small moral victory.

I've also had lots of opportunities to think and talk about why I do the work I do. And it's been gratifying to know that in the end, it's all about the moral victories. Every square foot of lawn I don't spec saves a little bit of water for the rest of the planet. Every child-friendly garden I design inspires another generation to get involved with the natural world. Every time I get to include a little bit of art in a garden, or make it a unique reflection of its unique owners, I help create happiness. Not a bad way to make a living.

So here's wishing you a new year that's filled with joys small and large. May nature surprise and delight you, and may we all make this planet just a little bit nicer, for our children if not for ourselves.

Happy 2008!