In the Beginning...the Yard and Garden 15 Years Ago

Agastache and variegated horehound on the hillside

Living in Denver in Zones 4, 5, and 6....at least in my yard....in a semi-arid, high-altitude, urban environment means that not all plants can survive the harsh conditions of either summer or winter. Often they need something more nutrition than clay soils offer; they need more water than I am willing to provide (we do not have a sprinkler system); or they don't enjoy being exposed to the dry, cold winter conditions that often exist...especially when I have forgotten to mulch them for winter. If you've read previous posts, you know it has taken many years of experimentation to create a lush environment in our yard.

In my past, I have NOT spent time amending soil. Why not? It was a combination of excitement over just getting the plants in the ground and, admittedly, laziness. Many little green and flowered plants just couldn't live in the heavy clay soils. Many of them expired from unsuccessful attempts along with starts and starts in different areas of the yard or lack of attention. Now, when my neighbors walk by and look at the yard, they ask me how I do it because EVERYTHING seems to grow. What I try to explain is that they haven't seen the sad expired skeletons of leafless and lifeless plant material and the weeds and weeds and weeds! Expired plants are removed as soon as they start going south and added to their compost pile grave on the western side of our yard getting ready to contribute to a survivor! The critical mass of weeds have been removed over time and in sections.

When we moved into our house almost 15 years ago, the parkway along Gaylord was just weeds without trees and vegetation. The front walk perpendicular to the public sidewalk and the street was breaking apart. Moving west across the parkway and toward the house, was a sloping main yard. On the north was a failed attempt from a previous owner to create a rock garden. On the south was dying grassy knoll. The rock garden consisted of a Caryopteris or Bluebeard Bush, lots of Sempervivum or Hens and Chicks lining the north side of the steps and some very happy low growing Sedum. There were three aspen on the south side along the property line and a small evergreen on the north. Closer to the house were some nice columbine and a bed of iris under the front window. The columbine went away before we could move in....someone decided they would look better in their yard. The south side yard consisted of a lilac bush placed under the kitchen window.

Backyard birdbath, garlic chives, retaining wall

As one kept walking to the back yard, the previous owner used chicken wire and the 1930s chain link to divide the property and keep in her dog. A metal edge strip encircled a small garden consisting of a good clump of chives but little else. One area contained river rocks intended as an uneven patio of sorts but was long covered with a healthy stand of weeds. When we had looked at the house, there had been a chair with some sort of paper mache skeleton sculpture holding court with said weeds.

It seemed bleak. Bleak but not overwhelming. I was excited to have a basic blank slate with a few defining moments!

When I started working on the yard, I started by digging weeds. Changed to, unfortunately, using Roundup for a couple of years. Finally, ditched the chemicals and went back to digging and pulling and deep mulching. Just to let you know, I no longer use Roundup and other chemical weed killers and fertilizers. I know now that it ultimately hurts humans, the soil, and the plants. I control them by pulling and digging before they form flowers; apply natural pre-emergent products to help keep seeds from germinating and forming plants in the yard; put in a critical mass of plants, deep mulch the beds and try to keep the grass healthy.

The weeds included (and still include on occasion) but were and are not limited to:

1. Tribulus terrestris : Puncture vine or Goats Head - punctured a few bike tires, feet and hands!! We can finally walk barefoot in our yard.

2. Malva neglecta : Common Mallow - super long roots if allowed to grow to maturity. Also, a perennial if you don't pull them.

3. Portulaca oleracea : Purslane - still shows up and is actually edible!

4. Convolvulus arvensis : Bindweed - controlled by staying on top of it and not allowing it to bloom or seed. I used to have quite a bit of it in flower beds but after a couple years of pulling it as soon as I see it, it has not had a chance to photosynthesize so it's going away. 

5. Taraxacum officinale : Dandelion - of course!!!! This can be handled to some extent by digging the roots....which my husband, Bret, does when he moves the yard. Letting your neighbors' children pick the dandelions for bouquets for their mothers is another way to control the spread of seeds. Organic pre-emergent products can also help reduce the number that take hold in the spring.

6. Euphorbia myrsinites : Myrtle Spurge - which is often planted as an ornamental but has been identified as a noxious weed in Colorado. The issue is the sap that the plant emits which irritates any exposed skin that it touches. It is also a prolific seed producer. It was planted as an ornamental in our yard but I have worked to get rid of it and to replace it with other plants.
When I talk to new gardeners in Colorado, I forget how much time we spent slowly pulling and digging weeds, making mistakes, re-learning, re-planting, checking the micro-climates, re-conversing about our yard design and, finally, coming to a consensus on what would live and where it would live. I sense that we are having some success but it came in stages.

In the beginning I spent time digging old tree roots out of our parkway to plant iris along the front walk. At least four times we weeded, planted and re-planted grass in the other parts of the parkway. We finally gave up and moved the iris and dry sun garden to the area where the grass would not grow and put grass in the shade of our 13 year old Linden trees. I've taken over both sides of the slope with natives and sun loving, blooming, dry-land plants.  The Aspen, thankfully, died so they could be replaced with trees that don't spread all over the yard. We've planted four trees - two lindens (April 2001) on the parkway and two tartarian maples (April 2014) in the upper yard. All of them are from Denver Digs Trees and the Parks People. The Lindens were free. The Maples were very affordable. Now we are moving the old front walk farther from the now maturing and growing spruce tree on the north side of the yard.

Over the years I've experimented with natives and non. We've removed pounds and pounds of grass, extra soil, invasive plants, aspen sprouts, and other weeds. We've spent time debating the design and putting in a new design. We've trimmed and hand watered to our hearts content. And now.....a new phase.....adding our compost to our own gardens to work toward vegetables and more prolific growth of our flowers, trees and plants.

It's an evolution. It's done with care, love, and research. Next up....sharing time, plants, design!

Winter Gardening: Composting

Last of the kale!

So you thought you were done gardening for the year? You may be thinking, "But the predictions are for snow overnight on Sunday into Monday with nighttime lows in the 20s! I'm done!!"

I'm here to say that if you love it, gardening really can be a year 'round activity. And fall is a great time to start preparing for the spring garden!

While you are aerating your lawn and adding seed and organic fertilizer along with mulching your flower beds, you can also be preparing your compost pile for its winter work. Use all your dried leaves and green clippings, organic potting soils and plants, fungus and spore-free vegetable gardening materials mixed together to keep temperatures up and bacteria working through the winter. You will need to remember to water your pile on warm days. A good way to remember is watering on the days that are good for your trees, too!

In addition to keeping the compost pile going, you can directly dig in your winter vegetable scraps into your raised and garden beds. Just be sure to keep the soil moist and cover it to insulate against the cold, drying winds of our Colorado winters so the bacteria will continue to do it's work. Be aware that seeds may sprout for you in the spring! Maybe a few extra cucumber and squash plants will be okay for your early spring garden or you can dig the sprouts back into the soil.

As far as environmental temperatures go, on the front range, our best kept winter secret are our many days above freezing. The sun comes out. The land warms. Our compost piles speed through their soil creating process. On cold days, the pile will slow. By spring, you can have your pot of gold ready for pots, garden beds, and flower beds.

Here are some online resources that discuss winter composting:

http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/cold-weather-compost?page=0,0
http://www.earth911.com/home-garden/guide-to-composting-in-the-winter/
http://www.compostguy.com/winter-composting/
http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/goodbye-grass-hello-garden?page=0,5

Happy winter gardening!

Revolutionary

As many of us do when we reach new eras in our lives, I am re-evaluating. And I'm in the herd that is re-evaluating and re-determining what the heck is it that I want to do to define the next 20 or more years of my life! 20 years ago, I entered into the architecture profession by venturing off to the University of Illinois in Urbana/Champaign to the School of Architecture. After working in offices from the side of engineering, architecture, and interior design, I'm again entering a new phase. This one using the skills both technical and design that I love to much adding in my love of teaching, gardening, plants and the out of doors. What does this look like?

Late summer flowers visible in my garden

I want more. Not more stress. Not more time at a desk and in an office building. I want more integration of all my interests. I want to seek something that included the great out of doors and the language of nature. I need to breathe and allow the sun to hit my face. I want to experiment with the palettes of life that include sustenance, beauty, creative thought, built structures, true reuse of discarded objects, research new concepts, include adventures in travel, and work more with communities in an effort to help them understand the meaning of beauty and health in their own lives.

I'm still formulating my ideas. In my life, I've been told over and over to focus. But focus on what? Growth includes exploration. Growth includes being open to new ideas and people. Each step we take gets us a bit closer to something new. A new direction. A new process. A new idea. I have given up many of these ideas over many different periods of my life. In order to focus in one direction over another, something is lost. I'm tired of losing aspects of my life that I actually consider vital to who I am. What's the syndrome for that called these days....ADD?

What are my interests? They include beauty and design and people. Buildings, products, plants and gardening coupled with beauty, affordability, nutrition, experimentation, creativity, and accessibility no matter where you live....house, townhouse, apartment, suburbs, city, rural area. I see gardens that while productive, haven't taken advantage of the beauty of plants or trellises to create height, shade or design.

What is my focus? Helping others create beauty, design, and food for their families with a focus on affordability and nutrition.

What might the steps be?
1.Training and research that includes professionals in the fields of horticulture, agriculture, permaculture, plant biology, agronomy and the sciences
2. Internet and web searches for ideas, current thoughts and popular personalities
3. Involvement in volunteer activities with schools and my neighborhood
4. Research of funding options and opportunities
5. Engage artists in creating garden accessories that reuse waste products
6. Teach children to use the resources that are often seen only as trash and direct recyclables to create planting and potting options for their balconies or patios that can be moved every time the family moves
7. Research the cultural histories of plant production for the different ethnic and cultural backgrounds of the people with whom I come in contact. This really includes all the continents....maybe a little too big. So I'll start with the Americas and our global food contributions.
8. As Bret and I trot around the globe, photograph, record and enjoy the local food offerings, markets, and find local food production, if it's there!
9. At historic sites, look for the inclusion of food production history not just the design of beautiful gardens and shrubs.
10. Create programming around these ideas
11. Write about it all!
12. Produce books that combine each of these different ideas that are all-in-one resources for people to use around the globe to create beauty, food and nutrition!

Seems doable. And now on to it.

Cute and Mini Corn Muffins

In my quest to create a new life that includes all aspects of the things I love...in case you need a list: architecture, interior design, product design, accessory design, food and recipes design and creation, gardening and garden design, well maybe that's enough...or let's just say DESIGN....this is a recipe I  created yesterday to go with vegetarian chili and red cabbage slaw. It's super cute, mini muffins that were also quick and easy to make with ingredients I already have in my kitchen and pantry.

To back up a bit, my husband and I have signed up to help host international guests in our home as a part of a program with the US Department of State and World Denver. I crave talking to people from different countries with different and yet similar ideas. So far my husband and I have had guests from Albania, Angola, Philippines, Guyana, Suriname, and Kosovo.....and did I say...I love travel and travel writing, too. We've done two of these dinners so far. It's been a fun challenge to create menus that I think everyone will have a selection and combine flavors that make sense.

With this meal came the restrictions of one pescetarian, one allergy to all nuts but seeds were okay, and one who would eat anything! In order to move this forward, I decided we would just make it comfortable for everyone and go with vegetarian. For the Southeast Asians in the crowd, this kind of vegetarian will eat both milk and eggs. The menu and the corn muffin recipe both include these two items.

THE MENU
Appetizer:
Fresh popped popcorn with butter, olive oil, salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder and micro-planed parmigiano reggiano
Fresh made hummus served with celery and carrot sticks, cauliflower and cucumber slices
Toasted raw pumpkin, sunflower, flax and sesame seeds with brown sugar, salt, pepper, smoked paprika

Salad:
Spinach with homemade vinegrette with balsamic reduction
Red Cabbage Slaw with Rice wine, wasabi and crushed, mustard seed vinagrette
Cute and Mini Corn Muffins

Main:
Vegetarian Chili with shredded sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream, oyster crackers
Jeera Rice
Cute and Mini Corn Muffins (Round 2)

Dessert:
Cinnamon/Nutmeg Topped Crusted Brownies
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

And, finally, the recipe!!

Cute and Mini Corn Muffins

Cute and Mini Corn Muffins
Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
Lightly butter 2 mini muffin tins (Pans I use have 12 muffin cups each)

3/4 Cup Coursely Ground Polenta Meal
3/4 Cup Tamale Corn Flour
1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
2 eggs
1 1/2 Cup Buttermilk
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Teaspoons Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1/4 Cup Melted Butter
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 - 1/2 Teaspoon Finely Ground, Dried Jalepeno Peppers
3/4 Cup Freeze Dried Corn

Mix all ingredients together until just blended.
Fill each mini muffin tin to about 7/8 full.
Bake 10 minutes in the middle of the oven.
Remove immediately from oven. Transfer mini muffins to a cookie rack to cool.
Serve immediately or rewarm in 170 degree Fahrenheit oven.

Notes:
Using butter in small amounts on the cups of the muffin tin creates a nice 'crust' for the muffins. The photo shows varying results of the browned butter. It makes it easier to remove the muffins. If you don't have two tins, you will need to re-butter the cups in the tins before adding the second baking of batter or the crust will not form and muffins may stick.

I purchase freeze dried corn from my favorite herb and spice store in Denver, Savory Spice Shop. The original store, which is also my favorite, is on Platte Street just 'north' 15th Street and
east' of I-25.  They also have an online presence but have franchised to many other locations in Colorado and across the country.

Preheating will be important because you want the muffins to develop quickly. You will need to watch to make sure the butter doesn't burn and the muffins don't burn. 450 degrees is a very hot oven.

This was such a great, fast, make-ahead, freezable recipe for a lovely fall accompaniment to chili or squash soups.

Happy baking! Cheers.




Fall Division and Planting = Spring/Summer 2015 Blooms

It's that time of  year.....overused phrase for sure....but it's really time to divide many perennials and plant them, too! One of the greatest benefits to transplanting and planting as fall leaves fly is spring, summer and fall blooms for 2015. The second greatest benefit is the 30-50% off sales of perennials at garden centers in the front range communities. The plants may not look pretty and the blooms may have long ago given their beauty away but they are ready and willing to go into your garden so that you can enjoy blooms next year.

If you read the spring garden entry, you learned that its a great time to divide and plant because the soil is warming and the air is cool! Roots become established and the plant has a chance to start sending up new growth all with either no or limited amounts of water. And, guess what....the fall season is also a great time to plant and divide perennials for many of the same reasons. The air is beginning to cool and the soil is still warm. You may still not be convinced that fall planting is for you but the growing season for these plants can last until October and early November in Colorado's Front Range.

2 of 4 1/2 bags of iris given away since August.

Some of you are friends with me on FACEBOOK so you have already seen the posts for free plants. This includes about 4 1/2 large mulch bags of iris this season, a large grocery bag of hens and chicks, bags of daylilies, low-growing sedum, and grape hyacinths. I've transplanted purple coneflower, red hot poker, four different varieties of grasses, Asian lilies (think Easter Lily), sedum, hens and chicks, peonies, Centaurea Montana (perennial bachelor buttons), garlic chives, and started adding bone meal to bulbs and other blooming plants for their fall/winter feeding. I'll grant you that grasses may actually want to wait until early spring to be divided in your garden but, hey, they are free and I was in the mood to move them.

Hens and Chicks (Sempervium), Grape Hyacinth (Muscari) and Stonecrop Blue Spruce and Angelina (Sedum Reflexum and Sedum Rupestre) ground cover given away.

You may be thinking, "BUT Cheryl, we already had some nights with temperatures in the mid 30s! It snowed in Boulder!" Yes, we will have some freezing temperatures but this conversation is about  hardy perennials. They don't mind a few frosty nights or even some snow cover as long as their toes are cozy in the soil. The soil will eventually get cold enough that it may freeze. At that point, it should be the goal that your plants are established and ready for a good snooze before the thaw begins.

Late summer Hens and Chicks (Sempervium Tectorum) or Common Houseleek.

It's also time to start preparing perennials, especially tender perennials for winter especially if you are worried about winter kill which is caused by the drying of the plant's crown. Mulching is a great way to keep moisture and temperatures up around the plant's roots. For this I have used leaves as mulch, partially because it's light in weight but mostly because it's free. I have to admit that I've dumpster dived for these when neighbors have filled the dumpsters with bags of leaves rather than adding them to the city-wide compost program or putting them in their own compost piles. Leaf mulch creates pockets of air that stay warm; it holds some moisture so the plant doesn't dry out; and it starts breaking down into the soil. Carefully apply the mulch. There are some plants like thyme that like their tops to exposed to the sun. It's easy to kill creeping and woolly thymus by covering them. Hens and Chicks, however, love to be under a covering of a light winter mulch. In the spring because Colorado is often very dry, I have the option of leaving the mulch on the ground, digging it into the soil or raking it all up for the 'brown matter' for my compost pile. Snow still benefits plants especially when the outside temperatures dip below zero degrees Fahrenheit.  It will provide protection from extreme, dry cold while adding slow draining moisture into their roots.

With any gardening project, there are lots of resources out there. Fall and spring are the swing seasons for gardening which for me means the main times to revitalize the garden and prepare for the seasons to follow. Gardening is an optimistic and hopeful prospect. I am optimistic that you will be renewing your love of the outdoors and preparing your plants for their long winter's nap.

Bees love the Garlic Chives ( Allium Tuberosum).

The Convention

2014 AIA Convention Notes

In creating the next life direction, sharing the notes created during the ChicAIAgo convention These will give an inkling into the mental processes created during lectures and learning sessions for the convention.

From Next Generation Green:
The 'Don'ts' of moving forward and creating space for new thoughts and processes:

1. Don't tolerate team members who are obstacles
2. Don't be discouraged by road blocks - or as a lawyer friend says, "Get to as many 'nos' as possible so the 'yeses' can enter the client vocabulary."
3. Don't forget that the community should be allowed and encouraged to buy-in.

The 'Dos' of moving forward and creating space for new thoughts and processes:

1. Set and communicate clear goals.
2. Plan the work
3. Educate decision makers and key individuals about your goals and processes.
4. Build a next generation team by creating a spirit of encouragement.

From Keynote speaker Tony Hsieh, Zappos CEO:

"A great brand is a story that keeps unfolding."

A brand has influence on multiple levels. It impacts the neighborhood, city, state, country and world.

From Evidence Based Lighting: The Intersection of Light, Architecture, Circadian Rhythms and Human Health:
Michael D. White, EDAC, LC, LEED AP
"Our response to light is dose dependent. Timing matters for when the dose occurs."
"Stress hormones effect healing."
"Neuro Endocrine issues are effected by light and circadian rhythms."
"The U.S.A. has the highest cost for health care with the lowest life expectancy of western/developed societies."

From Keystone Panel including Ellen Dunham Jones:
"Being in a beautiful place improves health."

From The Future of Your Firm's Bottom Line: The Case for Cultural Diversity with Phil Bernstein, Carole Wedge and Susan Chin:
51 = percentage of women in the 'natural' world population
56.4 = the percentage of undergraduate population in the U.S.A. who are women
38 / 50 = The percentage of women in architecture graduate programs / the overall percentage of women in graduate programs
18 / 0.2 =  the percentage of AIA (non Associate members) members who are women / the percentage of African American women AIA members
14 = the percentage of women who are principals of firms
 7 = the percentage of women who are principals of firms characterized as 'large'
1/3 = the number of women in architecture firms
1/2 = the number of architecture graduates who are women who leave the profession

Why is diversity important?
Client base is changing to include higher numbers of ethnicity and culturally unique groups and women.
Clients are asking for diversity.
Intellectual resources are not fungible.
It is a workplace strategy to gather different perspectives and view points to create more relevant and culturally appropriate projects.


How do firms make the change?
It must be embedded in the culture from principals to policies.
Create and perform a diversity audit. This includes looking at team composition and asking questions.
Create a clear succession plan that allows all employees to understand what it takes to advance in the firm.
Small firms may need to spend more time talking to individuals about advancement in the firm or plans the owner has for their advancement.

Challenges?
At first there will be a subculture that does not support the goal. Persons will either come along with the goal or may choose another path that moves them out of your firm.

Why don't women make it to the top? Why is policy change important?
People tend to want people like them whether the same gender, socio-economic group, cultural identity or ethnicity.
There is an inherent structural unfriendliness in firms toward women. This may be reflected in leave policies or a lack of acceptance of flex schedules or project assignments that don't move women into progressively more challenging positions within a firm.

Current irritating buzz words and phrases:
Dive deep / Deep dive

Finale
Chicago is my favorite city from the Lakefront to the L to the friendly people to the buildings. Thanks for a great visit Chi-town!

Messy Collaboration

Architects, their consultants and school districts along with all their contributors are constantly debating and being asked to comment on the 21st Century Learning Environment. It's difficult to imagine this continuing to the be correct question when, last I checked, we are in the twenty-first century. Actually, fourteen years into the century and we are still developing schools similar in many aspects to the schools of the nineteenth century. How are we as architects challenging the design process that most of us are all too familiar? Are we merely changing up a few vocabulary words to fit with the current buzz words of our tech rich society so our client base feels comfortable with a few minor tweaks? Or is incorporating new technology in the classroom really what this about and not changing the process? Or are the architects truly involved with the process from curriculum design and debate? Are we part of the earliest community and board meetings where the first thoughts about a school are discussed? Are we working to create a design process and environment that helps districts formulate big changes that speak to the dynamics of our changing world...not just technology changes and wiring? And why would there even be a suggestion that is it important for an architect to be in the mix from the beginning and with the client's customers...and who are the client's customers?

And finally, are these questions relevant to either a 21st Century or a sustainable school.One of the big buzz words for both 21st Learning and sustainable design is collaboration. A truly collaborative process is extremely messy. It identifies all the potential customers the building will serve...not just the client who pays the bills and keeps the firm's doors open. There are many stakeholders including, but not limited to:
(1) The students and their parents who, while they may only inhabit the spaces for short periods of their lives, are the largest benefactor of collaboration.
(2) Teachers are an important part of how the space is used. They carry out curriculum and can feed curriculum changes that will support the building use. They are in the trenches with the largest customer group in a school on a daily basis. They are given spaces that may not make sense for changes in current curriculum or future direction of the educational process and what they need for their students.
(3) Administrative, food service and janitorial staff have needs and obligations along with limitations on their voices in the design process.
(4) Facility management professionals who are often the main connection of the design firm to the school district's customer base.
(5) School Boards have been elected to serve the best interest of the client but are not always at the table to be a part of the conversation.
(6) District Administration are the superintendents and principals who create part of the leadership and educational direction.

If we want to have a building that reflects what I see as one of the most important principals in the 21st Century process, everyone needs to be at the table regularly and without fail to provide input and design thoughts for their spaces.

What are the implications? Cost, of course, is a big one. Paying a design professional to be present from the beginning has a cost associated with it but it also has a big payoff for usability and relavance of the spaces that are created for the user groups. Time will be extended but can also be compressed with good communication and training for how to interact within the group process. Training will need to include information about the building and design process so the lay groups can understand what is needed and the concerns of facilities staffs and the design team. In my experience both in design and in the public realm, the result is an overall happier user group because they understand and can explain why decisions were made and how space were intended to be used within their curriculum base. The students will be engaged in something that is bigger than themselves. It can be a memorable part of their process in becoming a citizen and understanding how to participate in a public process. And, as a citizen rather than a consumer of that space, they may even help watch over, maintain, and create an atmosphere of safety by their mere presence emotionally and physically in the area.

Collaboration is messy. When we allow our groups to be citizens in the projects that are funded for them, we gain a new respect for our cities and what it takes to make great spaces!

L.E.A.R.N.
Learning Environments Architectural Research Network

Kimberly Adams - Concerned Professional Citizen and Teacher
Cheryl Bicknell Architect, LEED AP BD+C - one4one design, llc
Peggy Kinsey, Architect - Noneshe Architecture
Robert Matschelot, Architect, Educational Facility Planner - Edutecture, LLC

Gary Petri, Architect - Architect at Large and Heretect

Purpose:  LEARN is a loose group of architects and educators debating what makes a truly sustainable school.  Which schools are sustainable?  What makes them sustainable? Who is studying schools and their processes? How can we contribute to the debate and the process?

First Assignment:  As a group, we meet together for socializing, conversation and study.  In order to move our agenda forward, we have determined a public forum is required.  Each person in the group has been assigned to define one of our letters in LEARN and write what sustainability means to the individual.  What follows is a personal take on each topic.

Learning - Kimberly Adams
Environments - Peggy Kinsey
Architectural - Cheryl Bicknell
Research - Cheryl Bicknell
Network - Cheryl Bicknell

"L" is for Learning

Submitted by Kimberly Adams

Someone once said, “We live and learn, or we don’t live long.”

Let us apply the prescience and sentiment of this statement to the challenge we now face:  Redefining the concepts of success and happiness - so long associated with material wealth and consumption - with a kinder, gentler (OMG, I’m citing GHW Bush, IRONY ALERT!,) and above all, sustainable form of fulfillment. Because, if we keep consuming and discarding at our current rate – and the developing world is fast upon our heels – we will, literally, bury ourselves in our waste in very short order.

Somehow, in the push to be “Him with the most toys”, the joys of simple learning have been lost. We cram rote facts down the throats of our children, and hope that thinking, compassionate adults will somehow emerge from the tested, regurgitated debris. We build everything with the specific intention that it become obsolete as quickly as possible, and we teach our citizens that “easy”, “cheap”, and “disposable” are desirable qualitative adjectives. (I admit the first two CAN be entertaining in certain contexts. Ha, I kill me!)

The first step to change is admitting there is a problem, followed closely by identifying specific strategies that must be UNLEARNED, before they can be replaced by healthier habits. So, learning to let go of unsuccessful or disproven habits and hypotheses is a very good step toward a positive learning experience. (So! What did we learn today? We learned some new facts that completely disproved our hypothesis that dogs have telekinetic powers. Oh well, into the trash with it. Ego has no place in a Science classroom. Next?)

The most important thing we can, as thinking humans, ever learn, is just how much we DON’T know. That we can, conceivably, keep right on learning throughout our entire lives, and each and every day will bring new and vibrant information into our spectrum of knowledge, and each new piece of data place a new strand in our web of connected ideas. THIS, this lack of ego, this willingness to seek and incorporate new factual information into our knowledge base, and, if necessary, to discard old (even cherished) ideas in the face of new data, is the ability we need to teach. We need to learn again how to be simply curious, how to speculate, how to research, how to experiment, and how to reach deductive conclusions from what we observe.

I once had a news article on my refrigerator with a picture and the story of California’s oldest graduating college senior. She was 105. When asked for the secret of her long life, she replied, “Just don’t die. And, never stop learning.”) We live and learn. And it helps us live long.

"E" is for Environment

Submitted by Peggy Kinsey

Our environment is usually defined as having two distinct components – natural and human built. Both of these have a significant impact on human beings and particularly children. Natural is all that “Mother Earth” provides her inhabitants. From the air we breathe to the water that is a necessity for all living forms. Nature is a closed, balanced and interwoven system maintaining a dynamic stability. Humans have much to learn from the natural orders of the earth.

The built environment refers to human-made surroundings that provide the setting for human activity, ranging in scale from buildings and parks to neighborhoods and cities that often include their supporting infrastructure, such as water supply or energy networks. It has also been defined, by Roof and Olen, as “the human made spaces where people live, work, and recreate on a day-to-day basis.”

"A" is for Architectural
Submitted by Cheryl Bicknell
LEARN was started by a group of four architects experience in school design and maintenance coming together to create a debate regarding sustainable school design.  While the group felt qualified to answer questions about the building itself, the debate went beyond the physical structure.  We've added an educator with a background working in the building construction industry and hope these blogs and posts will intrigue others to join us.  While the architecture of a school may only say buildings to some, we hope it will also pique a conversation about the structure of the educational processes that occur within.

"R" is for Research
Submitted by Cheryl Bicknell
Part of the goal of our group is to research trends. The research comes from our experience as professionals in either the design of schools or the use of the school once it is built.  This means identifying the past and current research, trends and beliefs that identify how people are effected by the design and use of their spaces. It is both education specific and building environment general. Our curiosity will unearth the 'trends' that are truly new ideas or 'trends' that are promoted as new but have basis and practice in age old standards. The challenge for the group is to incorporate what is supported through research into the conversation in our communities at large.

"N" is for Network
Submitted by Cheryl Bicknell
For the concepts of a truly sustainable school to spread, a variety of ideas and people can come together to add to the net of ideas.  As the small group of, now five, grows, we hope the ideas will also grow, expand and create debates beyond the original members. The network can grow with you.  Please contact one of the people within this list if you are interested in joining our conversation in person.  We meet once per month at a local restaurant and try to have a little homework to complete for our next meeting.  And, our homework this time was to write a blog and create a curiosity for the ideas about schools that are being considered.

Sustainability:

Submitted by Kimberly Adams

Sustainability is a word I’ve been thinking a lot about, lately. It brings to mind other, similar words, like sustain, and sustenance, and (if we want to humor my alliterative bent,) success.

In the music world, “sustain” describes the act of maintaining a note over a period of time. To do it well requires the skillful synchronicity of both the instrument’s objective mechanics, and the more subjective artistry of the musician. It takes energy, it takes education (knowledge of the instrument, and of the language of music, itself,) and it takes practice. In other words, sustain doesn’t just “happen”.

The word sustenance evokes, for me, deep feelings of very basic needs being met. I envision a babe at the breast, embraced, nourished, loved.

Sustainability, as a word and a concept, has acquired a kind of crunchy granola, Birkenstock-wearing, organic, green social patina. That is unfortunate, as it creates a polarized political climate around a concept that should – by all logic – be a primary concern to all citizens of all communities. If we want to survive, creating a sustainable social paradigm is not merely desirable, but critical. And, while I grant that the creation of sustainable food and energy production, and sustainable architecture and other resource use is of vast importance, the role and goal of educators – to create citizens who are prepared to engineer and equip this emerging society – is at the very foundation of our success, not merely as a community, or a nation, but as a species.

So, in my mind, sustainability IS success. (And God help you, should you have a lisp.) Sustainability is the golden ticket to a future in which our citizens have the knowledge and the know-how to cleanse the mistakes of our pathologically-imprudent consumption (or at least to not continue exacerbating those mistakes.) Success means building homes, and businesses, and learning environments that demonstrate – by their very structures and utilities – that we, as communities, have come to recognize and value the diversification of usage, the longevity of materials and design, and the necessity of protecting the cleanliness of the food and water that provides us all with sustenance. And, finally, that the education and preservation of those values tops our list of human priorities. 

Sustainability:

Submitted by Peggy Kinsey

“ It is our task in our time and in our generation to hand down undiminished to those who come after us, as handed down to us by those who went before, the natural wealth and beauty which is ours”  JOHN F. KENNEDY – 1961

  

“In order to create a vibrant, sustainable future, we must first visualize the world we want to create” BRYAN WELCH – EDITOR OF MOTHER EARTH NEWS

  

“It is possible to alter these growth trends and to establish a condition of ecological and economic stability that is sustainable far into the future. The state of global equilibrium could be designed so that the basic material needs of each person on earth are satisfied and each person has an equal opportunity to realize his individual human potential.”

DONELLA MEADOWS – LIMITS OF GROWTH 1972

“We developed the concept of sustainable development, which means we must meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.”  GRO HARLEM BRUNDTLAND – OUR COMMON FUTURE 1987

“Sustainabilty equals wisdom plus compassion.”  JANE TALKINGTON – THE SUSTAINABILITY EQUATION

“Sustain that which makes life worth living. What makes life worth living?”  JANINE BENYUS

Sustainability:
Submitted by Cheryl Bicknell
Is the question, "What is a 21st Century School and Classroom?" or is the question, "What makes a truly sustainable school and what is the guidance clients and users require to create one?" This is the conundrum.  In the same vein, one must then wonder what does sustainability really encompass when it refers to a school or an educational space?

For me, a sustainable school is more than just a building that houses the educational process but one that has viability over many years of use.  It takes into account the training of a student as a citizen, a parent, a possible college student, a member of a community, a business owner.  It is basically teaching them how they will ultimately fit into the world they are experiencing and then learning to adapt to the world they will experience. The school supports this with spaces that teach the skills of daily life like gardening and its sciences, cooking and its sciences.  It creates technology labs that train students to create not only robots and rockets but items of beauty that are used in current daily life...and their sciences. They work with students who will to create a future for which they are proud whether or not college is immediately in their future or ever an option. A sustainable school is the center of the community and becomes an important resource. It looks to the unknown future and thinks about how human beings make interconnections and lifelong curiosity to meet the new challenges. 

The building as a school is a little more concrete and can't always be defined by a checklist.  It makes its own energy; cleans its own air; reuses its water; recycles and composts its waste.  It's efficient with use of resources.  It's healthy and maintains the health of students. It's long-lasting and is built for a life longer than fifty years.  It has both programmed and un-programmed spaces where students, community members and teachers can define uses as a changing world requires.  It allows for experimentation and creativity. The school is well connected with mass transportation or options for walking and riding bicycles in order to free the resources of parents. The building is also connected into the natural world with classrooms that can access both the environment inside and outside, no matter what level the students may be.

Perhaps these ideas of a sustainable school are Utopian principles for many. For continuous viability, however, in a world of technology and online learning, there are still social needs that human beings have.  Diversifying the options in the realm of learning and education within the school will also sustain the building over time. It becomes a necessary resource rather than an expendable antique.

Spring Gardening in Colorado

Crocus closed up tight on a chilly March day.

Spring in Colorado means the temperature and weather varies widely from day to day.  Yesterday was in the 70s and sunscreen, a hat and long sleeves were necessary. It meant putting in brick borders around newly defined garden beds. Today is cloudy, cold and snowy with highs reaching the mid 40s but not until the afternoon. One adjusts to the day based on what the day has to offer.   As an avid designer who includes gardening and plants in her palette, the daily weather changes make gardening one big experiment.  

I came from the flat lands of Illinois where rain feeds plants to make gardening with almost any perennial or annual for a northern climate easy. Needless to say Colorado has been a challenge!  An average of twelve inches of rain, clay soils, dry air, and high elevation have meant readjusting my brain!  Hence, the first few years in our house were spent planting beautiful items that didn't grow and not knowing why.  My strategy was to wait for Mother's Day like I had been told by Colorado gardeners who came before me.  I would diligently plant in the heat of the mid-May sun. Initially, I didn't mulch.  Initially, I put in all the plants I loved from Illinois.  Initially, I put in annuals. Initially, I didn't like petunias or yucca or hens and chicks.  Initially, grasses were okay but didn't have the beauty of a flower. It has been a process of not only understanding how much water it takes to establish a plant but also which plants could survive on a minimal amount of water year round...in the clay. Leading the change has been acceptance of almost anything that blooms and adds texture!  The second strategic move is a time management necessity called gardening with perennials! With 21st century lifestyles in play, gardening with annual plants takes too much time, money and effort. I had to decide how much of that time and money along with water I was willing to give to the yard and garden every year to have beautiful blooms.

Sedum transplanted to new garden in early March.

In 2001 and year two I learned that iris rhizomes could be planted anywhere the ground was not frozen. In October 2000 a package of iris arrived from my Illinois mother. It went into the ground at the end of January and early February 2001...and they bloomed!  In this experiment, I had nothing to loose; the plants were free; the day was sunny. In fact the rhizomes had been in the garage so long; I really expected them to be dead. I also learned that  rhizomes act as food and keep the burgeoning plants alive for a few months. So….into the ground they went! Spring came! Our alley neighbor Joanne, who had seen the disaster of our yard in previous years with previous owners and who saw them in their glory, sweetly said our yard looked like something Martha Stewart had planted!  The yard, overall, was still scruffy but they did cheer up the neglected area and the alley.  This encouraged my experimentation!

Now, for me, if the ground is thawed and the sun is out, it's time to move perennials and rework gardens. It's confusing for neighbors and friends.  "Aren't you supposed to wait until Mother's Day?" is the usual inquiry!  Perennials in my garden are usually hardy and if they are growing, the ground is warm enough for them to be divided and moved in an attempt to have them bloom in the same year in a new location in the garden.

The lessons? If it's growing, it can be moved to location where the ground is thawed. In the spring when the soil begins to warm, it will continue to warm.  Even if the top growth slows the roots are establishing themselves in the cool, soft, damp Colorado soils.  Mothers Day has been too late to move perennials and take advantage of spring moisture in the form of rain AND snow!  Even the first of May when Denver usually has its free mulch and compost give away has been late for my garden process. Once the air temperature stays above 70 degrees Fahrenheit, the soil will just become warmer and drier.  At that point, it takes more water and more watching to make sure it stays alive.

Gardening has been transformative for me.  I've learned what I can plant in my un-amended soil in my yard. I've learned a great deal about Colorado weather patterns. I’ve learned that the best way to understand the process is to start and go forth fearlessly!

 If you decide to start a garden project, a few items to keep in mind. As with any project, have a budget in mind.  If you are experimenting, start with less expensive, less exotic, preferably native plants. Better yet ask a neighbor if they are dividing their perennials. It is the perfect, most cost effective way to get something you know has been successful in a local garden. Additionally, gardeners love to talk about their gardens! Your neighbor may actually help you plant it or give you tips on where to put the plant for garden success.  Second, if you decide to purchase plants, work with a local garden center or the Denver Botanic Gardens to get non-GMO, organically supported plants. There are laws against saving seeds and dividing the plants from GMO, patented plants. There is also a lot of research surfacing about plants that are bred to repel or kill the ‘bad’ insects along with the traditional chemical-based sprays and weed killers poisoning the soils. Killing the ’bad’ insects and weeds also kills the bees and earth worms that pollinate and till our soils. These also become a part of the food cycle. It’s a good idea to at least think about how someone else started the plant for you. Third, a plan is great. Some would say a budget and a plan should be first! However, I started by sticking plants in the ground to see if it would grow and how high.....and now I'm planning. I just drew my first plans a couple years ago after I’d been gardening for twelve years!

Gardening can change a mood.  I can cure a lonely day by just going out to dig in the yard and talking to neighbors - friends and strangers alike - who pass by. Gardening can be a generous activity. No matter spring or fall, I have been giving my excesses away to friends new and old! Neighbors give me vegetables and fruit in exchange.

What's the weather today? Are you taking advantage of a sunny Colorado evening to work on your garden? Or a rainy day to read a few articles? There’s always time to learn something new about your garden!