Life is like a river. We speak about cycles of life, the recurring seasons, the rotation of the earth, but life also flows directionally. Recently, I have been spending time in California, taking daily walks along the American River, which begins in Sierra snow melt, converges with the Sacramento River’s fanning delta and finally flows out to the San Francisco Bay and the mighty Pacific Ocean.
Much of my design inspiration comes from these daily walks. They are my meditation — a practice of being present with the land and my physical being, wherever I find myself. I walk rain or shine, snow or wind. I also take photos along the way. Documenting plants, buildings, rocks and vistas that catch my attention. I document to remember nature’s compositional gestures, and also to record my own.
When I frame an image of an old oak tree in a green spring pasture, I am recording a landscape composition that I may recreate on one of my clients’ estates. I’m watching for the bursts of color that bring joy. Though California is green in winter, flashes of magnolia pink and daffodil yellow are sentinels of spring.
When I walk, I pay attention to the timing of plants’ activities. Some magnolias bloom before their leaves come out, while others are in full leaf with their flowers. Plants that bloom in February or March in Northern California won’t flower until late April or May in the Rocky Mountain West. Everything on its own timeline depending on place. I enjoy observing these differences and bringing this knowledge into my landscape projects around the country.
As I watch the river waters flow past the occasional stick or snag, I stop to document this visible manifestation of the passage of time. I experiment with the framing of my image, seeing what happens when I shoot a photo that includes the horizon, one that shows a tree on the riverbank, a video focusing just on the water and the stick.
I’m collaborating with nature to create these images for myself and other humans. As a landscape architect, my process is much the same — I follow nature’s lead to create places that connect my clients with the world outside, to the experience of being. This spring, let’s talk about how you compose your yard or estate. Contact me to schedule a free consult.
Yellow daffodils, pink magnolias and rivers flowing out to sea.
