Dave Nelson leads the way up to a waterfall located in front of his office off of Day Mt. Spokane Road. He points out how the design of the waterfall and water flow in turn changes the sound the water makes as it cascades down over the rocks, dropping into a deep pool before spilling further down into a large Koi sanctuary below.

Listen, Nelson says. This deep drop off deepens the sound.

As he continues to climb the steps beside the waterfall, he focuses on how the design of the water feature shifts the sound at each change in the arrangement of the rocks, how the water gurgles and gets quieter the farther up he climbs.

Nelson, co-owner of Mead-based Land Expressions, a landscape architecture business he started with his wife Kerry Nelson in 1987, says he and the companys designers use sound to mute undesirable noise, as well as soothe the soul, on projects they build. Changing the height, flow, or the surface of the rocks can create desirable sounds screening traffic noise or other intrusive sounds.

Land Expressions employs 13 full-time landscape architects and designers, in its Spokane office located at 5615 E. Day Mt. Spokane Road in Mead, and another 30 to 40 people who work in the field in an on-site nursery and landscape area or as craftsmen and construction managers.

Nelson says the company uses site design and the integration of art and science to create and build water features and applies that mindset on its construction projects.

We embrace sustainability and responsible design. Our award-winning team of landscape architects specializes in the design (and construction) of aquatic environments, aesthetic water amenities, and restoration projects, he says. The company does a lot of work at health care facilities and corporate campuses, and also stays busy with commercial, retail, and residential projects, he says.

Nelson grew up in Spokane around the landscape business. His father, Duane Nelson, owned Nelson Landscape for many years, a company that helped build Riverfront Park and improve Canada Island during Expo 74, he says. The elder Nelson received several national awards for beautification of Northwest highways and parks as the owner of Nelson Landscape.

Dave Nelson is building on that legacy here with projects such as the Spokane City Plaza and Huntington Park, which was a joint project of Avista Corp. and the city of Spokane. Avista paid to develop and build the plaza and park on land the city owns near City Hall and gifted it to the city. Land Expressions was the landscape architect and lead contractor on the project. Nelson says it was necessary to remove a parking lot behind City Hall to make that area a connecting point between Riverfront Park and Huntington Park on the Spokane River.

The park includes a pair of waterfall fountains, a fire feature sculpture, a scenic overlook for both able and disabled visitors, more than three acres of green space, and a series of levels connected by steps, leading down to a close-up view of the falls. The overall effect is modern and very geometric, he says.

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Spokane-area landscape architect follows in fathers footsteps

St. James, NY (PRWEB) August 29, 2014

Longo's Landscaping originally established the business as a small lawn maintenance company servicing about 20 homes. After almost 35 years of referrals from satisfied customers, Longos Landscaping Inc. has grown into a landscape design and masonry specialist with over 20 employees and more than 250 residential and commercial accounts.

The website's photo gallery presents a visual tour of the many different masonry and landscaping services Longo's offers such as specialized paving stones, driveways, walkways, patios, retaining walls, waterfalls & ponds. Longo's prides itself in helping homeowners realize their suburban dream house. This month, Longo's completes several new outdoor masterpieces; the top 3 to mention are a fire pit designed and built in Huntington, New York with a surrounding seating wall with light piers; next is a landscape design overhaul in St. James, New York; and finally, a natural travertine stone pool patio in Smithtown.

Longo's landscapers are experienced, creative and professional and will ensure the design vision comes to life. Longo's is a member of the St. James Chamber of Commerce, the Better Business Bureau and is a certified installer with the ICPI (Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute).

Longo's Landscaping prides itself on friendly and courteous customer service. Rather than juggle several projects at once, the company focuses on the current job until the client is completely satisfied. Though Longo's has evolved into a diversified masonry designer as well, the company still holds landscaping as its main staple of work as a result of skill and customer satisfaction and reliability.

Website visitors can browse through http://www.longoslandscaping.com to see the array of services Longo's Landscaping provides.

Driveways and walkways can exude more curb appeal to the exterior with Paver borders and unique designing ideas. Outdoor kitchens can improve entertaining space, and nothing is more exciting than cooking outside with family and friends during the summer months.

Waterfall installation services will help create a natural look to the landscape and transform the backyard into an oasis. Each phase of the landscaping or masonry is given detailed attention from pre-designing to the construction and installation. Longo's Landscaping & Masonry is the one-stop solution for all landscape and contracting needs.

Call Longo's, a family business with integrity and reliability, for a free estimate at (631) 862-8605 or log on to their website and watch landscaping dreams become reality.

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Long Island Masonry Company, Longo's Landscaping, Creates New Outdoor Masterpieces

Summary: A small talent pool, an inflated wage bubble and high tension in a virulent attack landscape have made cybersecurity's hiring crisis "the billion dollar" problem.

At no time in history has there been a greater need to hire security professionals to protect and defend infrastructures from an inexhaustible onslaught of organized crime, industrial espionage, and nation-state attacks.

A small talent pool, an inflated wage bubble and the high tensions of a virulent attack landscape have made cybersecurity's hiring crisis the "billion dollar" problem.

The tight talent pool poses a multitude of problems for intellectual property, non-compete agreements, and every hacker's never-healing wound: hackers ripping each other off.

Richard Bejtlich, the Chief Security Strategist at FireEye said, "The prevalence of breaches is driving the creation of incident response teams, often from the ground up."

WithCisco's 2014 Annual Security Report projecting a global cybersecurity jobs shortage starting at 500,000 and domestically at least 30,000, the situation has become what James Arlen at Leviathan Security Group calls "literally the billion dollar question."

That's more truth than jest: the current state of infosec's tight talent pool means that its hiring challenges come with inflated price tags -- as well as all the problems that come with this singularly complex and specialized industry's "rockstar syndrome."

Bejtlich notes that in an acute shortage such as this, the top talent "make their own rules."

He cautions, "Do not expect to hire a top person and require them to relocate to your corporate HQ. Corporate culture can also be an obstacle. Top security people expect free to innovate, and do not tolerate bureaucracy."

Leviathan's Arlen says, "The reality of this is that in order to acquire new talent, companies are forced to go hunting and must be ready to put down the biggest pile of compensation." Arlen continued:

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Cybersecurity hiring crisis: Rockstars, anger and the billion dollar problem

A Burns Beach garden by eScape Landscape Architecture, one of the winners of the 2014 LIAWA awards.

WA homeowners are increasingly seeking professional help to boost the value of their 'fifth rooms', according to Landscape Industries Association of Western Australia (LIAWA) executive director Esther Ngang.

Ms Ngang said this year's LIAWA awards, which were announced earlier this month, highlighted the increasing value homeowners were placing on their gardens and their willingness to invest in creating amazing spaces.

"We've noticed it is more and more common for homeowners to obtain professional design drawings and engineering details for the install of an alfresco, a pool and spa, plus all the other mod cons," she said.

"This is an indication that people realise the long-term enjoyment of replicating your fifth room on your favourite holiday resort, so it can be enjoyed year-round."

The awards, jointly presented by LIAWA and Irrigation Australia, recognise the best gardens and commercial projects across the State.

Big winners included Ryan Healy's Newforms Landscape Architecture and Matt Huxtable's Phase3 Landscape Construction, who saw their team work on the Mundaring Weir Project take out three awards. Mr Huxtable's winning streak continued on his joint entry with Josh Byrne & Associates (JBA), winning the overall contractor award for the Josh's House project in Hilton.

JBA also took out the sustainable (residential) category for the project, which well-known environmental scientist and Gardening Australia presenter Byrne devised to showcase sustainable design in action.

"I was thrilled to win the three awards, especially the award for the overall winner in the contractor category," Byrne said. What made it so special was that this project really has been about team work, and sharing our ideas, winning an award like this is great recognition.

"I think what made our project stand out was that it is a clear demonstration of how a range of sustainability measures can be integrated into a home and landscape that is also beautiful and cost-effective.

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WA's best gardens

Water wise: Steve Devine watches his son Nathan, 7, swim in their infinity pool, which doesn't meet the new standard. Photo: Wolter Peeters

A new rule requiring infinity pools to be fenced to prevent children climbing up over the invisible edge of pool walls has been described as "crazy", "stupid" and "illogical" by the pool industry.

NSW's $31 million infinity pool industry has come to a standstill because of a change in the building code that said "out of the ground pool wall" (the wall of the pool where the water appears to disappear) of a minimum height of 1.2 metres could no longer be considered an effective barrier.

NSW is the only place not just in Australia, but in the world, that deems these pool walls to be illegal.

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One Sydney council insisted on fencing the base of six-metre high pylons, to stop children from climbing up to enter an infinity pool that jutted out over a cliff face.

The state government said the new rule would "align with the policy and intent of the Swimming Pools Act and Regulation," the new fencing regime to reduce backyard drownings.

Strathfield real estate agent Steve Devine believes the new pool rules are "a ticking time bomb."

His infinity pool is surrounded by 1.2 metre to 1.3 metre high slippery glass walls. The only access is via childproof gates that can only be opened from the inside by somebody tall enough to reach over.

When Mr Devine's family built their new home four years ago, it was designed so the edge of the infinity pool overlooked the family's tennis court. "We complied with all the requirements four years ago. Had we known the rules would change, we would have designed a different pool. But I don't believe our children would be any safer than they currently are."

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Infinity pool fencing laws are 'crazy' and 'stupid', industry claims

Its no secret that the healthcare space is broken. A 2013 study conducted by the Journal of Patient Safety estimates that between 210,000 and 440,000 patients die in the US each year from accidental practice. To put this into perspective, an estimated 600,000 Americans die from heart disease each year and another 565,000 from cancer (source: http://www.cdc.gov), which puts healthcare incompetence as the third leading cause of death in the United States.

The pool of entrepreneurs in the race to offer mobile health consulting is growing larger by the day. With telemedicine, users have the power of accessibility in their hands with apps such as TouchCare and iBluebutton (see below). While the concept of telemedicine isnt anything new, having the accessibility to ones doctor is. Here are seven ways telemedicine changes the healthcare landscapefor the better:

1. Stronger relationships. Relationships are everything. If there was ever a person not to make angry, its your doctor. More important, your relationship with your doctor is everything, which is why mobile healthcare is so ideal. It offers the luxuries of personalization and convenience without exposing yourself or your child to the 15 other sickly patients normally waiting in your doctors office.

2. Convenience. TouchCare takes mobile healthcare to the next level as it creates an entirely new user experience for the customer. Rather than having to trek into the doctors office for a consult, you can now do so from the comfort of your own smartphone for follow up visits, after hours calls, or while traveling. Additionally, parents gain a stronger piece of mind because they can immediately reach their doctor for relatively benign symptoms such as a cough or runny nose.

3. Reduced complexity. Complexity is defined by the speed at which industries change and the interdependence of relationships therein. Telemedicine reduces both.

A medical record folder being pulled from the records (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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The New Face Of Healthcare Innovation: 7 Ways Telemedicine Changes The Healthcare Landscape, And What It Means For You

By Mary James Special to the U-T6:29 p.m.Aug. 22, 2014Updated6:29 p.m.

Tara and Jason Brown transformed their Pacific Beach home into a modern urban farm, with raised beds for vegetables and fruit trees.

Tara and Jason Brown had great expectations for the new garden around their recently remodeled Pacific Beach home. Yes, it would be water-wise and eco-sound. But the couple, both doctors, also envisioned an urban farmstead where they and their two kids could gather just-laid eggs, snack on strawberries and harvest fruits and veggies for family meals.

We wanted to create this natural world for our children, says Tara. We wanted to grow our own food and be as green as possible. And we wanted a clean, modern look to match our homes interiors.

A Google search and cold call united the Browns with Navid Mostatabi, a landscape architect who lived nearby and whose award-winning design-build firm, Envision Landscape Studio, specializes in the stylish, sustainable design the couple had in mind.

Over eight months, their inspired partnership transformed the sloped corner lot into a series of outdoor rooms that include the all-organic growing grounds as well as a solar-heated spa-plunge pool, a Modern Shed prefab exercise room and state-of-the-art rainwater collection.

Plants, many in Taras favorite shades of orange, chartreuse and red-burgundy, range from fruit trees to dramatic ornamental grasses, papyrus and bamboo. Decomposed granite, gravel, concrete and other eco-minded materials predominate; even the colorful Loll Design patio furniture is made of recycled milk jugs.

Earlier this summer, the new landscape was honored with the top prize in the annual Beautification Awards Program of the California Landscape Contractors Association, San Diego chapter.

Tara Brown keeps her compost in a metal box with a heavy lid in the garden. Peggy Peattie / U-T San Diego

To get the makeover under way, vegetation and hardscape neglected for 50 years had to be hauled away. Walls were crumbling and buckling. The deck was rotting and termite-ridden. There was no fencing, only these gross, half-dead oleanders, Tara recalls. We never went outside. It was a wasteland.

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Urban farmstead thrives at Pacific Beach home

Mike Patten, left, landscape architect with Stockwell Engineers, begins the presentation by explaining the overall area and the Islands of the James River concept. David Locke the other landscape architect on the project, stands at right. In the net photo, Locke answers a question about the James River recreation area prior to the presentation. PHOTOS BY LOUISE VAN POLL/PLAINSMAN HURON About 60 citizens of Huron gathered at the Campus Center Tuesday evening to see a vision for the James River recreation area.

Landscape architects Mike Patten and David Locke, with Stockwell Engineers, were in town to present an overall plan for the 200 acres around the James River from the Seventh Street boat ramp south to the old lagoons. They were hired by the city commission nine months ago to look over the area and come back with a game plan. And what a plan it is, breathtaking in its scope and vision.

Locke and Patten had met with stakeholders and special interest groups as well as walking through the existing spaces and learning the history and vagaries of the river. Their concept, Islands of the James River, tries to incorporate the river and embrace it, rather than trying to block it out and ignore it.

We heard many times from people that they felt disengaged from the river, said Patten. People would come to the river, but there was limited access to it. We wanted to make it more inviting where folks can interact with it.

The entire area was broken down into eight smaller spaces: the Seventh Street ramp area, Crown Park, Ravine Lake, Memorial Park, the Memorial Pool area, the Third Street Dam area, Riverside Park and the east river property. Each area can be developed seperately, but all are connected by walking/biking paths and will have a uniform look through signage and lighting elements.

Some major changes would be installing traffic signal lights on Highway 14 and Jersey Avenue allowing for pedestrian crossing and installing boulders above and below the dam to eliminate the dangerous undertow.

Something will have to be done with this dam in the near future, explained Locke. Either with stacked boulders or a rock arch model. Because of the high risk of drowning, the government is forcing towns to change these old-style dams.

Another unique feature throughout the system would be the development of islands and inlets to help absorb flooding and to allow water to drain away quicker and without using pumps. These areas would also be landscaped with flood resistant plantings to make them more resilient.

A few members of the audience were concerned about allowing water to enter Riverside Park, fearing flooding to their adjacent properties, however Patten said most of the flooding in that area comes from run off from above which does not have an outlet to the river. He also emphasized that all plans would require a no rise, no impact study.

This study is used to be sure we dont affect the river up stream or down, said Locke. This assures owners that their property will not be affected.

More here:
Islands of the James River: Landscape architects share vision

Toronto, Canada (PRWEB) August 20, 2014

Landscape Structures (http://www.LandscapeStructures.ca), the Greater Toronto Areas leading custom design, build, and landscape maintenance provider, is weighing in on the growing popularity of outdoor living spaces after warmer weather hit the GTA this past spring and summer.

Torontonians love the outdoors and want to enjoy for as long as possible. To take advantage of the spring, summer, and autumn months, more and more homeowners are extending their indoor living space outdoors, says Sue Shorey, operations manager at Landscape Structures. On top of that, homeowners know that a professionally designed outdoor living space can add value to not just their lives, but also their property values.

Shorey explains that an increasing number of property owners in the Greater Toronto Area are discovering the joys of eating, relaxing, and entertaining in backyard spaces designed specifically for their purposes. Some of the outdoor living space features most in demand from Landscape Structures are patios, custom barbecue islands, outdoor kitchens, bars, fireplaces, firepits, and installed seating areas, such as benches, seatwalls, ledges, steps, and boulders.

Unfortunately, Shorey notes, building a backyard oasis, whether its a patio or fireplace, is a lot of work and can require moving lots of dirt, which takes heavy equipment, such as a backhoe or truck. Depending on the design, property owners may also need gravel, sand, and other materials.

When it comes to extending an indoor living space outdoors, it really is best to hire a professional contractor. Some projects may look easy, but there are a number of logistics that can make it quite complex; especially if it involves water, electricity, carpentry, and masonry, she adds. On top of that, certain custom structures, including pergolas, arbours, studios, custom pool cabanas, and outdoor bars and kitchens may require a building permit.

Shorey observes that custom outdoor projects, including kitchens, barbecue islands, fireplaces, seating, and cabanas, are a great way to extend a homes living space. With a warm fireplace, homeowners can extend the amount of time they spend enjoying their backyard, being able to sit on the patio from early spring into late fall.

There are many different ways to maximize the enjoyment of a backyard from the comfort of ones own home, and one of the best ways is to bring the convenience of the indoors outdoors, Shorey concludes. And like any addition, homeowners need to make sure the design, materials, and finished project of their outdoor living space fits in seamlessly with the rest of their home. Homeowners also need to hire a team of professionals with a proven track record of creating outdoor living spaces that match not just their budget, but also their vision.

As the top landscape contractor and designer in the GTA, Landscape Structures has over 20 years of experience designing innovative, enjoyable landscapes that work harmoniously with the natural environment. As one of Ontarios premier full-service design, build, and maintenance landscaping firms, Landscape Structures offers a wide range of services designed to exceed its clients needs in the most efficient and cost-effective methods. Fully licensed, bonded, and insured, Landscape Structures award-winning landscape design/service teams complete range of services includes landscape design; native plantings; sod, trees, and shrubs; landscape construction; decks; fences; pergolas; tree houses; lawn care; horticultural assessment; paving stone walkways; stone garden bed retainers; waterfall landscaping; storm water ponds; seasonal cleanup; and snow and ice removal. To learn more about Landscape Structures, visit the companys web site at http://www.LandscapeStructures.ca or contact Landscape Structures at info(at)landscapestructures(dot)ca or by calling 1-416-854-2124.

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Landscape Structures, the GTAs Premier Award-Winning Custom Landscape Design Company, Weighs in on Growing Popularity ...

Minneapolis, MN (PRWEB) August 20, 2014

Minnesota homeowners who dont have a backyard pool can still keep cool during the dog days of summer, according to Southview Design landscape design experts.

The trick is to create a shady haven in your backyard, said Karen Filloon, a landscape designer with Southview Design. Filloon said homeowners can shade parts of their yard with outdoor structures such as pergolas, and sails or marine cloth can easily be added in between the beams. A patio can also be added in the shade underneath a second story deck.

Awnings and sails can even be motorized so you need only push a button to create shade. Awnings provide shade both in and outside the home and can lower the temperature by 10 degrees or more, helping homeowners save on energy bills.

Another cool product to consider is a patio misting system or fan that hooks onto the hose and sprays a light mist over the patio area. Ceiling fans are perfect for adding a light breeze as well as keeping the bugs away, Filloon said. Park a cooler nearby for a nice cool refreshment without the expense of an outdoor kitchen.

Trees offer a natural shade solution, and late summer or early fall is the perfect time to plant them, Filloon said. Fast growing trees that do well in Minnesotas zone four include river birches, northern red oaks, red maples and tulip trees, so called for their large flowers that resemble tulips.

Eastern white pines and arborvitae also offer shade when the sun is lower in the sky while providing an excellent barrier from the road or neighbors. These fast-growing evergreens typically mature in just a few years, so homeowners just need a small dose of patience, Filloon said.

Southview Design has posted several photos showing different backyard designs that offer cool shade from the summer heat. For additional photos and landscaping ideas to stay cool during the dog days of summer, visit http://www.southviewdesign.com.

See the article here:
Southview Design Experts Offers Late Summer Landscape Ideas for Minnesota Homeowners