SO WHERE IS MY LANDSCAPE?

By Howard Supnik

I am a Landscape Architect. I have designed landscapes throughout the world - for cities, corporations, institutions, developers, and private residences. So where is MY landscape? For over sixteen years, while working with the internationally acclaimed Olin Partnership in Philadelphia, I rubbed elbows with the architectural elite, including theorists and builders, owners of huge corporations, directors of famous museums, as well as the fifty or so talented people with advanced degrees, honors and accolades sitting by my side. My wife would ask me...so where is OUR landscape?

This year I decided to go out on my own, and we moved to Lancaster County, where my wife grew up, for the slower pace and to raise our two children. I am travelling far less than I ever have, so I have more time to put into maintaining our home, particularly mowing the lawn, which should give me the incentive to get rid of much of it. To my credit, I have done a master plan for us, and I often remind my wife that we have saved considerably on the design fees - she is not amused.

Alas, spring has come and gone, and I have done nothing outside except - you guessed it - mow the lawn. I have spent far too much time agonizing why I have done nothing with my landscape. Is it the "don't take your work home with you" syndrome, where the bookkeeper stays away from the home checkbook, or is simply the bottom line and the desire to do everything all at once? Or is it something else altogether, like fear that I will insult or offend my friends and neighbors for thinking differently about plantings, pavements and landscapes in general? These friends and neighbors often ask for my opinion on something, and because I need to be honest I usually have to be fairly diplomatic when commenting on their clipped green topiaries that have forgotten how to flower, or those horrendous mulch volcanoes at the bottoms of their trees (obviously no one told them how bad this is for the tree's health). I guess they cannot really be angry with me...after all, anyone exposed to my professional background and experience would naturally acquire particular tastes and ideas of beauty and harmony.

I do not know the answer, but will probably spend more time this year analyzing it than working on my own landscape. Maybe this fall I will do something, at least "Phase One", so that I no longer have to ask "so where is MY Landscape?"

Howard Supnik is Principal of HOWARD JAY SUPNIK Landscape Architect in Lititz, PA. www.howardjaysupnik.com

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