BSLA Fieldbook Archive | Page 58

The Cunningham Perspective

MATTHEW CUNNINGHAM , ASLA
My grandfather was a subsistence farmer in Maine from around the time of the Great Depression until he passed in 2004 . He was incredibly connected to his land and could grow just about anything . It wasn ’ t until just after he was gone that I realized how beautiful and vibrant his vegetable gardens were . The fields of potatoes , tomatoes , and cucumbers weren ’ t particularly fussy , but they were strategically planned and carefully organized . Nothing was planted simply for “ ornamental value ,” and despite his Yankee pragmatism , the multi-acre patterns were beautiful throughout every season . As I age and my career evolves , the simple lessons I learned from pitching in on my family ’ s farm have become increasingly important to my projects . Designing with purpose and using resources wisely are philosophies embedded in my firm ’ s work .
We all know that landscape architecture is a diverse profession filled with generalists and specialists , but we often overlook that many people ’ s first impressions of the field come from personal experiences they ’ ve had in private residential gardens . Just think about what this means . From swimming on a hot summer day in a friend ’ s pool , playing frisbee on crisp green lawn , dining alfresco
on a terrace at a casual family BBQ , or laying in a hammock and reading a book in shady spot , residential landscapes provide meaningful settings for personal enjoyment that are entirely different from the way you feel after spending the day at a public park or from living on a college campus . The impacts we have on the health and well being of our clients can be immeasurable , which is why I grow concerned when I hear anyone say residential design is viewed as a “ filler ” for their company . I proudly state that MCLD ’ s exclusive purpose is to create vibrant , artistic gardens that thoroughly embrace and express what it means to live in seasonal New England .
For some consumers , concepts related to art in residential landscape architecture are specific to hiring someone who is creative with annual containers , talented at selecting outdoor lighting fixtures , or good at placing sculptures , furnishings , and other garden ornamentation throughout their property . Incorporating decorative accents can be a great way to personalize a garden or enhance a sense of place , but it only adds to the quality of a thoughtfully composed and carefully crafted space . As my firm grows , I look for opportunities to collaborate with patrons who grasp the importance
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