Cutting the Landscape Design Edge

APLD International Landscape Designer of the Year (second from left) Margie Grace of Grace Designs in Santa Barbara, CA, chats with APLD members at the Portland conference to celebrate the professional organization's 20th anniversary.

Great cutting edge design practices, including sustainable landscaping, hell striping, and rain gardens.

Here we are in a private tour of J. Frank Schmidt and Iseli Nurseries and a private garden of landscape designer Michael Schultz - all in Portland at the APLD 20th Anniversary Conference.

Landscape Designers Gather in Portland

Bringing green design, majestic nature and urban pioneering together is the theme of this year's Association of Landscape Designers' annual conference July 13-19 in Portland, OR. Voted the most sustainable city in the US in 2008, Portland's city planners have been thinking green since the 1970's.

Open to the public, the conference features talks, tours and a trade show. The talks range from edible gardens and what makes an award winning design to green roof designs and the sustainable design movement. Tours include Portland landmarks such as the famed Classical Chinese Garden to fabulous private retreats. The conference closes with the annual awards banquet and 2oth anniversary celebration at Portland's landmark Governor Hotel.

So if you are in the area and want to tour great gardens and learn from professional landscape designers, Portland in July is the place to be. For more information, click here.