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FAMILIES will find even more to enjoy at a top Staffordshire attraction when a 250,000 revamp is complete.

To mark 300 years since the birth of landscape designer Lancelot 'Capability' Brown, a new project has been launched at Trentham Gardens to restore one of his lost parklands.

St Modwen, which manages the 725-acre estate, plans to reveal more of the 18th-century architect's work, which is largely hidden by woodland.

Mike Herbert, regional director at St Modwen, said: "The long-term vision was always not just to do with the gardens but for the whole park and woodland too. We were already starting to plan work on the park and it just coincides with the national celebrations of Capability Brown.

"The latest restoration works are a celebration of Capability Brown's original vision for Trentham and are part of St Modwen's ongoing commitment to the long-term future of The Estate.

"The Capability Brown Restoration Project will enhance visitors' perception of the scale and grandeur of Trentham's historic landscape.

"We look forward to seeing the transformation of the west side of the lake and sharing Capability Brown's influence on Trentham with our many visitors."

The project will be focused on around one per cent of the entire estate and comes ahead of the national Capability Brown Festival in 2016.

Using his original plan, contractors will open up a new area of woodland to visitors which is the best surviving element of Brown's work and connect it with the upper west side of the lake.

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Landscape at Trentham Gardens to be restored to mark 300 years...

Behind The Scenes at Eau Du Soleil: Landscape Architect Patrick Bollenberghe
In our Fourth Behind The Scenes video we sit down with MBTW Group Landscape Architect, Patrick Bollenberghe and learn about the different influences in desig...

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Behind The Scenes at Eau Du Soleil: Landscape Architect Patrick Bollenberghe - Video

Dean Kozanic/FAIRFAX NZ

ATTRACTING CRITICS: The "disappointing" Spark Park on Hereford St.

A new central-city park built by telecom company Spark has been called unappealing and harsh by one of New Zealand's leading landscape architects.

The Spark Park was built on the site of the company's former Telecom exchange building in Hereford St. The building was demolished after the February 2011 earthquake.

The small park features some grass planters, four lamp-posts, free wi-fi and the royal crest that used to adorn the original building. At the back of the park is a new piece of street art by Christchurch artist Wongi.

Do you live near an ugly park? Tell us about it at reporters@press.co.nz.

However, Christchurch landscape architect Di Lucas said the park looked unappealing.

"The rest of it looks unfinished, like the spark is yet to arrive. It looks like it is more for vehicles than for people," she said.

"It is very hard and harsh and an unusual colour. It is not friendly. It is disappointing and it looks unfinished."

Christchurch writer and designer Barnaby Bennett was also critical of the space.

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'It looks like the spark is yet to arrive' at new park

Dean Kozanic/FAIRFAX NZ

ATTRACTING CRITICS: The "disappointing" Spark Park on Hereford St.

A new central-city park built by telecom company Spark has been called unappealing and harsh by one of New Zealand's leading landscape architects.

The Spark Park was built on the site of the company's former Telecom exchange building in Hereford St. The building was demolished after the February 2011 earthquake.

The small park features some grass planters, four lamp-posts, free wi-fi and the royal crest that used to adorn the original building. At the back of the park is a new piece of street art by Christchurch artist Wongi.

Do you live near an ugly park? Tell us about it at reporters@press.co.nz.

However, Christchurch landscape architect Di Lucas said the park looked unappealing.

"The rest of it looks unfinished, like the spark is yet to arrive. It looks like it is more for vehicles than for people," she said.

"It is very hard and harsh and an unusual colour. It is not friendly. It is disappointing and it looks unfinished."

Christchurch writer and designer Barnaby Bennett was also critical of the space.

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'Spark yet to arrive' at new city park

Los Angeles Luxury Real Estate: 2346 Astral Drive
http://www.NickSegal.com - http://www.2346Astral.com A dramatic bronze door, adorns the exterior designed by Jon Krawczyk, that serves as the entry to this wonderful combination of scale, texture stone,...

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Los Angeles Luxury Real Estate: 2346 Astral Drive - Video

FREEPORT - At a get-together featuring a campfire and smores, a local landscape architect will present options Thursday for the use of Freeports Leon Gorman Park, based on public comments made during an onsite meeting held last spring.

The session at the park, located off School Street near Bow Street Market, begins at 6:30 p.m. The park, given to the town in 2007 by Leon Gorman grandson of L.L. Bean had been intended as a skating rink. But few people have used it for that purpose, so town officials are looking for alternatives.

This will be very informal, Donna Larson, town planner, said Monday. This is brainstorming, to get a vision. Theres no money set aside, theres no plan yet to do anything.

The little park includes a covered sitting area and a small pond in a gully created by storm water and a trail.

Travis Pryor, the landscape architect, will provide an overview of the information he gathered last spring. Pryor will have concept design posters for public viewing. He fielded many suggestions and questions during the spring meeting, and has them summarized. Among the suggestions made:

Activities for older people.

Screening of the stormwater structures at the back of Bow Street Markets parking lot.

Improved signage for no-smoking rules in the park.

Additional trail connections along Frost Gully to U.S. Route 1, from Spring Street, across Bow Street to Quarry Woods and at the end of the park connecting to Freeport Conservation Trust property, the Harraseeket River and the Audubon property.

Repair of the ice skating rink.

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Ideas for Freeports park spark campfire meeting

LEBANON A special screening of a documentary about urban planning around people is being held at the Lebanon Opera House on Thursday night.

The Human Scale, a film inspired by the work of Danish architect Jan Gehl, is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

The film is to be followed by a panel of experts including landscape architect Robert White, professor of architecture at Dartmouth College Karol Kawiaka and master planner William Dennis. The panel is to be moderated by Lebanon city planning director Andrew Gast-Bray.

Gast-Bray said Tuesday, while he has been greatly influenced by the documentary's main subject, Gehl, he has never seen the documentary before and he was asked not to watch the film before the Thursday night viewing.I look forward to seeing it with fresh eyes, so I can ask fresh questions of the panelists, he said.

Over his career, Gehl has become known for challenging assumptions about modern cities and has pioneered a human-centric approach to designing communities.Gehl has and will continue to influence Lebanon city planning, Gast-Bray said, and because of that, the whole community is encouraged to come, to see the documentary and join in the conversation.

As an example of Gehl's influence on city planning, Gast-Bray said, We've designed our long range transportation plans around places not corridors or arteries.

'Life happens on foot,' is something Jan is famous for saying, which I think is brilliant in so many ways, Gast-Bray said.

The evening is expected to run from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. with an informal discussion afterward down the street at Salt Hill Pub.

'Cause not everybody likes the formal panel, standing up in front of everyone and asking a question, he said. At the pub the panel will interact on a personal scale, on a human scale.

The event is free and open to the public. The Congress for the New Urbanism, New England Chapter is sponsoring the event. A suggested $5 donation would go to support future programming similar to the event. Registration for the event can be completed at cnunewengland.org.

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Urban planning discussion to follow Lebanon film screening

El Dorado Ranch Park on Oak Glen Road is undergoing the first phase of a landscaping and irrigation project. Landscape architect Steve Franken said in addition to shrubs and wildflowers, three varieties of trees will be included in the landscape project.

The three varieties of trees to be planted include 42 shade trees the western red bud, coastal live oak and sycamore. A wildflower mix on the slope will help stabilize erosion and will be included in the phase.

This is an extension of the jewels of the city and its going to provide trail access and restroom facilities for this part of town, said Frenken. The park is designed for equestrians, hikers and bikers. There are 4.1 miles of beautiful trails.

The project also includes six concrete picnic tables and two combination trash receptacles, which are bear-proof. The irrigation system will be an efficient drip system and is included in the project and will be done by contractor Green Go.

This project, funded by a State Environmental Enhancement and Mitigation Program grant and Parks Capital Replacement Funds, includes the installation of the irrigation system, landscaping and decomposed granite surfacing at the El Dorado Ranch Park.

The work is slated for completion by early November. The majority of it should be done in time for the Romp, Stomp and Bark event to be held at EL Dorado Ranch Park later this month.

The second phase of El Dorado Ranch Park will include group camping. There is no final design or timetable for the second phase.

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El Dorado Ranch Park gets new landscaping and irrigation

Locals take in the Seven Senses event at Toowong in 2014. Photo: Supplied

When it comes to contemporary neighbourhoods, Tobias Volbert firmly believes we need to go back to the future.

The German landscape architect said the rapid evolution of suburban streets into traffic channels had come at the expense of once vibrant and cohesive communities.

Now, he is leading the charge to resurrect suburban enclaves where children play in streets and neighbours chat over fences.

Tobias Volbert believes having children play in the street will encourage more cohesive neighbourhoods. Photo: Supplied

"If we design our streets so they are more fun, it would populate the streets more and there would be more human interaction," he said.

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"People in cars would slow down because there would be people in the streets.

"We really need to go back to the future, back to community life, to see how can we can engage with our neighbours.

"It's really an urban issue. Hopefully we can engage again."

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Taking back the streets to revive communities

Locals take in the Seven Senses event at Toowong in 2014. Photo: Supplied

When it comes to contemporary neighbourhoods, Tobias Volbert firmly believes we need to go back to the future.

The German landscape architect said the rapid evolution of suburban streets into traffic channels had come at the expense of once vibrant and cohesive communities.

Now, he is leading the charge to resurrect suburban enclaves where children play in streets and neighbours chat over fences.

Tobias Volbert believes having children play in the street will encourage more cohesive neighbourhoods. Photo: Supplied

"If we design our streets so they are more fun, it would populate the streets more and there would be more human interaction," he said.

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"People in cars would slow down because there would be people in the streets.

"We really need to go back to the future, back to community life, to see how can we can engage with our neighbours.

"It's really an urban issue. Hopefully we can engage again."

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Streets key to communities