Japanese architectTadao Andohas concealed ahuge stone statue of the buddha within ahill covered in lavender plants at theMakomanai Takino Cemetery in Sapporo.

The top of thestatue's head just crests through a circular well at the centre of the verdant mound, which iscarpetedin150,000of the purple-flowering plants.

Visitors must pass through a 40-metre tunnel to get to the foot of the 13.5-metre-tall statue.

Madeup of arches of folded concrete, the tunnel is dimly lit to create a "womb-like" atmosphere, while the opening at the centre is naturally litand surrounded by concertinaed concrete walls that narrow towards the sky.

Ando completed the Hill of the Buddha at theMakomanai Takino Cemeteryin northern Japan in late 2015, but photographs and aerial drone footage of the project have just begun to circulate.

"The aim of this project was to build a prayer hall that would enhance the attractiveness of a stone buddha sculpted 15 years ago. The site is a gently sloping hill on 180 hectares of lush land belonging to a cemetery," Andowrotein an essay for Domus magazine.

"Until now, the buddha statue has stood alone in the field, giving an unrestful impression. The client wanted to give visitors a more serene appreciation of the buddha," he continued. "Our idea was to cover the buddha below the head with a hill of lavender plants. We called the idea the 'head-out buddha'."

The vegetation provides a seasonally appropriate backdrop for the statue, changing from green in spring topurple in summer and finally white in winter, when the mound is heaped in snow.

A water garden at the base of the mound is surrounded by tall cast-concrete walls and a small border of grey gravel.

"One of the cemetery's charms is how well it achieves harmony with the natural landscape," said theMakomanai Takino Cemetery.

"Surprisingly, one only sees the head of the statue surrounded by the landscape of the hill," it continued.

"Atama Daibutsu (The Buddha's Head) was named for its novel, impressive appearance. It stands in perfect harmony with the surrounding landscape in all seasons. Thus a new symbol of the cemetery been established."

"The whole body of the Atama Daibutsu can't be seen from outside. Snow accumulates on its head in winter. What remains hidden from view sparks the creativity," addedAndo.

A self-taught architect, Ando has become one of the mostrenowned in his field,winning the Pritzker Prize in 1995, the RIBA Royal Gold Medal in 1997 and AIA Gold Medal in 2002. He ranked at number 16 on the inaugural Dezeen Hot List.

Manyof Ando's recently completed projects have been in Mexico, including aconcrete house and art centre for a picturesque seaside site, and aschool of art, design and architecture at theUniversity of Monterrey.

This project exhibits some of the keycharacteristics of Ando's work namely the use of raw concrete, dramatic play of natural light, and the interplay of interior and exterior spaces.

Go here to see the original:
Tadao Ando surrounds huge buddha statue with lavender-covered mound at Sapporo cemetery - Dezeen

English Heritage has revealed an archaeologists findings after a dig at Marble Hill House in Twickenham.

Archaeologists have begun their second phase of investigations after discovering the remains of a historic ninepin bowling alley next to the historical building - dating back more than 250 years.

The new dig will take place over four weeks and members of the public will be able to get close to the action learning more about the works going on thanks to a series of excavation tours and archaeology workshops throughout August.

Megan Leyland, senior properties historian at English Heritage said: After such an exciting find in the previous dig, we hope this round of archaeological investigations will uncover even more details about Marble Hills hidden landscape.

Archaeologists will be opening up two areas to the north and west of the grotto to try and find out its original extent, how its appearance changed over time and if there were any related structures.

English Heritage has commissioned archaeologists from Historic England to carry out the dig as part of its Marble Hill Revived Project, which aims to transform the house and park.

Theyll also be looking for a pergola which is shown on the c1752 plan, trying to establish what it was made from and how it was built as well as investigating the landscaped terraces that used to run across the lawn between the house and the river, added Ms Leyland.

The finds will help the charity to restore Marble Hills lost 18th century Pleasure Grounds, a small but historically significant area of landscape which lay between the house and the River Thames.

In the 18th century, ninepin bowling was a popular outdoor garden game and the historic alley was a key part of Marble Hills landscape.

The findings suggested many games were played at Marble Hill, as the surface appears to have been patched up due to wear and tear over time.

In addition to the ninepin alley, English Heritage is hoping to reinstate a number of other historical elements of the landscape such as tree avenues and groves, a hedged arcade, flower garden, orchard, terraces, and serpentine paths.

Continued here:
A 250-year-old bowling alley has been discovered in Richmond - Richmond and Twickenham Times

Auburn Universitys College of Agriculture has launched a project to establish a highly productive, on-campus teaching garden that will give greater visibility to active agricultural fieldwork at Auburn and enhance the legacy of the historic Old Rotation.

Faculty from three of the colleges academic departmentsHorticulture; Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences; and Entomology and Plant Pathologyand an Auburn architecture faculty member are finalizing the master design for the 11.3-acre garden, which will be adjacent to the Old Rotation on Lem Morrison Drive.

The garden also will extend to the edge of Auburns Donald E. Davis Arboretum.

Featuring a broad spectrum of ornamentals, crops, trees and turfgrasses, the hands-on teaching garden, designated on the universitys comprehensive campus master plan as Field Lab No. 1, will be a significant resource for Auburn agriculture students and faculty, garden steering committee chair Dave Williams says.

We want to create an experience for our students, said Williams, Department of Horticulture professor and department head. The garden will be an outdoor classroom, a living lab for instruction. Its going to provide support for numerous courses within the college and, in the future, courses in other colleges and schools across campus.

The working garden also will enhance the legacy of the Old Rotation, circa 1896, the longest continuous cotton experiment in the world.

An 1892 map of what was then the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama shows that the vast majority of the campus was agricultural experiment land, but today, agriculture is almost invisible here, Williams said. This garden, which well use for research and demonstration as well as teaching, will expand the spirit and range of the Old Rotation and be a reminder that Auburns roots are in agriculture.

Charles Mitchell, for one, says its about time. Mitchell is professor emeritus in the Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences and was long-time manager and curator of the Old Rotation. Several times over the past 40 years, Mitchell and others have pushed for a teaching, research and demonstration garden on the site where the first agricultural research was conducted after Auburns designation as a land-grant institution for Alabama in 1872.

Im thrilled to see this finally happening, said Mitchell, who remains involved as a steering committee member. Finally, were seeing progress toward creating a real facility on the Auburn campus that will showcase our land-grant mission in the plant sciences. Students, gardeners, homeowners, faculty and friends will have a place they can use and enjoy and share with others the beauty and productivity of the plant sciences at this university.

In developing the master plan, the steering committee called in David Hill, chair and associate professor of landscape architecture in the College of Architecture, Design and Construction at Auburn and owner of Hillworks, an Auburn-based architecture and landscape architecture design studio. The complete master plan for Field Lab No. 1 at the historic Old Rotation can be found online at http://www.hillworks.us/fieldlab.html.

The design calls for the garden to be divided into field plots that will include, among its offerings, an ornamental shade garden, teaching orchards, turfgrasses, field crops, an ornamentals garden and maze, fruit and vegetable crops, trial gardens for annuals and the existing medicinal plant garden which, along with the field crops, will be moved to the new site from its current location on the old agronomy farm on Woodfield Drive.

Physical structures include a pavilion, which will be used for classes and outreach events, and greenhouses. Williams is especially excited about the greenhouses.

Were collaborating with Glenn Loughridge, director of Campus Dining, toward development of hydroponic greenhouses where our students, as well as other interested Auburn students, can work and raise produce that will be served in dining venues across the Auburn campus.

Although the committee and Hills design team continue tweaking the plan, preliminary site work has begun.

In addition to Williams and Mitchell, steering committee members are Professors Joe Eakes and Wheeler Foshee, Associate Professors Glenn Fain and Jay Spiers and Assistant Professor Daniel Wells, all in the Department of Horticulture; Professors Scott McElroy and Dennis Shannon and Extension Specialist Dennis Delaney, all in the Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences; and Professor Art Appel in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology.

Jamie Creamer is an employee of Auburn University.

See more here:
Auburn's College of Agriculture planning to add on-campus garden as outdoor classroom - Opelika Auburn News

President Trumps low favorability rating and the ongoing probes into Russian election meddling have ignited speculation that he could be the first sitting president to face a primary challenge since George H.W. Bush beat back conservative firebrand Pat Buchanan in 1992.

Most party strategists say a challenge to the incumbent president from within Trump's orbit is unlikely in 2020.

The blunt-talking commander-in-chief remains popular among Republican voters, and GOP leaders and conservatives on Capitol Hill have largely stood by their controversial standard bearer.

Still, in this volatile Trump era, few outside the White House would argue that a Republican challenge to Trump is unforeseeable. If the 2020 GOP primary is contested, Trump would be the clear favorite and would have the Republican National Committee behind him. Yet, such a challenge could weaken Trump before the general election as it did Bush in 1992 before he lost to Bill ClintonBill ClintonClintons attend private screening of 'Wonder Woman' America celebrates personal merit US immigration should too Clinton chief of staff compares Trump White House 'chaos' to 'telenovelas' MORE.

Here is a look at how the landscape of potential Trump challengers is shaping up, one that could include senators, past presidential rivals and even celebrities.

The senators

Sen. Jeff FlakeJeff FlakeGOP senator: I wish Republicans had stood up to birtherism Sunday shows preview: Senators tout bill to protect Mueller 5 things members of Congress are doing over August recess MORE (R-Ariz.) said Thursday hes not running for president in 2020, but you could be forgiven for wondering if hell change his mind.

The 54-year-old first-term senator has been everywhere popping up in cable news interviews and penning op-eds as he promotes his new book, which takes direct aim at Trump and the GOP leaders who Flake says enabled the presidents rise.

To carry on in the spring of 2017 as if what was happening was anything approaching normalcy required a determined suspension of critical faculties. And tremendous powers of denial, Flake writes in his book, Conscience of a Conservative.

Asked by MSNBCs Andrea Mitchell if he was eyeing a 2020 White House bid, Flake replied: No, I'm running for reelection right now.

Before any possible presidential run, Flake will first have to survive his 2018 race for a second term in the upper chamber.

A new poll found that 62 percent of Arizona voters disapproved of Flake, while only 18 percent approved. And White House officials have been meeting with candidates who are taking on GOP incumbents or mulling a challenge. That includes former GOP state Sen. Kelli Ward, who unsuccessfully challenged Sen. John McCainJohn McCainBrexit leader: People voted for change with Trump, GOP blocking it GOP senator: US-Russia relationship 'not good right now' because of Putin Five tough decisions for the GOP on healthcare MORE (R-Ariz.) in a primary during the 2016 cycle and has launched another one against Flake.

There isn't much buzz for Flake to run in 2020 he is a conservative but would be coming at Trump from the left on immigration, a hot-button primary issue.

Another conservative freshman senator, Ben Sasse of Nebraska, is also mentioned by some as a possible Trump opponent.

Two former Never Trump Republicans that spearheaded the Free the Delegates movement, Regina Thomson and Beau Correll, told The Hill separately that Sasse, 45, is the quintessential conservative that could pose a real threat to Trump in a primary.

Sasse has maintained both his credibility and dignity prior to Trump's election and afterward, Correll said. He calls it as he sees it, which will be highly regarded amongst well-reasoned Republican primary voters.

But in an email, Sasse spokesman James Wegmann called these 2020 primary stories bonkers. It's 2017 and Ben has the only callings he wants: raising his three kids and serving Nebraskans, Wegmann said.

Meanwhile, Sen. Tom CottonTom CottonAmerica celebrates personal merit US immigration should too GOP senator: US-Russia relationship 'not good right now' because of Putin White House warns potentially ambitious Republicans about 2020 MORE (Ark.) has positioned himself nicely as an ally of the administration with foreign policy credentials and the respect of the base. However, Cotton is only 40 years old and running against Trump could hurt his political future. He's also up for reelection in 2020.

Senator Cotton is focused on serving the people of Arkansas and advancing the presidents agenda of growing the economy and opportunities for Arkansans lowering taxes repealing and replacing Obamacare and fixing our broken immigration system, said Cotton spokeswoman Caroline Rabbitt.

The centrists

Ohio Gov. John Kasich was the last GOP challenger to Trump in 2016, not because of his primary success, but because everyone else read the writing on the wall.

Republicans say they dont know what Kasich is planning, but theyre sure hes up to something.

That could mean an independent run, potentially on a bipartisan ticket with a fellow centrist, like Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat.

But no one would be surprised to see Kasich challenge Trump in the primary again.

Kasich, who has been on a book tour, will be out of the governors mansion in January 2019 and seems eager to tout his version of conservatism as an alternative to Trumps.

Still, many Republicans would view a primary challenge as an ego-fueled vanity project. As a moderate with views on immigration and healthcare that are anathema to the base, Kasich is not a good match for the GOP primary electorate. He won only one state in the 2016 primary his home state of Ohio.

All this makes for interesting cocktail chatter, even with the waterboarding of Pence and little Nicky in the White House basement, said Kasichs political strategist, John Weaver, referencing the blowback Pence and his chief of staff Nick Ayers received in response to the Times story on the vice presidents political ambitions.

Governor Kasich is only focused on being the very best executive for the people of Ohio and on policy issues like healthcare, national security, trade, economic expansion and ending the growing gap between the haves and have-nots.

House conservatives

Most of Rep. Justin AmashJustin AmashOvernight Defense: Military won't lift transgender ban until Trump sends directions | House passes national security spending | Russian sanctions bill heads to Trump Overnight Finance: House passes spending bill with border wall funds | Ryan drops border tax idea | Russia sanctions bill goes to Trump's desk | Dems grill bank regulator picks House approves spending bill with funds for Trump's border wall MOREs attacks against the president come in a venue Trump knows well: Twitter.

The Michigan Republican, a co-founder of the conservative Freedom Caucus and one of the nations most well-known libertarians, has mocked Trumps understanding of the Constitution; questioned whether the presidents global investments and projects pose conflicts of interest; and signed onto legislation calling for an independent probe into Russian election meddling.

Amash, who backed Sen. Rand PaulRand PaulFive tough decisions for the GOP on healthcare Moderates killed ObamaCare repeal will they kill other conservative priorities? When financial transparency becomes personal tyranny MORE (R-Ky.) in last years GOP primary, also was the first Republican in Congress to raise the possibility of impeaching Trump. If its determined that Trump pressured his then-FBI director, James Comey, to end his investigation into Trump campaign associates, Amash said in May, then that would be grounds for impeachment.

National Republicans are skeptical, noting that Amash lacks name recognition and a national fundraising network and hails from the Libertarian wing of the party, which has historically underperformed in GOP primaries. Through his spokeswoman, Amash had no comment.

The celebrities

Trumps shocking rise bolstered by his celebrity and near-universal name recognition has greatly expanded the field of candidates that political operatives are likely to view as legitimate contenders.

While many Republicans might believe its safer for their political futures to remain on the sidelines rather than get in the ring with Trump, a well-funded outsider could see an opening to shake things up in the GOP primary rather than take the third-party or independent path, which is viewed by most experts as hopeless.

On this front, the Democrats have a more robust bench, but there are a handful of celebrities with mixed political backgrounds that could consider a GOP run if they think Trump is vulnerable.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has relished sparring with Trump. Cuban, who has become more recognizable from the hit TV show Shark Tank, has liberal social views, but has said he is otherwise more in line with Republicans.

"I have been contacted by people from both parties, although not by the national organizations, Cuban told The Hill in an email. It's something I am considering but am not ready to make a decision on.

The actor and former wrestler Dwayne Johnson is awash in social media buzz and has publicly expressed his interest in running. The Rock is a registered independent but has attended the national conventions for both Democrats and Republicans.

Another wealthy independent, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, will generate speculation until he definitely rules out the possibility of running. The billionaire founder and CEO of Bloomberg financial services and media company has been both a Republican and a Democrat. Bloomberg, 75, indicated earlier this year that his political aspirations are over: "Ive got plenty of things to do. And maybe Ill run for president of my block association, but not much more than that."

Waiting in the wings

GOP strategists and insiders interviewed by The Hill remain skeptical that anyone will enter a primary challenge against Trump, describing the endeavor as a suicide mission.

But a raft of high-profile Republicans are believed to be keeping their fingers on the pulse of the terrain so that theyre ready in case the 71-year-old president is politically crippled by the Russia investigations, loses his base of support and/or simply determines that hes happier as a private businessman. However, people in Trump's orbit have said the president will run again.

If there is a Trump-sized void, Pence would instantly become the front-runner. Pence, 58, has conservative bona fides and the Trump campaign has essentially never ended, so the vice president continues to bank fundraising and email equity.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) has been making moves behind the scenes in preparation for national office. Trump has publicly called on Scott to run against Sen. Bill NelsonBill NelsonOvernight Tech: Senate confirms two FCC commissioners | Dems want more time on net neutrality | Tech groups push White House on 'startup visa' Senate confirms two new FCC commissioners Overnight Tech: Senate panel approves FCC nominees | Dem group invests in progressive startups | Tech groups rip Trump immigration plan MORE (D-Fla.) in 2018.

And then there are the 2016 runners-up: Sens. Ted CruzTed CruzFive tough decisions for the GOP on healthcare Dems face fundamental problem in Texas: Getting people to vote George Will warns grotesque is becoming normal for GOP MORE (Texas), Marco RubioMarco RubioSantorum: How to get family policy right for working families Overnight Finance: Trump-Russia probe reportedly expands to possible financial crimes | Cruel September looms for GOP | Senate clears financial nominees | Mulvaney reverses on debt ceiling Florida Dems hosting fundraiser for GOP lawmaker MORE (Fla.) and Paul, as well as Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, all have appeal among sections of the GOP primary electorate and could be eager for redemption, even if a unilateral challenge to Trump is unlikely.

View post:
The five kinds of Republicans who could primary Trump - The Hill

A GRIP ON SPORTS It wont be too long now. Soon, Sunday mornings will mean story after college football story, from the Cougars to the Eagles, from the Vandals to the Pirates, Huskies to Ducks. Nope, not too long. But were not there just yet. Read on.

Saturdays in the late summer and fall are taken up by college football. Has been that way my entire life and yours probably as well.

Hunting around here is big too, as is hiking as the temperatures cool and the trees begin to change colors.

But college football is Saturdays king, prince, lord and duke all rolled into one.

Which means Sundays newspapers (and their websites) are filled with college football stories. Play after play, game after game, it's alldissected, discussed and debated.

As it should be.

We arent there just yet. It is still only early August, after all.

But the buildup to the season continues apace. Its fun (and educational) to cruise around the Interweb and read about this defensive lineman or that new coach or another season of glory to come.

We read the stories and then pass them on to you. To paraphrase that insurance commercial that seems to dominate the Ms broadcasts, its what we do.

Speaking of the Ms, the bucketfuls of rain that descended on Kansas City yesterday made it impossible for the teams to play. A doubleheader a doubleheader is scheduled for today, to get the contest in.

The rainstorm may have washed away the game, but even it wasnt powerful enough to wash away the stink of bad news emanating from the Seattle clubhouse.

The elder statesman of the pitching staff (if the word elder is used in the context of most experience with the Ms)is back on the disabled list. Felix Hernandez pitched the other day, felt some pain in his bicep, couldnt shake it and now finds himself on the 10-day.

Mariner fans love Felix. But he has a lot of wear and tear on that once overpowering right arm. Hes an old 31 and is owed some $55 million over the next couple seasons.

Thats money well spent, if you are thinking he deserves some sort of compensation for all those years he was basically the only thing worth watching at Safeco.But if you are thinking about putting together a team in 2018 or 19 that can contend, the money spent on Felix may well be an anchor that slows down the good ship Mariner. Or maybe even pulls it under.

Pitchers age quickly. Thats a given. Everyone knew that even five years ago when the Ms locked Hernandez up for the future. So its no surprise Hernandez is more fragile than he was, that trips to the disabled list are becoming more routine. It happens.

And yet this trip couldnt have come at a worse time. August looks like a make-or-break month for this seasons playoff hopes. For the next week or so, the Ms will be without their King on the hill. Thats tough.

WSU: OK, I admit it. I really like the stuff Theo Lawson is producing out of the Cougars preseason practices. Today he has a story on new defensive line coach Jeff Phelps(pictured). Its good. But the piece on the position battles, with practice notes on the bottom, is not to be missed. Do you agree with this opinion? From odd autographs to young receivers to new coaching responsibilities, there is something for everyone out of Washington States practice. Gabe Marks seems to be impressing the Jets' coaches. Around the Pac-12, there are few places that offer more football coverage than Salt Lake City, where two newspapers present Utah stories. Actually, the same thing happens around Washington, with a special emphasisput on local products helping the Huskies. Or new players stepping up. Or old players with new responsibilities. Almost all of Arizonas defensive position groups are learning by doing. The Arizona State offense didnt do much in Saturdays scrimmage. UCLA will need its offensive line to do a lot if its offense wants to succeed. USC has more on offense than just a good quarterback. Colorado has a new look on defense. Oregon has a new look everywhere.

EWU: Anxiety is a fans best friend. Or at least their constant companion. Jim Allen tries to relieve some of it with this story on the positives in Easterns near future. Former Eagle offensive coordinator Troy Taylor is already making his mark in Utah. Elsewhere in the Big Sky, the beginning of football practices are always accompanied by lists. Cases in point come from Montana and Cal Poly. The coaching change at Idaho State meant a staff shuffle. Montana State wants to improve its pass rush. Every staff has a coach like this.

Indians: Eugene came to Spokane and threw some cold water on the Indians hot start to the second half. Johnathan Curley has the game story from last nights 11-8 Emeralds win while Whitney Ogden adds more about a couple of longtime teammates. Around the Northwest League, Hillsboro shut out Vancouver and Everett out-slugged Salem-Keizer.

Chiefs: Kailer Yamamotos summer vacation has been productive, playing for Team USA.

Preps: Speaking of summer vacations, longtime local track coach Linda Lanker had a fun one with the U.S. National Team. Greg Lee has more in this feature. Former Coeur dAlene High star Casey Stangel picked up a Pac-12 postgraduate scholarship.

Mariners: The rainout allowed Ryan Divish to examine what might be ahead the next couple weeks for Jerry Dipoto. Former Gonzaga star Marco Gonzales will take Hernandezs spot on the roster.

Seahawks: There is still fallout descending from Frank Clarks practice punch. Hazing isnt supposed to happen any more. But the rookies still get some grief. Kenny Easley was inducted in the Hall of Fame yesterday. His speech didnt touch on his Seahawk career much. Jon Ryan has enjoyed his first season as a baseball owner, even if his aspirations are for something more. Doug Baldwin has something to say. He always does.

Sounders: Seattle dominated Minnesota. With Clint Dempsey scoring twice and Jordan Morris once, the Sounders won 4-0. Real Salt Lake dominated Houston. But the match ended in a scoreless draw.

A quick congratulations to my son Jack and his wife Nichol. It is their one-year anniversary. I cant tell you how proud I was that day last August as they stood together and pledged their love. I still am. Until later

Read more:
Grip on Sports: Before we cede the landscape to college football, we should discuss another Hernandez injury - The Spokesman-Review

There are two main meanings for the word landscape: it can refer to the visible features of an area of land, the landforms and how they integrate with natural or man-made features or to an example of the genre of Landscape painting that depicts such views of an area of land.[1]

A Landscape, in both senses, includes the physical elements of geophysically defined landforms such as (ice-capped) mountains, hills, water bodies such as rivers, lakes, ponds and the sea, living elements of land cover including indigenous vegetation, human elements including different forms of land use, buildings and structures, and transitory elements such as lighting and weather conditions.

Combining both their physical origins and the cultural overlay of human presence, often created over millennia, landscapes reflect a living synthesis of people and place that is vital to local and national identity. The character of a landscape helps define the self-image of the people who inhabit it and a sense of place that differentiates one region from other regions. It is the dynamic backdrop to peoples lives. Landscape can be as varied as farmland, a landscape park, or wilderness.

The earth has a vast range of landscapes, including the icy landscapes of polar regions, mountainous landscapes, vast arid desert landscapes, islands and coastal landscapes, densely forested or wooded landscapes including past boreal forests and tropical rainforests, and agricultural landscapes of temperate and tropical regions.

Landscape may be further considered under the following categories: landscape art, cultural landscape, landscape ecology, landscape planning, landscape assessment and landscape design. The activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land is named landscaping.

There are several definitions of what constitutes a landscape, depending on context. In common usage however, a landscape refers either to all the visible features of an area of land (usually rural), often considered in terms of aesthetic appeal, or to a pictorial representation of an area of countryside, specifically within the genre of landscape painting. When people deliberately improve the aesthetic appearance of a piece of landby changing contours and vegetation, etc.it is said to have been landscaped,[1] though the result may not constitute a landscape according to some definitions.

The word landscape (landscipe or landscaef) arrived in Englandand therefore into the English languageafter the fifth century, following the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons; these terms referred to a system of human-made spaces on the land. The term "landscape" emerged around the turn of the sixteenth century to denote a painting whose primary subject matter was natural scenery.[2] "Land" (a word from Germanic origin) may be taken in its sense of something to which people belong (as in England being the land of the English).[3] The suffix "scape" is equivalent to the more common English suffix "ship."[3] The roots of "ship" are etymologically akin to Old English sceppan or scyppan, meaning to shape. The suffix schaft is related to the verb schaffen, so that ship and shape are also etymologically linked. The modern form of the word, with its connotations of scenery, appeared in the late sixteenth century when the term landschap was introduced by Dutch painters who used it to refer to paintings of inland natural or rural scenery. The word "landscape", first recorded in 1598, was borrowed from a Dutch painters' term.[4] The popular conception of the landscape that is reflected in dictionaries conveys both a particular and a general meaning, the particular referring to an area of the Earth's surface and the general being that which can be seen by an observer. An example of this second usage can be found as early as 1662 in the Book of Common Prayer:

There are several words that are frequently associated with the word landscape:

Geomorphology is the scientific study of the origin and evolution of topographic and bathymetric features created by physical or chemical processes operating at or near Earth's surface. Geomorphologists seek to understand why landscapes look the way they do, to understand landform history and dynamics and to predict changes through a combination of field observations, physical experiments and numerical modeling. Geomorphology is practiced within physical geography, geology, geodesy, engineering geology, archaeology and geotechnical engineering. This broad base of interests contributes to many research styles and interests within the field.[7]

The surface of Earth is modified by a combination of surface processes that sculpt landscapes, and geologic processes that cause tectonic uplift and subsidence, and shape the coastal geography. Surface processes comprise the action of water, wind, ice, fire, and living things on the surface of the Earth, along with chemical reactions that form soils and alter material properties, the stability and rate of change of topography under the force of gravity, and other factors, such as (in the very recent past) human alteration of the landscape. Many of these factors are strongly mediated by climate. Geologic processes include the uplift of mountain ranges, the growth of volcanoes, isostatic changes in land surface elevation (sometimes in response to surface processes), and the formation of deep sedimentary basins where the surface of Earth drops and is filled with material eroded from other parts of the landscape. The Earth surface and its topography therefore are an intersection of climatic, hydrologic, and biologic action with geologic processes.

Desert, Plain, Taiga, Tundra, Wetland, Mountain, Mountain range, Cliff, Coast, Littoral zone, Glacier, Polar regions of Earth, Shrubland, Forest, Rainforest, Woodland, Jungle, Moors.

Landscape ecology is the science of studying and improving relationships between ecological processes in the environment and particular ecosystems. This is done within a variety of landscape scales, development spatial patterns, and organizational levels of research and policy.[8][9][10]

Landscape is a central concept in landscape ecology. It is, however, defined in quite different ways. For example:[11]Carl Troll conceives of landscape not as a mental construct but as an objectively given organic entity, a harmonic individuum of space.[12]Ernst Neef[13] defines landscapes as sections within the uninterrupted earth-wide interconnection of geofactors which are defined as such on the basis of their uniformity in terms of a specific land use, and are thus defined in an anthropocentric and relativistic way.

According to Richard Forman and Michael Godron,[14] a landscape is a heterogeneous land area composed of a cluster of interacting ecosystems that is repeated in similar form throughout, whereby they list woods, meadows, marshes and villages as examples of a landscapes ecosystems, and state that a landscape is an area at least a few kilometres wide. John A. Wiens[15] opposes the traditional view expounded by Carl Troll, Isaak S. Zonneveld, Zev Naveh, Richard T. T. Forman/Michel Godron and others that landscapes are arenas in which humans interact with their environments on a kilometre-wide scale; instead, he defines 'landscape'regardless of scaleas "the template on which spatial patterns influence ecological processes".[16] Some define 'landscape' as an area containing two or more ecosystems in close proximity.[17]

Integrated landscape management is a way of managing a landscape that brings together multiple stakeholders, who collaborate to integrate policy and practice for their different land use objectives, with the purpose of achieving sustainable landscapes.[18][19] It recognises that, for example, one river basin can supply water for towns and agriculture, timber and food crops for smallholders and industry, and habitat for biodiversity; the way in which each one of these sectors pursues its goals can have impacts on the others. The intention is to minimise conflict between these different land use objectives and ecosystem services.[19] This approach draws on landscape ecology, as well as many related fields that also seek to integrate different land uses and users, such as watershed management.[18]

Proponents of integrated landscape management argue that it is well-suited to address complex global challenges, such as those that are the focus of the Sustainable Development Goals.[20] Integrated landscape management is increasingly taken up at the national,[21][22] local[23] and international level, for example the UN Environment Programme states that "UNEP champions the landscape approach de facto as it embodies the main elements of integrated ecosystem management".

Landscape archaeology or landscape history is the study of the way in which humanity has changed the physical appearance of the environment - both present and past. Landscape generally refers to both natural environments and environments constructed by human beings.[24]Natural landscapes are considered to be environments that have not been altered by humans in any shape or form.[25]Cultural landscapes, on the other hand, are environments that have been altered in some manner by people (including temporary structures and places, such as campsites, that are created by human beings).[26] Among archaeologists, the term landscape can refer to the meanings and alterations people mark onto their surroundings.[26][27] As such, landscape archaeology is often employed to study the human use of land over extensive periods of time.[27][28] Landscape archaeology can be summed up by Nicole Branton's statement:

The concept of cultural landscapes can be found in the European tradition of landscape painting.[30] From the 16th century onwards, many European artists painted landscapes in favor of people, diminishing the people in their paintings to figures subsumed within broader, regionally specific landscapes.[31]

The geographer Otto Schlter is credited with having first formally used "cultural landscape" as an academic term in the early 20th century.[32] In 1908, Schlter argued that by defining geography as a Landschaftskunde (landscape science) this would give geography a logical subject matter shared by no other discipline.[32][33] He defined two forms of landscape: the Urlandschaft (transl. original landscape) or landscape that existed before major human induced changes and the Kulturlandschaft (transl. 'cultural landscape') a landscape created by human culture. The major task of geography was to trace the changes in these two landscapes.

It was Carl O. Sauer, a human geographer, who was probably the most influential in promoting and developing the idea of cultural landscapes.[34] Sauer was determined to stress the agency of culture as a force in shaping the visible features of the Earths surface in delimited areas. Within his definition, the physical environment retains a central significance, as the medium with and through which human cultures act.[35] His classic definition of a 'cultural landscape' reads as follows:

The cultural landscape is fashioned from a natural landscape by a cultural group. Culture is the agent, the natural area is the medium, the cultural landscape is the result.

A cultural landscape, as defined by the World Heritage Committee, is the "cultural properties [that] represent the combined works of nature and of man."[36]

The World Heritage Committee identifies three categories of cultural landscape, ranging from (i) those landscapes most deliberately 'shaped' by people, through (ii) full range of 'combined' works, to (iii) those least evidently 'shaped' by people (yet highly valued). The three categories extracted from the Committee's Operational Guidelines, are as follows:[37]

The Chinese garden is a landscape garden style which has evolved over three thousand years. It includes both the vast gardens of the Chinese emperors and members of the Imperial Family, built for pleasure and to impress, and the more intimate gardens created by scholars, poets, former government officials, soldiers and merchants, made for reflection and escape from the outside world. They create an idealized miniature landscape, which is meant to express the harmony that should exist between man and nature.[38] A typical Chinese garden is enclosed by walls and includes one or more ponds, scholar's rocks, trees and flowers, and an assortment of halls and pavilions within the garden, connected by winding paths and zig-zag galleries. By moving from structure to structure, visitors can view a series of carefully composed scenes, unrolling like a scroll of landscape paintings.[39]

The English landscape garden, also called English landscape park or simply the 'English garden', is a style of parkland garden intended to look as though it might be a natural landscape, although it may be very extensively re-arranged. It emerged in England in the early 18th century, and spread across Europe, replacing the more formal, symmetrical jardin la franaise of the 17th century as the principal style for large parks and gardens in Europe.[40] The English garden (and later French landscape garden) presented an idealized view of nature. It drew inspiration from paintings of landscapes by Claude Lorraine and Nicolas Poussin, and from the classic Chinese gardens of the East,[41] which had recently been described by European travellers and were realized in the Anglo-Chinese garden,[41] and the philosophy of Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712 1778).

The English garden usually included a lake, sweeps of gently rolling lawns set against groves of trees, and recreations of classical temples, Gothic ruins, bridges, and other picturesque architecture, designed to recreate an idyllic pastoral landscape. The work of Lancelot "Capability" Brown and Humphry Repton was particularly influential. By the end of the 18th century the English garden was being imitated by the French landscape garden, and as far away as St. Petersburg, Russia, in Pavlovsk, the gardens of the future Emperor Paul. It also had a major influence on the form of the public parks and gardens which appeared around the world in the 19th century.[42]

Landscape architecture is a multi-disciplinary field, incorporating aspects of botany, horticulture, the fine arts, architecture, industrial design, geology and the earth sciences, environmental psychology, geography, and ecology. The activities of a landscape architect can range from the creation of public parks and parkways to site planning for campuses and corporate office parks, from the design of residential estates to the design of civil infrastructure and the management of large wilderness areas or reclamation of degraded landscapes such as mines or landfills. Landscape architects work on all types of structures and external space large or small, urban, suburban and rural, and with "hard" (built) and "soft" (planted) materials, while paying attention to ecological sustainability.

For the period before 1800, the history of landscape gardening (later called landscape architecture) is largely that of master planning and garden design for manor houses, palaces and royal properties, religious complexes, and centers of government. An example is the extensive work by Andr Le Ntre at Vaux-le-Vicomte and at the Palace of Versailles for King Louis XIV of France. The first person to write of making a landscape was Joseph Addison in 1712. The term landscape architecture was invented by Gilbert Laing Meason in 1828 and was first used as a professional title by Frederick Law Olmsted in 1863. During the latter 19th century, the term landscape architect became used by professional people who designed landscapes. Frederick Law Olmsted used the term 'landscape architecture' as a profession for the first time when designing Central Park, New York City, US. Here the combination of traditional landscape gardening and the emerging field of city planning gave landscape architecture its unique focus. This use of the term landscape architect became established after Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. and others founded the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) in 1899.

Possibly the earliest landscape literature is found in Australian aboriginal myths (also known as Dreamtime or Dreaming stories, songlines, or Aboriginal oral literature), the stories traditionally performed by Aboriginal peoples[43] within each of the language groups across Australia. All such myths variously tell significant truths within each Aboriginal group's local landscape. They effectively layer the whole of the Australian continent's topography with cultural nuance and deeper meaning, and empower selected audiences with the accumulated wisdom and knowledge of Australian Aboriginal ancestors back to time immemorial.[44]

In the West pastoral poetry represent the earliest form of landscape literature, though this literary genre presents an idealized landscape peopled by shepherds and shepherdesses, and creates "an image of a peaceful uncorrupted existence; a kind of prelapsarian world".[45] The pastoral has its origins in the works of the Greek poet Theocritus (c. 316 - c. 260 BC). The Romantic period poet William Wordsworth created a modern, more realistic form of pastoral with Michael, A Pastoral Poem (1800).[46]

An early form of landscape poetry, Shanshui poetry, developed in China during the third and fourth centuries A.D.[47]

Topographical poetry is a genre of poetry that describes, and often praises, a landscape or place. John Denham's 1642 poem "Cooper's Hill" established the genre, which peaked in popularity in 18th-century England. Examples of topographical verse date, however, to the Late Classical period, and can be found throughout the Medieval era and during the Renaissance. Though the earliest examples come mostly from continental Europe, the topographical poetry in the tradition originating with Denham concerns itself with the classics, and many of the various types of topographical verse, such as river, ruin, or hilltop poems were established by the early 17th century.[48]Alexander Pope's "Windsor Forest" (1713) and John Dyer's "Grongar Hill' (1762) are two other oft-mentioned examples. George Crabbe, the Suffolk regional poet, also wrote topographical poems, as did William Wordsworth, of which Lines written a few miles above Tintern Abbey is an obvious example.[49] More recently, Matthew Arnold's "The Scholar Gipsy" (1853) praises the Oxfordshire countryside, and W. H. Auden's "In Praise of Limestone" (1948) uses a limestone landscape as an allegory.[50]

Subgenres of topographical poetry include the country house poem, written in 17th-century England to compliment a wealthy patron, and the prospect poem, describing the view from a distance or a temporal view into the future, with the sense of opportunity or expectation. When understood broadly as landscape poetry and when assessed from its establishment to the present, topographical poetry can take on many formal situations and types of places. Kenneth Baker, in his "Introduction to The Faber Book of Landscape Poetry, identifies 37 varieties and compiles poems from the 16th through the 20th centuriesfrom Edmund Spenser to Sylvia Plathcorrespondent to each type, from "Walks and Surveys," to "Mountains, Hills, and the View from Above," to "Violation of Nature and the Landscape," to "Spirits and Ghosts."[51]

Common aesthetic registers of which topographical poetry makes use include pastoral imagery, the sublime, and the picturesque, which include images of rivers, ruins, moonlight, birdsong, and clouds, peasants, mountains, caves, and waterscapes.

Though describing a landscape or scenery, topographical poetry often, at least implicitly, addresses a political issue or the meaning of nationality in some way. The description of the landscape therefore becomes a poetic vehicle for a political message. For example, in John Denham's "Cooper's Hill," the speaker discusses the merits of the recently executed Charles I.[52]

The Vision on Mount Snowdon

...and on the shore I found myself of a huge sea of mist, Which meek and silent rested at my feet. A hundred hills their dusky backs upheaved All over this still ocean, and beyond, Far, far beyond, the vapours shot themselves In headlands, tongues, and promontory shapes, Into the sea, the real sea, that seemed To dwindle and give up its majesty, Usurped upon as far as sight could reach.

One important aspect of British Romanticism evident in painting and literature as well as in politics and philosophy was a change in the way people perceived and valued the landscape. In particular, after William Gilpin's Observations on the River Wye was published in 1770, the idea of the picturesque began to influence artists and viewers. Gilpin advocated approaching the landscape "by the rules of picturesque beauty,"[53] which emphasized contrast and variety. Edmund Burke's A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful (1757) was also an influential text, as was Longinus' On the Sublime (early A.D., Greece), which was translated into English from the French in 1739. From the 18th century, a taste for the sublime in the natural landscape emerged alongside the idea of the sublime in language; that is elevated rhetoric or speech.[54] A topographical poem that influenced the Romantics, was James Thomson's The Seasons (172630).[55] The changing landscape, brought about by the industrial and agricultural revolutions, with the expansion of the city and depopulation of the countryside, was another influences on the growth of the Romantic movement in Britain. The poor condition of workers, the new class conflicts, and the pollution of the environment all led to a reaction against urbanism and industrialisation and a new emphasis on the beauty and value of nature and landscape.[56] However, it was also a revolt against aristocratic social and political norms of the Age of Enlightenment, as well a reaction against the scientific rationalisation of nature.[57]

The poet William Wordsworth was a major contributor to the literature of landscape,[58] as was his contemporary poet and novelist Walter Scott. Scott's influence was felt throughout Europe, as well as on major Victorian novelists in Britain, such as Emily Bronte, Mrs Gaskell, George Eliot, and Thomas Hardy, as well as John Cowper Powys in the 20th-century.[59][60]Margaret Drabble in A Writer's Britain suggests that Thomas Hardy "is perhaps the greatest writer of rural life and landscape" in English.[61]

Among European writers influenced by Scott were Frenchmen Honor de Balzac and Alexandre Dumas and Italian Alessandro Manzoni.[62] Manzoni's famous novel The Betrothed was inspired by Walter Scott's Ivanhoe.[63]

Also influenced by Romanticism's approach to landscape was the American novelist Fenimore Cooper, who was admired by Victor Hugo and Balzac and characterized as the "American Scott."[64]

Landscape in Chinese poetry has often been closely tied to Chinese landscape painting, which developed much earlier than in the West. Many poems evoke specific paintings, and some are written in more empty areas of the scroll itself. Many painters also wrote poetry, especially in the scholar-official or literati tradition. Landscape images were present in the early Shijing and the Chuci, but in later poetry the emphasis changed, as in painting]] to the Shan shui (Chinese: lit. "mountain-water") style featuring wild mountains, rivers and lakes, rather than landscape as a setting for a human presence.[47]Shanshui poetry traditional Chinese: ; simplified Chinese: developed in China during the third and fourth centuries AD[47] and left most of the varied landscapes of China largely unrepresented. Shan shui painting and poetry shows imaginary landscapes, though with features typical of some parts of South China; they remain popular to the present day.

Fields and Gardens poetry (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: tinyun sh; WadeGiles: t'ien-yuan-shih; literally: "fields and gardens poetry"), in poetry) was a contrasting poetic movement which lasted for centuries, with a focused on the nature found in gardens, in backyards, and in the cultivated countryside. Fields and Gardens poetry is one of many Classical Chinese poetry genres. One of the main practitioners of the Fields and Gardens poetry genre was Tao Yuanming (also known as Tao Qian (365427), among other names or versions of names).[65] Tao Yuanming has been regarded as the first great poet associated with the Fields and Gardens poetry genre.[66]

Many landscape photographs show little or no human activity and are created in the pursuit of a pure, unsullied depiction of nature[67] devoid of human influence, instead featuring subjects such as strongly defined landforms, weather, and ambient light. As with most forms of art, the definition of a landscape photograph is broad, and may include urban settings, industrial areas, and nature photography. Notable landscape photographers include Ansel Adams, Galen Rowell, Edward Weston, Ben Heine, Mark Gray and Fred Judge.

The earliest forms of art around the world depict little that could really be called landscape, although ground-lines and sometimes indications of mountains, trees or other natural features are included. The earliest "pure landscapes" with no human figures are frescos from Minoan Greece of around 1500 BCE.[68] Hunting scenes, especially those set in the enclosed vista of the reed beds of the Nile Delta from Ancient Egypt, can give a strong sense of place, but the emphasis is on individual plant forms and human and animal figures rather than the overall landscape setting. For a coherent depiction of a whole landscape, some rough system of perspective, or scaling for distance, is needed, and this seems from literary evidence to have first been developed in Ancient Greece in the Hellenistic period, although no large-scale examples survive. More ancient Roman landscapes survive, from the 1st century BCE onwards, especially frescos of landscapes decorating rooms that have been preserved at archaeological sites of Pompeii, Herculaneum and elsewhere, and mosaics.[69]

The Chinese ink painting tradition of shan shui ("mountain-water"), or "pure" landscape, in which the only sign of human life is usually a sage, or a glimpse of his hut, uses sophisticated landscape backgrounds to figure subjects, and landscape art of this period retains a classic and much-imitated status within the Chinese tradition.

Both the Roman and Chinese traditions typically show grand panoramas of imaginary landscapes, generally backed with a range of spectacular mountains in China often with waterfalls and in Rome often including sea, lakes or rivers. These were frequently used to bridge the gap between a foreground scene with figures and a distant panoramic vista, a persistent problem for landscape artists.

A major contrast between landscape painting in the West and East Asia has been that while in the West until the 19th century it occupied a low position in the accepted hierarchy of genres, in East Asia the classic Chinese mountain-water ink painting was traditionally the most prestigious form of visual art. However, in the West, history painting came to require an extensive landscape background where appropriate, so the theory did not entirely work against the development of landscape painting for several centuries landscapes were regularly promoted to the status of history painting by the addition of small figures to make a narrative scene, typically religious or mythological.

Dutch Golden Age painting of the 17th century saw the dramatic growth of landscape painting, in which many artists specialized, and the development of extremely subtle realist techniques for depicting light and weather. The popularity of landscapes in the Netherlands was in part a reflection of the virtual disappearance of religious painting in a Calvinist society, and the decline of religious painting in the 18th and 19th centuries all over Europe combined with Romanticism to give landscapes a much greater and more prestigious place in 19th-century art than they had assumed before.

In England, landscapes had initially been mostly backgrounds to portraits, typically suggesting the parks or estates of a landowner, though mostly painted in London by an artist who had never visited the site. the English tradition was founded by Anthony van Dyck and other, mostly Flemish, artists working in England. By the beginning of the 19th century the English artists with the highest modern reputations were mostly dedicated landscapists, showing the wide range of Romantic interpretations of the English landscape found in the works of John Constable, J.M.W. Turner and Samuel Palmer. However all these had difficulty establishing themselves in the contemporary art market, which still preferred history paintings and portraits.[70]

In Europe, as John Ruskin said,[71] and Sir Kenneth Clark confirmed, landscape painting was the "chief artistic creation of the nineteenth century", and "the dominant art", with the result that in the following period people were "apt to assume that the appreciation of natural beauty and the painting of landscape is a normal and enduring part of our spiritual activity"[72]

The Romantic movement intensified the existing interest in landscape art, and remote and wild landscapes, which had been one recurring element in earlier landscape art, now became more prominent. The German Caspar David Friedrich had a distinctive style, influenced by his Danish training. To this he added a quasi-mystical Romanticism. French painters were slower to develop landscape painting, but from about the 1830s Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot and other painters in the Barbizon School established a French landscape tradition that would become the most influential in Europe for a century, with the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists for the first time making landscape painting the main source of general stylistic innovation across all types of painting.

In the United States, the Hudson River School, prominent in the middle to late 19th century, is probably the best-known native development in landscape art. These painters created works of mammoth scale that attempted to capture the epic scope of the landscapes that inspired them. The work of Thomas Cole, the school's generally acknowledged founder, has much in common with the philosophical ideals of European landscape paintings a kind of secular faith in the spiritual benefits to be gained from the contemplation of natural beauty. Some of the later Hudson River School artists, such as Albert Bierstadt, created less comforting works that placed a greater emphasis (with a great deal of Romantic exaggeration) on the raw, even terrifying power of nature. The best examples of Canadian landscape art can be found in the works of the Group of Seven, prominent in the 1920s.[73]Emily Carr was also closely associated with the Group of Seven, though was never an official member. Although certainly less dominant in the period after World War I, many significant artists still painted landscapes in the wide variety of styles exemplified by Neil Welliver, Alex Katz, Milton Avery, Peter Doig, Andrew Wyeth, David Hockney and Sidney Nolan.

The term neo-romanticism is applied in British art history, to a loosely affiliated school of landscape painting that emerged around 1930 and continued until the early 1950s.[74] These painters looked back to 19th-century artists such as William Blake and Samuel Palmer, but were also influenced by French cubist and post-cubist artists such as Pablo Picasso, Andr Masson, and Pavel Tchelitchew (Clark and Clarke 2001; Hopkins 2001). This movement was motivated in part as a response to the threat of invasion during World War II. Artists particularly associated with the initiation of this movement included Paul Nash, John Piper, Henry Moore, Ivon Hitchens, and especially Graham Sutherland. A younger generation included John Minton, Michael Ayrton, John Craxton, Keith Vaughan, Robert Colquhoun, and Robert MacBryde (Button 1996).

Landscape with scene from the Odyssey, Rome, c. 60-40 BC.

Spring in Kiangnan (1547) by Wen Cheng-Ming(1470-1559) (lower half detail).

Pablo Picasso, 1908, Paysage aux deux figures (Landscape with Two Figures)

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Welcome to the realistic oil paintings and artwork of William Hagerman that include realistic paintings of the American west, southwest landscape, Texas hill country, bluebonnet paintings and other beautiful views of the rural countryside.

You will find solace among the elegant oil paintings that highlight the majesty of the landscape captured in a moment of time and then translated to canvas by the artist's hand. As humans we are made up of the elements of the earth, and when we experience the scenic outdoors, we feel drawn to it, nurtured by it, and rejuvenated as we savor the beauty around us.

Being infused with such qualities is the essence of the art by William Hagerman.

If you haven't found that "special painting" commissioning an oil painting may be just the perfect option for you.

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Learning how to oil paint, can raise many questions such as "where do I start or how do I mix colors?" It can seem like a daunting task for those just starting out and especially without any guidance.

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Basic art instruction is provided here on this website.

With 33 years experience the art instruction William provides will make even the most apprehensive student feel confident!

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Realistic Landscape Oil Paintings by William Hagerman

Any plant with strong, deep or fibrous roots does well on slopes.

It's impossible to stop the wind from blowing or the rain from pouring down, but you can minimize their effects on your hillside in various ways to keep soil from eroding. The best way to stop soil erosion is to use all the methods at your disposal -- planting shrubs and ground covers with strong root systems; building terraces; installing drip irrigation systems. Despite the widespread notion that sowing native grass seed is an effective method to control soil erosion, studies show that such slopes have more erosion, according to horticulturist Bert Wilson at Las Pilitas Nursery in Santa Margarita, California.

Build a series of stone or wood terraces if you have a large hillside. Even a small, single terrace prevents some water runoff.

Incorporate stairs into the hillside. Use gravel or other porous material to help water seep into the ground.

Install a drip irrigation system on the uphill side of plants to reduce erosion caused by watering plants with a hose or sprinkler.

Plant cinquefoil (Potentilla neumanniana) in full sun to partial shade in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 1 through 10b. Cinquefoil, with yellow 1/4-inch flowers and bright green leaves, grows 4 to 6 inches tall and spreads with rooting stems.

Raise dwarf periwinkle (Vinca minor) in partial to full shade or full sun in cool climates in USDA hardiness zones 5b through 10b. Don't plant Vinca major, a larger, invasive species of the plant.

Use Santa Barbara sedge (Carex barbarae) in sun or partial shade in USDA zones 7a through10b. This perennial forms spreading clumps of grasslike leaves 1 to 3 feet tall.

Plant a spreading juniper, such as Gold Lace (Juniperus chinensios), in USDA plant hardiness zones 5b through 10b in either full sun or partial shade. Gold Lace, with golden tipped, green foliage, grows to 4 feet tall and spreads to 6 feet. Blue Chip (Juniperus horizontalis) spreads 6 to 8 feet and grows 1 foot tall, with silver-blue foliage in USDA hardiness zones 1 through 10b.

Grow dwarf heath (Erica carnea) in sun, or partial shade in very hot climates, in USDA plant hardiness zones 5b through 10b. This species of heath has red flowers and grows 16 inches high and 2 feet wide.

Plant pride of Madeira (Echium candicans) in USDA zones 9a through 10b in full sun. The plant needs a big slope, where its large mounds can reach 5 to 6 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide. Pride of Madeira has gray-green leaves and tall, spiky blue-purple flowers.

Susan Lundman began writing about her passions of cooking, gardening, entertaining and recreation after working for a nonprofit agency, writing grants and researching child development issues. She has written professionally for six years since then. Lundman received her M.A. from Stanford University.

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How to Landscape a Hill to Stop Soil Erosion | Home Guides ...

Home Browse Yards Yard Experts Yard Ideas Yard Forum Yard Contests My Yardshare Yard Type Yard Feature Garden Location Size Special The Challenge of a Hill . . .

Oh, I so want this if I end up with a backyard on a slope!

Outdoor Entertainment/Area

I love little nooks of serenity nestled among the flowers and trees in a backyard. This is more of an upscale campfire design, but it looks easy enough to create.

backyards

How to build steps up a hill

House Stuff

Back Yard Drainage Systems | French drains. A French drain, one of the most common drainage repair ...

Outside

Use this as breaks between the areas which are going to be terraced into platforms

READER PHOTOS! A grotto garden in Pennsylvania | Fine Gardening

Do we ever know the challenge of landscaping a hill! I dream of our backyard jungle one day looking like this beauty from Doug's Green Garden: http://www.landscaping-ideas-for-gardening.com/the-challenge-of-a-hill-.html

*Curb Appeal*

Love this dry stream--great idea for runoff from a slope as suggested or in my case from our geothermal system. By Jan Johnsen/Serenity in the Garden

Gardens I dig

Great success with planting a slope has to do with the types of plants you use. Here are some great tips, ideas and photos. For low maintenance, be sure to use drought tolerant plants!

Garden Ideas & Projects

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1000+ ideas about Landscaping A Hill on Pinterest | How To ...

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