Landscape thought for the day ,….

My work requires quite a lot of driving. It occurred to me yesterday, that my consciousness is focussed in feelings of compassion for the sick and suffering…plants, that is. I used to think I was being over-critical of the landscapes that I passed – focussing on how they could be better. Then I realized that I am really looking at how plants suffer injury, and suffer from lack of care. My  heart was reaching out to the decline of a magnificent beech tree, or to the grass that has been repeatedly driven over, and just couldn’t get going again.

As I look for the perfection in the landscape, I also sense the perfection  in nature’s imperfection. The scars and wounds tell me a story of the things that happen in this world, and like with human beings, that story is to be honored for being uniquely imperfect.

It feels good to be filled with compassion, and I am thankful for the change in my attitude from critical to caring.

Happy trails!

Katherine Field inducted into New England Design Hall of Fame

The New England Design Hall of Fame has announced that Landscape Architect, Katherine A. Field, principal of Katherine Field and Associates, of Newport, RI, has been honored with induction into the 2010 Design Hall of Fame.

The New England Design Hall of Fame^® honors individuals who have had especially significant careers in residential design in New England. A small number of architects, interior designers and landscape architects whose work, influence and community involvement set them at the pinnacle of their profession are inducted into the Hall of Fame at an annual ceremony each November.

Ms. Field has been the principal of the landscape architecture firm, Katherine Field and Associates, for over 25 years, and is known for her landscape designs throughout New England and beyond. She holds a BA in Architecture and Fine Arts from University of Pennsylvania, and a BLA in Landscape Architecture from University of Arizona. She is a registered Landscape Architect in Rhode Island and Massachusetts and is a registered member of the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards, and the American Society of Landscape Architects, Rhode Island Chapter; she is also a certified Rhode Island Horticulturist and Invasive Plant Manager.  Ms. Field’s many awards include the Rhode Island American Society of Landscape Architects Design Merit and Past President’s Awards, the Garden Club of America’s National Winner of the Founder’s Fund Award, Rhode Island Nursery & Landscape Association Design Awards, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, Meritorious and Distinguished Service Award. Her designs have been featured in publications such as, Architectural Digest, New England Home Magazine, Southern New England Home, Design New England, Coastal Living, Better Homes and Gardens, the Boston Globe, and the Providence Journal.

  The fourth annual awards induction and gala event will be held November 11, 2010 in Boston, MA. For more information please visit www.katherinefield.com

Recently completed project in Newport

Shower

Spa

Here are two photos of one of our recently completed projects.

Thanks from The Healing CoOp

Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
What you have all given us cannot be described in words. It could, however, be felt tonight as I guided 17 women with cancer through a prayerful meditation – sitting on the strong and warm granite that anchored them to the earth while gazing peacefully into the colors and shapes that surrounded them. I hoped you could feel the gratitude flowing to each and every one of you.
From the top, middle and bottom of my and our hearts, thank you.
 
With oceans of gratitude,
 
Linda and the Co-Op

Healing Garden Update Planting Day

 Thank you to everyone who came out and volunteered and to those of you who were there in spirit! Thank you to fellow KFA employee Beth Greenleaf who, for some reason, evaded the camera!

Healing CoOp founder Linda Phelan moving plants with her tractor

Patrick Sweeney

Dan Titus, Charlie Page, and Jake Mather moving plants into place

Garden from the house

Ray Maiello and Charlie Page with Charlie’s two sons

Kate working her magic

Healing CoOp volunteer Laura Peters and her pet bird Poppi

We could not have done it without the donuts!

Look how beautiful it is….Laura watering the new garden

Peace, tranquility, healing

Lucy Williams moving a tree that weighs more than she does

Healing Garden Update

Fostering plant donations in the driveway

We are ready to plant this weekend, Saturday, August 22nd 2009! We have over 200 plant donations from Fields of Dreams, Hoogendorn Nursery, Sylvan Nursery, Newport Restoration Foundation, The Rhode Island Nurseries, Inc., Chaves Nursery, and Island Garden Shop. Thank you for your kind donations! You can come watch (or help) us plant between 9am and noon at The Healing CoOp at 272 Mitchell’s Lane, Middletown RI.

Healing Garden Update

Check out the site shoes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Miguel and his team from D Schumacher Landscaping are hard at work installing the granite benches and stepping stones.

 

Healing Garden Update

Back gathering area

 

Front gathering area

This is what the Healing Garden looked like on August the 5th after Rick Miranda, from Aquidneck Landworks, finished at the site. He further graded the area for us and laid the pea stone gravel beds. It was difficult working in the water logged area after having ten inches of rain in July. Rick persevered and did an outstanding job. Here are the pea stone gravel areas that will become the gathering spots in the garden with benches and chairs for groups of people.

 

Healing Garden

Dave Schumacher says it has to look bad before it looks good!

This year here at KFA we decided to do a little volunteer work. We are in the process of installing a 42 x 42 foot Healing Garden for the Healing Co-Op, www.thehealingcoop.org  in Middletown, RI. The Healing Co-Op is a non profit center celebrating and supporting the lives of women with cancer and their families since 1995. The garden will provide contemplative seating area’s incorporated into a cutting garden. The idea is to make available a connection between nature and people and to facilitate health and wellness through a therapeutic landscape.

We thought that you might enjoy seeing what we are doing at the Healing Garden so we will be posting our progress.

Also, as with many large volunteer projects, we are not working alone on this.  We have a great team of volunteers, who we are delighted to work with, and we will be recognizing all of these wonderful companies and individuals who are helping with the garden. 

Thanks to the contractor’s who are clearing the area, forming the layout and the beds, procuring donations for materials, or dontating materials themselves, and who will be installing various elements into the garden.

Enos Landscaping, Dave Enos and Al DaCunha, Bristol, RI 401-254-1126

Aquidneck Landworks, Rick Miranda, Middletown, RI   www.aquidnecklandworks.com

D. Schumacher Landscaping, Dave Schumacher, Miguel Castanheira and Pedro Castanheira, West Bridgewater, MA  www.dschumacher.com

Fields of Dreams, Michael Ward, North Stonington, CT www.fieldsofdreams.info

Rick Miranda forming the beds and pea stone gravel areas

Employee becomes LEED certified

Congratulations to Designer Charlie Page on passing the LEED certification exam. Having  LEED certified designers enables Katherine Field and Associates to provide our clients with the knowledge and expertise of the latest in green building  practices.