For artists, inspiration can come from unusual places. Terry Gibson and his wife, Nancy, both with Terry Gibson ~ Landscape Architect, are known for their intimate design style, specializing in meditation rooms and sacred spaces.
As I talked with Terry about his design philosophy, I was surprised to learn that his inspiration comes from all over the world, but most definitely from the country that he and Nancy have called their second home for over 20 years – Guatemala.
Their love affair with this Mayan-dominated country began simply enough – a trek to visit Mayan ruins. Little did they suspect that this initial visit would impact the rest of their lives.
“We fell in love with the people, the culture,” said Terry. They’re now building a sustainable habitat on top of a Mayan ruin – a spot they were directed to by the local villagers. He continued, “The people here are so kind. They accepted us and even asked us to become members of their village. That’s huge in their culture.”
Spending so much time in a place where survival is dependent upon the creativity of the people who live there has taught the Gibsons much about sustainable living and conservation. This knowledge helps them when working with their clients in the U.S. “We spend a lot of time educating clients to reduce their fear of the environment. Our experiences in Guatemala have helped us explain it better,” admits Terry.
It seems as though the world they experience in Guatemala – the hardships, the sparse commodities and the beautiful landscape, have had a positive effect on the Gibsons. Translating the quiet of the jungle to a backyard in Portland, OR is no easy task. Yet, this is an area they excel – taking the beauty they’ve experienced firsthand and bringing it home.
Since it’s only the two of them, they prefer to work on smaller, intimate projects that often come after a large landscaping project is complete. They serve as “finish landscapers.” If you’ve never heard the term, don’t feel bad, I hadn’t either.
Think of what they do this way: in carpentry, you have the people who do the initial wood construction. But once the bones of the house are complete, a finish carpenter comes in and installs the woodwork, crown molding, etc. to complete the “look” of the house. This is similar to what the Gibsons do, only with plants, dirt and hardscape materials.
Ornamental Grasses and Plants
Their experience has also finely attuned them to wildlife. Their sites often include a nurturing of the birds, animals and insects in an area. They also encourage edible gardening – using edible garden plants and interspersing vegetable plants within the landscape.
If you’ve never thought about planting your tomatoes next to your black-eyed Susan’s, you might want to rethink your gardening strategy. Gone are the days when vegetable gardens had to be planted in tidy rows in a rectangular plot of ground. Who says zucchini and zinnias can’t live together harmoniously?
Watch for Terry and Nancy at the Energy Trust Better Living Show. If you stop by their booth, they’ll tell you about their adventures and how they can tame an unruly landscape into an eco-friendly, serene space designed just for you.
Originally posted 2009-03-09 08:20:11. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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Hi Lisbeth. Just read your piece on us. While I enjoyed our coversation, I did not have high expectations. But I think this is the first time someone in the media got it right; no editiorializing or mixing up the quotes, just the essence of our mission. THANK YOU for a job well done!!!Please feel free to contact me on other related topics if you need consulting or professional reference in the future. Hope to hear from you soon.
Terry