Earth Inc. from Toronto is the latest design firm to join the wagon of television. It is a popular trend that grows even more this summer. A glimpse at the TV schedule on HGTV Canada will convince you.
Dirty Business concentrates on the creative elements of building breath-taking, upscale outdoor spaces by this preeminent landscape design firm. We are talking about people with substantial budgets. I watched the fourth episode this week .
About the Show
I feel the show tries to appeal to both men and women. We see the rest of Earth team, James Dale, Joel Loblaw and Lorne Hancock under the leadership of the host, Kennedy McRae. Landscape design requires multidisciplinary skills from landscape architects to plant specialists.
This design firm met in style the biggest change in landscape design over the past few years according to Joel Loblaw. That challenge has been the switch from traditional to modern gardens.
Not Tearing Everything Apart
On the only episode that I watched so far, Summer escape, the host Kennedy McRae installs a Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired arbor. Very chic and sleek!
They started with traditional elements that they must integrate within their modern design. I like the fact that they did not tear everything apart. We will never know whether is it solely due to the tight timeline of the project; but it shows that it is possible to accomplish stunning results without starting from scratch.
They worked around the existing kidney shape pool and a traditional stone wall. Adding the modern furniture, painting the existing fence black and softening the fence with lush greenery provide a fresh looking outdoor space.
I still prefer Take it Outside or my all-time favorite, The City Gardener with Matt James. But I am looking forward to the next episodes. I need to see more to form a well informed opinion.
MORE READING:
+ Dirty Business Project Gallery
+ Dirty Business on HGTV.ca
+ Earth Inc. designed landscapes
HOME + GARDEN, OUTDOOR space | July 26, 2008