Designed to Grow
The true test of a landscape isn't always how it looks the day installation is complete. It's how it looks after it's had time to grow.
James River Nurseries recently had the opportunity to revisit The Forum Hotel at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business in Charlottesville, a project our team was proud to help bring to life alongside W.M. Jordan Company and Waterstreet Studio.
And this is exactly the kind of return visit we love.
What began as carefully placed trees and boulders, expansive plantings, pedestal bluestone pavers and thoughtfully constructed gathering spaces has had time to settle in. Plants have filled out. Trees have begun establishing themselves. The different layers of the landscape are becoming increasingly apparent.
The result is a landscape that feels less like something newly constructed and more like it belongs exactly where it is.
A Landscape Rooted in the Virginia Piedmont
From the beginning, the landscape surrounding The Forum Hotel was designed to feel connected to its setting.
Located at UVA's Darden School of Business, the property called for a landscape that could complement its architecture while feeling appropriate to the larger Charlottesville and Virginia Piedmont landscape.
Rather than relying heavily on expanses of traditional lawn, the design incorporates abundant plantings, natural stone elements, trees and gathering spaces that invite visitors into the landscape.
That layered approach creates an environment that feels lush and established while providing a very different experience from a conventional commercial landscape.
And as the plants mature, that vision becomes increasingly apparent.
Why Great Landscapes Get Better With Time
Landscape construction is unusual because the finished product isn't actually finished when the crews leave.
Plants are living materials.
Perennials expand. Shrubs develop their mature form. Trees establish their canopies. Plant communities begin filling the spaces intentionally left for future growth.
A newly installed landscape therefore represents only the first stage of the design.
This is one reason proper plant selection, spacing and installation are so important. Designing only for immediate impact can create an impressive landscape on opening day but cause overcrowding and maintenance challenges as plants mature.
Successful landscapes anticipate what happens next.
At The Forum Hotel, returning after the landscape had time to establish gave our team the opportunity to see those layers beginning to come together.
Layered Plantings Create a Sense of Place
One of the defining characteristics of this landscape is its emphasis on layered, naturalistic planting.
Instead of treating individual plants as isolated elements, densely planted landscapes can use combinations of trees, shrubs, perennials and ground-level plantings to create depth, texture and seasonal change.
Different heights and forms draw the eye through the landscape, while variations in foliage and bloom create interest throughout the growing season.
As these plants mature, the relationships between them become even more apparent.
The result can feel effortless and natural, even though creating that effect requires careful planning and precise installation.
Less Lawn, More Landscape
Traditional turfgrass certainly has its place, but it doesn't need to dominate every commercial or institutional property.
At The Forum Hotel, a predominantly planted landscape creates a richer experience around the property while reinforcing the natural character of the site.
Expansive planting areas can create opportunities for greater seasonal interest, texture and biodiversity than a landscape composed primarily of lawn. They can also help define outdoor rooms and guide movement through a property.
Most importantly, the approach allows the landscape itself to become part of the identity of the space, rather than simply serving as a backdrop to the architecture.
Natural Stone and Hardscape Ground the Landscape
Plant material may change dramatically over time, but hardscape provides structure from the beginning.
At The Forum Hotel, elements including pedestal bluestone pavers, natural stone and carefully placed boulders help connect the planted landscape to gathering and circulation spaces throughout the property.
Material selection matters in a setting like this.
Natural stone brings variations in texture and character that complement the surrounding plantings and help reinforce the project's connection to the Virginia landscape.
From a construction standpoint, these elements also require precision. Hardscape elevations, transitions, drainage and installation all need to work together before the landscape surrounding them can truly succeed.
Trees Create Structure for the Future
Some of the most consequential elements installed on a landscape project can also take the longest to reveal their full impact.
Trees are a perfect example.
When newly planted, even substantial trees can feel relatively small compared with the scale of a large building or property. Over time, their role in the landscape changes considerably.
As trees establish and their canopies develop, they can provide shade, vertical structure and a stronger visual relationship between architecture and landscape.
That means planting a tree isn't only about determining where it looks best today. It requires thinking about the space that tree will occupy years into the future.
Landscape Construction Is an Investment in What Comes Next
Revisiting a completed project is a valuable reminder that good landscape construction is inherently forward-looking.
The work that happens during installation establishes the conditions for everything that follows.
Proper site preparation, thoughtful grading, skilled hardscape installation, careful handling of plant material and attention to the original landscape design all contribute to how successfully a property matures.
When those pieces come together, the landscape can become more compelling with every growing season.
That's what makes seeing The Forum Hotel today particularly rewarding for our team. The landscape has moved beyond looking newly installed and has begun to feel established, layered and connected to its surroundings, just as intended.
Bringing the Vision to Life
Successful landscapes at this scale are collaborative from the beginning.
James River Nurseries was proud to be part of the team that brought the landscape at The Forum Hotel to life alongside W.M. Jordan Company and Waterstreet Studio.
Projects like this require coordination between design and construction teams throughout the process. From the placement of trees and boulders to expansive planting areas and pedestal bluestone pavers, each element contributes to the larger vision for the property.
For our crews, that means taking a carefully considered design and executing it in the field with attention to the details that will ultimately determine how the landscape looks and performs.
Years later, those individual elements have begun to settle together into a cohesive whole.
Commercial Landscape Construction in Charlottesville and Central Virginia
Projects like The Forum Hotel at UVA's Darden School of Business demonstrate what can happen when architecture, landscape design, horticulture and skilled construction come together with the long term in mind.
From the pedestal bluestone pavers to expansive plantings and carefully placed trees and boulders, every element was installed as part of a landscape designed to evolve.
Returning to see that evolution is one of the most rewarding parts of what we do.
Because great landscapes aren't just installed. They're grown.
Thinking about what your landscape could become over time? Contact James River Nurseries to start a conversation about your commercial or residential landscape project in Charlottesville, Richmond or Central Virginia.
