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Fairley Rinehart: Designing the Outdoors B Y H ENRIETTA M C G UIRE “B Y THE TIME I WAS SEVEN YEARS OLD I HAD MEMORIZED THE NAMES OF A HUNDRED TREES AND BUSHES AROUND OUR HOUSE ,” SAYS F AIRLEY R INEHART . S O PERHAPS IT WAS INEVITABLE THAT SHE WOULD BECOME A L ANDSCAPE D ESIGN P LANNER . “W HEN I LOOK BACK I CAN TELL THAT THERE REALLY WAS NO ESCAPE . I F YOU ARE THE THIRD OR FOURTH GENERATION LIVING IN THE FAMILY HOME , AND HAVE WISE GRANDMOTHERS ONE AND TWO AND PARENTS AND ASSORTED FEMALE RELATIVES ALL INTERESTED IN PLANTS , YOU JUST FOLLOW THE CHOSEN PATH , LOVING EVERY MOMENT OF IT .” A S ONE OF THE GRANDMOTHERS USED TO SAY , “W HEN A TORNADO STRIKES , YOU CAN ’ T DO ANYTHING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT BIG . W HAT YOU CAN DO IS TAKE SOME HOT SOUP AND A BOUQUET OF FLOWERS TO A NEIGHBOR SITTING AMONG THE ASHES OF HER ONLY HOME .” efore you get to landscape planning though, several years of schooling fill up the horizon, including a degree from Auburn University. Fairley says, “I worked hard there, even studying Latin which became my new best friend.” Latin, in south Alabama, where even our grasp of English is sometimes a little shaky? “Yes, and you’ll use it with clients all the time. For example, a Banana tree produces fruit, but if some expert names another plant, Banana Bush, producing no fruit, it causes confusion all around. So using the Latin name makes every- thing clearer.” On leaving Auburn Fairley found a job with Sherlock, Smith & Adams, one of the largest architectural firms in the area. From the beginning she was happily doing all their hand-drafting work when abruptly she was let go because the company had to retrench. She suffered a bad case of hurt feelings, which morphed into the stunned realization that she was out of a job and needed to be gainfully employed. “Gradually I realized that getting fired was the best thing that could have happened.” The unintended consequence of that action forced Rinehart to make the decision to go out on her own and open her own office. “I was scared to death for the first six months. Was I going to make it, pay the bills, stay out of debt? Most of all, where would I find clients?” Exactly where she had left them: in a network she had unwit- tingly created doing all that drafting work. She began to track them down, and little by little created a loyal band of brothers - and of course sisters — who will follow her to the gates of heaven. For not only is Fairley a superb and imaginative professional, she also has a special gift for friendship. Once you are within the Magic Circle you are there forever. As far as clients go, she developed a technique which makes the relationship more productive. Before a single shovel hits the ground she explains that it’s easier to discuss and explore ideas than to dig, build and then have to rebuild. On the plan she prepares are long lines attached to every tree, bush, flower, bench showing where each itemwill live in its new world. Therefore the client will learn the cost, life expectancy, color etc., etc. of everything which goes in or out of the plan. In other words, the good design planner leaves no stone in splendid isolation. Fairley is enthusiastic in describing how lucky she was in finding the perfect mentor, John Shaffer. A practicing architect he was also an artist as well as a gardener, and could guide her in the many paths a landscape planner would be wise to follow. More than anything else he was tireless in providing guidance on the tricks of the trade, what not to do and what always to do. “He used to say that in starting a new project the first idea you have is probably not the best one. Let it simmer until you get a better one. And you will.” Probably every Design Planner has tucked away somewhere the plans for a Secret Garden waiting for the right moment to appear. Fairley has. “If we’re talking Secret Gardens mine wouldn’t be se- 20 AL/ Metro 360 www.almetro360.com CULTURE..................................................... B