Houston Gardens

Houston’s landscape and climate makes it a great place to plant a garden. Because it has such a warm climate, humid atmosphere, and soil that is rich in nutrients, almost anything you plant here is not only going to survive, but also thrive. Tropicals, low-level shrubs, all colors of perennials of all colors, and seasonal in a rainbow of colors all do very well here.

This diversity of plant material options allows the landscape contractor tremendous freedom in creating Houston gardens that are based on both traditional and non-traditional forms. We believe that all elements of landscaping design should first and foremost respect the architecture of the home with a form that mirrors its structural highlights and adds organic sense to the home’s presence. Accordingly, we approach a garden as a key supportive element of the larger surrounding residence and particular neighborhood. We have all seen scores of amateur gardens throughout the city that are basically flower beds circling the bases of trees. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this, such elementary design lacks the ability to significantly differentiate a residence from the others on the block.

We believe instead that Houston gardens should be developed under the umbrella of a landscaping master plan. Our goal is never to simply fill empty spaces with flowers and shrubs. In fact, some of the more exotic forms we design for clients, such as Zen and modern gardens, rely on a skillful blend of empty space, vegetation, and ornamentation to create a very subtle but powerful synergy. Yardmen and do-it-yourself gardening manuals miss this nine times out of ten. They only focus on how to find pretty plants that fill space with color and greenery. Professional gardeners, however, rely upon either an established, traditional design or a derivative of that form that is then individualized to a particular residence and client personal tastes.

You can find examples of this in our many case histories, located in our landscaping portfolio. If you read through a few of these, you will soon notice that different garden styles are very prevalent in specific parts of Houston. In River Oaks, for example, you see Italian and French gardens almost everywhere you go. The lots are so large, and the architecture so elegantly formal, that Old World gardening designs work very well with the landscape and houses here. However, we see almost the complete opposite in areas such as West University, Southside Place, Bellaire, and Rice Village. Here, the lots are much smaller, and houses are also either smaller or built upward rather than outward. If you live in one of these Houston neighborhoods, you will want something like a knot garden or modern garden that catches the eye, but nonetheless lies very low to the ground. This will make your home and yard look larger, and it will add dimension and structure without competing with other landscaping elements.

Exterior Worlds is located in the memorial area. They have been serving the Houston area including River Oaks, West University, Bellaire, Memorial, Tanglewood since 1987. Call Exterior Worlds at 713-827-2255 to discuss a complete landscape renovation