Houston Garden Designers

Houston, TX presents one of the most challenging environments in the nation for garden design. The compacted, high-clay content of the Houston landscape makes it difficult for the roots of many plants and trees to gain a viable foothold in the ground. Additionally, heavy seasonal rains can suddenly flood yards and streets in a matter of hours, drowning and killing garden plants that lack proper drainage. These are not the only challenges facing garden designers, either. In the summer, the humidity can push the heat index well over 100 degrees – creating a breeding ground for plant stress and disease.

Such extremes in climate take their toll on both organic and inorganic landscaping elements. Pools, decks, outdoor lights, masonry, stonework- all suffer as much as plant life during these times. In order to effectively counteract these negatives, Houston garden designers need more than simple cultivation skills. They need an understanding of construction and architecture, and they need to know what materials will best hold up in the Houston landscape. Irrigation and drainage know-how are also critical skills they must be able to integrate into any organic designs they create, so that ornamentation, functionality, and structural components all blend together into an aesthetic that will continue to grow and thrive despite wild swings in weather and temperature.

There are four basic types of garden designers, each of which offers varying levels of expertise and service.

1. Conceptual Garden Designers
These professionals draft a master plan for your garden, but they do none of the construction or planting involved in garden installation. While it is great to have such a master plan, complications normally develop when the homeowner then attempts to transfer the conceptual to the actual. Unforeseen variables such as the viability of building materials, the costs of construction, and ongoing maintenance soon make the simplicity of such a plan a nightmare of logistics when homeowners attempt to contract these services on their own.

2. Landscaping Garden Designers
These individuals understand the installation and cultivation of garden plants, and they are very good at giving you what you desire within your budget. However, few have any advanced design experience. If you are looking for a parterre garden, traditional French garden, Italian garden, or Japanese garden, you will probably have to look elsewhere to find an expert in such forms.

3. Horticultural Specialists in Garden Design
Normally such experts consult from nurseries and garden centers and know a great deal about soils and plants. They also can be the first to tell you what plants will do best in what parts of your yard. Many of them also have a great deal of knowledge in building irrigation and drainage systems, and some have basic construction skills in planter and patio design. You have to be careful, however, not to be oversold on the number of plants you ultimately purchase. Horticulturalists love to create as much variety as possible, and you also must be aware that any construction work such individuals do will only be basic.

4. Landscape Architects as Garden Designers
These professionals combine advanced design and horticultural knowledge with a sophisticated understanding of construction and the ability to subcontract and manage independent teams in the construction of outdoor buildings and hardscapes. These companies can integrate the inorganic elements of structure with complex, organic patterns of carefully selected vegetation, weaving the entire landscape into an outdoor living experience that compliments home architecture and combines functionality with superior aesthetic sense. Landscape architects plan, initiate, supervise, complete, and maintain the garden as a single-source of outdoor design. The only negative for many people is the higher cost these companies tend to charge, making these service offerings very much a niche, high-end market in the wealthier neighborhoods such as River Oaks, Tanglewood, Bellaire, and Rice Village.

Always remember that you have a choice when it comes time to decide which type of garden designer you ought to go with. Carefully think your decision through, considering who can best address such factors such as plant life, maintenance, aesthetics, and uniqueness design elements before you make your final decision.