Residential Landscape Architect

Residential landscape architects really are true architects in every sense of the word. They know theory and home design and have been trained in working with the basic geometric forms that are common to both the natural world and manmade worlds. This knowledge enables them designer to better organic forms with home architecture and construct outdoor structures that compliment the house and blend harmoniously with organic elements. This knowledge is gained through extensive formal study and years of field experience.

Knowing the essentials of home building enables residential landscape architects to create complimentary forms and outdoor buildings throughout the entirety of the lot. Patios, hardscapes, entry gardens, ornamental walls, custom fountains, outdoor kitchens, and custom swimming pools are built with respect to home architecture in mind. By making the house the focal point of the landscape, professional outdoor designers unify the natural with the man-made and transform the outdoors into an outdoor living experience.

Residential landscape architects also pursue formal education in botany and plant biology. After all, vegetation is the foundation of almost every landscaping style (with the possible exceptions of contemporary and modern designs). It is therefore essential that landscapers know what plants, flowers, shrubs, and tree species will best support the outdoor theme being developed.

These experts must understand which plant species will best grow in Houston landscape environment and which species will grow best together. This knowledge goes beyond flowering plants and shrubbery and includes a thorough knowledge of trees and tree preservation techniques. Trees give the landscape vertical dimension and provide shade for outdoor gathering spots. All of these elements have to be blended together into a living system that will compliment and work toward enhancing homeowner lifestyle and entertainment requirements.

Home landscape design is so sophisticate that outdoor lighting is essential to its completion. There is no point to professional landscape design if the forms created cannot be seen after sunset. Outdoor lighting lets you enjoy your garden, pool and patio, or outdoor building at any time of night regardless of natural lighting levels.

Residential landscape architects do not have to be technical experts in every form of light fixture, but they do have to know the essentials of both the equipment and its use to effectively work with lighting experts brought in to support the landscape design with outdoor lighting solutions. Such joint expertise is necessary to ensure that all technology employed to illuminate a particular property remains true to the ultimate design theme at hand.

Just as lighting is a key visible element of landscape design, the infrastructure of any such design is just as vital to its ultimate success. We are specifically speaking here of irrigation and drainage networks which have to built custom to the specific organic and inorganic elements of the specific property at hand. Residential landscape architects must build water management systems that accomplish two things to make the homeowner’s investment viable and secure. They must maintain the vitality of vegetation in order to keep the yard green and colorful. Secondly, they must see to it that when heavy rains shrike Houston unexpectedly and suddenly, the drains in the yard will move excess water off the property at a faster rate that it accumulates.

These irrigation and drainage systems not only have to work, but they also have to work behind the scenes in order to prevent raw mechanics from diminishing aesthetics. The construction of these systems requires the residential landscape architect study engineering theory and basic water management techniques in order to build effective irrigation and drainage networks.

Call Exterior Worlds now to learn more about this dynamic and important asset you can invest in when you work with a professional landscape design firm that adds value to your property and lifestyle.