Outdoor Landscape Design

Outdoor landscape design always revolves around the home. This is due to the home’s preeminence on the landscape as the symbol of lifestyle and values. In every aspect of design the home must always be respected from every vantage point in the yard. The residential landscaper makes certain of this by concentrating on developing two types of forms: hardscape and softscape. Softscape refers to organic forms like trees, gardens, and grasses. Hardscapes refer to anything inorganic and constructed.

Softscape elements are the first things that normally come to mind when we think of outdoor landscape design. While vegetation technically occupies less space than structure, its importance is nevertheless absolute. This is because the whole point of Houston outdoor living is to experience Nature from the vantage point of a comfort zone. Choosing the right plant materials is essential, because whatever vegetation is planted must be done so deliberately that less becomes more at the end of the day.

Gardens are perhaps the most popular organic elements and exist in a wide range of types that establish entire themes for landscaping. French gardens, parterre gardens, Italian gardens, and English gardens are essentially formal designs. Others styles, like modern and contemporary types, are fundamentally abstract and custom in nature.

In a similar manner, flower beds add diversity and vibrancy to the landscape by introducing a spectrum of colors as accent decor. Flower beds are particularly useful in areas too small to host a garden. Small fountains, statues, and the areas of around trees are ideal locations for either annual or seasonal expressions of color.

Other types of vegetation can be used to establish boundaries and accent essence in outdoor landscape design. Hedges can function as small organic walls that separate gardens from lawns and courtyards from open spaces. Open outdoor rooms can even be built with hedges and shrubs as walls.

The second aspect of outdoor landscape design is hardscape plans. While many people may think that only solid, horizontal surfaces like patios and driveways are hardscapes, the reality is that any structure constructed in a yard is technically a hardscape form.

Hardscape construction consists of a blend horizontal and vertical structures that contributes a livable element to the natural forms of the landscape. Great care must be taken by the landscape architect to design these forms to scale and to use materials that compliment architecture and surrounding vegetation. Everything must look harmonious and balanced when the final project phase is complete.

Hardscapes are typically constructed from stone, concrete, or iron. Wood is technically classified a hardscape too, although wood is somewhat unique in that it is an organic substance derived directly from nature.

Many hardscapes perform a primarily functional role in outdoor landscape design. These structures include patios, driveways, and walkways. Others structures are clearly more decorative in essence. Architectural walls help frame outdoor rooms, entry gardens, and courtyard. Swimming pools look more inviting with a coping rising up from the patio. Iron fences, arbors, and trellises can add either Old World Formality or rustic motif to any landscape.