Concealed Custom Drainage Systems that Protect the Houston Landscape

How would you define the term, unique irrigation as opposed to irrigation?
A concealed custom drainage system, by definition, is one that is designed to address all the needs of a home or a business in a way that doesn’t disrupt the paving or the terrain of the Houston landscape with severe slopes.

What components are used to make a custom drainage system?
The typical system is made of a network of basins and pipes. Gravel is often used to conceal the basins. Gravel provides an ideal compliment to both hardscape elements and softscape forms.

How do you design such a system without it being an obvious eyesore?
We have to use very creative design ideas. We look for ways to conceal drains and pipes in the very fabric of the land itself. Sometimes we even use special materials to conceal our systems in a way that ultimately improves the aesthetics of the Houston landscape.

What areas of the Houston landscape need concealed, custom drainage systems the most?
Lawns in particular need quality drainage. The worst thing that can happen to a yard is to have pools of water collect without any possibility of runoff. This will kill entire patches of grass, threaten flower beds, and potentially harm trees as well.

There is also a risk to human health when standing water forms like this. The Houston landscape is a favorite breeding ground for mosquitoes due to the heavy rainfall the Texas Gulf Coast receives. In fact, prior to European Colonization, the Karankaway Indians pretty much stayed clear of what is now called Houston because the swarms of mosquitoes the bred in the bayou systems made foraging and hunting uncomfortable even for them.

Building a network of pipes and drains in a lawn is one of the most important steps toward the creation of not only a beautiful landscape, but also a livable and healthy one as well.

How do you conceal drains?
One of our favorite techniques is creating paving solutions that are designed to let the water fall through slots in the pavement. This works very well in the relatively flat Houston landscape. These slots are very small, so the eye will not see them.

What if I don’t want any slots in my pavement?
We can also slope the paving so the water moves to areas that allow for discreet, hidden drain basins or troughs. Sometimes we move the water toward garden areas surrounded by French drains, where just enough water touches plant roots before being drawn through the gravel into the basin.

What Houston neighborhoods need custom drain systems the most?
The landscape throughout the city is flat wherever you go. Therefore, all neighborhoods need this service equally.