Outdoor Kitchens

I would like to build an outdoor kitchen or summer kitchen to entertainment my family and friends. Do you have any experience building something like this?

Yes, this is one of the hottest trends in landscaping and outdoor patios. These structures create a focal point comparable to the kitchen inside the home. They become the center of all the action and entertainment in one’s home.

Best of all, having a kitchen outdoors allows you, as the host, to enjoy the good times, too. You may be the chief cook and bottlewasher, but, with an outdoor kitchen, you get to do all your necessary—and much appreciated—work right in the midst of your family, friends and guests.

Building a kitchen is not dissimilar to any other remodeling project—except it must withstand extremely high levels of heat from the grill and, if not built properly, it can damage or destroy your property. Consequently, it makes sense to use a professional.

A professional will help you during the development phase to check your deed restrictions concerning rules regulating such items as size, lot coverage percentages, height, and color materials. They will also be familiar with city regulations prior to and during construction. It is also imperative that you have a good layout so that all your appliances fit and are convenient for use.

Another consideration for which a landscape designer will provide advice is tying your summer kitchen’s design into the larger space; things like, complementing any existing structures, easy access to the indoor kitchen, the relationship to a swimming pool or outdoor patio. There might be significant factors regarding the layout; for example, if the outdoor kitchen is at your beach house, it might be best positioned to catch the prevailing breeze.

Here are some things to consider:

• Do you want your outdoor kitchen covered so that you can cook and entertain even when it rains?

• You will want to consider the overall size needed. For instance, for the chairs at the dining table, you need at least four feet away from any other element, especially the grill or any step-downs.

• Plan for adequate cabinet space. This way you can keep your supplies, which will help cut down on trips back and forth to the indoor kitchen.
• Counter top options include tile, granite, stone and concrete. Overhead fans.

• Refrigerator: Undercounter units are popular for summer kitchens because they are out of sight, protected by the counter and handy for storage.

• Sinks: Stainless-steel sinks are preferable for summer kitchens because they won't corrode.

• Other accouterments to consider: Waterproof TV and sound systems, hot water heaters, warming drawers, and fireplaces.

Exterior Worlds suggests three elements that often get overlooked:

• Lighting—and lighting that not only provides general and task lighting, but accent lighting as well.

• Plenty of electrical outlets should be included in plans for the cooking and dining areas.

• Think about planting an herb garden nearby.

To discuss building a project for your home, call Exterior Worlds—713-827-2255.

Houston Landscapers

Should I hire a landscaper to install my landscaping?
When choosing to hiring a landscaper, you naturally begin with a preliminary meeting with them where you have an chance to talk about the overall design objectives, program elements and the design intent, the landscape garden design approach, the overall aesthetics, and your personal landscape ideas. The following meetings may include landscape designs, landscape plans and cost estimates. In providing landscape services, a qualified professional should work diligently to help you define the scope of your project, project phasing, scheduling, selection of all plants and construction methods, and finally cost.

Once you have approved the garden design, your landscaper is ready to begin the installation. As discussed earlier, many landscapers act as a “landscape contractor” and oversee the entire landscape installation, including drainage systems, irrigation systems and hardscape elements. Generally landscapers will charge a fee for these services, which are typically charged as a percentage of the overall total job cost, to cover the project administration and management.

During the landscape installation phase, the landscaper will usually include all plant materials and subcontracted elements in their total project price. Once the irrigation and lighting contractors finish their work, the planting can be completed by putting in all shrubs, groundcover, and seasonal color. After this step, mulching and cleanup commence. Then the irrigation and lighting contractors return for their final adjustments.

Throughout the installation the importance of tree protection must be emphasized. Pre-construction activities include protective tree fencing, borer applications on sensitive trees, temporary drainage and elevated bridges to protect tree roots. Correct grading and soil preparation around large trees is another fragile issue. The insight to comprehend the impact of changing grades on mature trees is vital, so make sure your landscaper is well versed in this area of expertise.

Lastly, landscape maintenance is one of the most significant ongoing services to insure that your garden design develops into a mature and beautiful outdoor environment. Whether its residential landscape maintenance or commercial landscape maintenance, contracts include proper trimming of plant material and mowing of all lawn areas. Landscapers should have a systematic fertilization program that boosts the varying plant health of tropical, acidic and seasonal color plants. Irrigation management and continual inspection of the systems, controller, heads, and seasonal watering times is the foundation for lawn, shrub and tree health.

Some homeowners want to act as general contractors for their projects in order to save money. Unfortunately, this a decision can lead to some significant problems during the project. Problems can arise from the misunderstanding of trade terminology, scheduling demands and coordination issues, selection of materials, installation techniques, material availability and construction techniques. A subcontractor will respond much better to a seasoned general contractor who understands the work and with whom they have a good relationship based on past experience. The best landscapers in Houston have years of experience to make sure the end results exceed your expectations.

Call Exterior Worlds @ 713-827-2255 to inquire about hiring a landscapers to install you gardens.

Houston Landscaping

I want to find a Houston landscaping company to help with the design and installation of my gardens.

In large cities like Houston it can be difficult to find landscape companies that deliver wide-ranging landscape solutions. Exterior Worlds has been serving the greater Houston (Hou) area for over 2O years, installing landscape projects and providing landscape maintenance in River Oaks, Memorial, Bellaire, Tanglewood and West University were selective clients have impeccable taste. Our solution has been a 20 year commitment to delivering creative quality work with experienced contractors that have integrity and know-how. We are centrally located minutes from the Memorial Villages, I-10 and 610 loop so we are quickly able to reach and support remote Houston suburbs in an hour or less and have also done work for clients in the Woodlands, Katy, Carlton Woods, Sugarland, New Ulm, Belleview, Chapel Hill, Brenham and Richmond Rosenburg.

We have created solid partnerships with top contractors throughout the city of Houston and the gulf coast region. These long-term working relationships generate a smooth construction process were scheduling, creativity, problem solving, and proven construction standards manifest themselves as a cohesive progression of the construction process.

Don’t under estimate the experience! For landscape design to be truly effective a firm must have an eye for a design as well as complete knowledge of local codes and permitting. Exterior Worlds stays update on these regularly changing codes, rules and procedures to make your project go smoothly. We frequently do work in; Piney Point Village, Bunker Hill Village, Hunters Creek Village, Hedwig Village (also known as: The Memorial Villages), Bellaire, South Side, West University and River Oaks. In any of these areas if you are increasing or building a new home you will need to consider permitting requirements for lot coverage, tree removal, storm water retention, pools, landscape lighting, fencing and gates.

Houston landscaping companies foreign to these permitting requirements can bring your construction to an abrupt halt. Increased cost from fines and penalties, reinstalling or changing things to meet with codes or exposing infrastructure for inspections can become very costly. Knowledge and experience in the best sources of Houston landscaping materials, plants, stone, European tile, antique pottery and planters, is a requirement for all designers at Exterior Worlds. Few of our competitors hold themselves to such a standard, as they find it more cost-effective for them to use sub pare materials to increase. Lowing final design standards seldom brings the client an expected level of benefit.

Our Houston landscaping crews are some of the best in the business. From simple annual flower plantings to complex construction techniques our crews are detailed, trained and experienced. Not only will we install a garden for you but we can assist you with the maintenance of an existing landscape installed by our competitors as well. Call today to schedule an appointment with one of our designers or consultants!!!

Home Landscape Design

Can you tell me if I need a home landscape design for my residence?

Landscaping design for you home or “exterior home design does matters. A study commissioned by the Professional Landcare Network states it in monetary terms: Homes that have been professionally landscaped bring 15-20 percent more upon resale than those with no home landscape design. From an aesthetic perspective, it delivers pleasure. “The significance of home landscape design is that it creates an experience and evokes emotion as you come up to the house,” says Jeff Halper, home landscape design specialist with Exterior Worlds. “Additionally, it supports and enhances the architecture of the home.”

Here are some steps to starting you home landscape design phase:
• Planning. This phase is where you get to dream. While you dream, you want to factor in how you and your family live in the space. Will your landscape design fit your desires, whether that means a swimming pool for the children, an vegetable garden or seating space for lots of guests? Would you like a summer kitchen for entertaining or the visual and auditory pleasures of a water feature? What qualities do you want to bring to your landscape—do you prefer lots of color, variations on one color theme or the more subtle effect of different textures of green? Perhaps you own an outdoor sculpture that you want to spotlight or have a garden type in mind, such as a Japanese garden design or an English garden design. Professionals, such as landscape designers and landscape architects, can help you make the best decisions.


• Financial. During this phase, the scope of the work is defined, including phasing in the different landscape elements. Cost elements include the hardscapes items like patios or decks; surfaces (cement, stone, brick) and walkways; fences, gates and arbors; outdoor kitchens; swimming pools and other water features. Also night lighting; irrigation systems and landscape drainage systems; and types of grass, shrubs, trees, perennials and seasonal color.


• Installation. The installation of your home landscape design is critical and takes into account the features you want to preserve and highlight—and those you don’t. In particular, tree protection is crucial. It involves constructing barricades around trees you want to keep so that roots don’t get damaged during construction. “Trees are large organism and don’t die immediately from the stress caused by construction. It may take them several years to die and many homeowners don’t realize that the damage actually happened during the construction phase,” explains Halper. Other aspects of the landscape installation involve setting up temporary drainage, preparation of the soil and garden beds, and installing irrigation, drainage and lighting. Then comes planting the trees, shrubbery, groundcover and any seasonal color. The final step consists of mulching and cleanup.


• Maintenance. From mowing to watering, regular landscape maintenance protects your investment, preserves the quality of the space and enhances your enjoyment of a lush, healthy landscape. It includes regular lawn mowing and trimming, shrub and tree pruning, fertilization, putting down rye grass, and management of pests and diseases. Exterior Worlds offers a menu of home landscape maintenance services: full service (52 or 42 visits a year), monthly or quarterly. “Our standards go way beyond most homeowners’. You don’t have to micro-manage it or worry about it. We do everything for you,” says Halper.


If you are interested in any high-end landscape services, Exterior Worlds has been providing the excellent residential landscape services and garden design services discussed above for the Houston and the surrounding areas including The Memorial Villages, Tanglewood, River Oaks, West University and the greater Houston (Hou), area since 1987.

Houston Landscape Designer

Can I design and general contract my own landscape?

The challenge is that, Houston Texas is one of the most difficult and challenging climates to design and build landscape gardens in the country. Because of our compacted soils, torrential rains and low lying flood areas a drainage system expert is essential to prevent flooding the house. In Houston our temperature extremes from summer drought and 100 degree days to humid fall and spring weather causes plant stress and diseases. Long and short these weather extremes take their toll on outdoor building elements such as pool and deck surfaces, arbors, and night lighting fixtures. Without the proper knowledge it is very advisable to hire a professional to complete your project.

What should I look for in hiring a Houston Landscape Designer? You want creative ideas, material know-how, local construction standards, and someone who knows the durability of materials as well. Below we will present the four types of Houston Landscape Designer services available with their positive and negative perspectives as to what they bring to the table for your particular project.

The “design-only” landscape designer
This would be an individual who will meet and provide a design for your landscape but is not involved in the supervision, construction or maintenance of designed elements.

Positives:
• An overall design of your site or master plan for the property to phase in over time and get alternate bids from various landscape contractors for proposed design elements.
Negatives:
• Plants, materials, and design ideas may not work if the designer does not have a long history with construction, maintenance and plant care.
• Construction of some elements may be more cost prohibitive if budget isn’t taken into consideration within the design.
• The designer is not responsible or does not have to concern themselves with the implementation of proposed elements.

Landscape Contractor acting as “landscape designer”.
Landscape contractors are usually at the other end of the spectrum from the landscape designers in that they may know how to implement and install a garden but may lack design experience.

Positives:
• You know what it will cost and a landscape contractor will be able to cost out several options or make several proposals to finally arrive at an acceptable budget.
• There may be a cost savings and scheduling may happen much quicker because they may do 80% of the installation.
Negatives:
• The overall design intent is often missing.
• Quality of craftsmanship is questionable even with a portfolio.
• The implementation from proposal to built vision might not be fully realized which are conveyed in design plans, material and construction methods chosen.

Horticulturalist acting as “landscape designer”.
This is someone who works at a nursery or local garden center. This person may have lots of knowledge about soil and plant health as well as the right plant for the right location. A horticulturalist or plants man may not have an overall design vision, knowledge of irrigation systems, drainage systems, patios and walks.

Positives:
• The variety of plants and proper soil preparation and planting of plant material.
Negatives:
• Often there is too much plant variety in a giving area.
• Too much of a plant lover’s garden rather than simple overall home aesthetics.
• Overall design layout of patios, walkways and other hardscape elements might not be as strong.

Design-Build Company acting as designer and installer.
In this category responsibility is taken for the overall design, supervision, management and implementation of the landscape plan through completion of all elements to their maintenance.

Positives:
• Design ideas must be able to be implemented.
• Overall costs are based on actuality construction history.
• Flexibility to phase the project in many ways.
• Intent of the design is carried through the construction process.
• Knowledge, understanding and responsibility for the project as the property continues to be maintained.
Negatives:
• May be some additional costs for over sight and general contracting of elements.
The Design-Build process is the most ideal scenario because all design decisions, construction, installation, costs and maintenance of the entire project are taken into consideration representing the most experienced view.

I didn’t know there were such different options, so what is the “quick list” in interviewing Houston landscape designers?
Choosing a Houston landscape designer is a difficult task. Here are some additional considerations that might help:

• Likeability and professionalism of the designer as well as fit with their style of work are all essential.
• The best match for your scope of work or extent of elements you are trying to accomplish.
• What your budget is and whether budget ultimately matches your expectations.

If you are interested in a professional landscape company, Exterior Worlds has been providing the design-build landscape services discussed above for the Houston and the surrounding areas since 1987.

Residential Landscape Maintenance

Why should I hire a professional landscape company to maintain my yard?
First and foremost, proper landscape maintenance is the best way to protect your outdoor investment. After investing a lot of money on your landscape installation, it only makes sense to protect it and make sure it develops as intended. And that’s where a landscape maintenance program comes in.

Landscape maintenance begins with the proper lawn maintenance. In Houston, lawns typically need mowing weekly through the summer and bi-weekly in the winter months. In addition, most Houston lawns need aeration twice per year, but since you really can’t aerate enough, the more often the better.

Over seeding with rye seed is a great addition to a landscape maintenance plan by keeping your lawn gorgeous throughout the winter. The local temperature range normally dictates that winter rye seed can be spread in early to late October. It is imperative to know, however, that rye grass has some real disadvantages. For example, the rye grass can compete with the St. Augustine grass (typically planted in Houston) for space and nutrition, which makes it very hard on the St. Augustine in the spring. This struggle is particularly apparent in shaded area where grass already has a difficult time growing.

Other Elements Landscape Maintenance Programs Typically Include:

• Shrubs, Ground Cover and Vines. As part of a meticulous landscape maintenance program, hedges as well as other shrubs and bushes should be trimmed frequently to maintain the desired contours. Ground cover and vines should be edged to maintain a orderly appearance. This regularly-scheduled attention will make certain that all elements conform to the overall plan of the landscape design.
• Tree Maintenance. All small trees should be pruned as necessary. It is also a good practice in your landscape maintenance scheduling to do a deep root fertilization of these trees annually.
• Flower Bed Maintenance. Flower beds need to be weeded frequently. It is also a good idea to turn the mulch every two weeks so that you keep the exchange of air and water flowing into and out of the soil.

Fertilization and chemical treatments are the next important step in a landscape maintenance program as they provide a boost to healthy plants and prevent diseases and infestations common to the Houston area.
Optimally, lawns need to be fertilized four times per year. All shrubs, ground covers and vines should be on a similar schedule. Azaleas and gardenias need to be fertilized in April and May, and acidified in February. Roses require fertilization in the spring, which needs to be continued every four to six weeks during the growing season.

Even in Houston, Texas, it can get cold enough to require covering your outdoor plants. Jeff Halper with Exterior World encourages his clients to be proactive when the thermometer starts dropping. “When the temperatures get below 32 degrees for an extended period of time, you need to cover your delicate plants and tropicals,” he says. “Remember not to use plastic. Instead use proper freeze cloth, which allows light, oxygen and water to pass through so that you can leave the plants covered for a few days without suffocating them.”

They will also be mindful of surface maintenance: walkways, driveways, patios and outdoor kitchens should be blown or raked free of debris during the landscape maintenance service. Swimming pools, ponds or outdoor water fountains that accumulate debris during trimming of shrubs or lawn should be cleaned as well.

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 custom maintenance program.

Houston Yard Drainage

What is the purpose of installing yard drainage?
Yard drainage can be a very serious issue due to Houston’s flat topography, dense clay soils, and heavy forested lots compacted by years of development that have increased impervious surfaces. These elements have caused more roads and homes to become flooded during the heaviest rainfalls. As a result, local ordinances are beginning to require minimum pipe sizes, flow rates, temporary drainage systems, engineered drainage plans, calculations, topographic maps, and as/built plans.

Within those broad strokes, a well-designed yard drainage system provides proper grading, which creates positive drainage away from structures. It also takes into account neighboring properties and being cautious not to drain onto them. A different aspect involves identifying and addressing existing troubles such as poorly-placed downspouts, naturally-occurring low areas or an addition to the house that creates dams and changes the originally-intended water flow.

What else is involved in a yard drainage system?

• Catch basins, or yard drains. Catch basins can be placed under downspouts when it is undesirable or not possible to tie into the gutter. They tie into a PVC main drain line instead and carry water out through the landscape drainage system. Catch basins are usually a plastic or concrete box that uses a plastic or metal drain grate cover to filter out leaves and other waste debris.

• Channel drains. These long narrow strip drains are used between main structures and paving or at the edge of a patio or deck. • Deck drains. Deck drains are installed in patios, decks and walkways so that water is either sloped toward drains or drained into the landscape beds. They have special drain covers, usually decorative, made of metal, brass or stone. Deck drains are smaller in size than catch basins and are only intended to drain patio surface areas.

• French drainage. Designed to take water away from saturated soil, French drains are small ditches that are filled with undersized rocks or gravel.

• Gutter downspout tie-ins. Downspout tie-ins are designed to take water from the gutters to the landscape drainage system. These tie-ins are made of plastic, metal or brass and sometimes have a side cleanout with a see-through grate so they can be easily inspected for clogs.

Yard drainage impacts residential landscape maintenance in numerous ways. Since it drains water from low-lying areas, it prevents pooling water that can cause slick surfaces, insect breeding grounds and drowned plant materials. A poor drainage system is essential for proper lawn maintenance as it moves water off of your property in a timely manner, thus promoting healthy grass and allowing your maintenance crew to perform their regular lawn service duties.

“If drainage contractors embark on a storm drainage project without a thorough understanding of all these demands—at the city or county level, the neighborhood level and the ground level—homeowners may find themselves in the middle of a big, expensive mess,” says Jeff Halper, landscape design specialist with Exterior Worlds.

If you are interested in any high-quality landscape services, Exterior Worlds has been providing the drainage services discussed above for the Houston and the surrounding areas including memorial villages (Piney Point Village, Bunker Hill Village, Hunter Creek Village), Tanglewood, River Oaks, West University and the greater Houston (Hou), area since 1987. Contact us at 713-827-2255

Modern Landscape Design

What are Modern Landscapes?
Modern landscape design tends to functionality and scale rather than then axial relationships. It also foregoes the more traditional design forms and larger scale from Italian, European, and classical architecture traditions. This design motif became popular in the 1950’s baby boom, particularly in California where weather and lifestyle was very conducive to this innovative style.

In modern landscape design, boundaries between areas of color, textures and shapes are undefined—or conversely, sharply defined. Color and composition create the emotional response. Combining freshness and flair, these designs use dramatic geometric shapes to create a point of view that is fluid and natural. Water and light are often used, as in artfully-lit outdoor water fountains, to enhance the sensual loveliness and liveliness. The designs are arresting, both close up and far away.

What are the form and function in Modern Landscape Design?

As the maxim says, form follows function. Modern landscape design is an aesthetic that shows only what is required while often leaving surfaces exposed. The simplicity of modern design reveals itself in that every form has a function, even when that purpose is merely to engage the senses.

It is possible, occasionally desirable, to use contemporary design techniques without creating a high-tech look. That is, to make use of horizontal and vertical planes that manufacture a modern sculpture effect—and let colors and plantings evoke a warm, welcoming feel. It is that combination—hard and soft, linear and non-linear, energetic and restrained—that is the essence of modern landscape design. “Less is more” is the modern landscape design mantra. A huge plant palette is not necessary. Rather, it is how materials and textures are used and mass them together that create the contemporary effect.

The architecture of the house needs to be carefully considered when using a contemporary garden design. If the house is bold, the grounds need to be strong also.The home and landscape can be coupled together through discriminating use of plantings or the smart placement of a hardscape features

Concrete, with its sturdiness and malleability, has won a firm place in contemporary garden design. Its cool, gray color alone establishes its credibility. Its uses run the gamut from flooring to columns to stark, amorphous benches. In addition to concrete, advances in steel and glass technologies, plus construction methods, can be even further exploited within the modern landscape design.

Often materials, such as stone, metal, plastics, steel and glass, are left in an exposed or raw state. Part of the beauty of these materials derives from their interplay with nature—the way steel rusts to a warm, burnt look, for instance.

The Spaces of Modern Landscape Design

Landscape themes such as English, Asian, natural, formal or modern identify not only your property but also your tastes and style. Color, form, line, scale, and texture are your means of expressing those landscape design preferences.

Your choices can be demonstrated in the plants and hardscapes you choose. Beauty can be a maple imported from Japan. It can also be the wild grass native to the Texas coastal plains. You may have outdoor works of art to display in your landscape. Or you might use a stream that ends in a waterfall as an ever-changing sculpture of sound and movement. Landscape lighting is another crucial tool of contemporary garden design as it creates ambiance and lets you enjoy your landscape night and day.

Other uses of space include:

• Outdoor rooms

• Outdoor kitchens

• Fire Places

• Modern Fountains

• Swimming Pools

Thoroughly Modern

Modern landscape design is even more appropriate today than it was 50 years ago. Jeff Halper with Exterior Worlds says, “Modern garden design has gotten only better with time. With today’s busy lifestyles, there is less time for gardening. Also, we need to use our gardens for multiple functions these days—sanctuary, entertainment, a place for children to play safely. Modern landscape design addresses all these wants and needs.”

Houston Landscape Contractors

Why hire landscape contractors in install you landscaping? During the implementation phase of your landscape project, it is imperative to put together the right team of people to install a flawless project that is interconnected and enhances the beauty and overall value of your home. This team includes the landscape designer (or architect) and landscape contractor to oversee everything and several sub contractors (depending on the intricacy of elements in your project). A landscape contractor will have phases that their own crews will implement and phases that will be installed by others contractors (i.e. subcontractors). It’s imperative to ask the landscape contractor, which elements are they subcontracting? If so, how closely will they work with that individual?” Its common practice in Houston, even on small landscape installations, that the landscape contractor will sub contract hardscape, electrical and plumbing. “In our experience,” cautions Jeff Halper, “high quality work is almost impossible to achieve with a “jack of all trades” type of company.” It’s vital you hire the right landscape contractors for your specific construction application and a competent individual who are expert in their fields.
Hiring a landscape contractor to determine who is the best qualified should be based on skill sets, project management and referrals. Price is always important to quality and expectation for the performance of materials and long term value, is this not were you want to cut corners?
A good landscape contractor has in-depth experience and knowledge in:
• Knowledgeable of the trade terminology
• Knowledgeable of all the trades involved in the scope of work and landscape plans
• Has a relationship with other trades that can help in getting work scheduled quickly
• In project management knowing what the work flow needs to be and when various contractors scheduling conflicts, order, ect.
• With a personal relationship to other trades people, knows how to get the job done (possibly be tough if need be!)
• A landscape contractor will have an eye for the work. If something needs to be fixed or redone they will call the shots. Here is the power of having a professional that becomes the personal representative for you. It is our experience that hiring a landscape contractor is “the ideal” scenario to creating the best project.

Hiring a Landscape Contractors
In selecting a landscape contractor, be sure to get vital information such as a reference list of clientele, a portfolio of work and proof of liability insurance. All these elements should be obtained even if they were highly recommended to you by a friend or family member. They should also be able to generate a professional bid proposal/contract for the work that includes a warranty for labor and materials. This way you have a record of what was promised for price and have agreement with the contractor over services rendered. An itemized estimate will show what is included and what is not included.

The top five must haves from the landscape contractor are:
• Portfolio of work
• Delivery of Material Samples
• Reference List
• Years of Experience
• Proof of Insurance

Landscape Maintenance If you have a great working relationship with your landscape contractor you may want to hire them to perform landscape maintenance on your job. A high quality landscape contractor that has several maintenance crews will have the ability to maintain the gardens as they mature and grow in over time and possibly provide other services such as power washing hardscape surfaces, fertilization, seasonal color, pruning, pest control may all be elements of the landscape maintenance program.

If you are interested in any high-quality landscape services, Exterior Worlds has been providing the residential landscape services discussed above for the Houston (Hou) and the surrounding areas, including The Memorial Villages (Piney Point Village, Bunker Hill Village, Hunter Creek Village), River Oaks and West University since 1987. Contact us at 713-827-2255

Annual Flowers in Houston

Use annual flowers to liven up you landscape.
Flower gardens can bring beauty and mark the change of seasons in both the residential and commercial landscape. Seasonal color can bring a positive image to a commercial building that can indicate attention to detail and class. Annual flowers bring to life the front entry of a home, create light and excitement to shrub boarders or can accent a water feature or restful area in the yard. Whatever the function annual flowers bring beauty and classiness to a home or business.

What annual flower are their to choose from?
It’s imperative that annual flowers be chosen to make a bold impact. Residential and commercial flowers planted as a combination of all colors often times come across as a riot of different colors. We approach annual flowers the same as a landscape design; we center our attention on their layouts, unique patterning as well as simplify design. Complimentary colors, simple contrasts of textures and flowers make a great statement. Sometimes just varying two different types of flowers is enough. There is a big difference between mediocre mixed annual flower borders and annual color combinations that are bold, dominant and simple.

What are good annual flowers for Houston landscaping?
In Houston, annuals and perennial flower combinations can be chosen that last from early winter through spring and then from summer through the hot fall. Even though, with unpredictable heat and drought, it’s more the case that annual and perennial flower combinations are changed out quarterly. Some examples are as follows and also take into consideration sun conditions:

• Spring-petunias, geraniums, dianthus, begonias, caladiums, impatiens
• Summer- lantana, plumbago, moss rose, salvia, caladiums, salvias and shrub rose varieties
• Fall/Winter-cyclamen, pansies, violas, alyssum, cabbage and kale

How can you be successful planting of seasonal color plants?
Bed preparation, good drainage and water coverage are all important to being successful with annual and perennial flowers in Houston. Be sure to have the correct drainage system so the planting bed doesn’t hold water. Be sure that the ground is not solid clay, amend with compost and soil. Also, make certain that there is good irrigation system that covers the area. During times of drought especially, if your irrigation system is not getting the proper coverage it will show. Fertilization and chemical treatments are the next important step in being successful with annual color and should also be a part of the landscape maintenance program providing a boost to healthy plants and preventing disease or infestations common to the Houston area.

Fertilization is the next important issue to attend to. For continual blooms, flowers should be fertilized every six weeks or so in the Houston landscape. Also, dead heading which is simply pinching off the flowers that have died should also be done to encourage profuse blooming. Regular landscape maintenance ensure that the flower beds are weeded weekly. It is also a good idea to turn the mulch every two weeks so that you keep the exchange of air and water flowing into and out of the soil. To optimize the growth and bloom cycles of seasonal flowers, they also should be regularly pruned.

Being successful with annual flowers takes knowledge and experience of color combinations, sun conditions, seasonal color plant section, proper amending of the soil as well as maintenance to be successful in our difficult Gulf Coast Climate.

If you are interested in any high-quality landscape services, Exterior Worlds has been providing the high-end residential landscape services and garden design services discussed above for the Houston and the surrounding areas including the Memorial Villages, Tanglewood, River Oaks, West University and the greater Houston (Hou), area since 1987. Contact us at 713-827-2255

Houston Pool Design

Are you looking for someone to help with your Houston pool design?
When it comes to your swimming pool design, varied geometries, materials and plantings can be used to create the style that suits you—from the most dramatic play of water to the most fun playing in the water. Usually designed by a landscape architect who manages the construction and oversees all the details and nuances, swimming pools come in all shapes and sizes. A water work of art, a cocktail pool, an lagoon pool or a lap pool are just a few pool design examples.

In today’s market, you have a wide range of materials to choose from for your pool design. A short list of quality finishes entails:

1. Plaster. This category includes marcite, which hardens like concrete and seals the interior of the pool. Upgrades include popular brand names like Diamond Brite™ and 3M™ Colorquartz™, which are quartz finishes in a wide range of colors and textures. Another upgrade is exposed aggregate, a tumbled rock that is slightly larger than quartz. Pebble Tec® and River Rok are well-known brands.

2. The color of the plaster. Manufacturers now offer an array of colors for pool finishes. Or you can go with a more neutral palette that provides a timelessness and avoids a dated look when fashion changes. 3. Coping (the area that immediately surrounds the pool). In landscape design, coping merges the indoors with the outdoors. Popular choices are tile, stone and brick. Care should be taken to create a non-slippery surface in the immediate wet area. Also you will want to consider how your choice for coping material matches, contrasts and enhances the exterior of your home.
Houston pool designs can make or break a sale on your home.
A luxury swimming pool is a necessity for of any upscale home in Houston Texas. The pool design finishes off the home design because it is a logical extension of your indoor living space. When it comes time to sell your home, it is an expected amenity. Additionally, swimming pools are great for entertaining, formal or informal, adults or children. They provide healthful exercise; swimming has long been recognized as one of the kinder activities on joints and ligaments. In this area of the country, they provide a natural place to cool off during the long Houston summer season.

A big factor in hiring Exterior Worlds to handle your pool design is the overall vision and concern it has for the entire project. Pool contractors generally aren’t concerned with the pool landscaping aspect and therefore make common mistakes, like setting the pool elevations too high or too low and not respecting the home’s architecture or the landscape architecture, which is critical. Exterior Worlds excels at working with a discriminating clientele and all their landscape design needs.

Exterior Worlds is located in the memorial area. They have been creating Houston pool designs throughout the area, including River Oaks, Bunker Hill, Hedwig, Memorial, Tanglewood since 1987. Call Exterior Worlds at 713-827-2255 to request an appointment today.

Traditional Garden Design

What is Traditional Garden Design?
Rustic classic garden design. Arcadia was a legendary place in Greece known for its quiet garden beauty were Virgil, the Roman poet, described as the home of pastoral simplicity. Natural woodland trees weaving into weathered stone columns and colonnades covered with Wisteria vines and English ivies is the rustic beauty of the classic garden. These ideal and romantic garden settings of the past are a cross between Formal garden design forms, English garden design and have an arid feel likened to Mediterranean gardens.

Classic Garden Design in Houston.
We can look for inspiration in the painters of the 18th century -Ruins of Greek and Roman architecture with garden statues, grottos, temples, water, winding paths, and the surrounding land. The look is natural yet the positioning of every tree, rock, and planting element was placed to present a balanced, harmonious and timeless mood. First, set up the axial paths and open spaces that create structure in the garden. A rustic patio of limestone gravel, step stones, and groundcovers for relaxed entertaining and European contemplation. Elements such as an antique concrete bench weathered or chipped with moss or ferns on it for nostalgia or concrete plinths that terminate at a Texas mountain Laurel or Olive tree in a rustic Gardiner. A natural effect utilizes plants such as Wisteria, agapanthus and lace ferns. At its smallest scale create a weathered vase with a sphere of dwarf yaupon and creeping rosemary and fig ivy covering its curves.
The Rustic Pool-an understated square pool with a Tuscan tan shell. At the waters edge; a simple mixed tile of greens, blues, and browns accented with a bold coping of thick chiseled stone.
Outdoor Water Fountains of Antiquity-An 18 century stone trough that catching the water from iron spout, is a perfect touch for an old world landscape design. Vines can be trained up its edge, which can echo the Italian centuries of long ago.
Arbors, Pergolas, Colonnades and Grottos- similar to English gardens is the opportunity for an arbor or pergola. Concrete pillars covered with a wood pergola, rambling wisteria and star jasmine vines.
Landscape Lighting- Tradition gardens did not have landscape lighting, however given the opportunity to illuminate their gardens, we can be reasonably sure they would. Landscape lighting is a fantastic opportunity to add ambiance and accent statuary for evening drama.
Landscape Maintenance- classic garden maintenance will be critical in keeping the natural yet orderly feel of your garden in check on a regular basis. Regular trimming of vines, fig ivies, and dead heading of roses is a weekly necessity in the classic garden.
Elements of good landscape maintenance:
1. Lawn service
2. Rose maintenance
3. Annual flowers
4. Irrigation inspection
5. Mulching

If you are interested in a traditional garden designs discussed above, Exterior Worlds has been providing high-end landscape services for upscale homes throughout the Houston (Hou) area since 1987. Specializing in Memorial Villages landscaping (Piney Point Village, Bunker Hill Village, Hunter Creek Village, Hedwig Village), Tanglewood, Bellaire, River Oaks and West University. Contact us at 713-827-2255

Difficult Landscape Spaces

Landscape design comes with big challenges. Perhaps your property is next to a 30 foot high wall of a neighbor’s townhouse or office building. Maybe the space is narrow with straight lines and right angles. Or you’ve remodeled your residence, changed the elevation, added a new room and reduced the size of your backyard, all of which affect the relationship to the existing landscape.

You must break through the dissatisfaction of your existing landscape design and just decide what you want. Your program elements are an outline or list of desired wants/needs and functions for the site. For example, you might want a swimming pool, outdoor kitchen or an outdoor room with an outdoor fireplace to entertainment from. Or you might want your landscape design to reflect the beauty of the Italian villa.
Once the landscape contractors or landscape designers meet on site with the client, they get the landscape program and challenges of the site. The designers will study the relationship of the architecture to the site and begin to work out a skeleton or backbone of the landscape design. A professional landscape designer or landscape architect will have intuitive, imaginative and analytical abilities to resolve the difficult landscaping space.

How to turn negatives into positives:

The purpose is to create spaces that relate to the home and elements that also have a connection with the yard and surrounding area. First, look at the big factors that will literally decide whether or not you can have all the things on your wish list or not. “We really need to screen the neighbor’s windows, or we will have to conceal the generator or swimming pool equipment.” In looking at positives and negatives we first test the big picture against the viability/capacity of the site. Define you Spaces and TransitionsOnce the larger positives and negatives are resolved you can move on to the particulars.Now is the time to address the more difficult spaces such as transitions between the home, were maybe the foundation is unsightly and needs to be hidden. This is were you put consideration on how to hide 18” of concrete foundation or moving a 3 foot path away from the foundation to accommodate for greater landscape layering. The landscape design is a hierarchy of problem/solution/problem/solution down to each detail and back out in relation to the whole. The overall objective of any great landscape design is a space that breathes with the home and has a connection to its surroundings-reflecting the client's visual desires and functionally working together in every aspect.

Additional options to consider:

 Outdoor Water Fountains

 Arbors and Pergolas

 Outdoor Fireplaces

 Landscape Lighting

 Swimming Pool

 Large trees

If you are interested in any high-quality landscape services, Exterior Worlds has been providing the high-end residential landscaping services discussed above for the Houston and the surrounding areas including Memorial Villages (Piney Point Village, Bunker Hill Village, Hunter Creek Village), Tanglewood, River Oaks, West University and the greater Houston (Hou), area since 1987. Contact us at 713-827-2255

Houston Garden Design

What is great Garden Design?
Dan Kiley, one of the greatest landscape designers of this century explains: “the strongest artists and designers are in search for the mystery of who we are-the best work comes from that search-the mystical dimension joins with our faculties to prepare us for further growth.” The great Roman architects described it as finding the “Genius loci” or the “spirit of place” that transcending experience we may find in life from nature, visiting a place of worship or a favorite vacation spot.

How do we create a thorough garden design?
If garden design is a master piece painting; the clients program, the architecture of the home and the site context are the composition of the painting. The clients program are the wants, needs, wishes, likes dislikes, functions and uses for the space that they intend to see. A great designer treats the home as a living anatomy that is in relationship with it’s site-never as a static lifeless building. The architecture of the home may dictate the structure of the gardens, selection of materials and there arrangements, continuations of axial views and experiences extending form inside the home to the site. The context is the potential of the site to include lot size, utilities, views, obstructions, accessibility, and sun patterns, zoning restrictions basically the sum total of what is possible or not possible in response to the clients program before the design has even begun.
The Garden Design process
After the initial meeting a garden designer’s intuitive function automates and an initial diagram, concept, or concepts emerge. “In response to our customers needs” says Jeff Halper of Exterior Worlds, “we have a creative process that involves the client from inception. Through email and informal phone meetings, we move though an assemblage of drawings and rough sketches so clients are very involved with design decisions rather than showing up with the final design all at once dictating the whole thing.”

Garden Design Elements:

Pools and Outdoor Fountains-these represent the most significant part of the overall garden design, especially the relationship to the house and the outdoor use areas. Great garden design is essential to a positive out come regardless of pool cost. We have found being involved with the architect and builder at the earliest stages allows a cohesive transition from house to swimming pool.

Hardscapes - (including patios, decks or walkways.) These use areas are essential to the extension of the home. Patios, decks and walkways need to accommodate specific uses. A landscape designer must to be very in tune with the functional requirements for these areas.

Gardens - trees, shrubs and plantings may extend the relationship with the homes architecture, serve as a transition from the home to the site, or address specific problems in the sites context such as screening neighbor views, an unsightly telephone pole or create a dramatic backdrop.

The Final Painting. Jeff Halper adds: “Continued from the inception of the concept and general layout of project elements to the final built work-we work closely with the customer in the continued refinement, selection of materials, there overall suitability and performance.”

Call Exterior Worlds at 713-827-2255 to set an appointment to discuss your garden design. They have been landscaping Houston since 1987, including River oaks, West University, Bellaire, Memorial Villages and Tanglewood.

Landscape Architects in Houston Texas

What is the difference between a landscape architect and landscape designer?

A Registered Landscape Architect in the state of Texas has a degree in Landscape Architecture from an accredited university, two years of experience practicing under a Licensed Landscape Architect and has passed a national licensure exam that tests for basic competency in protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public in practicing landscaping on a residential, commercial and civic level.

What is the difference in hiring a landscape architect or landscape designer for your residential landscape?

This has to do with your project goals and the individuals/ companies experience on past projects similar in scope to your landscape garden rather than education, licensure or degrees. Does their portfolio and website reflect the breath of creativity, knowledge, beauty, skill, craftsmanship that you envision at your own home? Does the individual have experience in working with local zoning codes and permitting in your area? What is their design and construction process and what do they charge for design and or construction drawings? It is not only creative ideas and designs that make for a great project, but the ability to communicate drawings into construction documents for landscape contractors so that the design can be clearly built as proposed.
Experience as a landscape project manager
In our experience, in high end residential landscaping, hiring one person from design through construction implementation and maintenance is what most clients’ desire. Customers don’t want to deal with the frustration of hiring and managing contractors, schedules, and work flow trying to implement a landscape design that isn’t relevant to budgetary or construction constraints! In building a relationship with your design and construction professional, they should exhibit the ability to communicate known design standards for built elements and convey simple sketches, written or verbal specifications to contractors and sub-contractors in implementing design strategies. When you have one individual see a project through from vision to managing the collective contractors, all the way through to maintenance, you have someone who not only knows what they are doing but is taking responsibility for the outcome.

Experience as a landscape contractor
The proof is in the pudding, the best reflection of work well done is what is the landscape contractor’s referral base? For how many years have they been working for the same satisfied clients’? In Houston’s high-end residential landscape construction niche, quality landscape construction contractors are a select few. What you are looking for is some one who is extremely busy because they are in such demand, proof of quality work and a reference list.

Questions to Ask
Regardless of license or registration as a landscape architect or education, in high end residential landscape design and construction; landscape architects, garden designers and landscape contractors should exhibit:


1. An extensive portfolio of quality work.
2. Clearly communicate creative design solutions to you through illustrative drawings, sketches and material samples.
3. Knowledge and experience in working with local permitting and code requirements and in hiring consultants to permit design solutions so they meet code requirements.
4. Project management experience. Understanding of the entire construction process: project scheduling and multi-task ability to work with several contractors in the completion of a project.
5. Understanding of all different materials and their construction methods, constraints, costs and maintenance requirements.
6. Use of quality contractors who exhibit the kind of detail and craftsmanship that you expect.
7. Show a reference list of satisfied clients and experience in the successful and continual maintenance of landscape design installations.

Exterior Worlds can help with your urban landscaping needs. Visit their website at www.exteriorworlds.com or call 713-827-2255. Since 1987, Exterior Worlds has been providing high-end landscape design and services for Bellaire, River Oaks, West University, and other fine neighborhoods in the greater Houston area.