Garden Structures

What are garden structures?
Garden structures create visual interest and a point around which your landscape can develop. They can be practical, pleasurable or whimsical. They range from the elaborate, such as a wooden garden gazebo complete with an outdoor fireplace and built-in seating, to a simple rose trellis. If you have a garden structure in mind, Exterior Worlds wants to work with you to make your landscape come alive with your personal aesthetic.

Give me examples of garden structures.
A list of garden structures would include:
• Pergolas. A shade structure often built over a deck or patio, pergolas can be used as a trellis to support vines. Within a patio design, pergolas are outstanding additions to a covered outdoor room because the pergola’s open fratwork creates a transition space between the full shade of the room and the full sun of the yard.

• Outdoor gazebos. While many gazebo designs resemble Victorian-style structures, they can be designed to suit any setting, even a modern landscape design. Screened-in gazebos are practical for areas like Houston that have a problem with mosquitoes.
• Garden and wall trellises. A garden trellis is an outdoor structure, usually in a latticework, that supports plants and vines. A wall trellis works well in a Mediterranean landscape design, especially if near an outdoor kitchen. Your fresh vegetables are right at your fingertips.
• Garden arbors, also called garden arches. Whether singly or arranged in a series, arbors and arches are classical elements of landscape architecture. Either decorative or functional, they can be used to highlight an entrance or a pathway.
• Rose pillars. Think climbing roses, honeysuckle, wisteria and bougainvillea. Now put them on a single column and you have the garden pillar. Beautiful when placed by doors and gates, along paths, or beside a luxury swimming pool.
• Antique garden structures. Outdoor antiques, such as marble urns and columns, stone benches and gates, turn a nice landscape into something memorable.
• Pedestrian bridges. Bridges make eloquent statements and fit particularly well within a Japanese garden design.

What other elements of landscape design need to be considered when working with garden structures?
Landscape lighting, from the simple to the intricate, enhances outdoor structures. Landscape lighting heightens its beauty and the pleasure it provides while increasing the security of your property. By creating highlights, spotlights and shadows, your yard becomes something enchanting in the nightscape.

While these structures are appropriate for any home landscape design, they also serve a purpose within commercial landscaping. A pergola or gazebo in a commercial landscape design makes a good first impression. It also creates a respite for your tenants when they need a quiet lunch spot or a quick break.

Whatever your landscaping ideas are, you can always turn to the expert staff at Exterior Worlds. We are passionate about landscapes, form and function, and the world of design. We also have long-standing relationships with artisan craftsmen in the Houston area who can put your plans together with precision, integrity and dedication.

Contemporary Garden was designed around a Central Koi Pond

My wife and I would like to have the garden in our backyard redesigned. We have heard some of our neighbors talk about contemporary gardens, and wanted to know exactly what this term means.

Most contemporary garden designs are a blend of geometry, natural features, sculpture, masonry, and proportionally designed man-made forms. The very nature of any type of contemporary landscaping design is highly subjective, due to the fact that contemporary refers to virtually anything that is not historically traditional or characterized by a fixed form that assumes a static reality. Contemporary garden design will often blur the boundaries between the organic and inorganic, bringing into question our assumptions about the nature of life itself, and create a new aesthetic that combines natural tranquility with the eclectic, the intellectual, and the progressive.

Do they have more or less vegetation than typical garden?

The amount of vegetation in your garden is going to be relative to the overall size of the garden and the various structures and forms you use to shape the landscape. In a recent project we did in River Oaks, the only green areas in the garden were the four sides of the perimeter. This was done for two reasons. First, the original garden had been laid out in the form of a rectangle, which also provided an ideal template for a new, contemporary design. Secondly, the homeowners had requested we replace a three-tiered fountain in the center of the garden with a koi pond. Neither one of them was a swimmer, but both enjoyed conversation and entertainment at neighborhood pool parties. Knowing this about our clients, we decided to convert the central portion of the garden into a koi pond the size of large swimming pool. This gave them the equivalent of private, poolside seating on the new patio we built them, just next to a lighted fountain where koi fish darted in and out of the light.

Do contemporary garden designs feature a lot of abstract elements?

They can, but in the case of our River Oaks landscape clients, no abstract elements were used at all. Straight linear geometry was used to build almost every feature. The only exception to this was the way we did the masonry on the brick patio. We decided not to lay the bricks down in a typical linear pattern, but rather arrange them in diagonally in alternating rows. This created a sense of forward motion the minute you stepped out onto the patio, and helped to immediately establish the contemporary theme of the entire garden and landscape design.

We also built a stone walkway across the water using simple limestone slabs supported by pedestals hidden underwater. This created the illusion that the pads were floating on the water, although in reality they were fixed quite firmly in position, and could support the weight of anyone standing on them.

What types of plantings and decorations can you put in a contemporary garden?

Any type of plant life will work that is appropriate to a garden in general. As far as decorations go, many designers add a touch of the past to their contemporary design with small classical statuary, cherubs, or lighted fountains. Again, this is all highly subjective and depends on what you are looking for as a compliment to your home and yard.

Heights Landscaping

A Heights family contacted us and hired us to design them an Italian garden with a number of corresponding decorations and functional elements that would support a Classical design theme. The house itself was perfect for this project because it was built with very Old World architecture to begin with. It was a two-story home that had a porch and an upstairs balcony in the front. Stairs led up to the porch, and the windows were decorated with large shutters. Just next to the house grew a very large and stately old oak—ideal for concealing a tree light to illuminate the entire roof of the structure and showcasing throughout the night the European look and feel we intended to create.

The lights that we hid in the oak tree provided more than enough lighting for the roof, balcony, and windows. To light the porch, we concealed fixtures under the eaves to light the walking surfaces, steps, walls, and downstairs windows. In the front area surrounding the oak tree, we planted a small Italian garden with a variety of ground cover plant species, shrubbery, and smaller, ornamental trees. This added an organic feeling to the angular symmetry of the house. We then completed the first phase of our project by placing urns on either side of the stairway leading up to the front porch. This lent a sense of Classical grand entryway that, although technically Roman nonetheless remains consistent with the theme of an Italian garden in form, proportion, and placement.

Because the house itself had been built more toward the front of the lot, there was a great deal of property behind the home that gave us plenty of room to integrate organic, functional, and decorative elements of an Italian garden. The first thing we created for our clients was a planter, built in the shape of a small wall just tall enough to sit on. This wall followed the contour of the rear of the home, and provided both a place to plant greenery, and sufficient room to comfortably sit and have coffee, conversation, or a quick read of the morning paper.

Just beyond this planter, we then built a water fountain in a design consistent with the architecture and general layout of the property. All Italian gardens work to support the linear movement of architecture, so the design we chose was a simple rectangle whose decorative appeal was enhanced with lighting and water jets. In the evening, four water spouts spray upward with the light dancing between them.

To further compliment linear design and right angles, we built a limestone patio around the water fountain. The limestone pavers actually began at the base of the planter, and were slightly sloped on that end toward concealed, 1-inch drain channel to provide water runoff. It was constructed with a blend of hardscape and softscape that created the illusion of it stretching past the fountain and fading away into the grass. This helped the patio blend harmoniously with the Italian cypress we planted in the garden, and complimented the handmade pottery we interspersed among both organic and inorganic designs.

To create a sense of enclosure and destination for our new Italian garden, we built a fully functional garden arbor at the far end of the property. This area had previously been obscured by the unsightly appearance rising out of an adjacent commercial lot behind the property. The new wooden arbor, built over a limestone patio with Permacast columns and a cedar roof, worked to partly block the view of this building. To further draw the eye away from it, we added a rather innovative feature in addition to the standard lighting and ceiling fans we normally build in our arbors. We placed a mirror on the back wall that reflected the patio in front of the arbor and the Italian garden that stretched all the way back to the fountain and the planter. Like all mirrors do, this had the unconscious effect of making the property look a little larger and more self-contained within its own boundaries. Then, to complete the project with an extra touch of comfort and elegance for guests, we decorated the patio and placed chairs and tables in front of the arbor that would give seated guests a good view of the Italian cypress, the fountain, and lighted interior of the arbor.

Landscaping, Pool Remodel & Iron Arbor

Iron Arbors and Their Place in the Landscape

Will an iron arbor clash with my vegetation?
At face value, you would probably assume it would. However, the opposite is true if it is built with the right proportions, and properly integrated into the surrounding stonework and vegetation of the landscape. A wrought iron arbor can lend an elegant touch to any garden, walkways, patio, or swimming pools.

How do you integrate iron into stonework and vegetation?
One way you can do this is to use flat stones to create a walkway leading up to the arbor. You can plant flowers, monkey grass, ferns, or any number of indigenous plant species in and around the steps to create the look and feel of a natural pathway. Planting larger ferns, shrubs, or vines around an iron arbor can also help it achieve a greater organic synthesis with natural elements.

Wouldn’t a wooden arbor look better by the pool?
That depends on the type of atmosphere you want to create around your pool. If you are given to formality, a wrought iron arbor is definitely a refined, Old World element that can make your pool area look just as much a place for conversation as it is for fun and swimming. This is especially true for homeowners who host private black ties at their residence, or frequently host dinner parties and wedding receptions at home. All of these events are much more effectively catered with the type of European sensibility often symbolized by wrought iron fences, arbors, and trellises.

Is an iron arbor comfortable?
Yes. In fact, it can be even more comfortable than a wooden arbor. Heavy wooden structures will often block a summer breeze and create hot, stagnant pockets of air within. Iron beams and joists, even though thinner than wooden equivalents, are much thinner as well. This allows for much more Spartan, minimalist designs that you typically visualize when you picture ironwork of any kind in your mind. Even the slightest summer breeze has no difficulty passing through such a structure, and amenities like ceiling fans and interior lighting can be installed in iron structures just like that can in wooden arbors.

What else can iron be used for besides building an arbor?
Wrought iron is an excellent material to use in fence work, particularly around a swimming pool or stone patio. This is what we ultimately created in one of recent projects for the Macalister family in Houston, TX. Another structure you can add is a garden trellis, which we also built for the Macalisters. When positioned across a patio or yard from an arbor, and iron trellis covered with ivy can provide a wonderful structural compliment to the sculpted designs and geometric form of an iron arbor, gate, or fence.

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, area since 1987. Contact us at 713-827-2255

River Oaks Landscaping Arbor

We are thinking of having an arbor constructed in our yard. We would like it to be built of cedar, but also want to have lighting installed in the structure. Investing in the high cost of cedar and having visible wires seems like a bit of an over expenditure for us. Do you have any methods of landscape arbor construction that would create a more affordable and presentable aesthetic?

Yes. We recently installed just such an arbor as part of a larger landscaping project in River Oaks. Rather than use cedar, we built the arbor out of pressure-treated, rough cut pine and stained it to look like cedar. We built this arbor to look like part of the landscape itself, and designed it for maximum comfort. We installed lighting on the arbor to spotlight urns located between the arbor and the swimming pool, and placed a ceiling fan in the top portion of its interior. In order to avoid detracting from the aesthetic of the arbor and the backdrop of the landscape, we took a rather innovative approach to wiring the structure that eliminated the need for external conduits.

We actually erected the beams and joints, notched each one individually, and then took them and ran the wires through them. Notching the beams and joints in this manner both added strength to the arbor and allowed us to completely hide the wires within the wood. We also installed lighting controls on the interior of the beams so that they could not be seen from the front.

While the cost of this type of labor is more expensive, in the long run, it is well worth the investment. Rough-cut pine lasts much longer than cedar—up to 30 years—and thus eliminates the need for maintenance and replacement. Also, the elegant presentation of a wireless design like this contributes to the illusion that the arbor is actually part of the landscape and its background vegetation. In the case of our River Oaks project, the arbor was framed against a hedgerow planting of Japanese yew. The beams were slightly arched to look more lifelike, and to provide a compliment to the arc of the pool. This sense of unity between Nature and structure was further magnified at night by mercury vapor up lighting which illuminated the yew behind the arbor, and blended the colors of the wood and the greenery together in a surreal synthesis.

One more step was also taken in the construction of the structure. We made OGEE custom cuts in the beams and planted ivy at the base of the arbor. In the next few years, the ivy will grow up the beams and cover the wood in leaves. This will further blend the arbor with the greenery of the landscape and make the entire structure appear to be something that sprung from the ground as if the earth itself had somehow conceived of a perfect outdoor structure.

Natural Swimming Pools

Dear Jeff,
My wife and I live in a heavily wooded area near Buffalo Bayou here in Houston. We are fortunate enough to have a blend of open space and clusters of large, stately trees. The ground tends to slope downward toward the tree line near the bayou. We have long wanted a swimming pool, but do not want to destroy the natural beauty of our yard—nor do we want any trees harmed. We read about your policy of tree protection and wondered if there is anything you can recommend in terms of maybe a natural swimming pool, if indeed such a thing exists.

Sincerely,

Tim LoeweHouston, TX

Dear Tim,
Good news, Tim. There is such a thing as a natural swimming pool. In fact, we recently built one in a neighborhood which appears to be very near your own. It too was very heavily wooded, and featured a natural ravine that ran through the property behind the home. The family that lived there wanted us to install an outdoor patio with an accompanying fire pit, and they wanted a natural swimming pool big enough for both adults and children to swim in.

We took advantage of the natural grade of the property and transformed a standing fountain to look like a natural waterfall. We concealed the pumps and equipment in a remote location removed from the actual waterfall, so that all you could hear was the sound of the water. Following the natural grade of the earth, we then dug out an oblong basin. We varied it in degrees of depth ranging up to six feet in the middle, and then directed the flow of the water into this basin. This formed a natural swimming pool, which the natural force of gravity kept full of water at all times.

Originally, the fountain had looked more like a waterfall coming down off a sheer cliff. Now, the waterfall was more staggered and flowing over rocks, giving it the appearance of a waterfall in a river that pours over boulders into a deeper, calmer pool beneath the rapids. Everything looked pristine and natural in the end, so much that children and guests swimming in this new pool could actually imagine themselves in a Rocky Mountain River.
In order to make the natural swimming pool comfortable and accessible any time of year or night, we installed heating and lighting in basin. We use two types of lighting to achieve two complimentary effects. To light the plant life around the waterfall, we used mercury vapor down lights to bring out the rich green colors of leaves and stems. To enhance the brown colors of the rocks, and to bring a sparkling luminance out of the water itself, we used incandescent, underwater uplights. These luminaires were GFIC protected to make the new natural swimming pool perfectly safe for humans, pets, and wildlife.

Natural swimming pools like the one we did in Memorial are a great way to preserve the indigenous vegetation and beauty of your back yard. We will be happy to arrange a time to come out to your residence and see specifically what natural features could be used to build a natural swimming pool like this for you. Please call us to set up a time to meet.

Contemporary Landscape

What makes the contemporary style of landscaping different from other forms of landscaping?
Perhaps the most distinguishing attribute of contemporary landscaping is the preeminence of feeling over form. Other design styles tend to develop the landscape using established forms that represent historical periods, emotional sensibilities, or intellectual concepts. For example, an outdoor room might be constructed to mimic a tropical bar in order to establish a feeling of vacation in the back yard. In such an instance, the form of the structure itself is used to establish the nature and atmosphere of events and activities it hosts.

Contemporary landscaping inverts this principle, refusing to allow the ego the convenience of assuming any fixed form as a sure point of reality. Rather, it demands that feelings be understood first, if not cognitively, at least intuitively. Only after the sense that one is seeking to express is grasped on some level can the form then begin to shape itself around the sentiment. This is similar to the literary maxim of American poet Ezra Pound, who abandoned traditional verse and declared instead that form follows content.

This is only an analogy, however; not a direct correlation. The poet has a vocabulary to work with, and usually a very advanced one at that. Any number of words can be used to convey thought and emotion. The landscaper is often more challenged. Many landscaping elements are either stylistically branded or period dated, making them difficult to use as constructs to represent abstract and subtle realities. In most contemporary landscaping projects, the designer has to often play Skywalker on the property, and unlearn all that he or she has learned so new forms can emerge of the raw energy of client desire, personal lifestyle, and preference. The designer may also have to resort to using very rudimentary elements as building blocks to use in creating these new forms, because nothing like the project at hand has been done before in quite the same manner.

Even though this is highly subjective, a remarkable order always results in a contemporary landscape—although quite often it is an order unlike anything else. Matter is nothing more than energy given a form, and all matter is organized according to principles, which are visually perceived as geometry to the naked eye. As the subjective becomes objective in contemporary design, both linear and non-linear geometric patterns emerge. Sometimes these are easily recognizable as cubes, circles, and linear angles whose stark appearance creates a sense of absolutism or contrast. Other forms emerge blended, discombobulated, or distorted, suggesting an unconscious, unexplored part of the mind.

Home architecture and personal lifestyle play a critical role in this process. Normally homeowners who prefer the contemporary style of decorating already live in a home that reflects this process of form emerging from essence. You will see homes in many parts of Houston that look almost like sculptures in their own right. Others look futuristic, as if built ahead of their time, and transported back to ours. Still others are built around simple designs that are combined into eclectic patterns to convey a sense of the avant garde, or to serve as emblems for a personal proclivity toward fine art collecting. The wise designer will take a clue from the house, get a feel for its essence, then seek to bring that same essence out of the earth with patterns and principles common to both organic and inorganic realms.
In each contemporary landscaping project, the outcome is always very different than the last thing completed. It is a science of individuation; an exploration into the undiscovered country of sense and sensibility made concrete by forms of both living and non-living materials that converge into a new world of experience where greenery, stone, earth, and water blend together into a new, personal expression of pure Mind.

West Houston Memorial Area Outdoor Room and Pool

A family by the name of Pesek, who live on the West Side of Houston off Memorial Drive, contacted us about adding an outdoor room to the exterior of their 1950’s style home. They felt it would upgrade the appearance of an old lagoon-style pool. We scheduled a consultation with them, and drove out to take a look at the pool and the surrounding property.

At first glance it became evident to us that the swimming pool was not a good compliment to the home. It had a dated, early 70’s look to it which clashed with the architecture. Adding an outdoor room behind it would create additional perspectives of aesthetic clash. Luckily, our ability to integrate more modern and luxurious swimming pool designs in to our landscaping projects meant we could still build the Peseks outdoor room like they requested. We would simply have to build a new pool as well, and make it in a new design that would compliment both the home and the outdoor room.

Taking a second look at the house, we noticed that it was built in a very geometrically proportional manner around proportional right angles. We saw an opportune them in this upon which we could incorporate into the design of the new pool and the outdoor room. Because right angles are often found in classical motifs, it contributed to the home’s sense of elegance, and offered us a way of using a more modern building as a compliment to a home built to represent a simpler, more absolute era.

We had the old swimming pool removed, and installed a rectangular pool in its place. Because the ground behind the house sloped gradually downward away from the home to the area where the outdoor room was planned, we had the perfect opportunity to turn a simple, rectangular structure into something ornamental. We installed the coping perpendicular to the ground, so that it rose out of the stone patio. This had the secondary benefit of saving the Peseks a great deal of money on travertine.

Additionally, we further embellished the appearance of the pool by creating a right angle drop off at far end of the pool away from the house. Here, we built a heated spa, again in geometrical right angles, mimicking the effect of a waterfall at the end of the pool.

The outdoor room was constructed as a series of interconnected right angles, which formed a living area in the center, outdoor fireplace and a fully functional outdoor kitchen to one side. With this new outdoor room, the Peseks could host birthday parties outside by the pool, or they could entertain friends and cook without ever having to run inside for anything. The outdoor room was complete with a smoker, a refrigerator, an ice maker, and a water heater. Seating and entertainment were then added to create the equivalent of a living room atmosphere.

To complete the design, and to connect the outdoor room more fully to the living experience of the pool and surrounding landscape, we installed a flat screen TV facing in the direction of the spa. Now, when Mr. Pesek wants to relax in the spa, regardless of the time of year, he can do so in climate controlled comfort, and watch his favorite television programs on cable TV.

If you are interested in an new exterior design, 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 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

River Oaks Pool Remodeling Project

We would like to add several new features to our back yard and would like to enlarge our swimming pool as part of the overall landscaping design. We are wondering if this can be done without having to replace the entire pool.

It really depends on the size and location of the pool, and how much you want to invest in this portion of a landscaping project. A pool remodel can be very destructive to any nearby trees the pool may be located near to. If the pool is relatively removed from the surrounding landscape, you may still want to opt for an alternative to pool enlargement. There are ways that we can remodel your swimming pool that will create the appearance of a larger structure without actually increasing its vertical and horizontal dimensions.

This is what we did when remodeling a pool in River Oaks recently. This pool was located on a patio just outside the back door of the home. When we were called in, it was rectangular in design and flush with the patio surface. The homeowner wanted the pool to appear lower than the patio itself, so that everything would look more proportional in relationship to the rear entrance to the house.

Of course, we could not tear up the entire patio and risk killing several large trees to replace the pool, or even enlarge its dimensions. What we had to do instead was create a new internal structure within the pool that would create new, partly separated spaces for people in the water. We also wanted to create the optical illusion that the pool was lower than the patio deck. This required some very creative remodeling techniques that proved both aesthetically pleasing and completely environmentally friendly to the surrounding landscape.

First, we added a coping to the perimeter of the pool that was slightly elevated above the patio deck. This then made the water surface lower than the cement surrounding, and created more of a sense of stepping down into the water. In a normal pool remodel, this coping would be at the same elevation as the patio, but as we have already noted, altering the patio was out of the question.

We then turned our attention to Phase II of the remodel: reshaping the dimensions of the pool itself. Since we could not add to the cubic feet of the interior, we actually reduced the cubic volume strategically by piping in special concrete to the inside of the pool. This was not ordinary concrete, but rather a highly compressed form of dry cement that softened when water was applied to it, allowing us to sculpt it into new shapes. We added steps at one end of the pool, and created a spa at the other. We then filled in the corners to create a more contoured appearance.

At the end of the day, even though now there was more concrete under the surface of the water than before, the pool actually looked larger due to the addition of new structures within it. To add functionality to décor, we installed new pool jets that maintained consistent water pressure and flow between the spa portion and the swimming area in the newly remodeled pool.

Please email us photographs of your landscape and swimming pool and we can propose some ideas along similar lines specifically suited to your overall outdoor aesthetic and lifestyle. You can also call us at (713) 827-2255 to schedule an onsite appointment if you prefer a face-to-face.

Modern Landscape Design

We have too many trees on our property and would like to create an entirely new look, but many landscapers we have talked to say they do not want to touch the trees. Do you ever clear property of trees when developing a landscape plan?

Most landscapers in general see trees as a special part of any landscape, and prefer to design their plans around them. However, there are cases in more modern landscaping designs where tree removal make work better for the overall, finished aesthetic. There was one project we did here in Houston that involved such a requirement. Our client was a personal friend of our company, and a well-known Houston art collector who wanted his home to be more visible from the street. He had so many trees in front of his home that it was barely visible even from the end of the driveway. He asked us to clear the property, and to create a more modern-looking landscape that would reflect the contemporary nature of his home architecture. We agreed to do this, as the type of modern architecture his home was built around was not a style that large trees would effectively compliment.

The house was a two story structure that was built in many ways to look like a work of contemporary art. Its front façade featured many unique curves and angles that reflect the geometry of modern statuary and abstract forms. The windows built exceptionally large, and were built that way intentionally to provide a lighted view of the interior where our friend showcased his art and sculpture. To create a contemporary landscape design that complimented, but also avoided overpowering the gallery-like appearance of this very eclectic design, we used traditional plant materials that would grow relatively low to the ground (to avoid blocking a view of the house), and we laid them out in geometric patterns that mirrored the curves and angles of the house. This supported the image of the landscape and stone driveway flowing naturally toward the front of the home.

To create a strong central focus on this new landscape, we built a circular, modern water fountain in the center of the stone driveway. We chose black granite as the building material for two reasons. One, granite speaks to the monumental, and we wanted to establish our client’s residence with an aura of neighborhood monumentation. Secondly, granite is used very much in contemporary architecture and even some forms of outdoor contemporary structure. We felt this would be the perfect fit to create a blend of stately sophistication and ultra-modern, eclectic tastes. We then added several touches of refinement to the fountain by polishing the granite so that it would reflect images of the water and the home to anyone standing near the coping. The coping itself was all radius cut, and built of polished limestone. The lighter color of the limestone created an archetypal contrast of light and darkness, further contributing to the modern theme of the landscape design, and providing a surface for illumination so the fountain would remain an established keynote on the landscape during the night.

We lit the fountain fiber optic cables that wrapped around the circumference of the fountain’s interior. This allowed the light to actually shine up from under the water as a perfect circle, illuminating the water with a sparkling effect that naturally focused the landscape and all of its surrounding features onto the modern architecture of the home. The new modern landscape design better suits the exterior of this very unique showpiece of Houston contemporary home architecture. Although ultra-sophisticated in nature, the new fountain and vegetation add a touch of organic fluidity that make futurism look as natural as antiquity.

Landscape Plans

Where can I find contractors who specialize in specific landscaping services such as masonry, exterior rooms, and drainage for water features?

We recommend you hire a landscaping company who will subcontract and coordinate all of these services under a comprehensive landscaping plan. Any attempt to communicate with landscaping subcontractors directly normally leads to miscommunication and frustration. Subcontractors are more accustomed to working with a general landscaping contractor who speaks their language and can itemize expectations in the form of a detailed landscaping plan. This lets the subcontractor know immediately which services are expected and how those services will relate to other elements of the overall landscape. A landscaping plan also allows the homeowner to know the specifics of what he or she is investing in, see the big picture at the same time, and make any requests for changes in plenty of time for all parties considered to efficiently respond without mishap or needless additional costs.

Do landscape plans help minimize the cost of a landscaping project?

Yes. Time is money, and landscape plans keep projects on schedule and streamline key elements of process flow critical to a successful outcome. One of the most important things they do is to establish the scope of a project. A landscaping firm such as Exterior Worlds will develop a plan that itemizes each specific element of the design, including, but not limited to, such things as swimming pools, masonry, and exterior lighting. The general contractor then subcontracts these elements to the appropriate specialists and shows them the plan. This keeps everyone on the same page and makes it much more likely that things will get done correctly the first time, and that the project will be fulfilled on time.

Do landscape plans ensure a better aesthetic outcome?

Yes. Not only do they establish scope of project, but they also clearly designate the scale of project. Our plans are very detailed and drawn to exact, representative proportions of the property. Both the homeowner and all subcontracted entities can clearly see how each landscaping element in the plan will ultimately fit in with every other element and create an overall unity that compliments the exterior architecture of the home itself. Secondly, and equally importantly, it will ensure that that all specific elements interconnect to create a comprehensive aesthetic that appropriately compliments the exterior architecture of the home itself.

Do you allow the homeowner to revise the landscape plan you propose?

Yes. We recommend all changes be finalized, however, before we bring in subcontractors. Some things, such as swimming pools, masonry, and complex lighting arrays cannot be redone without enormous additional costs. For this reason, we spend a great deal of time consulting with homeowners and getting to know them. We draft a preliminary plan, explain the details, and answer questions. If the client requests changes, we revise the plan accordingly and finalize it with homeowner approval prior to bringing in other business entities to fulfill the details of the project.

Our experience has taught us that this process ensures that every client feels comfortable about the money they are spending, feels a sense of ownership in planning their own personal landscape, and has better results from subcontractors who come to the table under through our project management system that brings everyone to the table with the common purpose of successful implementation of the landscaping plan.

Unique Landscape Design

What is a unique landscape?

Unusual, not expected, sensational, inspiring, this is our definition of a unique landscape or landscape beauty that elicits a mental/emotional response. Not only beautiful, a unique landscape should fulfill and exceed the requirements and dreams of the client, the site and the home. Design experience, understanding, knowledge of materials and construction methods as well as experience in the execution and maintenance of landscape gardens are what one should look for in a great landscape designer that has the ability to create a unique landscape.

What makes for great design?

The homes relationship with the property and the properties relationship to surrounding homes, easements, streets and trees are the site context. These are the spatial relationships of use areas to include future wants and needs and the sequence of spaces from inside the home to the outside of the home. What is the walk experience from the street to the front door? Is there a clear distinction of spaces or rooms in the back yard and does the space tell you what its use is? Great architecture should articulate space meaning “tell the perceiver were to go and how to travel through the space.” This statement couldn’t be more true for landscape designers in creating a unique landscape.

What does great space have to do with selecting materials and building a garden?

Choosing appropriate hardscape and landscape materials to define space and the garden is were the actual unique garden is created. Materials can have a wonderful blend with architectural materials or contrast them creating a complimentary effect with the home. There are three components of selecting hardscape; patio or deck materials which are scale, color and texture. In regards to scale, you need to know what uses you are intending to accommodate. Color can be used to either compliment the finishes inherent in the home or contrast with it similar to material selection discussed above. Texture is the final detail selection in the hardscape. Textural details can accent back to the architecture. This is done by contrasting materials which define spaces and as a finishing touch add warmth and intimacy. In designing the landscape planting we also utilize the same elements of scale, color and texture. Laying out landscape planting is done much like a painting arranging plantings in groupings and masses with contrasting colors and textures.

Should the landscape style match the style of the house?

The landscape style does not have to be an exact replica of the homes architectural style it can reflect other styles while still being sympathetic to the homes architecture and entries. Regardless of the architectural style the use of space should reflect today’s lifestyles which include integration of indoor and outdoor living spaces. Often times even a classical landscape design or formal landscape design will have a contemporary approach in terms of how the spaces are utilized for today’s busy lifestyles i.e. low maintenance and cleaner finishes. A modern home with its sleek lines often times is not carried out into the garden and the update may include the integration of a true contemprary landscape design. Also a modern home may not take full advantage of the many possibilities to display sculptures and opportunities which are true to the home and its style.

Creating a Unique Landscape Takes Design and Construction Understanding

A unique landscape takes the experience and knowledge of design theory and implementation throughout the selection of materials. It requires an understanding of architecture, design principles, hardscape materials, landscape materials, their installation and construction methods as well as knowledge of landscape maintenance over time. The understanding of site context, the architecture of the home, the client’s wants and needs and the execution of these fundamental elements creates the unique landscape.

Maintenance Contracts

Why do I need a maintenance contract?

A beautiful yard says something about the owners. Whether a small garden design, a formal landscape design, subtle and simple, or made dramatic with landscape lighting, a well-kept landscape sends a special message. Just as important—from the street, a landscape that is meticulously maintained makes a home stand out, which is important when it comes time to sell it. After spending a lot of money, time and energy on your landscape design, it makes sense to protect it and ensure that it develops as planned. And that’s where landscape maintenance contracts come into play.

Tell me about your landscape services.

In business since 1987, Exterior Worlds provides residential landscape maintenance to properties in the greater Houston area. Our basic maintenance contracts cover regularly scheduled visits, in increments of 42 or 52 weeks per year (weather permitting), in which your landscape is tended to with immaculate care. Additionally, we provide commercial landscape maintenance, as well as high-end landscape design services.

What do the Exterior Worlds’ basic maintenance contracts cover?

• Lawn Maintenance. The lawn areas are mowed and edged and all debris caused by maintenance is removed. Any diseases are identified for which the homeowner is presented with an estimate for treatment.

• Flower Bed Maintenance. Beds are weeded as necessary and mulch is turned regularly. Roses and annual flowers are also tended to with rose maintenance including dead-heading and fertilizing every six weeks during the growing season. Annual flowers are dead-headed and fertilized as well.

• Shrub, Ground Cover and Vine Maintenance. Hedges, shrubs and ground covers are trimmed to conform to the intent of the landscape design. Vines are pruned to maintain desired appearance. Beds are edged to maintain neat appearance. All debris will be removed with each service.

• Annual Flowers Maintenance. We can develop a separate estimate for seasonal change-outs at your request. Once a program is begun, seasonal flowers are fertilized and pruned for optimal growth and color.

• Tree Maintenance. Exterior Worlds understands the value of trees and are big believers in tree preservation. We inspect them for disease and insect infestations. As a part of regular maintenance, small trees are trimmed as necessary. Fallen leaves and limbs will be removed regularly. For taller trees, a service estimate is provided as needed.

• Fertilization Program. We think lawn areas benefit from fertilization four times a year. Azaleas and gardenias will be fertilized in April or May—and acidified in February. Shrubs, ground covers and vines are fertilized quarterly. Fungicides and insecticides are applied two to four times per year. Exterior Worlds is licensed and regulated under the Texas Structural Pest Control Board, License # 12015. For your information: Texas Structural Pest Control Board, P.O. Box 1927, Austin, TX 78767-1927. 512-305-8250.

• Surface maintenance. We clear and clean all surfaces at the end of a service call. Additionally, the surfaces of any swimming pools, ponds or outdoor water fountains will be skimmed to collect accumulated debris.

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 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

Mediterranean landscape design

What are the elements of a Mediterranean landscape design?
For Houstonians longing for the atmospheric qualities of, say, Tuscany or the ancient Greek era, no garden fills that desire like a Mediterranean landscape design. Our clients travel abroad and come home wanting to recreate a setting that they fell in love with in Italy, Morocco, Spain or Greece. At Exterior Worlds, we think every garden should have a bit of fantasy in it.

As the name implies, Mediterranean gardens are dry-climate gardens. Think of the semi-arid, rocky hills of Austin, but with olive groves. These gardens have the same attributes—use of axis, linearity, and central focal points—of formal landscape design. Their most distinguishing feature is in their use of materials; limestone or gravels for pathways, for example. For plants choices, we suggest junipers, Italian cypress, dwarf yaupons and other blue-green or gray plants.

What are the features of a Mediterranean landscape design?
The architecture of the house needs to blend with a landscape done in a Mediterranean theme. You can achieve this goal with the intelligent positioning of a hardscape feature: perhaps a wrought iron garden gate as can be found in Barcelona or a limestone garden arch. Your goal is to create an Old World ambiance.

When working in this style, the home and landscape can be further connected through selective use of plantings. The choice of plants, in fact, is the main definer of this style:
• Herb gardens. Herbs, especially attractive in terra cotta planters, enhance the Italian influence and create enticing smells. Ahhh…basil, rosemary, sage and thyme.
• Vegetable gardens. The original Mediterranean gardens were quite practical and were extensions of the ubiquitous farming cultures. Therefore, a vegetable garden fits right into this landscape, providing sustenance and color.
• Trees and shrubs. Given the sunny climate from which this style arose, it is no surprise that shade is extremely important—making it a natural for Houston. The twists and turns of live oaks are very fitting in this garden. Other tree choices are olive trees, Italian cypress and orange or lemon fruit trees.
• Vines. Use creeping vines like wisteria and grapevines.
For material choices, you can choose among several different notable elements suitable for residential gardens done in the Mediterranean style. To name just a few: stone, weathered bricks, terra cotta tiles, flagstone, tumbled travertine, wrought iron, classical statuary, Roman columns, and wooden beams.

What other elements work in a Mediterranean landscape design?A residential garden done with Mediterranean flamboyance is refined and relaxed, capturing the easy living of the outdoors. In choosing the spaces and hardscapes to further enhance the surroundings, consider these options:
• Outdoor water fountains. Water is a critical part of the Mediterranean lifestyle, so consider fountains that are in a Romanesque, Italianate or rustic style.
• Swimming pools. Within this theme, classic shapes, like squares, rectangles and circles, work well for pools. We often suggest that our clients combine them with an outdoor water fountain.
• Outdoor kitchens. A focal point of outdoor entertainment, a summer kitchen provides a natural gathering place.

We would love an opportunity to consult with you in creating a Mediterranean Garden Design for your Houston backyard. Exterior Worlds has been providing the residential landscape services and garden design services discussed above for the Memorial villages Tanglewood, Bellaire, River Oaks, West University and the greater Houston, area since 1987. Contact us at 713-827-2255

Landscape Achitecture

Whether you are constructing a building or a home, landscape architecture is one of the most commonly overlooked aspects of a project.

You can see it in professionally-designed residential properties, public parks and playgrounds, parkways and golf courses. The principle of landscape architecture is to create spaces that are functional and beautiful. Landscape architects plan the location and the arrangement of outdoor water fountains, garden arbors and gazebos, and swimming pools. They are also focus on designing and developing landscapes that suit the natural environment and conditions.

Who can deliver the landscape plans, documents and designs?
To become a landscape architect usually requires a bachelor’s or master’s degree in landscape. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are (2) undergraduate professional degrees: a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA) and a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture (BSLA). Typically, these degrees entail four or five years of study in design, construction techniques, art, history, and natural and social sciences.

For landscape architects seeking advanced degrees, there are two routes. Those who obtain undergraduate degrees in landscape architecture can earn their Masters (MLA) in 2 years. If you hold an undergraduate degree in a field other than landscape architecture and want to go into landscape architecture, the MLA usually requires 3 years of full-time study. In 2007, 61 U.S. colleges offered 79 undergraduate and graduate programs in landscape architecture that were accredited by the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).

Working with home architects, surveyors, engineers and contractors, landscape architects help determine the best arrangement of the property’s elements. Landscape architects, in collaboration with these professionals, create detailed plans indicating new topography, vegetation, walkways, and other landscaping details, such as outdoor kitchens, gate placement and other decorative features.

Landscape architects first study the project as a whole. They think about the wants and needs of the owner and the existing budget. They analyze the natural elements of the site, such as the climate, soil, slope of the land, drainage, and vegetation; examine where sunlight falls on the site at different times of the day and different times of the year; and assess the effect of the existing neighborhood, roads, walkways, and utilities.

The next step in the development is the conceptual design stage that develops out of the meeting notes, site analysis, program of uses, and the architect’s knowledge. At this level, an architect conveys the overall design goals, such as the general use areas and their sizes, material choices, irrigation, drainage systems, turf areas, and plantings. An overall cost estimate is developed from the landscape plan as well.

Once you have decided on the final design esthetic, you are ready to begin the landscaping, development and construction phases. The documentations for these phases include: planting plans, drainage plan, construction details, electrical plans, irrigation plans and a permit set, for presenting to the locate municipalities. These plans also convey final design intent, and construction details which include specifications for materials and their installation.

Exterior Worlds, in business since 1987, provides landscape design and services for residences, commercial buildings and retail centers in the Houston area. Call them at 713-827-2255 to request a consultation or estimate.

Houston Pool Landscaping

I am having a new pool and landscaping done at my home. Can you give me some advice on how to handle this project?

Within a landscape design plan, a pool can be the biggest and often the most impressive, hardscape element. Equal parts lifestyle, enjoyment and elegance, a swimming pool is the choice of a homeowner whose goal is to make the most of leisure time and to create a backyard retreat or family fun center.

What should I consider when planning my pool project?
• What add-ons do you want? These options for your pool design include a spa, sun shelf (a specially built feature for sunning), and underwater benches. Other elements: waterfalls, negative edges, slides, diving boards.

• What about shade? Our climate gets a lot of sun—sometimes too much. So if your pool area is bereft of shade, consider building your own. Pergolas, arbors and covered patios are three of the popular Houston pool landscaping choices. A man-made shade, such as these structures, will provide a welcome break on those days when the sun feels relentless.

• What about safety? All choices about a pool should factor in safety. One way to do it is through the use of fences. Jeff Halper with Exterior Worlds points out that fences can be built in a non-intrusive way. “We like to hide fences and gates by weaving them among shrubbery. This method makes the pool area safe, up to code and aesthetically pleasing,” he says.

Pools are an excellent place to work in an water feature. For one thing, the maintenance of an added body of water is completely eliminated by having both elements connected. Some of the essential equipment to have a stand-alone water fountain, such as the filter , auto-fills, cholrinators, drain lines and lights, are redundant and therefore not needed. Finally, swimming pools tend to be reasonably huge bodies of water which is an asset to water fountains, because it mitigates the problem that stand-alone water fountains often have with water loss due to evaporation and splashing.

Should I hire a landscape contractor to install my pool and landscaping?

Many homeowners incorrectly think that a landscape design project is just as simple as putting the different parts into a logical order—get the pool installed, then call in the landscape lighting guys, for example. In most cases, one piece of the overall design is hardly ever installed in its entirety at one time; rather, it is installed in multiple steps with the subcontractor coming back to the project several times before his part of the installation is finished. For example, before the pool subcontractor pours the pool decking, you want to get the electricians and the drainage specialists out there. Otherwise you’ll land-lock that beautiful planter that you had specially built to mark the end of the pool area. You’ve left it stranded without electricity for lights or plumbing for easy watering.”

Recognized as one of the leading Houston pool landscaping design firms, Exterior Worlds provides high-end residential landscaping services for Bellaire, the Memorial Villages of Piney Point Village, Bunker Hill Village and Hunter Creek Village, West University, River Oaks, Tanglewood and the surrounding Houston area. 713-827-2255.

Houston Landscape Business

I want to hire a landscape business to work at my home. Can these companies do more for me then just gardening and landscaping?

Of course, landscape companies offer a full range of landscape services including consultation, design, installation and maintenance. A landscape business will usually concentrate in one or more areas and subcontract associated installation elements such as summer kitchens, swimming pools, water features, outdoor fireplaces, and night lighting.

Once you have decided to hire a landscape business, you typically begin with a discovery meeting or interview where you have a chance to talk about your overall goals, program elements, design objectives and the overall aesthetics. The subsequent meeting you may discuss landscape designs, landscape plans, permitting issues and cost estimates. In providing landscape services, a good professional should work conscientiously to help you define the scope of your project, phasing, scheduling, coordination, selection of all materials and construction methods, and project cost.
Once you have approved the landscape design, the landscape company you selected can begin the installation. As mentioned earlier, many landscape businesses act as the general contractor and oversee the entire installation of drainage, irrigation and landscape lighting. The fees for these services vary for each landscape business; however they are normally charged as a percentage of the total cost of the work for the project. .

A landscape business will usually include all plant materials, irrigation, drainage, and landscape lighting in their contract. 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. The irrigation and lighting subcontractors then return for final adjustments and the installation is complete.

It is during the installation that the importance of tree preservation must be emphasized. Careful pre-construction activities include protective tree fencing, borer applications on sensitive trees, temporary drainage and elevated walks to protect tree roots. Proper grading and soil preparation around large trees is another delicate issue. The foresight to understand the impact of changing grades on mature trees is crucial, so make sure your landscape service company is well versed in this area of expertise.
Some homeowners want to act as general contractors for their landscaping projects in order to save money. This choice can lead to some real problems. Often confusions can arise from the misunderstanding of trade terminology, scheduling and coordination if the different phases of a project. A subcontractor will respond much better to a seasoned general contractor who understands the work to be performed and with whom they have a good relationship based on past experience. Many landscape businesses have years of experience to make sure the end results exceed your expectations.

Landscape maintenance is one of the most imperative ongoing services to insure that your asset develops into a mature and beautiful outdoor environment. A landscape company will normally include proper trimming of plant material and mowing of all yard areas. They should have a methodical feeding program that boosts the varying plant health of tropical, acidic and seasonal color plants. The feeding program may also include spring and fall aeration of lawn areas with the application of fall rye grass.

If you are interested in landscape services, Exterior Worlds has been providing the services discussed above for the Houston Texas Hou area since 1987.