Stone Landscaping

Stone landscaping is an incredible cost saver for people who want their property to look good with as little maintenance as possible. Stone is perhaps the most durable substance one can decorate a landscape with, and it can be used with almost infinite variety as either a primary element or secondary element to a specific structure, garden style, or outdoor design. It also works incredibly well with all forms of vegetation, because in Nature stone and plants are found side by side, as if they belong together.

One very popular form of stone used in landscaping is gravel. Gravel can be used to create beds for vegetation, pathways to walk one, and even special ornamentation. For example, gravel pathways are used to form the pathways that create complex patterns in parterre gardens. It is also used extensively around sculpture and fountains. Gravel consisting of darker rocks can be used to frame a statue made from lighter materials. Light colored stones can be mixed with darker colored stones to create a pattern along the ground that surrounds and accents a fountain. When laid out over areas that are prone to collect water, gravel also functions as one of the best drainage systems one can use—at a fraction of the cost of more expensive conduit work.
Of course, as useful as stone is to highlighting distinguishing features on a landscape, there is much more than you can do with than simply enhance another feature. Many garden designs rely heavily upon stone landscaping for definition and essence. Zen gardens, for example, rely upon sand and stones to represent complex ideas and relationships. The sand represents the energetic nature of reality, and the stones the material forms of reality. By raking designs in the sand, and by rearranging the stones in the sand, the Zen gardener can create an infinite variety of combinations that represent the states of consciousness, points of view, and objects found in Nature.

Perhaps the most vital role that stone plays in outdoor landscaping is as a building material for outdoor structures. Patios made from stone are highly decorative and blend equally well with indigenous plant species as well as garden motifs that are carefully cultivated along more formal lines of designs. Stone can also be used as a substitute for brick to turn what is otherwise a very common structure into an extraordinary feature of the landscape. Outdoor fireplaces can be built entirely of stone in such a way as to appear as part of the land itself. Even outdoor rooms can be built mostly of stone so as to create a feeling that Nature itself has become both a new form of living space and a special entertainment space. Natural swimming pools can be built using stone for coping and to create diving areas.

There really is no limit on what landscaping with stone can offer the homeowner looking to emphasize a unity of architecture and Nature.

Professional Landscapers

Professional landscapers can be expensive. Why not simply hire a yard services company and contract other services if necessary?
The expertise of yard services companies seldom extends beyond vegetation management. Other elements of professional landscaping fall outside of the scope of services that yard men typically offer. A professional landscaper begins with a master design plan that respects the architecture of the home and ensures that any outdoor structures architecturally complement both the home and surrounding terrain. This is extremely important for anyone looking to recreate their outdoor space as entertainment space. Structures such as outdoor rooms, outdoor fireplaces, arbors, and special patios overlooking garden areas and swimming pools require not only planning and design skills, but the ability to subcontract and manage specialty service providers who will build these unique elements in such a way as to create a comprehensive unity of form and structure throughout the property.

If all I need is a new garden design and better plant materials, why not save money just by hiring the yard man whose truck is parked across the street at my neighbor’s house?
You can do that, but think twice about accepting someone’s claim to expertise at face value. You should never do business with anyone who cannot provide you with a written proposal and an itemization of services broken down by individual price points and labor fees. You should also get some references in writing and find out how long they have been working in the Houston area. Many yard services companies have come here from other places because our economy has remained recession-proof to some degree. These people are very good at what they do, but they have not been here long enough to understand the complexities of Gulf Coast soil, erosion factors, and the complex blend of indigenous and non-indigenous plant life needed to create a truly superior Houston garden design.

At the end of the day, it might serve you better to spend a little extra money on a professional landscaper who has worked in the area for years, or even decades, and who has developed a portfolio of designs specific to the climate and topography of the Houston bayou system and surrounding floodplain.

Do professional landscaping companies offer anything special for children?
It’s funny that you ask this. There is a saying among professional landscapers that states if you haven’t designed something for the kids you haven’t designed anything at all.

Professional landscapers know how important it is to build special outdoor areas that are safe and fun for children. Effectively doing so requires a skillful design and impeccable construction. Safety has to always be paramount, so only reputable and bonded subcontractors should ever be trusted to build anything recreation area for children.

While a yard services company can effectively develop something simple like a level playing field in the center of the yard (say, for soccer practice or pitching practice), more complex structures require architectural expertise and construction experience to create a safe play environment. Building a basketball or volleyball court, or a natural swimming pool with a diving rock, will take a great deal of coordination with expert subcontractors and the skillful management of a professional landscaper who can communicate effectively with subcontractors and ensure that a safe area is created that also fulfills the purpose and nature of the game.

Urban Landscaping Design

Our in-town home needs some help with landscaping. What ideas can Exterior Worlds offer?
The overall objective of any landscape design, including urban landscaping, is to create a space that has a relationship to its surroundings. The goal with your landscape architecture is to create spaces in which the home, garden and architectural elements are in harmony with their natural setting. Additionally, it should reflect your visual desires and function together in every respect.

An urban landscape, yard or garden comes with big challenges. Perhaps your property backs up to the three-story blank wall of a neighboring townhouse. Maybe the space is all straight lines and right angles. Start with the big picture of your landscape garden design —your assets and liabilities. For instance, you may have large, possibly immovable features, such as trees, a long fence-line or pool machinery and equipment. Decide if you want to feature them or hide them. Landscape designers and landscape architects can bring insight and experience to this process.

What elements should we consider including in our urban landscaping?
Be creative with:
• Landscape lighting. The right landscape lighting is a relatively inexpensive way to increase your property value. It allows you to showcase beautiful trees and garden structures, and, from a practical standpoint, it provides security and safe access.
• Outdoor water fountains. Water elements create a pleasing and welcoming ambiance. For urban landscaping, they are especially beneficial as camouflage for traffic, noisy air-conditioning units and loud neighbors.
• Pathways. Paths are functional in that they provide a way into the space. They also lead the eye in, through, and across your landscape and serve as the first insight into the homeowner’s personality.
What do we need to know about drainage issues?
For a Houston urban landscaping project, storm drainage issues are very serious due to our flat topography, heavy clay soils, and increased impermeable surfaces due to years of construction that have compacted heavily-forested lots. These factors have increased flooding during our rainy season.

To address drainage system issues, local regulations have begun to follow the standards used by the Memorial Villages that require temporary drainage systems, flow rates, minimum pipe sizes, engineered drainage plans, topographic maps, and as/built plans. We advise our clients that if drainage contractors undertake a drainage project without a complete understanding of these demands, they may find themselves in the middle of a big mess that can cost thousands of dollars to rectify.

What about tree preservation?
Houston is covered with a wide variety of trees, from small ornamentals to majestic oak trees. Their ability to survive and thrive is greater with proper preservation and conservation efforts.

Trees face three main offenders:
• Compaction caused by construction vehicles and materials, both during and after the construction.
• Root damage, generally due to digging for foundations, landscaping, irrigation systems, luxury swimming pools, drainage systems and landscape lighting.
• Soil contamination, caused when construction materials, such as cement, lime, paint or turpentine, are stored or dispensed around trees. Eventually, these toxic materials seep into the soil and kill the trees.

French Garden Design

French garden design applies the principles of symmetry and geometry established by André Le Nôtre, chief gardener for Louis IVX at the Palace of Versailles. Versailles had originally been a hunting lodge, but Le Nôtre turned it into the envy of the European Elite with his elaborate parterres, radiating pathways, water pools, and stone coping that were laid out with an order and system that all came together into a complex, interconnected unity when viewed from a balcony or palace room. Soon, this style was copied by the remainder of the French aristocracy, and it to this day still follows the same basic design principles as its royal prototype.

Of course, today’s French gardens are obviously much smaller than the ones built around the chateaus of the 18th century. The typical Houston home resides on far less land than even a small European estate. Nevertheless modified derivatives of the original formula can still be replicated in virtually any Houston setting to the flat nature of our terrain. This is because Houston, like much of France, lies on a very level plane that is ideal for the type of formal bedding the garden is planted within.

The essential elements of parterres surrounded by trimmed hedges, repeating geometry, and embroidered patterns are used as compliments to landscaping features such as fountains, patios, and outdoor sculptures. Within these basic structures a tremendous freedom now exists for the landscape designer to create all sorts of shapes and colors within the formal bedding and enclosed low-level hedges that have remained characteristic of this form for centuries.

While French gardens will always be exquisitely breathtaking when appreciated from a removed, elevated vantage point, today’s modern landscaping techniques make it possible to create the same effects with smaller gardens, or even micro gardens, viewed from ground level. Such smaller French gardens are often located in front of outdoor patios, outdoor rooms, and arbors. This allows homeowners to sit outside and overlook a landscape whose diversity also represents unity and balance.

This bending, rather than breaking, of pattern and form allows for virtually any low-level plant species to be used in a French garden. Boxwoods are typically used to frame the edges of parterres, with perennial blooms, herbs, and special grasses comprising the interior. Color choices can range from the monochromatic to a diversity of red, blues, yellows, and varying shades of green.

The only requirement that really limits plant material options is the need of every French garden to clearly have more horizontal space than vertical space. So long as the formal element of a flat, cultivated, and highly sculpted planting remains clearly seen from any desired vantage point(s) , the options for flowers and plants are diverse and numerous.

Ranch Landscape

How do I go about Landscaping my West Texas Ranch?
The sheer size of the rural landscape can be overwhelming for the average landscape contractor, landscape designer as well as the owner who no longer works the land but uses it for rest and retreat. The prospect of maintenance, care and management of a Texas Horse Ranch, Farm or Estate can be daunting. A plan should include phased management and implementation of a landscape design.
How do I develop a management program for my Ranch?
A complete management or maintenance program for a ranch landscape defines zones of management, prioritizes tasks and determines if various maintenance areas should be expanded or deleted altogether to make the job of maintenance much more manageable. Defining zones of management:

1) The most concentrated and highest maintenance takes place around the perimeter of the house. These include weekly tasks such as mowing, shrub pruning and weeding.

2) The next zone might include bi-weekly or monthly maintenance tasks such as weeding and pruning around less often used walk, patio or pool areas for entertaining. Both zones one and two should receive regular fertilization, mulch and have an irrigation system as well.

3) the next zone could include biannual spring and fall clean-up areas such as fields that are seasonally mowed, shrub brush edges that need regular thinning out or filling pot holes in the entry road all categorized as spring and fall clean-up.

By organizing tasks by their intensity, zone of management and time of year for tasks to be done a yearly maintenance schedule of tasks and budgets even the largest estate can be fashioned and brought into perspective.

How will a landscape design help me?
Because a lot of rural landscapes have been built at different times, with many different pieces, a Master Plan Design can be a great help in providing cohesiveness and unifying even the largest property by its various uses. It can be a very gratifying process in piecing together farm history of the past with the present.

What can I do to better unify the various buildings, uses and drives to my property?

Drive to the House- A row of majestic oaks or fruit trees along the drive can be a wonderful approach to tying the main drive into the house. Also, a circle drive could be added to accentuate the homes entry as well as provide a turn around.

Define edges-Define the different parts of your property into lawn areas, orchards, and woodland edges much like nature would have dictated in the past.

Outdoor Fountains –the sound and beauty of a rustic fountain. Build the country fountain in a simplistic manner so it is easy to maintain.

Summer Kitchens-country outdoor kitchens can be built to reflect the home be repeated such as matching roofing or molding details giving it a county nostalgia feel and creating unity with an old farm house.

Walkways-just as English Gardens of our past, walkways of gravel, limestone chips and reused brick or stone from the original construction can lead around the property and link to arbors, benches, or swings.

Parterre Garden Design

The word “parterre” means “on the ground” in French. It refers to a type of formal garden created by French nursery designer Claude Mollet in the 1500s. Mollet had been inspired by the English knot gardens he had seen, and he wanted to expand their basic elements into something appropriate to the opulent and massive estates of the French Aristocracy. He decided that the parterre garden would look better if viewed from above, as opposed to a ground-level perspective. To make it visible from a higher vantage point, he expanded the one square into four squares with gravel paths that intersecting in the center. From an elevated position, this would create a sense of linear movement combined with balance and proportion.

Because parterre gardens were designed to be viewed from above, Mollet decided that clipped box and other similar shrubs would work better as visual elements than aromatic herbs and flowering plant. The English, of course, objected to this, with herbalist and poet Gervase Markham denouncing box as having a “naughty smell” that had no place in a garden. The English were missing the point. Mollet was creating something for the Elite to quietly admire from the opulence and comfort of their balconies and open windows- not stroll through the garden and smell.
Parterre gardens reached the zenith of their form under the reign of Louis XIII, at the Palace of Versailles. King Louis’s head gardener, Jacques Boyceau, defined the best elements of the parterre gardens as follows:

• Borders made from box and other shrubs.
• Compartments and pathways within shrub elements
• Passements-French for embroidery patterns
• Arabesque elements (repeating geometry)
• Interlacing patterns clearly visible from windows.

The parterre garden fell out of style after the French Revolution and the introduction of the 18th Century English naturalist garden. However, in the 20th Century, it returned as a popular element of residential landscaping design. The same basic aesthetic principles of Boyceau and Mollet are still followed, but the use of four squares divided by gravel paths is typically not used except on very large, private estates.

In most Houston neighborhoods, parterre gardens are planted adjunct to an architectural or landscaping feature. They can be either linear or contoured to compliment the architecture of any outdoor structure or landscaping element. For example, a West Houston couple with a passion for all things French had us plant a partier garden around a paved parking area that was shaped like a horseshoe. Later, this area was used to place an outdoor sculpture, and the greenery surrounding it added a natural, embellishing touch.

Typically, landscaping companies use a combination of boxwoods and holly trees for modern parterre garden design. The boxwoods provide the boundaries for the garden, and the hollies add a three-dimensional element. This simple combination makes such a garden an excellent addition to a yard that has no fence. When planted along the property line, it can create a superb and highly aesthetic natural boundary between a residence and a neighboring property.

Concrete Patios

We have become enamored of concrete and want to use it in new ways in our landscape design. Does Exterior Worlds have some suggestions for us?
Concrete is an especially practical aesthetic in landscape design, especially in contemporary and urban settings. Nature has given concrete its appeal of durability and convenience. Yet there is artistry, too, with its simplicity and the freedom of a blank canvas it affords. Concrete has been given new life in the last 10-15 years and has a natural beauty similar to granite, marble, and quartz. In fact, some artists have called it “liquid stone.” This flexibility frees up the design potential, especially for concrete patios. Architects, builders and artists also now use concrete for furniture, kitchen countertops, even interior walls. No longer an ugly duckling material, it has come into its own in the 21st century—for monumental buildings, home interiors, urban landscaping, pool deck design and works of art, just to name a few examples.
Concrete is especially suitable for a patio design because it gives you the ability to create any dimension—right angle, straight edge, curved wall, round island. You can make it smooth and polish it, thus highlighting its coolness. Alternately, you can stain or color it, stamp or texture it. Let your imagination guide you to a beautiful concrete patio.

How are Houstonians building creative concrete patios?
When using concrete as your base material, the main word is “customize”—whether you’re talking about custom patterns, custom mixes or custom designs.

Custom patterns are created by using concrete insets to replicate a pattern. For an extra visual appeal, a floor pattern can then be replicated in related areas, such as a concrete countertop.

Custom mixes give you the opportunity to match your chosen concrete surface to most any color. Feel free to bring in examples of a color that will work flawlessly for you.

Besides a concrete patio, your custom designs may include an outdoor kitchen, a feature of the home landscape design that has skyrocketed in popularity here in Houston. Other custom designs using concrete: mantles over outdoor fireplaces, sinks and built-in benches.

Since drainage issues are so important in Houston, how can we avoid creating one more impervious surface?
Given our infamous torrential rainstorms, a landscape drainage system is a necessary component of any hardscape project in Houston. It determines whether your patio has a usable hard surface or becomes a swamp. Professional landscape designers and landscape architects can design patio drains—such as, French drains or decorative drains—in ways that blend seamlessly into the overall look. Drainage contractors can help as well.

We also want to be as ecologically correct as possible. Is concrete still a good choice in that regard?
Going “green” and using sustainable materials to create healthier and more resource-efficient environments is on everyone’s mind these days. Concrete fits perfectly into this concept. It is a natural compound. It is low maintenance. It is tough, durable and can withstand years of outdoor use without having to be replaced. Use it as much as you want in your “green” green garden design.

Houston Rose Maintenance

I am crazy about roses and have decided to put in a rose garden this year. Can Exterior Worlds help me get started?
Yes! We have been helping our Houston clients with their roses and rose maintenance for more than 20 years. It begins with selecting the best site: roses thrive where they get at least 6 hours of sunlight per day, with morning sun and afternoon shade preferred.

Proper soil preparation is essential for healthy roses and ease of ongoing rose maintenance. Houston’s heavy black clay is slightly alkaline and roses prefer a slightly acid soil. An ideal soil mixture consists of 1/3 loam or soil, 1/3 sand, and 1/3 organic matter. Good sources of organic material are pine bark, leaf composts, composted manures, peat moss or a combination of these materials. Beds should be elevated for good drainage.

What can Exterior Worlds tell us about the planting process?
January and February are the best times to plant bare root roses in Houston. Potted roses can be planted throughout the year, while transplanting is best done when bushes are dormant. Before planting, soak roots briefly. Dig a hole about 12 inches deep in a prepared bed, forming a cone in the planting area to support the roots. Place the bush over the soil cone so the bud union (where the rose is grafted to the roots) is 2-3 inches above the soil. Cover the roots with soil mixture and water thoroughly.

After settling has occurred, finish filling the bed, being sure to mound additional soil over the bud union to conserve moisture. After new growth starts, carefully pull back excess soil so that the bud union has full sunshine. This procedure results in healthier bushes.

What about ongoing rose maintenance?
You have five areas to focus on with rose maintenance:

• Watering. For the Gulf Coast area, roses require at least one inch of water per week and more during periods of hot, dry weather. Water thoroughly and deeply about twice a week.

• Feeding. Roses thrive on regular, light feedings, so start your feeding program when new growth begins in the spring. Continue every 4 to 6 weeks during the growing season. Follow the directions carefully, being careful not to overfeed.

• Pruning. Springtime—or for Houstonians, spring-like weather, whenever it occurs—is the best time to prune Houston roses to encourage new growth and development. Trimming maintains size and shape of your bushes. Cut non-productive and dead wood. Also trim twiggy growth.

• Pest control. Houston roses suffer from two principle insects—aphids and thrips. Aphids, or plant lice, are sucking insects that damage new growth. Thrips bruise and discolor blooms, particularly lighter colors. Several insecticides, such as Mavrik, Orthene and Malathion, are popular choices here in Houston and provide effective, safe control. Use only when infestations are obvious and follow product directions carefully.

• Fungus control. With fungus, blackspot disease is the major enemy of Houston roses. It greatly weakens the bush and retards growth. Blackspot can be prevented through regular use of a fungicide, products that are readily available, safe and easy to use. You should begin a preventative program when blackspot first appears and continue every week during the growing season. Humid, warm weather encourages blackspot; dry periods less so.

Tropical Landscaping

Is Tropical Landscaping really appropriate in Houston?
Absolutely, tropical landscaping makes sense in Houston because of our proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, the cultural influences of the tropics and subtropics of Spain/Latin America which provide plenty of local inspiration for creating the tropical landscape design. The tropics diverse palate of lush foliage and bright colors inspire the most beautiful and playful spaces echoing vacation or leisure. Often, because of budgetary concerns or need of horticultural knowledge tropical landscaping is poorly executed being treated as just another landscape i.e. substituting oaks for palms and you’re finished. When done well the tropical landscape is lush, beautiful, private, invigorating and becomes a paradise for retreat.

What style of home goes well with tropical landscaping?
The tropical landscape can adjust to almost any style. Houston’s architectural styles now popular including New Orleans plantation, Spanish, and Mediterranean all lend themselves fine to tropical landscaping. The tropical landscape can accommodate almost any home style. As in all good design the form and function of outside spaces needs to be sensitive to the homes architecture and include spaces for entertainment. First, decide whether you want to create a tropical garden that is formal or informal. Modern landscape design works well with the tropical because of all the exotic and funky plant forms available. done well comes about Through the knowledgeable layering of tropical plant materials and the fun use of varying hardscape materials such as wood, concrete, water and stone Tropical landscaping can transform your home into a place for retreat and paradise.

What are some tropical landscaping plant choices?
In creating tropical plantings think lush green multi-layer plants from the tinniest ground cover up to the tallest fronds of palm trees. Many landscape designs in Houston intended to hint at the tropical usually include some palm trees, variegated gingers and some lolly pop shrubs and white rock. This sparse and haphazard approach to tropical falls somewhere between desert sparse, uninspired and just plain poorly done so be sure to plant many layers as suggested here:

• Tall Palms-Mediterranean fan palms, pygmy date palms, medjoles, canary palms, and bamboos.
• Shrubs -gingers, philodendrons, bottle brushes, camellia specimen, cannas, caste iron plant.
• Accents-Australian tree Fern, century plant, flax, alocasias, saw palmetto.
• Ground Covers-alocasias, clematis vine, star jasmine, xanado, ardisia, liriope, monkey grass.

What other elements would you consider compose a Tropical Landscape?
Just as tropical landscaping is a layered approach, walks and patios should also be infused with layering, color and alternate materials. Built elements that add creativity, color and fun to outdoor compositions are a real plus. Multiple deck levels and steps slow the viewer down enabling for more viewing of lush planting shapes and textures creating greater interest.
• Outdoor kitchens-use of Spanish tiles and stucco.
• Palapas-kitchens separate from the house w. or without a thatched roof
• Wood Decks-with curved edges echoing the undulation of ocean waves
• Waterfalls-water elements create the sound of privacy drowning out urban noises.
• Tile Mosaics-with bright colors of the tropics; aqua blues, reds, and yellows turning a pool into a tropical piece of art.
• Garden art such as lamps, torches, ceramic pieces, funky benches and furniture.

What is the Secret to good Tropical Landscaping?
Creativity, design knowledge and tropical horticulture experience are what create dramatic tropical landscapes. Lush green plant materials, walks, variety in materials, and garden art to include; colored concretes, stone, metal, and tile bringing about the fun of retreat in the tropics. Be loose and creative in your tropical landscaping-don’t just have a mojito, throw in pinnacola’s and dacaries and you too can create a tropical paradise, a multicolored and multilayered journey.

Outdoor Design

Is outdoor design the same thing as landscaping?

It is a complimentary, but also a very separate discipline. While outdoor design does pay close attention to the standard landscaping elements of fountains, gardens, and ornamentation, it also adds a much more robust aesthetic that extends residential living space from the interior of the house into the surrounding greenery. This is much more complex than creating landscapes that compliment architecture. It is actually a synthesis of landscape and architecture, earth and brick, light and water.

Only a few companies exist in the world of landscaping offer this type of service to the homeowner, and Exterior Worlds is premier among them.

What are the primary elements of outdoor design?

Outdoor designs consist of manmade and natural elements. It requires the systematic creation of separate elements that flow together one single, harmonious aesthetic. Most of these elements can only be created by artisan contractors specializing in that particular science. A few examples include the following features commonly installed in and around custom home landscapes:

• Swimming Pools

• Water Fountains

• Outdoor Lights

• Patios

• Outdoor Kitchens

• Masonry and decorative stone work

• Ornamental iron fencing

Can I create my own outdoor design?

We do not recommend this. It will be very difficult for you to find all the various experts in the above specialties and forge a cohesive team that functions as a unit. Contractors in any discipline work in very specific ways and are very schematic-oriented. Without a landscape plan managed by an overseeing, landscape general contractor such as Exterior Worlds, it is difficult to communicate the ultimate intent of the outdoor design to one or subcontracted entities.

The various components of any outdoor design must by laid down correctly in layer in order to create a sense of blend and harmony with the architecture of the house and Nature itself. Attempting to coordinate this without experience in architecture, remodeling, landscaping, and specialty disciplines, is like making lasagna with all the proper ingredients, but not knowing how to create the correct size and arrangement of the many layers that constitute its form.

Instead, we recommend that homeowners contract Exterior Worlds to act as general contractors and project coordinators.

What advantages do you offer as a overseeing, general contractor?

We will first develop a landscape plan which you participate in creating and ultimately approve. We the handle the basic elements of outdoor designs that are specific to landscaping with our in-house crews, and next bring in whatever appropriate subcontractors are required to complete the specifics of the project.

This is exactly how large, general contractors work in construction and other commercial markets, only we do it on an individual level for private homeowners in a special niche market. We know who in our business network are the best home builders, architects, pool specialists, lighting designers, pond and fountain companies, and masons to call on for a particular project. By then systematizing the entire outdoor design process from start to finish much like an assembly line functions, we can ensure both the fine details and the overall outcome exceed homeowner expectations without delay or unforeseen and costly mistakes.

Call us now for a free estimate.

knot Gardens

A knot garden is a garden within which plants are trained to grow in very intricate patterns that resemble embroidery patterns or knots. This type of gardening became popular during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, when the English gentry wore garments that were richly adorned with intricately woven embroidery. To reflect the formality and symmetry of the English estates, the first knot gardens were shaped like perfect squares.

Because knot gardens were originally intended to be viewed from ground level as people strolled through the landscape, gardeners avoided using traditional hedgerows to define the geometric proportions of these gardens, because this would create obstructions that would obscure visibility. Instead, they would create square sections of land out of sand or gravel, then plant slow-growing plants so close together they would mesh and intertwine—creating a knotted appearance around which other species could then be introduced.

Originally, knot gardens in England consisted mostly of herbs and small, flowering plants. Almost any kind of herb or flower may have been used at this time provided it created an aroma equivalent to its visual aesthetic. Everything was constantly trimmed to keep the vegetation low-enough to the ground that every element could be clearly seen. Normally too, English gardeners would design these landscapes with entrances and exits that would allow people to stroll right only inches away from the heavy concentrations of lush and fragrant vegetation.

Over the centuries, the basic concept of the knot garden has remained relatively unchanged. However, the Renaissance insistence of the geometry of the perfect square, as well as the aversion to any type of hedging, has given way to a new, more practical aesthetic. This is particularly true in the world of residential landscaping. In most instances, a knot garden on a typical Houston property is one of many unique elements all interrelated to the same comprehensive landscaping plan. As such, knot gardens often intersect with other features on the landscape. You commonly see them around patio areas, along stone walls, and around fountains and sculptures.

Because a modern knot garden is more often a landscaping element rather than the featured center point of a landscape, its shape will often follow whatever earthwork, water feature, or decorative element it is meant to compliment. For example, a knot garden planted that is planted along a stone wall to add a complimentary, organic element to its structure would be rather narrow and rectangular instead of a perfect square. More than likely, too, it would have more flowers than herbs to give the entire scene a splash of many colors, and it would further deviate from the Renaissance by framing the flowers in row of boxwoods trimmed to grow very low to the ground.

Another popular use of the knot garden is to accent statuary or fountains in the center of the yard. Again, the strict linearity of the Old World style gives way to the 20th century aesthetic principle of form following function. Abstract sculptures in contemporary landscapes may use a combination of alternating circular, square, and rectangular trainings to command one’s attention toward the subject in abrupt, incremental steps. Fountains often look much better when surrounded by a circular knot garden as opposed to a rectangular or square one.

Ultimately, however, the shape and contents of such a garden depend greatly on the surroundings at hand and the preferences of the homeowner.

Zen Garden Designs

The Zen Garden, also known as the Japanese rock garden, is a type of garden based around the core tenets of Zen Buddhism. Zen means “dry”, and the Japanese word for this type of garden is karesansui, meaning dry landscape. Japanese gardens became very popular in Japan during the years 1185-1573. Buddhist temples in the country created Zen gardens for the purposes of meditation, and shogun rulers adopted this practice to adorn the landscapes around their palaces.

Water is never used in a true Zen garden. Instead, gravel and sand are used to symbolize water. This is done in order to allow patterns to be raked into the sand or gravel at will. The gardener can create ripples, waves, sea currents, rivers, or even lakes in only a matter of minutes. These patterns are altered every so often, because Buddhism teaches that change is the only constant in the universe. Even the most fixed of forms are slowly being altered, bit by bit, by unseen forces. In fact, many temple monks rake sand as an act of meditation, striving for a perfection in linear progression that represents a still mind, and patterns of curvature that reflect a creative mind in harmony with one’s surroundings.

For the most part, rocks take the place of vegetation in Zen gardens. They create focal points around which to sculpt the sand, providing structure to the endless fluidity that surrounds them. In this way, they reflect the relationship between matter and energy. Buddhist monks have long used simple, practical symbolism like this to express profound cosmic principles. The colors of the rocks are typically symbolic as well, featuring a mixture of white and black stones proportionally balanced in key locations in the sand. It bears noting that black is NOT a symbol of evil in the Eastern World, but rather represents the passive principle of the mind. White, likewise, has nothing to do with good, but rather symbolizes action. The combination of white and black stone elements is never meant to represent a clash of opposites in a Zen garden. This is because opposites cannot truly exist in a cosmos of constant change. The objective instead is to create an arrangement is a harmonious unity of passivity and action, receptivity and projection, much like the meditative state of a monk who meditates prior to taking intentional action.

The philosophical function of rocks, sand and gravel is then further developed with decorative intent by creating forms that reflect Natural formations. Ancient Japanese texts on the art of Zen gardening instruct the landscaper to arrange stones to appear like mountains, islands, and cliffs. One famous text even goes so far as to say that the art of placing stones is the primary purpose of gardening. Rocks should always be placed where their most attractive side faces the primary vantage point, and tradition calls for a greater number of horizontal stones (chasing stones) than vertical ones (running stones.) Vegetation is extremely minimalist in such a setting, with moss being the most common ground cover to represent river banks, lakeshores, and mountainsides covered in forests. Very small shrubs are used at times to frame a Zen garden, but only as a differentiating element that sets the garden apart from the remainder of the landscape.

Running Bond Brick Walkway Built in Tanglewood Front Yard Landscaping

We were contacted by a Tanglewood resident who was unhappy with the way her front yard looked. The existing drive was nothing more than a massive concrete slab that took up almost the entire front yard, leaving almost no room for vegetation other than small patches of San Augustine grass. For at least six months out of the year, the grass would die and turn brown, giving the front yard a drab appearance that diminished the Old World architecture of her home. Another major problem with this front yard was a small Magnolia tree growing next to the back wall. If it continued to grow at its present rate, it would begin to push against the bricks and crack the wall over the next few years. The homeowner wanted us to completely change the vegetation and trees in her front yard and replace the bulk of her driveway with a brick walkway. She wanted something more classically European--reminiscent of the horse and carriage days of past centuries.
After careful study of late nineteenth century photographs of brick roads and sidewalks, we decided that the most appropriate pattern for arranging the bricks would be that of a running bond. This pattern involves laying the bricks on their sides so that the narrow parts face upward. It is a very practical style for creating curved walkways that wind in front of homes or bend through gardens. We used some unique construction methods to create this structure and to make it look as historically authentic as possible. We laid down a concrete foundation first in the general shape of the walkway. We did not want to ruin the illusion of antiquity by placing mortar or grout between the bricks, so we spread the mortar over the concrete, and set the bricks with only sand to fill the spaces between them. We sealed the sand with paver seal, so that when it set it created a smooth surface with no cracks or gaps.

Removing the bulk of the driveway had now given us a golden opportunity for landscaping all along the outer edge of the brick walkway and portions of the front yard that were previously dominated by San Augustine grass. The first thing we remove the magnolia tree and plant a line of Japanese yew trees that goes from the street all the way to the wall in the back. This stops the eye from wandering into the neighbor’s yard, and it frames the south side of the landscape with a lush backdrop of dark green. We then varied the color scheme by planting plum delight in front of the Japanese yews. This is a burgundy bush that is very hearty, and maintains its color throughout the year. Boxwoods planted just at the edge of the running bond walkway formed a third layer of vegetation that worked to highlight the bricks like a portrait frame accents a picture, forcing the eye to follow their intricate patterns around the curve to the front of the house. Using boxwoods to frame all or portion of a front yard is a common technique in landscaping. Boxwoods can be used to enclose everything from shrubs to decorative sculptures. When curved, boxwood frames help draw the eye around structures as it did here, where the vegetation keeps the eye moving down the walkway until it lands just square in front of the home.

We then introduced dwarf monkey grass to hide the stalks of the boxwoods and to further frame and highlight the bricks in the sidewalk. We replaced the San Augustine grass throughout the front yard with more drought-resistant zoysia grass. For small front yards, it creates a much plusher lawn that requires little maintenance or rainfall to sustain its emerald color. It also features a much finer blade that encourages you to walk on it.

In the back, on either side of the walkway, we completed our project with a few additional plantings. We introduce camellias to give the home flowers in the winter time between December and February. On the north side of the property, we kept a portion of the original driveway for parking. This left nothing but a small strip of San Augustine between our client’s home and the neighboring property. We planted a linear row of boxwoods and mondo here, and added a row of crepe myrtles to create a natural boundary equivalent to that of the Japanese yews on the other side of the yard.

We completed the project with a full-grown tree on a truck to plant in the very back to balance the expanded front yard and the multiple layers of vegetation that now shaped and contoured the landscape around the running bond brick walkway.

Natural Swimming Pool

In 2003, a couple named Ashcroft contacted us and asked if we could do something about their swimming pool. Both the house and the pool had been built almost side by side in the 1940s. The pool featured the erstwhile popular “lagoon style”, which is still in use today by some of the world’s larger, tropical resorts. Since moving in, however, the Ashcroft’s had always felt this design was too ostentatious. What they wanted was the feeling of the tropics more in the form of a personal paradise, not a backyard tourist zone.

We agreed with their sentiment. Their property was much more suited to a natural swimming pool design than either the lagoon style or the standard design. The land was located on the side of a hill that sloped down toward a ravine, and the house was built about 40 feet back from the road. In order to redesign the pool into something that looked more natural, we had to strip the entire structure down to its shell and build a retaining wall to offset the grade of the land.

We then dug out the ground surrounding the shell into a deeper basin that allowed water to collect naturally. We used a series of interlocking pavers to make a flat surface that extended from the back of the home to the retaining wall. This created a very natural and pristine compliment to our natural swimming pool, which now looked like an inviting portal into a remote island getaway, just a stone’s throw away from the back of the house.

We created an easier access to the pool by building two series of stone steps that led down to either side of the edge water’s edge. We avoided making them look like stairs. Instead, we wanted them to mimic visible rock layers that are the result of natural geological processes. The, at the end of the pool nearest the house, we placed a large flat stone to create a diving area, and we made a waterfall on either side of it by laying down stones in a manner that created varying speeds of water.

It took us almost a month to consciously and deliberately lay each stone by hand. While this may seem painstakingly detailed to some, the rewards were well worth the effort. At the end of the day, our natural swimming pool so closely resembled a jungle waterfall that it lacked almost all evidence of human conception or engineering.

Outdoor Fireplaces

A couple by the name of Ashcroft called us about 3 years ago. They said they had always wanted a fireplace, but they felt the winters in Houston were too mild to justify building one indoors. They asked us if we would construct a patio with an outdoor fireplace for them. The idea was to extend the feeling of the living room and center it on a warm element that would make any chilly night both comfortable and pleasant for gathering outside.

Outdoor fireplaces like this are much more useful in parts of the country like ours. On colder nights, they generate plenty of heat, and on warm nights, they offer architectural aesthetic. To create this type of center point, however, would require building more than just the structure itself. It required laying down stonework in such a way as that would make a person feel like they were sitting around a fireplace in a living room. This was eventually done through the use of symmetrically square, interlocking pavers in a pattern that were laid down in a way that alluded to indoor tile.
The outdoor fireplace itself was built entirely of natural stone. The chimney portion was approximately 2 ½ times as high as the fireplace interior, and presented a stately motif against the backdrop of the landscape. Two flanking columns, both slightly higher than the fireplace interior, were constructed on either side. This added a formal, Old World touch to the structure that naturally drew the eye toward the logs that were burning in the interior on cooler nights. It was necessary to do one more thing, however, to make certain this elegant feature was enjoyable throughout the year. On nights too warm to light a fire, it was still possible to enjoy the illusion of fire by using special, concealed lighting to illuminate both the interior of the flue and the exterior stones and flanking columns. This created a very sublime interplay of fire and stone that rose into the night with a sense of the majestic.

Meanwhile, at one end of the patio, there was a drop-off that led down to a stone walkway leading around the corner of the house. We extended the edge of the patio here into a stone wall that circled out and back over this drop-off. This provided us with a natural planter for a number of indigenous plant species, including a small oak that would provide shade in future years as well as a place to hang an outdoor chandelier.

We would love an opportunity to consult with you in creating a outdoor room with fireplace for your Houston backyard. Exterior Worlds has been providing the high quality residential landscape services and garden design services discussed above for the Memorial villages (Piney Point Village, Bunker Hill Village, Hunters Creek Village), Tanglewood, River Oaks, West University and the greater Houston, area since 1987. Contact us at 713-827-2255.

River Oaks Stepping Stone Patio & Pool Renovation

Exterior Worlds was contacted by a family in River Oaks to remodel their pool and build a stepping stone patio around it. The pool was L-shaped and clashed with the entire back yard. The owners wanted the pool redesigned with more of a curved, linear shape that would suggest harmony and balance with surrounding natural elements. They did not want a wooden deck or concrete patio around the new pool, either, but instead requested we build them a stepping stone patio that would look like a part of Nature, but would feature sophisticated drainage and provide a firm, reliable surface upon which to walk.

Stepping stone patios are not difficult to build. The difficult part is building them with a drainage system that will prevent standing water from accumulating. In this case study, we actually built the stonework on individual pads of cement. We built the french drainage system to run under this substructure, and we concealed it with vegetation planted between the individual stones. This made them look very old, as if the grass had punched through in places and had been growing there for a very long time.
We changed the design of the pool into that of a large, curved linear structure. We accentuated one side of it into a stone walkway that hugs the side of the pool. It ran all the way through the yard, and passed through a wooden trellis into a sculpture garden with an outdoor seating area and a patio. We wanted this walkway to look like it was a part of Nature as well, so we constructed it using the same materials we had used to build the stepping stone patio. We cut the stones into pie shapes rather than squares, which allowed us them to fit them individually together and build a 30” structure that followed the water in an arc, allowing it to serve as a coping as well as a pathway.

The sculpture garden into which this walkway led was also a very unique element to this landscaping project. Here, we moved away from the theme of a natural stone patio toward that of a traditional flagstone patio. We actually built this patio off the linear walkway coming from the pool, then connected small walkways to the two doors leading into the home’s interior. We also built a small fountain out of brick into the wall of the home, so that guests who were seated outside at night could look at the lighted water falling against the backdrop of the house.

Throughout the property, we planted a variety of flowering plants and ground cover around our stepping stone patio and walkway. Jasmine was used profusely to control erosion and to prevent encroachment from weeds. Monkey grass was also used for weed and erosion control. Agapanthus and golden globes were used in places near brick walls and corners to help keynote these areas with their highly colorful, seasonal blooms. We also added height and elegance to the landscape with Italian cypress, and planted Camellias throughout the property to provide blooms for the winter season when other seasonal were dormant.

Garden Water Fountain

A Houston couple by the name of Turner hired us to design a landscape that reflected their passion for collecting contemporary art. They wanted an abstract style built around stonework and vegetation. Their passion for contemporary art would be refleted in right angles and a sense of linear movement, and it would link the separate elements of the swimming pool, they yard, and the back of the house into an organic unity that looked both natural and contemporary.

We began our work by installing a fountain basin immediately adjacent to one end of the pool. We used a gunite concrete substructure that would provide waterproof containment, and we decorated the top of the concrete with a bluish-gray stone clad overlay that matched the color range in the house. This created the illusion of a small stone wall just slightly higher than the stonework surrounding the pool. Just inside the wall next to the pool, we built a garden water fountain out of three stones planed into cubes. The cubes were piled one on top of the other, so that when the structure was complete, it looked like a sculpture made from boulders on some far Pacific island. The water rose out of the stone at the top and flowed down all four sides of the sculpture into the basin, then into the pool.

The new water fountain and surrounding basin now gave us an ideal center point around which to plant a flower garden replete with a number of species. On the left side of the basin, we planted Mexican sedum that added a lime green color to the borders of the natural landscape. We also planted golden globe to provide flowering ground cover. To add a three dimensional element to the garden, we planted foxtail ferns (for year-round greenery) and bird of paradise (for seasonal blooms). Farther back from the fountain itself we planted a river birch tree that helped frame the scene and gave us ample opportunity for up lighting. To the right of the basin we added pentas, which are pink and red flowers that draw the eye toward the stone sculpture in the water.

We then completed the project by building a walkway that led from the front of the property to the home. We constructed this walkway out of stepping pads that actually float on water. This allowed us to build the walkway straight over the water in the center of the garden. We deliberately used this design in order to blend regular material with irregular material. The stones move in a progression from asymmetry to symmetry the closer you get to the house. The very first stepping stone has only two straight sides, for example, and the second has three. Each stone that follows becomes increasingly square as it passes over the garden water fountain until it finally reaches the back patio of the home.

River Oaks Italian Garden Design

A River Oaks resident hired us to create organic elements that would harmoniously blend the organic elements around her home with inorganic stonework and masonry that ornamented its exterior. Because her house featured architecture that was classically symmetrical, elegant, and almost perfectly balance, she wanted these areas of her property landscaped with the theme of an Italian garden. The key areas we focused on were both ends of the walkway that ran from the sidewalk up to her motorcourt and front porch, the side yard that featured an all brick surface and very sophisticated swimming pool, and the front and upstairs balcony of the house itself.

The walkway was built in steps that gradually ascended to the front door. We accentuated this sense of an entryway by placing a variety of species around the front steps intersected with the sidewalk. We planted Agapanthus, which is very prolific throughout the Houston area, and known for its blue and white flowers in the late spring and early summer. We also used boxwoods for ground cover, and a number of other annual flowers to create a variety of colors to frame the entrance to the property. This established the theme of an Italian garden by placing order, symmetry, and linear proportions at the forefront of the property where people walk in.

The thee-story home was a very distinguished structure in and of itself. It was built around elements of Classical architectural design. It has windows shaped like tall arches, and rose up from the landscape to a height nearly equivalent to its width. To accentuate the symmetry of its architecture and further enhance the Italian garden theme with Classical elements, we planted two very tall Italian cypress trees on either side of the house. We kept the vegetation in front of the house very low in order to keep the aesthetic of the windows from being diminished, and also to allow people within the home to look through the windows without any obstructions.

In front of the door, the walkway widened symmetrically and intersected with a portion of the motor court. The symmetrical right angles this structure created was almost like that of a planter, and provided additional opportunity for colorful vegetation to be placed. We decorated this area with snapdragons, pansies, and annuals. This allowed the colors and floral patterns to be changed out every season so the residents would have an entirely new look and feel to their Italian garden at the beginning of every spring. Boxwoods were then planted in linear rows and right angles to make a frame for the entry garden that was consistent with the balance, order, and symmetry of Italian design.

To the side of the home there was a pool area which was surrounded by a yard that was completely covered in brick. This area was already perfectly balanced and symmetrical, and the pool had been exquisitely constructed and required no renovation. The area was a bit barren, however, and needed both organic and inorganic elements to add dimension and depth to its aesthetic. We planted a row of Holly trees on the far side of the pool to screen in the entire area and create privacy for the residents and their guests. This provided a backdrop for an Italian cherub that we mounted on the fountain wall on the side of the pool. This sculpture framed by Hollies made the back wall of the pool look like a small garden up lit by concealed fixtures and ornamented symmetrically on both sides by handmade Italian pottery. The final touch to this mini-garden area was up lighting the sculpture, and placing down lighting on the side of the house.

Home Exterior Design

How do you determine what elements to incorporate into a home exterior design?
In many ways, you, the resident, determine the essence of your home exterior design. Your personal lifestyle and intentions for using your outdoor living space provide us with the basic, general guidelines necessary to get started. We also pay very close attention to the external appearance of your house and the property that surrounds it. Landscaping frames the function and form of the experience, and helps us determine where to create structures and special space for you in proportional relationship to gardens, manicured lawns, indigenous vegetation, and trees.

What are some of your more popular exterior home design elements?
Again, this is highly subjective and based on your personal lifestyle and preference. You might want to consider adding a screened-in room if you plan on hosting family gatherings outside. These rooms combine the freedom of the outdoors with the comforts of the interior. Anything from an outdoor bar to a full entertainment system can be installed in such a room, and even when the mosquitoes are thick, no one will suffer outside.

Outdoor kitchens are also very popular aspects of home exterior design. They can be created out of garden elements or hedges, or they can consist of simple, graveled areas for larger pits and smokers. One of the best things about outdoor kitchens is that they can be built virtually anywhere in the yard and blended with almost any natural feature. Arbors and gardens can surround the cooking area, and special structures can be constructed between trees to extend the shaded areas for guests. Something as simple as a bench can transform a fountain or a pond into a special gathering place. Outdoor tables can also be placed in these areas that act like outdoor dining rooms. In the evening, landscape path lights can make the entire property look larger by creating walking trails that wind through the garden and under the trees.

Also, if you have been thinking about calling a pool company or hiring a contractor to build you a patio, let us do this for you as a component of your home exterior design. Our professionals are well-versed in the lingo of subcontractors that prefer to work with a set of well-developed schematics. This offers you the additional advantage of making sure that any structures or swimming areas we contract experts to build for you blend harmoniously with the architectural and natural elements of your exterior design.

What features can you add to a yard of average size?
Any of the above elements can be proportionally added to reasonably sized yards. In fact, when installed proportionally and correctly, home exterior design professionals can install structures and create forms can create the optical illusion that a property is as large as 1 ½ to 2 times its normal size. This is very similar to the way that furniture fills a room and makes it look larger than it really is.

River Oaks Corner Water Fountain

While this new fountain was technically only one element among many new features we created on this property, the new aesthetic it established transformed the entire atmosphere of the yard. The symmetrical geometry and balanced color scheme that it introduced into the landscape earned the entire property a reputation as being one of the most significant designs we have developed in the Houston area over the past few years.

The original corner fountain was a three-tiered structure that has long been used in landscaping designs throughout Europe and America. You almost always see this style of fountain in classic black and white movies. As such it suggests a certain sentimentalism of a simpler, earlier time, but beyond that its power as a symbol ultimately fails because it is too nostalgic and too stereotypical.
On a practical level, too, the fountain had a number of problems. Its internal pump and underwater lighting system were beginning to rust out and intermittently shut off. The owner was constantly spending money on repairs that did not last, and had probably invested more in maintenance than he ultimately did in its replacement. Another problem was that the original fountain walls had been built a bit too far from the main wall. This had allowed very thick vegetation to grow up and overshadow the fountain. There was just enough room for the plants to grow too thick, but not enough room for a person to comfortably walk behind the structure and trim it.

The first thing we did was to completely take out this structure and to create a new rectangular corner fountain that mirrored that of the wall behind it. The rear walls of the fountain itself were made of limestone and curved upward like inverted arches that leveled off and converged in the corner. We covered most of the bricks used to build the front walls with travertine coping, and we installed three water spouts each on either rear wall. Upgraded fountain lights were placed underneath these spouts to illuminate the falling water at night. The new pump was installed remotely so it would neither rust nor make noise. All that could be heard coming from the sound of the new corner fountain was the sound of the water itself. Even the filtration system was created using external equipment to minimize noise and corrosion.

Several types of vegetation were planted around the sides of the corner fountain to help its sharp right angles harmonize with the landscape. Dwarf monkey grass, which grows very well in shady areas, was planted for ground cover. Ardesia was added to help enhance ground cover and help control erosion. Its lime green color also provided a very nice compliment to the cream color of the stonework in the fountain. We also planted a Japanese maple next to the corner fountain. This is a wonderful tree to use in landscaping, as it provides both ideal proportions and color. It has burgundy leaves that provide a great deal of shade, but it never gets too tall. Positioned next to our new corner fountain, it enhanced the vertical element of the rear fountain wall.

The right angles of the fountain actually proved quite decorative at the end of the day. Because this property was very large, and had two separate patios in the yard, an exquisite view of the fountain could be seen directly across from either seating area. Lit up at night, this small corner catches your eye and draws your attention regardless of where you stand in the yard.

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.

Memorial Flagstone & Pool Renovation Project

A couple named Murphy who live in the Piney Point area hired us to redesign their pool with a new look and to construct a flagstone patio around it. They wanted this new pool to have pathways leading to it, and they also wanted us to add a special element that would allow them to enjoy the new scenery year round.

We began the project by renovating the 1960s style pool. Originally built in a very plain design with small steps leading into it, we knocked out the walls and reshaped it into a round structure with an elongated curved end. We installed a dark, decorative plaster in the bottom of the pool and built much larger steps to create a grand sense of entrance. To create a three-dimensional water effect, we installed water jets and added a spa at the near end closest to the home.

We next replaced the original pea gravel aggregate with a new flagstone patio. We used a special construction technique to make this new patio smoother than the average flagstone surface. We fit the individual blocks together like pieces from a jigsaw puzzle, sealing the joints with grout. This preserved the decorative pattern of an irregular design while maintaining a surface so comfortable you could walk on it barefoot.

We wanted this landscape design to be as functional as it was decorative, so we installed two separate paths leading into and out of the pool area. One ran directly from the master bedroom to the spa, while the second pathway led from around the house for guests to come in through a rear garden entry. We installed custom drain grates made from stone and brass to maintain aesthetic.

To create that special year-round space the Murphy’s requested; we created a raised gravel patio and built a small wall around the fire pit. It added a nice ambiance to the flagstone and the surrounding landscaped, and it created a heat source that provided comfortable seating even in the winter.

At the opposite end of the pool, we removed a small section of the flagstone and planted a small redbud tree. We augmented the edges of the patio and lawn with a variety of native ground cover species and drought tolerant plants. We planted Iris grasses that would bloom white flowers in the spring, and potato vines for color. We planted a special kind of rose called “Knockout” which requires very little spraying and fertilizing. Caladiums were used to create red ground cover, and Pineapple guave was used to contrast the landscape with a nice bluish-gray hue. Hollies were then planted to frame the backdrop of the landscape and provide subject matter for up lighting.

Flagstone patios like the one we did for the Murphy’s can either be constructed around pools, or they can be used to ornament areas around koi ponds, fountains, special gardens, or outdoor kitchens. Give us a call, or read more articles on these subjects on our website, to see how flagstone can be used to create sophisticated designs in your yard with the look and feel of Nature.

Grass Pool Patio and Landscape Installation in River Oaks

A couple in River Oaks loved the simple life, and they built a Craftsman style home that reflected this. They wanted their home to look austere, and their lawn to resemble a grass courtyard featuring minimal construction and plenty of green space. They asked us to come in and design a custom swimming pool and concealed drainage system that would be fully functional, yet aesthetically harmonious with the intent of the home design.

The front yard of the home bordered a major street and was lush with San Augustine grass. Two massive oaks accentuated the property line near the sidewalk. The only problem with the property was it had no means of draining water. The design of the house itself had also posed a problem with the architect, who had been unable to design standard gutters on the home because of exposed rafters that extended past the sides of the roof. We were asked to develop a drainage system that would move water away from the house and off the property without diminishing the landscaping aesthetic.

We decided to frame the entire yard with a French drain made entirely of gravel. This created the look and feel of a grass courtyard that the homeowners had requested. Aesthetically it consisted of exclusively natural elements that completely concealed their actual function. While appearing to be only decoration, the gravel actually acted to quickly pulls water away from the house and out of the yard any time it rained.

We did something even more unique in the back yard—we built a custom swimming pool surrounded only by a grass courtyard. The only concrete we used was that required to build a low profile coping around the water’s edge. This was because the owners wanted paving kept to a minimum so their children and pets would have plenty of grass to run and play in. We installed the usual pool skimmer throats without lids in order to make the entire construction flush with the grass, and we installed water jets on one side of the pool so water would arch over the top of the water.

We put the finishing touches on our grass courtyard design by planting a number of plant species along the boundaries of both yard areas. We planted boxwoods around the French drain to give it a dark ground cover border, and we interspersed Crepe Myrtles behind the boxwoods for height and floral coloration. Along the far back wall across the pool from the house, we planted Japanese blueberry trees and lit them with concealed luminaires. We also added color to the ground cover with Caladiums and Lantana, and we planted a Star Jasmine to train along the fence between the house and the back wall.

This is one of the most popular custom pool designs ever designed by Exterior Worlds. We believe this is because it combines two very distinctive disciplines—pool construction and landscaping—into a fusion of water and earth.

Environmentally Tree Friendly Stone Work in River Oaks Landscape Remodeling Project

We would like to install a new patio in our backyard and add an outdoor kitchen. We would like these structures to be located in the back areas of our yard away from the large oak trees that dominate the center of the landscape. We have thought of having a walkway installed as well that would connect the patio, outdoor kitchen, and back patio of the house all together. We are wondering if there is a way to install a walkway that will wind underneath the trees without harming the very large roots just under the ground.

Thank you for your question. Tree root protection is a high priority in our business, because we feel that trees provide some of the most, if not the most, significant elements on any landscape. Damaging a root close to the surface of the ground can have devastating effects on a tree—possibly even killing it. Many landscapers do not want to install walkways near tree roots because creating a solid surface to walk on and protecting a tree at the same time are difficult to do for two reasons.

First, most walkways have to be laid on top of a concrete foundation that is 6 inches below the surface of the earth. Digging this deep into the ground can expose a root or result in it being cut with a digging tool. Even if the root is not cut, it is has no protection from the weight of the concrete and subsequent passing foot traffic if a slab is laid directly on top of it.

In order to work around this challenge, it is necessary to use a different method of excavation and a different method of stonework to protect tree roots. First, rather than using shovels or other metal digging tools, we use air and water pressure tools that vacuum dirt and water out of the ground. If a root is exposed, there is no impact to its structure and not damage to the wood. We can then lay plastic over the area instead of concrete, creating a flat surface onto which we can lay custom-cut, flat limestone blocks. These blocks are cut with such precision that they fit together like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle. No concrete is needed to set them, and only a little bit of mortar in between the edges is necessary to prevent them from slipping when people walk on top of them.

This type of walkway more evenly distributes human weight than a heavy concrete slab, and it also protects tree roots from the grinding wear of too much pressure a concrete slab would place on it.. It also eliminates the risk immediate damage that standard digging tools can cause. Such a winding walkway can indeed be installed on your property, along with the outdoor kitchen and patio you mentioned, in a way that is environmentally friendly to tree roots.

Please email us pictures of your yard, or call us at (713) 827-2255 to setup an appointment at your home.

Contemporary Landscape with Patio and Fountain

The owners of a 1960s-era home asked us to come out and design a very unique landscape for them comprised of mostly inorganic elements. It was to feature angular geometry and a minimalist approach to greenery and decoration. The rear of the home was made almost entirely of made glass, so from almost any vantage point within the house you could see the lawn coming all the way up to the windows. The residents had decided to have a patio built in this space that would be highlighted by a lit fountain that would also function as a play area for their children.

The house had been built in two linear wings that converged in a right angle. This enabled us to pour a concrete patio in the shape of a perfect rectangle that extended the basic form of the house into the landscape. To add texture to the patio surface, we made saw cuts in the concrete to a depth of ¼”. These intersected at right angles, further emphasizing both the pattern and the linear movement of the architecture. In the corner where the two wings of the home intersected, we completely removed a rectangular portion of the patio and laid down black and white gravel in a checkerboard of squares that continued the saw cut pattern. We planted a single palm tree in the center to add a small touch of greenery, and we placed a Frank Lloyd Wright planter under a grouping of windows to serve as a counterpoint to the palm tree. Then, in the grass just beyond both wings of the house, we used stainless edging to create patterns of squares that further extended architectural movement into the lawn. We filled these squares with alternating segments of mondo and moonstone that reinforced the minimalist look characteristic of contemporary landscape design.

We then turned our attention to the second phase of the landscaping project—the creation of a fountain that would be the centerpiece of decoration and also serve a special function. Our clients had children who loved to play in the water, but they did not want a swimming pool in the yard. Instead, they wanted a contemporary fountain that would center their landscape, and give their kids a place to safe place to play in the water. We would have to build a special platform that would support their weight, but not cut their feet. We decided that the best way to do this would be to construct a rectangular frame made from stainless steel bars, and to then overlay this with a very special fabric made from fine, shredded steel wire that would support a human being, but also allow water to pass through. The wire mesh was shredded to a very fine consistency, and turned in on itself to eliminate sharp edges. When we were through mounting it to the frame, it felt more like a sea grass rug than a piece of metal. Lights were installed underneath this frame to illuminate the fountain at night, and the pumps were remotely located to allow it to run silently.

This was a very unique contemporary landscaping project for Exterior Worlds because it involved planting so little vegetation. We deliberately avoided doing so to remain consistent with the 1960s “space age” look of the house. Homes of this time period were deliberately inorganic in their design because they were built to look toward a future that anticipated less greenery, where human innovation was anticipated to increasingly encroach upon Nature in the attempt to create a technologically perfect world.

French landscape design

In 2003, we were contacted by a West Houston couple by the names of John and Jennifer Randall. They had just built a French-style near Piney Point and Memorial. Jennifer a house like this surrounded by a French landscape design in the style of an Old World Estate, and John had always loved the architecture and landscaping designs of his French ancestors.

The first element we created for the Randall’s was a driveway/parking area that ran all the way to the front porch. French homes typically feature paving like this that funs all the way up to the house. When such a driveway area is created with interlocking concrete pavers like we used at the Randall home, it looks much older than it is. It is a very useful tool in making a new construction look more like an estate owned by landed gentry, and provides a good central starting point around which to develop something as intricate as a French landscaping design.

To the side of the driveway, there was an open area that John asked us to do something with that would be both ornamental and functional. He had purchased a boat, and was waiting for a slip to open at the marina. In the meantime, he wanted a place to park it temporarily without just backing it into the grass. We came up with a plan to accommodate the need for temporary storage that would also play a major contributing role in our French landscape design.

Using small dark stones laid down like gravel, we made a small parking area for the boat that was shaped like a horseshoe. We surrounded it with a bright green, scalloped hedge. We planted boxwoods and Holly trees around this hedge, and we them throughout the yard and around the side of the house. This contrast of light and green ground cover is used a great deal in French landscaping design. The varying shades of color to create an unconscious sense of movement which the eye tends to follow. (The temporary parking area was subsequently transformed into decorative space a few months afterward. John moved his boat to Clear Lake, and asked us to come back and install an outdoor sculpture that looked very elegant when placed in center of the parterre garden.)

The elegance of this residence and its French architecture and landscaping design made this home overnight sensation in regards to Piney Point landscaping. To make sure that everyone could see it at night as well as the day, so we contracted a lighting design company to ensure that all important elements of the house and property were fully visible in the dark. Using mercury vapor lights concealed in trees, we created artificial moonlight over the parterre garden and front porch area. To accent the architecture, we used a blend of up lights and down lights, and we further emphasize the front of the home with special façade lighting.

John and Jennifer have since sold the home and moved on to even bigger and better things. However, the home they built and the landscaping they so carefully maintained throughout their stay in Houston has remained a premier attraction for this West Memorial neighborhood.

Morning Garden and Disappearing Water Fountain

A couple Memorial area couple named John and Jennifer Randall asked us to do create them a morning garden behind their French-style home. This was to be the premier element of their landscape, and was intended to be set apart as a separate space just for them. They wanted a personal space that was consistent with French landscape design, but one that had the feeling of Zen as well. It was to be located near the east end of the yard, so they could sit outside at sunrise to read the paper and enjoy conversation over coffee.

Creating a Zen consciousness in the middle of a French landscape required constructing the morning garden around a unique central element. We decided that the best feature for this purpose would be a very distinctive type of fountain called a disappearing fountain. This type of fountain is designed to let the water overflow its sides and disappear into the ground. To create this effect, we built a steel mesh grating that we then concealed under a layer of gravel. The fountain itself was built to mimic a Louisiana sugar cauldron (in honor of John’s Acadian ancestry). When the water poured over the sides, it appeared to vanish into the stones below. In reality, it was collected in a tank and then recirculated into the cauldron by means of a remote underground pump. Night lighting was suspended from the underside of the steel grating to create a sense of light coming up from the ground at night.

We landscaped the area around the disappearing fountain with a hardscape and softscape pattern of travertine blocks. We arranged them in such a way so as to create a checkerboard pattern in the grass. In some of the green spaces, we further ornamented the softscape areas with the same gravel we surrounded the fountain with. This combination of green, white, and black further alluded to Zen garden elements that extended into the French landscape but did not overpower it.

White stones walls surrounded the property and provided us with ample structure to create linear planting areas. In order to soften the right angles of the hardscape/softscape, we integrated gentle curves into planting areas along the walls. Palm and bottlebrush trees helped give this area a sense of height. Azaleas and seasonal flowers added color to the landscape, and boxwoods provided dark ground cover that provided clear boundaries needed to set apart the morning garden as separate space.

We then completed this project by building the Randall’s a small patio just large enough to seat the two of them. Small steps ran up to its surface, and the east wall formed connected to its base. Here, in the mornings, they could read the paper overlooking their morning garden and Zen fountain, while the sun rose over the wall and fell across the landscape to begin the day.