Minimalist Design

Minimalism can be found in many different types of gardens and landscapes, including formal, French, Italian, Mediterranean, and small garden design. All of these cultures share Greeks and Roman origins. These classical societies were the first to use minimalist in the ancient world for civil engineering and landscaping. Minimalism, to them, was the embodiment of their values of moderation and order.

Minimalist design in architecture and landscaping actually help the Romans condition subject peoples into liking their new lives in the empire. The linear plantings of boxwoods and poplars replaced the wild, chaotic underbrush of jungles and swamps. Topiaries shaped like predatory animals replaced the actual animals that disputed the human position at the top of the food chain.

Of course, the reasons for minimalist design changed greatly after the fall of Rome. It was no longer needed for civil and social conditioning and engineering. However, European aristocracy never lost its fascination for posterity, and sometimes out a megalomaniac desire to rebuild the Roman Empire led to a renewed passion in all things classical. While such Humpty Dumpty maneuverings never made any real political progress, but they did make way for a diversification of classical garden and landscape designs into all of the many cultural forms we are familiar with today.

Again, while none of these landscape designs have to be minimalist by nature, all of share common classical roots and can be customized to Houston landscapes with similar intentions to those of classical landowners. While we may not be fear Nature like our ancestors did, we still want to control it.

Ours obsession with controlling Nature has always been present with humanity since we made a conscious, collective decision not to stop being eaten by other animals. However, since the Industrial Revolution in the late 19th Century, we have become obsessed with controlling almost every aspect of Nature. We are no longer looking to simply control wildlife and ecosystems, but to manipulate the very laws of Nature itself. As a result, the mathematical, the scientific, and the abstract have now replaced the organic and the symbolic elements of art and spirituality.

Geometry is now even more important to minimalist design because it serves as the one link between what remains of the organic world, the architecture of the home, and the abstract realms of human thought. Unlike their classical equivalents, contemporary and modern minimalist gardens and yards do more than try to control and limit natural growth. They actively seek to replace natural elements with inorganic features like hardscapes, rocks, gravel, statuary, and outdoor art. This challenges your sense of order and reality, and it forces you to draw conclusions on an exclusively subjective basis.

Commercial Landscape Lighting

The commercial landscape lighting systems that are designed and installed by Exterior Worlds provide our clients with beautiful nighttime settings, plus added security for their employees and patrons. In this way, commercial landscape lighting becomes a win-win for them. Additionally, our clients have found that aesthetically appealing lighting heightens the appeal of their property to regular and prospective customers, long-time and soon-to-be tenants, and purchasers and investors.

As part of our focus on the commercial landscape design segment of our business, we offer commercial landscape lighting and professional nighttime illumination to upscale restaurants, stores, developments, hotels, resorts, schools, museums and commercial properties. We also provide these services to custom homes and high-end residential neighborhoods. This invaluable and painstakingly rendered service is tailor-made to meet the specifics of your site. We, in fact, pride ourselves on the ability to highlight advantageous features and downplay unsightly ones.

We pay close attention to architectural lighting so that buildings are lit in such a way as to draw attention to the facility, an essential feature for restaurants, clubs and other businesses that operate at night. Our clients find that this type of subtle advertising—at all times, artful and sophisticated—results in increased nighttime revenue.

Since 1987, Exterior Worlds has stressed “quality” in everything we do and we extend this emphasis into the realm of landscape lighting by using high quality designers, electricians and products. With the lighting design, we work diligently to completely hide or, at the very least, camouflage the hardware, so that the beauty of the illumination is not destroyed by seeing the nuts and bolts of the system. As for our skilled workers, we only employ the best and most knowledgeable in the region, relationships our long years in the industry have allowed us to develop. In the area of products, our goal is to stay abreast of the latest technological trends, so that we can advise you on the best long-life and energy efficient products.

Of special interest to country clubs, golf courses and owners of properties with natural water features: because of our business focus on high-end landscape design and services, we have a special affinity for lighting greenscapes, lawns and water. Our professionally designed exterior illumination can create an unforgettable, one-of-a-kind experience for your members, clients and guests.

In addition to lighting expertise, Exterior Worlds also offers commercial drainage system and commercial ground maintenance. Our attention to detail can be seen from complex engineering feats such as a drainage system all the way to productive and precise mulch installation. We also offer landscape phasing—working out a long-term plan in which to implement the various phases of your landscape in conjunction with your cash flow.

Show off your landscape architecture—the grounds and gardens, the pathways and byways, the custom outdoor water fountains, outdoor sculpture and art, garden structures, outdoor gazebos and garden arbors. Play up their prominence in an enchanting evening landscape by letting Exterior Worlds custom-design a commercial landscape lighting system for you that will provide years of trouble-free pleasure.

Commercial Irrigation Systems

For more than 20 years, Exterior Worlds has installed commercial irrigation systems in the greater Houston area that provide convenience and peace of mind. Sprinkler systems help control the correct amount of water to the various plant materials.

Commercial irrigation systems divide your landscape design into separate zones, usually by grass, beds and color areas, which have different watering needs due to varying plant materials and sunlight conditions. They help maintain the health of your commercial landscaping, whether it’s the time of year for Houston’s infamous monsoon-like rains or we’re in drought conditions.

The typical irrigation system contains a complex system of heads and controller technology that we use to create a site-specific system for your commercial property. Features include:

• Pop-up spray heads that are perfect for smaller spaces such as landscape beds and odd spaces created by sidewalks. These small heads usually produce a fan-shaped spray of water.
• Drip irrigation and bubblers work well for trees and specialty gardens; also containers such as pots, planters and urns.
• Rotors are water heads that work well in expanses of grass. Rotor describes the sprinklers that operate by rotating streams of water back and forth across the landscape.
• Controllers contain sophisticated programming, such as rain sensors and water delay features, that prevents over-watering of your plant material during times of natural rain.
• Timers and time delays let you set an automatic schedule for your property while still allowing you the ability to switch to manual for the unexpected occasions.

In the pre-planning phase, Exterior Worlds works under this supposition: good coverage and plenty of valves equal great control. We believe that proper head spacing within an irrigation system is crucial for proper watering coverage. These calculations and the specific measuring of head locations are the steps that provide even coverage. Most systems available today are divided into circuits, each with its own control valve. Control valves are operated by an electronic controller that turns each circuit on and off according to the schedule you desire.

If your property is in the construction phase, we suggest a proactive tree preservation plan. It may include a temporary irrigation system to water the trees during construction. We also recommend hand-digging around trees to minimize damage to them and their root systems. As with all digging, it is important to call for utility line locations first. If you want to install an irrigation system in an established lawn, trenches should be hand-dug so as not to disturb any lines and wiring, including landscape lighting wiring.

When installing an irrigation system, plans and permits are required by some cities, a process in which our experience really comes to the fore.

Ongoing maintenance is the last critical requirement of commercial irrigation systems. These systems require regular care, such as the replacement of broken heads and stuck valves. Before working with any contractor, Exterior Worlds advises that you understand what kind of commercial landscape maintenance service is offered after the installation.

The bottom line is that commercial irrigation systems save time, money, energy and water.

Commercial Ground Maintenance

As a commercial property manager or owner, you are faced with your everyday juggling act of meeting the demands of tenants, providing property security and controlling budgets. Time management is critical. Therefore, you want to find a commercial ground maintenance company who will partner with you in reaching your short-term and long-term goals. It will only make your job easier to work with a provider, such as Exterior Worlds, who honors your time by fulfilling our commitments with little supervision from you.

The benefits of a high quality commercial ground maintenance program, such as we offer, include:

• Protects your financial commitment
• Provides pleasurable surroundings for your customers or your tenants and their customers
• Retains tenants by maintaining inviting and enjoyable greenspaces
• Helps conserve and improve your overall property value

The principal components of our commercial maintenance program involve:

Lawn maintenance services. One of the major aspects of a commercial landscape maintenance program, turf maintenance is more than just mowing the grass. It entails edging, feeding and treating, all activities undertaken to promote vigorous growth. It also includes a complete clean-up so that your tenants can return quickly to enjoying the grounds once the crew leaves.
Annual plantings. Regular rotation of color is an important part of maintaining a positive image in the public eye. The staff of Exterior Worlds possesses skilled knowledge of plant material, color, and texture that creates designs that people will remember. Mulch installation and mulch maintenance prevents erosion and helps the soil retain moisture.

Trimming bushes, hedges and ground covers. As part of our complete commercial ground maintenance program, smaller plants and ground cover are trimmed regularly to the ideal contours. The intention is to ensure that all elements conform to the original landscape design.

Fertilizations and feedings. As a form of insurance for your plants, we provide a scheduled feeding program to ensure the health of acidic, tropical and seasonal color plants. The feeding program may be supplemented by spring and fall aeration of lawn areas.

Chemical treatments. We believe insecticide and herbicide treatments are also critical to the overall health of plants. Regular observation and diagnosis of plant pests and diseases are an important step in an inclusive and proactive commercial ground maintenance program.

Inspection of irrigation system. It is critical to have irrigation systems that work smoothly. Otherwise it can be very costly. Proper maintenance minimizes the chance of copious amounts water pouring out of broken lines and heads. Preventive maintenance has resulted in savings of as much as $5,000 to $10,000 per month for some of our commercial clients.

Tree preservation and care. We also provide top flight care for your trees, which are valuable attributes of your property. To avoid insect infestations, trees need to be inspected regularly. Insects can kill trees, especially if the trees are already stressed due to construction or when Houston’s weather turns hot. Because the Houston summer can be very hard on trees, deep root fertilization is important for healthy trees. Regular aeration also supports root growth.

Whether you want to improve the cost of maintaining your landscape, have a new property that needs service, or want to ramp up an under performing one, call Exterior Worlds at 713-827-2255 to discuss your landscaping needs.

Commercial Drainage Systems

In Houston, storm drainage issues are very serious due to our flat topography, dense clay soils, and heavily-forested lots compacted by years of construction which have increased impenetrable surfaces. These factors have caused more streets and properties to become flooded during the hardest rainfalls. Exterior Worlds understands these challenges that commercial real estate owners face. Our experience translates into devising and installing commercial drainage systems that work for you.

Commercial drainage systems benefit your greenscapes, sidewalks, driveways, planters, retaining walls and foundations. They are also a useful tool on a construction site during the building phase.

Drainage systems also have an overall positive impact on your commercial landscape maintenance program. A proper landscape drainage system is essential for the care of your lawn areas as it carries water off of your property quickly, thus encouraging healthy grass. Because of the timely removal of standing water, they allow your maintenance crew, such as we offer, to perform their regular lawn service duties. Since these systems drain water from low-lying areas, they prevent standing water that encourages mosquito proliferation, drowns your green plant material and causes slippery surfaces that are a danger to your clients.

Along with commercial drainage systems, irrigation systems are the workhorses of your landscape design, helping your plants to thrive and keeping your grounds safe and dry. The design and location of these two systems should be incorporated with the rest of the landscape design and made to work in concert with each other. Landscape designers or landscape architects can develop a big-picture plan so that the hardware of both systems is invisible as much as possible.

Some local restrictions may govern minimum pipe sizes, flow rates, engineered drainage plans, calculations, temporary drainage systems and as/built plans to address the region’s flooding problems. If you hire a drainage contractor who is unfamiliar with these demands, you may find yourself stuck in a murky swamp that can cost thousands to remedy.

When installing commercial drainage systems, we believe it is important to consider tree preservation. Pressurized water or compressed air can be used to dig deep trenches and expose roots, which minimizes damage. Another method is to dig trenches by hand around trees to limit damage to the root systems.

Typical drainage systems for commercial properties may use the following elements:

• Gutter downspout tie-ins. Downspout tie-ins take water from the gutters to the landscape drainage system. Made of plastic, metal or brass.
• Catch basins, or yard drains. Catch basins are situated beneath downspouts when it is undesirable or not possible to tie into the gutter.
• French drainage. Designed to take water away from saturated soil, French drains are small ditches filled with undersized rocks or gravel.
• Channel drains. These strip drains are long and narrow. Used at the edge of sidewalks and parking lots or between structures and pavement.

Exterior Worlds’ goal is to help you achieve your investment objectives by preserving your asset for long-term appreciation. We are large enough to satisfy the most demanding commercial landscaping needs, yet small enough to deliver customized service for each client.

Since 1987, Exterior Worlds has provided high-end commercial and residential landscape design and services for the greater Houston area. Call 713.827.2255 to discuss drainage systems for your property.

Flower Garden Design

One of the hardest aspects of flower garden design is the limited lifespan of flowers themselves. While many flowering plants in and of themselves can live for many years, the flowers that they produce nevertheless do not. In order to design a flower garden that will truly honor the landscape year round, landscape architects have to plant different flowers at the beginning of each new quarter. The colors they recommend are normally chosen as representative of associations we make with the seasons themselves. Bright red, pink, and blue flowers are favorite colors for the new life of spring. In the summer, when the sun is at its hottest and brightest, yellow flowers are consistently popular choices. In late fall and winter, when bad weather often obscures visibility, white flowers stand out very well on even the muggiest of Texas winter days.

Professional landscapers help you select the very best color choices that will specifically match your home and yard. They will then further extend the benefits of these choices by selecting the hardiest plant species that have the best chance of making it through some of the rather extreme weather conditions we sometimes experience in Houston. At any given time, we may be facing anything from a dry-cracking drought to a constant torrent of semi-tropical rain. We cannot always predict what the weather is going to do next, so it is essential that we choose species known to have the best chance of survival in a worst case scenario.

While climate can pose a challenge to flower selection, it is not an insurmountable barrier. An otherwise delicate species of flower can be strengthened against certain environmental extremes by the right garden design specialist. Plants that need more water than a particular season typically provides can be enhanced by aesthetically sensible irrigation systems. For plants that can be damaged by too water can conversely be protected with any number of drain systems.The biggest challenge, believe it or not, is the availability of light. Some types of annual flowers simply cannot live without a certain level of light and therefore can only be planted in certain areas. In such instances where a highly popular flowering species is discovered to be incompatible with its environment, Exterior Worlds will help to develop a workaround even to this. Such workarounds may require creating new pathways for light by altering nearby structures, or they may require using advanced botanical knowledge to locate very similar species that thrive under very different lighting conditions. Regardless, the only way to maximize your chances for lasting satisfaction and return on your capital is to have your flower garden designed by a professional. While yard service companies and gardening magazines are all full of good suggestions that have merit and application to a point, it is essential that you also work with professional landscapers who can apply those ideas in the context of practicality and workability.

Professional Landscaping Maintenance

Do I really need a professional landscaping company to handle the simple elements of maintenance I can do myself?
You do not have to pay anyone to do the genuinely simple if it is indeed genuinely simple. The problem people run into when they try to maintain their own landscaping features is they mistake symmetry, order, and form as something easy to maintain. Harmony has a way of concealing its complexity behind the façade of deceptively simple appearance. In many ways, a landscape is a mirror into reality itself—there is always more to it that what meets the eye at face value.

Professional landscaping maintenance will definitely cost extra money. However, it is the only reliable way to manage the growth of your landscaping elements that organically evolve the intended forms through natural processes. We do not interfere with Nature’s directions and designs—we simply direct them gently toward intended outcomes.

There is a pickup truck driving around my neighborhood advertising gardening services. Is that what you mean by professional landscaping maintenance?
It depends on what types of gardens these contractors specialize in maintaining. Flower beds and plantings of monkey grass are equivalent to do-it-yourself landscaping that a basic knowledge of plant life in general is sufficient to maintain.

More elaborate garden designs need much more than simple yard work know-how to maintain. The best rule to follow is: take it back to the source. IE: if a professional landscaper painstakingly designed and installed your garden, then you are investing in its possible destruction if you hire an unknown or an amateur to maintain it simply on the basis of short-term savings.

While expensive gardens share the same basic needs as simple gardens for water, sunlight, and fertilizer, the commonality ends here. The more complex and diverse a plant population becomes, the more it will need an expert knowledge of particular plant species and what cultivation and fertilization techniques will benefit the system as a whole as opposed to only one or two individual plants.

Investing in a professional landscaping maintenance agreement is your best hope of ensuring that you will preserve what the original landscaper intended. Ideally, it is best to contract your original landscaper as your as the “gardener on call,” so to speak, because the person who installed the garden knows best how to maintain it.
Why not hire tree trimming contractors to handle tree overgrowth?
You may be assuming that a large tree is more indestructible than it actually is. The reality is, the tree has many vulnerable points that can damage or kill it if it is damaged or struck in these places. Roots that appear minor may actually be the equivalent of major arteries. Branches that appear to be useless may actually cause other portions of the trunk and neighboring branches to die if excessively trimmed or removed outright. Bark, which looks dead to us, is actually very much a living and vital covering for the interior wood pulp of the trees trunk. Scarring the bark opens up the tree to infection by disease and infestation by parasites.

Exterior World’s professional landscaping maintenance crews are trained in tree preservation and bound by a strict set of company guidelines to never compromise the health or safety of a tree to create a temporarily pleasing scene. In the long run, a dead tree ruins a landscape and tragically ends a beautiful life of one of Nature’s most perfect forms.

Any landscaping maintenance you need done at the bottom of a tree or anywhere close to shallow root systems needs to be done by an expert. If you take a shortcut and accidentally end up with a dead tree, the cost of tree removal will cost you a small fortune on top of a diminished property value.

Can I install my own tree lights or have a freelance contractor do it?
No. You need a professional lighting design firm trained in tree friendly lighting techniques who will use commercial grade lighting fixtures in your trees which you will not be able to obtain through retail channels or get from the back of an unmarked pickup truck offering you a “free trial.”

Never trust a questionable source that is obviously questionable for a reason. In fact, ask us to find you a lighting company that we are confident will work with, never against, the health of your trees and the beauty of your yard.

Are landscaping maintenance contracts expensive?
To be honest, they are neither free nor “cheap” in the colloquial sense. However, they are the equivalent of insurance that save you money in the long term by preventing pay as you go hourly costs from overtaking your budget prematurely and unexpectedly. Also, they guarantee specific services in writing and specific intervals at which you can expect said services to be rendered. Best of all, they spell out in plain brass tax, with nothing to hide, what you need to spend, and what you can expect to gain from your financial investment.

Professional Landscaping Design

What makes professional landscaping design, as you call it, different from yard service companies?
First and foremost, professionals work to create a sense of expansiveness in the yard. Property is always worth more when it looks larger than it actually is. Whereas the yardman trims vegetation to create more open space, the professional landscaper actually fills space with structures and forms that make the property look more occupied, more livable, and thus larger as a result. Much more than vegetation and gardening is needed in order to do this. Landscaping companies will often truck in large trees to help extend the view, or to create a natural barrier between the homestead and an adjacent lost. Other structures such as outdoor rooms, fireplaces, fire pits, special patios, and arbors can make a yard appear up to 2 or 3 times its actual size. A sense of fluidity and motion can then be integrated into the landscape through the installation of walkways and driveways. This fluidity helps to unite the many elements throughout, and to harmonize architecture with Nature and human living experience.

Who benefits the most from professional landscaping design?
Most of our clients are owners of custom homes valued at a million dollars or more. However, it is not uncommon for us to work for clients living in homes valued between half a million and a million dollars. Many of these individuals purchased their homes when they were valued at less than $500,000 dollars, and they are now looking to make improvements both to their houses and to the surrounding properties that will maximize the resale value of their property.

Certain features, such as custom gardens, special landforms, ornamental water fountains, and exterior structures can only be added effectively under the management of a professional landscaping design firm. If these things are done by a yard services company or an amateur contractor(s), then they most often will not work harmoniously together. The money will be wasted, and the resale value of the home will subsequently be diminished.

Do I need professional landscaping design for pool installation or renovation?
Absolutely. If you hire a swimming pool company directly, more than likely you will get a great looking pool that does not look so great in respect to the rest of the landscape. Swimming pools are a symbol of a luxury lifestyle, and as such must convey an aesthetic that extends beyond themselves. This means that the pool must be built in such a way that it reflects the architecture of the home and the surrounding keynotes of the landscape. Think of the pool as the mirror, and the professional landscaping designer as the maker and polisher of that mirror. The pool contractor can provide better results for you if the landscape professional first designs a master plan into which the pool fits like a central hub with many spokes of functionality and aesthetics leading to and from its central position.

What type of patio should I have installed around my pool?
Concrete is a good and affordable material to use for building a patio, but plain concrete lacks the aesthetic to do justice to a truly high-end property. It makes better investment sense to have your landscaping professional upgrade its appearance through staining or coloring. This makes it more noticeable to the eye, and it will still have the same reliable, durable qualities it has always been known for.

However, if you really want to go all out in upgrading the look of your property, consider investing in a more sophisticated material. Professional landscape design experts frequently lay pavers over a concrete base that provides the same hard, reliable surface, but have a much more Old World look reminiscent of cobblestone. They can also create a patio out of almost any type of stone, including limestone, sandstone, quartzite, and slate, just to name a few.

What questions should I ask a professional landscaping design company to determine if they are legitimate?
Ask to see a business license, and make sure they are bonded. Written references are to be expected as standard protocols, and pictures of case histories either online or in print media should also be made available to you.

Equally important is the questions that the professional should ask you. Do not work with anyone that tells you what you need without asking you what you want. Work with someone that asks you to express yourself, listens, then asks you more questions to clarify your expectations. More than likely you “feel” what you want more than know how to say it. Part of the job of the designer is to help you put your feeling into words, and your words into form.

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.

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 Landscape Designer

Can I design and general contract my own landscape?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Commercial Landscape Maintenance

What can a good commercial landscape maintenance plan do for my property?
As a commercial property manager or owner, you want to find a commercial landscape maintenance company who will partner with you in reaching your long- and short-term goals. With your daily priorities of meeting the needs and demands of tenants, establishing property security and controlling budgets, time management is critical. Therefore, it will make your job easier to work with a provider who honors your time. Finally, every property is unique, and so you want to work with a landscape service company who will maintain your property so that its strengths are maximized and, just as important, its weaknesses minimized.

What are the main elements of a Commercial Landscape Maintenance Program?

The benefits. A quality maintenance program provides these four advantages:
• Presents a positive image to your customers or tenants and their customers
• Protects your investment
• Extends and retains tenants by maintaining beautiful grounds
• Helps conserve and enhance property value

The basic components of a commercial landscape maintenance program involve:
Commercial Landscape design services and installation—
1. Design and installation. In the design phase, a landscape service provider will work with you on the program elements, permitting issues, design approach—including your likes and dislikes—and aesthetics. The next phase may include landscape layout, planting plans and cost studies. In providing landscape services, a true professional should work diligently and patiently to help you define the scope of your project, determine the scheduling, coordinate vendors, assist in the selection of materials, and develop a final budget.
2. Landscape lighting. A well-designed landscape lighting system gives a commercial property 24/7 visibility. Since lighting is a big deterrent of crime, one of the most important services that it delivers is safety, thereby providing an invaluable service to establishments that conduct business at night, such as hotels, country clubs, social clubs, colleges, schools, museums, and restaurants. Ultimately, though, the main propose of landscape lighting is to create a beautiful nighttime vista of the landscape.
3. Irrigation systems. Money savings and convenience are the two main descriptors of an irrigation system. It supplies the appropriate amount of water to the appropriate plant material. It separates the lawn, beds and color areas into different zones that require different watering conditions due to the various plant types and sunlight conditions. Finally, it utilizes controller box technologies, such as timers, time delays and rain sensors, that let you set an automatic schedule based on your landscape needs while, at the same time, allowing you to switch to manual for unplanned events.
4. Drainage systems. With Houston’s heavy soils, low-lying areas and torrential rains, proper landscape drainage is essential for three reasons: a) to protect your property from flooding b) to protect the foundation of the building(s) from cracking and uneven shrinkage or swelling c) to properly drain roofs and landscaped areas to avoid standing water that can cause slippery surfaces, breeding grounds for mosquitoes or drowned landscaping. A landscape drainage system should be viewed as a whole to ensure that its appropriate functions and fixtures work together properly.

Regular maintenance—
1. Turf maintenance. One of the most basic features of a commercial landscape maintenance program, turf maintenance is more than just cutting the grass. It is edging, feeding and treating—all activities that promote healthy growth. And it is meticulous clean-up so that your tenants can quickly return to enjoying the grounds once the crew leaves.
2. Trimming hedges and ground covers. As part of a thorough commercial landscape maintenance program, hedges, shrubs and bushes should be trimmed regularly to the desired contours. Ground cover and vines should be edged to maintain a neat appearance. The intention is to ensure that all elements conform to the overall plan of the landscape design.
3. Tree care. A top-notch commercial landscape maintenance company will attend to trees, which are valuable assets. Houston summers can be very stressful for trees, so deep-root fertilization is important because it promotes healthy trees. Aeration also encourages root growth. Trees should be inspected regularly for any insect infestations. Insects, such as pine bark beetles and boring insects, can be tree killers, sometimes striking very quickly, especially when Houston’s weather turns hot or if trees are suffering due to construction duress.
4. Fertilizations. Critical to plant health, regular fertilization is a form of insurance for your plants. Commercial landscape maintenance providers should have a methodical feeding program that insures the 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.
5. Herbicide and insecticide treatments. These programs are also critical to plant health. Continual observation and diagnosis of plant pests and diseases are the last part of a complete and proactive commercial landscape maintenance program.

Annual Flowers—
1. Annual flowers are an important part of presenting a positive image for any commercial property. You will want to work with a commercial landscape maintenance company whose extensive knowledge of plant material, color, and texture creates eye-catching designs.
Preventive MaintenancePreventive maintenance can be your best defense against potential landscape and property damage—or something going wrong just when you need it to go right. In the long run, preventive maintenance saves money.

As a precaution, a professional commercial landscape maintenance company will make periodic surveys of your property to ensure that everything is in good order. Items on the checklist include:
• Tree inspection. Watch for branches touching the building or overhead wires. Dead limbs need to be trimmed to promote vigorous growth. Trees should be regularly checked for disease, decay or wounds and swift action taken as needed.
• Irrigation inspection. It is critical to have irrigation systems working smoothly as proper maintenance minimizes large amounts water pouring out of broken lines and heads. Jeff Halper with Exterior Worlds says, “This service is so important for commercial properties. For some of our clients, it has meant savings of as much as $5,000 to $10,000 per month.”
Whether you have a brand-new property or want to ramp up an under-performing one call Exterior Worlds to discuss your commercial landscape maintenance needs, they have been providing Houston Landscaping services since 1987.

Commercial Landscape Design in Houston Texas

What can a commercial landscape design do for your property?

As a property owner, investor or developer, you want to find a commercial landscape design firm who will partner with you in reaching your long- and short-term goals. The key component of this process is a good team, which will include landscape designers or landscape architects, the professionals who will help enhance the investment potential of your property. Another key team member will be a commercial landscape maintenance company. Sometime the one company or firm can handle both aspects.

What are the basic components of a commercial landscape design?

• Design. In the early stages of the design process, your commercial landscape design team will work with you on the program elements, aesthetics and permitting issues. The next phase includes landscape layout, planting plans and cost studies. In providing design services, a true professional should work diligently and patiently to help you define the scope of your project, determine the scheduling, coordinate vendors, assist in the selection of materials, and develop a final budget.
• Irrigation systems. Money savings and convenience are the ultimate end goals of an irrigation system. It supplies the appropriate amount of water to the appropriate plant material. It separates the lawn, beds and color areas into different zones that require different watering conditions due to the various plant types, sunlight conditions and weather.
• Drainage systems. With Houston’s heavy soils, low-lying areas and torrential rains, proper landscape drainage is essential for three reasons: a) to protect your property from flooding b) to protect the foundation of the building(s) from cracking and uneven shrinkage or swelling c) to properly drain roofs and landscaped areas to avoid standing water that can cause slippery surfaces, breeding grounds for mosquitoes or drowned landscaping. A landscape drainage system should be viewed as a whole to ensure that its functions and fixtures work together properly.

What does it take to maintenance a high end Commercial Landscape Design?
With your daily priorities of meeting the needs and demands of tenants, establishing property security and controlling budgets, time management is critical. Therefore, it makes your job easier to work with a commercial landscape maintenance provider who honors your time by working efficiently without needing a lot of oversight.

Regular maintenance—
• Lawn Service. This term includes cutting the grass, edging, feeding and treating—activities that promote healthy plant growth.
• Trimming hedges and ground covers. This task ensures that all elements conform to the overall commercial landscape design.
• Tree care. Trees are valuable assets and can be protected with deep-root fertilization. Aeration also encourages root growth. Trees should be inspected regularly for insect infestations and disease.
• Fertilizations. Regular fertilization is a form of insurance for your plants. It means a methodical feeding program that insures the health of tropical, acidic and seasonal color plants.
• Herbicide and insecticide treatments. Continual observation and diagnosis of plant pests and diseases are critical to plant health.

Keep a positive image with annual flowers—
Annual flowers are an important part of a commercial landscape design because they present a continuously positive image of the property. Your commercial landscape maintenance company should possess extensive knowledge of plant material, color, and texture.
What preventive things can you do?
Preventive maintenance can be your best defense against potential landscape and property damage and, in the long run, saves money. Items on the checklist include:
• Tree inspection. Watch for branches touching the building or overhead wires. Dead limbs need to be trimmed to promote vigorous growth. Trees should be regularly checked for disease, decay or wounds and swift action taken as needed.
• Irrigation inspection. Regular inspections and proper maintenance minimize the prospect of large amounts of water pouring from broken lines and heads. Jeff Halper with Exterior Worlds says, “This service is so important for commercial properties. For some of our clients, it has meant savings of as much as $5,000 to $10,000 per month.”
Whether you are developing a new property or want to refurbish an under-performing one, call Exterior Worlds at 713-827-2255 to discuss your commercial landscape design needs.