Planting Soil

When planning your Houston landscape, your not-so-secret ingredient is the planting soil. It is the proverbial foundation from which all the glorious plant material—blooming vines, verdant bushes, flowering trees and seasonal color—will spring.

In the excitement of dreaming about planting gardens, many people make the mistake of skimping on the unseen items, like planting soil. However, at Exterior Worlds, we have seen that proper site preparation is a sure formula for lasting success. If you are planting azaleas, the condition of your soil is particularly important. These magnificent plants that herald spring in Houston thrive best when the soil is healthy. Good soil prep is also necessary if you are planting roses.

Soil is a mixture of rock particles, minerals, organic matter, micro-organisms, oxygen and water. The dirt component is usually one predominant element of sand, silt and clay, with a mixture of the other two. We have a high concentration of clay in Houston, which presents special challenges. Clay soil is rich in the mineral-based elements and nutrients that plants need, but it can easily become compacted, especially with regular use, such as foot or vehicular traffic. Additionally, it can also quickly become waterlogged, which causes air pockets to fill with water and kill off soil organisms. The end result—injury to plant roots.

Exterior Worlds advises adding fibrous material and sand to heavy clay soil. Organic matter, such as leaf composts and pine bark, breaks up the small tight-sticking mineral particles to create larger pore spaces that drain more easily and hold oxygen better. For the best planting soil, we recommend a ratio of 1/3 loam (or soil), 1/3 sand, and 1/3 organic matter.

It is also a good idea to avoid working the soil or walking on your garden beds when they are wet, which is another issue with high-content clay planting soil, especially in combination with our Texas coastal weather that is subject to torrential rains. Observing this good practice will decrease the possibility of more soil compaction.

You want soil that retains moisture, but doesn’t remain wet. So we encourage our clients with low-lying areas or zones with drainage problems to use raised beds to keep the root systems of their plants from sitting in water for long periods. Also, after the soil is properly prepared, we recommend that new beds lie fallow for a few weeks to allow them time to settle.

In addition to good soil prep, the next best bet in dealing with clay soil is mulch installation since mulching keeps the clay soil from forming a crust. Because you really can have too much of a good thing, we are always careful not to apply mulch up the trunks or stalks of plants as it will hinder their health.

As one of this region’s premier professional lawn and garden services providers, Exterior Worlds can do the labor-intensive and proper soil preparation as well as the regular application of mulch. You’ll be amazed at the long-term benefits.

The journey of 1,000 steps begins with the first one and, with garden beds, that first step is the soil preparation. Your dream landscape garden design is just waiting.

Lawn Care Professionals

Before hiring any lawn care professional crew, including Exterior Worlds, to take over your landscaping duties, be sure you understand not only what they do, but how they do it.

Following is a brief listing of services we think you need to look for in lawn care professionals that are in addition to mowing and trimming of grass:

• Lawn aeration. Aeration involves the methodical removal of small soil plugs, also called cores, out of the turf—most often by machine. This practice benefits the grass by increasing water infiltration that improves drainage and by increasing the activity of microorganisms that promote de-thatching. It is the best way to break up heavily-used turf and to control the build-up of thatch. For most Houston lawns, we recommend aeration twice a year, but you really can’t aerate enough, so the more often the better.
• Specialty care for theme gardens. Many high-end homes have theme gardens, such as a natural landscape or a Southern garden, which require the care of specialists because of the intricacy of the overall design or due to the delicacy of the plants. Our lawn care professionals are well-versed in different horticulture techniques and pay close attention to your chosen landscape design.
• Houston tree lighting/ Houston tree planting. Trees are valuable assets on your property. They need special attention and care, whether they play a prominent part in your landscape lighting scheme or are newly planted. We are experts in these matters.
• Quality drainage. Because of Houston’s climate and soil quality, a drainage system positively impacts your entire property. It prevents standing water that can cause mosquito breeding grounds, slick surfaces, and water-logged landscaping. Additionally, it drains water from areas close to your house that could damage its foundation. As for the care of your lawn, proper yard drainage is essential because it quickly moves water off your property, thus encouraging healthy turf. We have the skilled professionals who can monitor your drainage system to ensure its optimal functionality.
• Landscape and pool services. Often homeowners find that having one full-service firm like Exterior Worlds is beneficial—money-wise and time-wise. In particular, it gives us the opportunity to take a holistic approach to the care of your entire property.

One last thought: There is a general impression out there that anyone can take care of a lawn. It doesn’t help matters that anyone who can afford a sign on their pickup plus a lawn mower can call themselves a lawn care professional.

The truth is that it takes a lot of experience, technical ability and knowledge to make true landscaping professionals such as you’ll find at Exterior Worlds. We firmly believe that the lawn care business entails so much more than the weekly trimming of grass.

And then there is that something special. We’re talking about the nearly unquantifiable trait that is part enthusiasm, part intuition and part innate interest that sets the serious professionals apart from the wannabes. The best way you can flush out this quality is to ask about the art of landscape—and just sit back and see what kind of answer you get.

Call the professionals at Exterior Worlds for all your lawn care needs. Serving the greater Houston area. 713-827-2255

Houston Garden Designers

Houston, TX presents one of the most challenging environments in the nation for garden design. The compacted, high-clay content of the Houston landscape makes it difficult for the roots of many plants and trees to gain a viable foothold in the ground. Additionally, heavy seasonal rains can suddenly flood yards and streets in a matter of hours, drowning and killing garden plants that lack proper drainage. These are not the only challenges facing garden designers, either. In the summer, the humidity can push the heat index well over 100 degrees – creating a breeding ground for plant stress and disease.

Such extremes in climate take their toll on both organic and inorganic landscaping elements. Pools, decks, outdoor lights, masonry, stonework- all suffer as much as plant life during these times. In order to effectively counteract these negatives, Houston garden designers need more than simple cultivation skills. They need an understanding of construction and architecture, and they need to know what materials will best hold up in the Houston landscape. Irrigation and drainage know-how are also critical skills they must be able to integrate into any organic designs they create, so that ornamentation, functionality, and structural components all blend together into an aesthetic that will continue to grow and thrive despite wild swings in weather and temperature.

There are four basic types of garden designers, each of which offers varying levels of expertise and service.

1. Conceptual Garden Designers
These professionals draft a master plan for your garden, but they do none of the construction or planting involved in garden installation. While it is great to have such a master plan, complications normally develop when the homeowner then attempts to transfer the conceptual to the actual. Unforeseen variables such as the viability of building materials, the costs of construction, and ongoing maintenance soon make the simplicity of such a plan a nightmare of logistics when homeowners attempt to contract these services on their own.

2. Landscaping Garden Designers
These individuals understand the installation and cultivation of garden plants, and they are very good at giving you what you desire within your budget. However, few have any advanced design experience. If you are looking for a parterre garden, traditional French garden, Italian garden, or Japanese garden, you will probably have to look elsewhere to find an expert in such forms.

3. Horticultural Specialists in Garden Design
Normally such experts consult from nurseries and garden centers and know a great deal about soils and plants. They also can be the first to tell you what plants will do best in what parts of your yard. Many of them also have a great deal of knowledge in building irrigation and drainage systems, and some have basic construction skills in planter and patio design. You have to be careful, however, not to be oversold on the number of plants you ultimately purchase. Horticulturalists love to create as much variety as possible, and you also must be aware that any construction work such individuals do will only be basic.

4. Landscape Architects as Garden Designers
These professionals combine advanced design and horticultural knowledge with a sophisticated understanding of construction and the ability to subcontract and manage independent teams in the construction of outdoor buildings and hardscapes. These companies can integrate the inorganic elements of structure with complex, organic patterns of carefully selected vegetation, weaving the entire landscape into an outdoor living experience that compliments home architecture and combines functionality with superior aesthetic sense. Landscape architects plan, initiate, supervise, complete, and maintain the garden as a single-source of outdoor design. The only negative for many people is the higher cost these companies tend to charge, making these service offerings very much a niche, high-end market in the wealthier neighborhoods such as River Oaks, Tanglewood, Bellaire, and Rice Village.

Always remember that you have a choice when it comes time to decide which type of garden designer you ought to go with. Carefully think your decision through, considering who can best address such factors such as plant life, maintenance, aesthetics, and uniqueness design elements before you make your final decision.

Landscaping Architectural Services

Schematic design is the foundation of landscape architectural services. We begin with a series of consultations with the homeowner where we discuss the essentials of the project. Most homeowners have a definite sense of what they want, but they frequently have difficulty articulating specifics of design, form, and structure. It is our duty to clarify these specifics by asking the right questions, then putting the answers we glean down into a landscaping plan that can function as a graphic frame of reference to the entire plan of action.

The next phase of landscape architectural services is the publication of construction documentation. Since most of our work involves building various types of structures on the landscape, we frequently bring in subcontractors to handle the specifics of construction. It is essential to have all contracts and insurance forms completely filled out and itemized in the form of checklists prior to the subcontractors actually coming onsite. This saves money and time, prevents confusion, and streamlines process flow by getting everyone on the same page before the project gets underway.

Landscape architectural services also require the publication of detailed layout plans prior to the inception of any construction work. Subcontractors need to be fully aware of what we ultimately plan to do on the property from an aesthetic perspective. It helps them better concentrate their energies when they see how their specific expertise fits into the big picture. This is particularly true when it comes to building structures near large trees that require unique tree preservation strategies that ensure the health and longevity of trees. It is also particularly true for custom pool design. Pool contractors must be made aware of other elements that we intend to add to the landscape so they will build the pool proportional to surrounding back yard landscaping, custom gardens, outdoor structures, and home architecture.

Hardscape plans help separate the inorganic elements of landscape architectural services from the organic aspects of design. Plans for structures such as paved driveways, brick walkways, patios, seating areas, fences, and walls have to be carefully designed so as to respect home architecture and act as forces that actually sculpt the organic appearance of the landscape (such as trees, bushes, and gardens) into an order and system of form and theme.

Elevation drawings come next. Even though Houston is built in one of the flattest areas of the country-the Gulf Coast Plain- there are nevertheless variations in elevation throughout the city. Areas around bayous sometimes lie beneath the floodplain and are at high risk of going underwater during heavy rains. The heavy clay content of our soil also makes it very prone to shifting. This can cause subtle variations in elevation within a yard that could put vegetation and structures at risk of water damage if too much rainwater collects on the property. Knowing where the high ground and low ground is, so to speak, helps us then develop strategies for the mechanical aspects of landscape architectural services: grading plans and irrigation plans

Grading is the science of altering land elevation for the purposes of better drainage. Its goal is to conceal drainage systems as much as possible so they do not diminish the aesthetics of the landscape. Building custom and concealed drains is a relatively simple matter for our team. However, getting the water to these drain areas may require certain alterations in terrain and hardscape forms. We may need to add fill dirt in the yard in order to get the water to run in a certain direction. Or, we may need to build a small stream that will add both a decorative element and a much needed water runoff area. For paved areas and custom patios, we have to slope the concrete or stone very precisely and in a very subtle degree that will be unnoticed by people standing on the hardscape, but that will be nonetheless sufficient to drain the water consistently from the surface.

The final phase in planning our landscape architectural services is the implementation of irrigation networks to water gardens, trees, hedgerows, and flower beds during the hot, dry months of the year. These systems are needed due to the fact that many of the species we plant are not indigenous to our area and cannot survive in an area like ours where rains are more seasonal than they are consistent. Again, the art of concealment is paramount here to preserve the appearance of the greenery. Our irrigation systems deliver water beneath the leaves of the plants and are therefore out of sight from admiring viewers. This is also more beneficial to plants than hoses and sprinklers because it prevents fungus from growing on the leaves.

In conclusion, we can say that the operative root word in landscape architectural services is architecture. Just as an architect develops a building project schematically, step by step, so too does our team develop each phase of professional landscape design as a series of documents and drawings that ensure all elements of the landscape blend together at the end of the day to create an experience that is truly unique and personalized to the sensibilities and lifestyle of the homeowner.

Backyard Landscaping

The intent of backyard landscaping is to design an outdoor living experience that rivals indoor space. To do this, we must do more than work with organic elements alone. As important as trees, shrubbery, and gardens are, structural components are equally necessary. The building of swimming pools, patios, arbors, shade structures, and outdoor rooms adds completion, depth, and dimension to the aesthetic of any backyard.

This process must be treated as both a science and an art. We must first measure the backyard and identify its physical points of differentiation. This data helps us create a landscaping design that works with the existing topography and architecture of the property.

Backyard landscaping plans must also be done with a balanced blend of egress (going out) and ingress (coming in), and open lawn area. Every house has at least one point of entry into the backyard. Such areas cannot be treated as mere transit areas alone. Every egress/ingress point must establish a new experience that creates a new frame of mind for people walking outside. As people transition both in mind and body from indoor space to outdoor space, they need to feel a sense of openness and freedom.

Open areas in the lawn will help maintain this sense regardless of the size of the backyard itself. When outdoor rooms, patios, and gardens are positioned at appropriate vantage points, they work to proportionally balance as parts in relation to the whole. Irrespective of actual acreage, the lawn and surrounding elements will look magnified, if not expansive, if the geometry of landscaping has been calculated correctly from the beginning

Throughout all of this, backyard landscaping must also be done with some practical considerations in mind as well. Draining the land is very important for any type of garden because every structure is going to create a dam effect that will block water runoff. Some sort of drainage system must be installed in these areas to prevent the soil from getting supersaturated with water, and to prevent sensitive vegetation from being damaged by mud and standing water.

Most of our clients are people who use their backyards as outdoor gathering places for events that begin in the early evening and continue into the night. With professionally installed outdoor lighting, every element of the landscape will not only be visible, but it will also have its own unique ambience associated with its specific purpose and contribution to the surrounding design theme. It also helps magnify to the sense of egress into a new dimension by expanding the vista from the rear of the living space into the outdoor space of lawn, structure, and garden.

Hardscape Design

When we use the term hardscape, we are referring to landscape structures that are made from inorganic materials.. These structures include many things such as driveways, patios, walls, fencing, and drainage and intertwine with organic elements to contribute to overall landscape design. Hardscape must always be treated as a very critical and precise science. Because the human mind is naturally drawn to order and system, nay man made structures on the landscape has to be carefully engineered to compliment organic essence and resident architectural style. It must always work to develop the aesthetic of the home and the terrain; it must never clash with its surroundings.

Professional hardscape design requires careful choices in material selection. Different materials will create different states of mind when viewed by residents and guests. The sense we get from a brick walkway is not going to be the same as the impression we receive from a concrete sidewalk. Materials should be used in hardscape design that will ultimately unify the home with the landscape and work to establish a corresponding theme between the two. Wood is often used to contribute a simple, traditional sensibility in structures like outdoor rooms. Concrete patios are often used to establish the stark sense of contrast that characterizes contemporary design. Various types of stone work ranging from cut stone to limestone and tile are used to suggest any number of thematic connotations ranging from a formal Old World entryway to a sense of wilderness in the spaces that surround a natural swimming pool.

Drainage is another important element of every hardscape design project. Every structure built in a front yard or back yard will act like a dam for rainwater, so we must build a mechanism of some sort that will prevent water it from encroaching into the structure or collecting around its walls. Drainage design must accomplish this at a functional value while simultaneously upholding the aesthetic. Different techniques are used to balance these two demands, such as hiding drain inlets and building custom decorative drain grates that conceal their function behind ornamentation. In some cases we may need to pitch drains in order to lessen the number drain inlets. In instances where it simply will not work to have any visible drain built into the hardscape itself, (such as we see in certain patios, walkways, and motor courts), then we will have to build these structures a very subtle slope (albeit unnoticeable slope) that causes water to drain without impediment.

Hardscape design also includes the construction of other structures such seat walls, retaining wall, columns, and curbs. These elements are built either as components of irrigation systems, or barriers to water encroachment coming from areas outside of the landscape proper. Again, building these features must be done very carefully so as to maintain balance and harmony with their surroundings. This usually results in hardscape design becoming the most expensive line item on an invoice due to its complexity and high demand for only the best of materials. This being considered, this is definitely one element of landscape design you never want to contract yourself or leave in the hands of anything other than the very best and most experienced landscaping architect. Any attempt to take a shortcut will only result in poor results that cost more money down the line to go back and do over again.

Professional Landscape Service

Because our landscape design has become more sophisticated and complex, we need to get better educated on landscape service. What can Exterior Worlds tell us?
A well-planned, well-maintained property says something important about the owner—it conveys a message about who you are and makes your property stand out among all the others on the street. A professional landscape service program is the key to making it happen.

Where does design fit into professional landscape services?
To create a memorable landscape, you can benefit from the services of experienced landscape designers and landscape architects. We work with some of the best in the area. A competent landscaper helps you develop a plan and guides you through the design process that includes consultation, analysis of the site, conceptual landscaping design, construction documentation and dealing with permitting issues.

How do we factor in maintenance as part of our professional landscaping services package?
Once you have invested in a landscape design and installation, the next step is a landscape maintenance program, such as Exterior Worlds offers. Regularly scheduled landscape and lawn service ensures that all the plant material is healthy and conforms to the original design.

The key elements of our maintenance contracts for homes include the care of lawn, shrubs, ground cover and flower beds. Lawns are regularly mowed, edged, and fed. Shrubs, hedges, and bushes are trimmed to maintain the desired shape. Ground cover and vines are edged for a neat effect.

Trees need attention, too, since they are valuable assets. We recommend deep root fertilization on an annual basis. Small trees are trimmed as necessary. Before you undertake any new construction or remodeling, a tree preservation program should be developed.

We own some commercial property. Does Exterior Worlds handle commercial landscaping services?
Yes! For our commercial clients, the same maintenance tasks are performed as for residential properties. Additionally, most commercial establishments have landscape lighting, which we can maintain. Landscape lighting is a good way to give the property 24/7 visibility. Plus it is a big crime deterrent, making it particularly invaluable to establishments that conduct business at night, such as hotels, restaurants, social clubs, country clubs, colleges, schools and museums.

Drainage systems are essential. They protect the foundation of the building(s) from cracking and uneven shrinkage or swelling. They protect the property from flooding. And they properly drain roofs and green spaces to avoid standing water that can cause slick surfaces, breeding grounds for mosquitoes, or soggy landscaping.

Another common feature of commercial properties, irrigation systems save money, time and hassle. They separate the grass, beds and color areas into different zones, each requiring different water amounts due to the different plant types, sunlight conditions and weather. Regardless of the sophistication, drainage systems and irrigation systems need to be properly maintained by landscape service professionals such as Exterior Worlds.

Front Yard Landscaping

Lawn areas in both larger and smaller lots require subdividing the front yard with a number of related, yet independent landscaping design themes. Entrances, transit areas, gardens, and seating areas all represent very unique elements that must still be integrated together through linear progression and repeated aesthetic themes. Front yard landscaping must also pay great respect to home architecture and style, because newcomers to the residence will see these the house and the property as an aesthetic unity more than distinctive elements.

One of the more significant aspects of front yard landscaping is the entry experience. How you get to the front door is important. As a transition from public space to private space, the entrance sets the tone for the entire landscape. Entry space can be neat and tidy, abstract, or contemporary. It tells neighbors and visitors something about you, revealing personality and lifestyle through such exterior forms as theme gardens and professionally installed landscape lighting fixtures.

Transit areas are another important aspect of front yard landscaping. Motorcourts create unique parking areas that are positioned to give new arrivals a prime vantage point of the landscape before they exit their vehicles. Walkways lead visitors into lawn areas where a number of organic forms and inorganic structures can await them. Theme gardens such as parterre, knot, and Italian gardens further establish the tone of the landscaping design and provide organic reflections of home architecture. Decorative features such as sculptures and fountains can then be used to add vertical dimension to lawn space and further work to unify the front yard landscape, garden forms, and architectural themes of the home.

In larger front yards, landscaping does not stop with simply ornamenting the property to establish mindset. Larger custom homes normally have a great deal of underutilized space when we first arrive on property. Many people do not realize how detrimental this is to optics. Too much empty space creates the illusion that the front yard is much smaller than it actually is. By adding outdoor structures that integrate function and form into the landscape, one does greater justice to the property and contributes to the aesthetic of both the outdoors and the home itself.

Any number of structures can be constructed to accomplish this. Patios can be built that can host everything from public gatherings to private conversations between couples. Porches can be added to the fronts of home that feature special seating arrangements, screened-in outdoor rooms, and even fully functioning kitchen or entertainment areas.

Once a front yard has been landscaped to this degree, what you end up with is a space divided into special areas, each with its own function and aesthetic. That is, if you hire a professional landscaper to design, create, and maintain these elements at a level of sophistication required for a truly superior outcome.

Contemporary landscape architecture

Contemporary landscape architects work to sculpt landscapes into spaces that mirror the human living experience. They develop these spaces with respect to Nature, and in some way or another always seek to create a relationship between structures and the surrounding terrain. Contemporary landscape architecture can be used either unify architecture and the natural environment, or it can be utilized to starkly contrast the natural and the manmade. The determining factor in this lies in the specifics of the project itself, its location, and the type of environment being worked in. Contemporary landscape architects work in almost every imaginable setting where a quality human living experience determines the forms and structures expressed outdoors.

To understand the difference between contemporary landscape architecture and other traditional forms of landscaping design, think infrastructure. Buildings such as libraries, hospitals, corporate campuses, civic centers, academic institutions, and sports stadiums all represent both the human experience and a high quality of life. Technically, any open area such a building can then be developed into a planned environment that speaks to the quality of human life through manipulation of natural forms and outdoor spaces. This is very different from traditional landscaping, which tends to showcase natural beauty alone as the ultimate meaning of life. Contemporary landscape architecture is far more Existential in that it insists on creating only forms that reflect specific functions indicative of a high level of human activity, thought, and commerce. This is not the first time such concepts have found their way into the minds of a people. The Roman Empire was build around an infrastructure decorated with landscapes that reflected the Roman belief that man was the master of Nature, and Rome was the master of all men. Wherever the Romans went, (even in the rural areas of Spain and Gaul) they built their arenas, amphitheaters, gymnasiums, aqueducts, roads, and temples as reflections of themselves.

Pure lovers of Nature (both then and now), often find this concept distasteful. They prefer more aesthetic forms of landscaping and garden design plans that represent states of consciousness in their own right, and not something that necessarily serves mankind. This is why we see more traditional and culturally-specific landscape design and garden design around private residences, and we see an almost universal preference for contemporary landscape architecture in and around any public areas where civil engineers and planners have decided to integrate the natural world into human life itself, allowing people to experience the landscape on uniquely human terms. Movement through the landscape in these outdoor spaces is encouraged as much as possible. Clean lines in gardens and low-growth trees help place the natural world on a more eye-level experience for human beings that makes them feel comfortable and confident when walking through city plazas, parks, and streets.

Because of the desire to connect Nature to human life and architecture, variety of plant life is frequently replaced with geometry. By contrasting only a few very different plant materials planted either in linear bed lines or gardens shaped in stark geometric designs, the contemporary landscape architect can make a single open space into many blocks of form and experience, woven together, much like a building containing hallways and rooms with specific lines of movement and specific functions and unique activities contained therein.

Commercial Landscaping

As a property manager, I need to know about commercial landscaping. What can Exterior Worlds tell me about commercial landscape design?
We have helped our commercial clients with their landscaping needs for more than 20 years. A commercial landscaping project begins with design. During this phase, landscape designers or landscape architects bring together your program elements, permit issues and desired aesthetics, likes, dislikes, opportunities and limitations. In providing design services, a well-versed landscaping professional creatively and diligently works to help you define the scope of your project and stay within budget. They also assist in the selection of materials, scheduling of vendors and coordination of work flow.

Two necessary features of any commercial project are drainage systems and irrigation systems. Landscape drainage is essential for commercial properties in Houston due to our dense soils, low-lying areas and unpredictable rainfall. A proper drainage system protects your property from flooding by carrying water away from roofs, paved areas and landscaping, thereby avoiding standing water where people can slip and fall and mosquitoes can breed. Drainage contractors can provide a holistic approach to ensure all the pieces work well together. Irrigation systems save money by supplying appropriate amounts of water to plant materials, thus protecting your landscape investment. They perform this function by separating the lawn, flower beds and planters into different areas that require differing amounts of water.

What are the benefits of a well-designed commercial property?
Expert commercial landscaping preserves and enhances your overall property value. A well-designed landscape makes a positive first impression on prospective tenants. It also helps keep your current tenants happy by giving them a pleasant ambiance.

Landscape lighting is an important attribute of the well-maintained commercial property. It is a proven deterrent to crime, providing an invaluable benefit to businesses that are open at night. Additionally, a well-designed landscape lighting system gives your property 24/7 visibility.

The addition of seasonal color creates an updated image for your property. Your Houston landscaping services company needs to have a creative skill with plant choices, color and texture that make your property memorable.

What about ongoing maintenance?
An important partner for you as a property manager is a commercial landscape maintenance provider who can work efficiently and effectively without continual oversight, as Exterior Worlds does for our clients. Your maintenance contract should cover duties such as mowing, edging, fertilization and disease treatment. Bushes, hedges, small trees and ground cover need to be trimmed so that they conform to the original design’s intent. Large or mature trees deserve special treatment such as regular deep-root feeding and aeration (to promote healthy roots). Plant materials and trees are susceptible to pests and diseases and therefore need systematic observation and treatment.

You also want a commercial landscaping partner who handles preventive maintenance. For instance, proper maintenance and regular inspections of the irrigation system will detect such problems as broken lines and heads. This service is absolutely critical for commercial properties. We have saved some of our clients as much as $5,000 to $10,000 per month because we early on caught problems with their irrigation systems.

Houston Professional Landscaper

What tips can Exterior Worlds give us on choosing a professional landscaper?
Begin the process by distinguishing between a professional designer who can capture your vision for your landscape and an off-the-shelf landscaping design service. Your goal here is to hire a professional who can design a landscape that reflects your lifestyle and works well with your home’s architecture.

During the preliminary research, visit company websites and review the different portfolios to determine which design firm has a stylistic sensibility that complements your own. In the early discussions, be specific about what you want in the end product. Maybe you would enjoy hardscapes, like eye-catching gates, interesting pathways, or a well-thought-out patio design or pool design. Perhaps you like to entertain and so would like an outdoor kitchen. Understanding these landscape elements, their relationships to each other and the open space, and interpreting them well is the mark of a true landscape professional.

What steps should we expect in working with a professional landscaper?
After selecting a landscaping professional and having the initial exploratory discussions, the next steps involve site analysis, the program of uses, and application of the design professional’s expertise. During the conceptual phase, your landscape professional will develop an overall design and commit it to paper. The resulting documents will show such specifics as plantings, lawn areas, areas of general use and their sizes, landscape lighting, irrigation systems, drainage systems, and the projected budget.

Once you have agreed to the designer’s overall proposal and made your material selections—both plant and non-plant—it is time for the construction phase. This phase comes with its own set of landscaping documents:
• To convey final design intent and material selections for the installation contractors.
• To specify materials and how they are to be installed. These papers are also known as construction documents.
• For permitting.

Regarding permits, each governing body has its own set of requirements for landscape plan approvals. This point illustrates why it is important to hire a knowledgeable professional—because they will know how the permit process works.

What other advice does Exterior Worlds have for us in working with a professional landscaper?
When interviewing Houston landscape designers, look for design firms who do the design work, perform project management and actually install the landscaping. We make this recommendation because you want someone who not only has great ideas, but who also knows the local contractors and their methods of construction, the best use of materials and their availability, and overall budget development and containment.

In the end, though, we think you are more likely to achieve your landscape design goals by hiring a landscaping professional. A creative and well-trained Houston landscaper will take into account not only your aesthetics, but the unique challenges of this region: dense soil, weather conditions of the Gulf coast, drainage issues, and likely insect infestations and plant diseases. And this is important whether your project is a small garden design that only involves landscape planting or a complex construction project or a themed garden, like an English garden design or a Mediterranean landscape design.

Houston landscape

The Houston landscape today is very amenable to growing a plethora of both exotic and indigenous plants. Because of its hot and humid climate, and very mild winters, it will support a wide range of Mediterranean and tropical plants. This makes it possible for the professional landscaper to offer an eclectic range of garden styles to the discriminating homeowner. Houston landscapes are also very colorful as a general rule, and almost always have flowers that can bloom at any time of the year.

The downside to the Houston landscape is the heavy rainfall which we can receive at virtually any time of year. When it is very hot, heavy rainfall can produce outbreaks of mold and fungus sometimes in as little as 24 hours. Landscaping professionals have to take steps to minimize the impact of mold and fungus on gardens by altering irrigation methods and sometimes chemically treating gardens with anti-mold and fungal agents. Such treatment should never be attempted by anyone other than a trained botanist who knows the effects of such treatment on each species of plant within the garden, and who will be able to anticipate the impact that irrigation changes may have on the garden as a whole.
The Houston landscape is also characterized by heavy clay soils that present all sorts of challenges to gardeners and landscapers. Houston soil often holds a great deal of water when it rains. Special drains have to sometimes must be constructed beneath gardens in order to keep standing water from accumulating around plants and killing more sensitive species. One way we do this is by aerating the soil so that water will percolate in far enough and be absorbed by plant roots. Aeration also allows water to filter below the harder layers of clay near to the surface. At times, it may also be necessary to take the clay out to some degree and replace it with bedding soil. Very large gardens or more elaborate Houston landscape projects may require routing water to retention ponds and curbs.

Because rain water will not always easily filter through clay soil, plants may not always get the nutrients they need. Depending on the species of plants we use to populate the garden, we may need to amend the soil to ensure it properly supports the diversity of life it hosts. The inconsistent moisture content of the earth here can also cause the ground to shift and move. During summer months, soil dehydration reaches the point that cracks begin to appear in the ground. When rain later falls, water fills these cracks and causes the ground to shift. Structural foundations are strained as a result, even in the largest of buildings and outdoor decorative structures.

We use several innovating construction techniques to protect your investment in exterior design. We build patios and pool decks using piers and beams concealed underground. We make pools and coping out of thicker concrete and thicker rebar. While these materials and techniques do not stop Nature from following its own will, they do provide enough stability to prevent natural forces from ruining the ornamental and functional keynotes for which Houston landscapes are renowned.

Houston Swimming Pool Remodeling

Professional landscapers routinely renovate swimming pools as part of their master landscaping plan. Often, new residents will move into a home that already has a pool. In most cases, the pool was built many years prior to the move in by a pool specialist hired directly by the original owner. This contractor worked to construct a swimming pool that reflected the immediate recreation and entertainment needs of the client. Little consideration was given to choosing a style that directly complemented home architecture and landscaping.

Because of this, most people who buy a home almost immediately notice that their swimming pool is going to require at least some amount of renovation if the landscape is going to be developed beyond its current state. This is because many outdoor structures and landscaping elements will simply not work with the typical standard pool designs of 20-30 years past. More often than not, the swimming pool will clash with newer outdoor elements unless it is remodeled in a fashion that reflects the architectural features of the house and the basic forms and linear movements of the surrounding landscape.

Because we want our clients to have as many options to consider as possible when choosing options for their new landscaping design, we routinely offer pool renovation services as part of the overall project we propose to Houston residential clients. We study both the house and the yard to get a sense of how to reshape the old pool structure into something that will harmoniously blend into the landscape. Once we have the basic design sketched out on paper, we subcontract a reputable and established swimming pool remodeling company to handle the specifics of renovation.

Sometimes the swimming pool needs only a small amount of remodeling to look completely brand new. Adding a spa or a waterfall fountain is often all it takes to create a sense of elegance or luxury. In other instances, replacing drab concrete patios and standard concrete coping with more ornamental materials can also create a more amenable environment for outdoor gatherings and summer parties. Anything that uses stone, as a matter of fact, provides a natural complement to vegetation due to stone’s prevalence in nature side by side with plant life.

Swimming pool renovation is sometimes more complex, however, and requires careful coordination with the landscaping team and the subcontracted pool specialist. In very old swimming pools, plumbing and electrical systems that were once in compliance with regulatory codes no longer can operate in their present form. Any renovations we make must be done in full compliance with new codes. If the shell is still good and the basic shape and size of the swimming pool is congruent with our overall objectives, we can simply replace plumbing and electrical systems and build a new, more cosmetic structure around the original basin.

If the swimming pool was designed too large and too ostentatious for its environment to begin with, then we will have to rebuild it from the ground up. For example, there was a time about 30 years ago when lagoon style pools were a very popular symbol of wealth and upward mobility. This was because the lagoon style was the most common style found at many resorts around the world, and homeowners felt that having such a swimming pool created a sense of vacation in their own back yard. This was fine for the 50s, 60s, and early 70s when home design was often much more basic and the swimming pool was the center of attention in the back yard.

These days, however, homes, yards, and outdoor structures are all constructed to blend together in a more unified and complex aesthetic. A swimming pool may stand off to the side unobtrusively as a private getaway, or it may function as one of several “hubs” of entertainment and outdoor gathering. To effectively create such an experience for today’s eclectic homeowner, swimming pool remodeling requires much more than just the expertise of the pool contractor. It requires several teams of people managed by a landscaping professional who can coordinate specifics without losing sight of the big picture of the overall design.

Home Landscape Design

How does home landscape design effect you project?

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


Here are some steps to starting you home landscape design phase:

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

• Financial. During this phase, the scope of the work is defined, including phasing in the different landscape elements. Cost elements include the hardscapes items like patios or decks; surfaces (cement, stone, brick) and walkways; fences, gates and arbors; outdoor kitchens; swimming pools and other water features. Also night lighting; irrigation systems and landscape drainage systems; and types of grass, shrubs, trees, perennials and seasonal color.
• Installation. The installation of your home landscape design is critical and takes into account the features you want to preserve and highlight—and those you don’t. In particular, tree protection is crucial. It involves constructing barricades around trees you want to keep so that roots don’t get damaged during construction. “Trees are large organism and don’t die immediately from the stress caused by construction. It may take them several years to die and many homeowners don’t realize that the damage actually happened during the construction phase,” explains Halper. Other aspects of the landscape installation involve setting up temporary drainage, preparation of the soil and garden beds, and installing irrigation, drainage and lighting. Then comes planting the trees, shrubbery, groundcover and any seasonal color. The final step consists of mulching and cleanup.
• Landscape Maintenance. From mowing to watering, regular landscape maintenance protects your investment, preserves the quality of the space and enhances your enjoyment of a lush, healthy landscape. It includes regular lawn mowing and trimming, shrub and tree pruning, fertilization, putting down rye grass, and management of pests and diseases. Exterior Worlds offers a menu of home landscape maintenance services: full service (52 or 42 visits a year), monthly or quarterly. “Our standards go way beyond most homeowners’. You don’t have to micro-manage it or worry about it. We do everything for you,” says Halper.

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

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.