In order to develop a garden plan, we first begin by consulting in depth with the homeowners.  Most of our clients bring to the table have an intuitive sense of what they would like to see in a garden.  It is our professional duty to ask the appropriate questions so that form and substance will emerge out of the innate feelings that people often have difficulty expressing in words.  When most residents visualize of garden plans, they are normally only thinking of the organic elements of landscaping such as flowers, shrubs, hedges, and even small trees.  While these elements do indeed constitute the core essence of any garden, there are many other structural and functional elements of the landscape that must be planned in order to create a true outdoor living experience that will make a person feel more comfortable outside of their house as they do indoors.  

During this in-depth and ongoing consultation process, we work very hard to both pinpoint the aesthetic sensibilities of our clients and to better understand the things that matter most to them in terms of lifestyle, activities, entertainment, and a positive state of mind of mind.  We seldom run into any client that has a simple wish or a single expectation only in mind.  Most people we encounter are very complex human beings who are looking to fulfill a multiplicity of needs and desires.   What these individuals are really looking to experience when they step into outdoor space is an entirely whole new world of sensory perception and activity that will bring an entirely new level of consciousness to bear upon their perceptions.  Of course, the majority of these desires reside at the unconscious level, and it takes a very vigorous dialogue and detailed planning process to bring them to the surface in a way that allows us to create spaces, forms, and structures which meet these needs.  We aim to be both candid and flexible in our negotiations in order to design garden plans that speak to every aesthetic and practical concern resident in the hearts and minds of homeowners.

In this sense, garden plans by Exterior Worlds are both global and multidimensional.  By first grasping the big picture, and then itemizing the emotional and intellectual qualities of the resident that the landscape will ultimately reflect, we can better establish the scope of the project.  Clarifying the ultimate picture of how homeowners intend to enjoy their garden enables us to better plan and coordinate the creation of specific elements that would be otherwise b overlooked or arbitrarily added after the fact.  For example, if we discover during our consultation with a couple that they want a special part of the yard to be used only by them, it is much easier for us to select this area in advance so we can develop appropriate features in a manner that is balanced and proportional to other features and uses of the landscape.   With systematic garden plans, the private space of a morning garden can evolve side by side with the public space of large patios and multiple outdoor rooms constructed for the purpose of entertaining large groups of neighbors, friends, and family. 

When such a balance is struck, the many different elements of garden plans can be more closely interconnected by then adding certain aesthetic nuances that link architecture, geometry, and vegetation into a thematic unity.  Walking trails, landscape lighting, natural swimming pools, custom fountains built to mimic waterfalls, trellises, and arbors are just a few of the many things we will use to further develop and magnify the theme of the landscape.  If at any time we determine that such structures are better developed by subcontracting experts who specialize in the construction of certain elements (such as masonry contractors and pool companies), a professionally drafted garden plan helps keep everyone on the same page.  A detailed and properly scaled schematic better enables partner companies to see where their individual creations fit in terms of parts that relate to a greater whole, and it helps them to better focus their energies and talents toward the creation of highly specialized forms that simultaneously contribute to the overall aesthetic that our design team ultimately has in mind.

Exterior worlds is located in the memorial area.  They have been serving the Houston area including River Oaks, Bellaire, Memorial, Tanglewood since 1987.  Call Exterior Worlds at 713-827-2255 to discuss the creation of your garden.