Learn About Gardens

Powered by Max Banner Ads

Garden Gazebo Houston

Free Online Articles Directory

Why Submit Articles?
Top Authors
Top Articles
FAQ
ABAnswers

Publish Article

0 && $.browser.msie ) {
var ie_version = parseInt($.browser.version);
if(ie_version Login

Login via

Register
Hello
My Home
Sign Out

Email

Password

Remember me?
Lost Password?

Home Page > Home Improvement > Gardening > Garden Gazebo Houston

Garden Gazebo Houston

Posted: Apr 20, 2009 |Comments: 0
| Views: 419 |

]]>

A garden gazebo is the ultimate garden structure within your landscape architecture. It fits nicely into your home landscape design, whether your property is vast and varied or a small garden design. As a focal point, a garden gazebo gives viewers a place to visually rest-the mind can go there and take a breather, even on the busiest of days.

Garden Gazebo: Shapes

The eight-sided gazebo was popularized by the Victorians who may have viewed the octagon as having utopian qualities. This theme was certainly picked up by the amateur architect Orson Squire Fowler, who wrote a book entitled “A Home for All” in the mid-1800s extolling the virtues of the octagonal house. Be that as it may, the eight-sided gazebo is pleasing to the eye and to the imagination.

While the octagon is the classic shape for a gazebo, other geometries work, too. For sheer simplicity and elegance, you can’t beat a square or rectangular gazebo. An oval gazebo appears soft and inviting. When choosing a dimension, let the architecture of your home and the topography of the land be your guide.

Garden Gazebo: Material Matters

The structural aspect of garden gazebos runs the gamut from sturdy to whimsical. Most often, they are made of:

]]>

? Treated wood. Whether painted or stained and sealed, treated wood is the most popular choice for gazebos. It is also one of the most traditional. A white, wooden gazebo looks pristine and wholesome, especially when combined with a garden arch covered in flowery vines. All these elements can turn a regular garden into an English garden design.

? Painted aluminum. Durable aluminum is another good choice. Its properties make it a likely choice for the Houston climate-resistant to rot and able to endure the Gulf Coast weather.

? Hardiplank?. This fiber cement plank product made by the James Hardie Company has become very popular in Texas since 1990 when the company started marketing itself here from Australia. The material is made of a combination of stone, quartz, sand and fiber, materials that can withstand our varying temperatures and humidity levels. It is so well-made that its planks come with a 50-year limited warranty.

? Stone or brick. A substantial material like stone or brick makes a beautiful gazebo, especially in an Asian-themed or Japanese garden. In fact, what we now call “gazebos” have been a mainstay of Asian gardens for millennia.

Garden Gazebo: Other Considerations

A well-designed landscape plan will integrate a gazebo with other hardscapes, like pathways and landscape lighting. “Pathways can have a big impact on the landscape and the experience one perceives as they transition through the garden,” explains Jeff Halper, landscaping specialist with Exterior Worlds. The experience changes with your material choice-gravel or flagstone, for example-and what is planted along its borders. Gazebos really come alive at night with the right lighting, creating a vivid and shining image on the darkened landscape.

You can improve upon your deck design by adding a gazebo at one end or corner. Include built-in benches and tables or buy some fabulous outdoor furniture and you’ve created an outdoor room to be enjoyed by all.

Commercial landscape design can be enhanced with gazebos, too. They create a memorable property when viewed from the street level and they also give your tenants a quiet retreat during a hectic day.

Watch your traffic increase just by submitting articles with us, click here to get started.
Liked this article? Click here to publish it on your website or blog, it’s free and easy!

Jeff Halper -
About the Author:

Jeff Halper is passionate for Landscaping and wants to share information about that passion. At Exterior Worlds you can read more about garden gazebo or Landscaping Design

]]>
Questions and Answers

Ask our experts your Gardening related questions here…

200 Characters left
Ask

Rate this Article

1
2
3
4
5

vote(s)
0 vote(s)

Feedback

Print

Re-Publish

0) {
ch_selected = Math.floor(Math.random()*ch_queries.length);
if(ch_selected == ch_queries.length) ch_selected–;
ch_query = ch_queries[ch_selected];
}
}catch(e){
ch_query = document.title;
}
]]>

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/garden-gazebo-houston-876319.html

Article Tags:
garden structures, oudoor rooms, arbors, gazebos

Related Articles

Latest Gardening Articles
More from Jeff Halper

Landscape Design – Irrigation

Andy Robinson, The Landscape Renovator goes over the design of irrigation systems. For more landscaping tips visit www.thelandscaperenovator.com (01:21)

How to Maintain your Landscaping and Garden

Landscaping and garden maintenance often go overlooked. Mitch Knapp explains about landscape and garden maintenance and how to keep it looking great all year around. (01:44)

Landscape Design – Driveways

Andy Robinson, The Landscape Renovator explains how to design driveways and walkways that conform to your landscape design projects. (01:45)

Landscape Design Planning

Great landscape designs start at the drawing board. For more tips from Andy Robinson, “The Landscape Renovator” please visit www.thelandscaperenovator.com (01:18)

Curves in Your Landscape Design

Add gentle sweeping curves to add curb appeal to your landscape project. For more landscaping tip from Andy Robinson, The Landscape Renovator visit www.thelandscaperenovator.com (01:30)

Landscaping Ideas Pictures – Landscaping 4 Home

Planning to refurbish your property is a good project to consider doing during those boring weekends. However, not having the skills in landscaping will make it quite challenging. But if you could get a glimpse of landscaping ideas pictures, would it not be convenient? Yes, you can always resort to such handy guides to give you somewhat an idea on how to go about your project.

By:
James Harleyl

Home Improvement>
Landscapingl
Nov 18, 2010

Landscaping 4 Home – Ideas For Garden Landscaping

Have you been planning to make your garden look more beautiful than ever? However, you’re completely clueless about garden landscaping at all? Landscaping your garden to look more beautiful than ever is actually an easy task to do, but you definitely need the skills and ideas to design your garden beautifully. Don’t worry because there are a lot of helpful sources all over the web that can help you gather more ideas for garden landscaping. Learning these ideas can help you easily decorate and de

By:
James Harleyl

Home Improvement>
Landscapingl
May 29, 2010

Landscaping 4 Home – Small Garden Landscaping Ideas

Coming up with unique landscaping ideas for your garden is not all that difficult. However, space plays an important role. If you have quite a small place to utilize, then it helps to look for small garden landscaping ideas that can very well give you a glimpse of what your garden will become after all the hard work. Better to do so than getting your garden all cramped up.

By:
James Harleyl

Home Improvement>
DIYl
Jan 09, 2011

Creative Landscaping Ideas For Your Home Garden

If you have an interest in improving the landscaping that surrounds your home then you can easily find numerous inspiring examples.

By:
MIKE SELVONl

Home Improvement>
Landscapingl
Mar 17, 2008
lViews: 239

Landscaping 4 Home – Landscaping Ideas For Home

Landscaping is one of the most important and fun activities under home improvement. It allows you to add a touch of personality to your lawn, backyard or garden. It is but normal that you will find yourself searching for landscaping ideas for home application. If you are really intent in making your surroundings more breath-taking, there are some points that you will need to learn.

By:
Chris Jensenl

Home Improvement>
Landscapingl
Aug 06, 2009

Tips On Landscaping Your Garden

Everyone knows that one of the key elements to having a beautiful home is having a great landscaped background. Planning your landscape design definitely requires making a plan.

By:
Cindy Hellerl

Home Improvement>
Gardeningl
Feb 09, 2007

Landscaping 4 Home – Landscaping Ideas For Small Yard

Have you been planning to transform your small yard into something more beautiful? However, are you completely clueless about how you could possibly landscape your small yard that’s why you’d like to learn how? Landscaping your small yard is actually pretty easy and you can quickly do it without sweating at all. However, you need to learn landscaping ideas for small yard first in order to pull off a beautiful small yard that will surely surprise yourself and everyone in your family.

By:
James Harleyl

Home Improvement>
Landscapingl
May 29, 2010

How to Maintain Your Garden Tiller

A garden tiller is a big investment. Maintenance is a key priority for helping your tiller to last for many years. If properly maintained, you shouldn’t have to replace tillers very often, especially since they are only used once or twice a year. Here is a guide to helping you know how to maintain your garden tiller.

By:
honylynl

Home Improvement>
Gardeningl
Feb 24, 2011

How to successfully grow a selection of spring plants in your greenhouse

Spring is the perfect season to experiment with a selection of new plants.

By:
Gabriel Ashl

Home Improvement>
Gardeningl
Feb 24, 2011

Add Charm and Appeal to Your Garden with Cheap Garden Sheds

Buying a garden shed is the easiest, quickest and the most convenient way to enhance the beauty of your garden and make it viable as well. With the availability of the internet

By:
Ernest Fannl

Home Improvement>
Gardeningl
Feb 24, 2011

Early spring flower garden Advices

The cold winter will end soon. Let’s learn and prepare your flower garden to the coming early spring.

By:
Cactusloverl

Home Improvement>
Gardeningl
Feb 24, 2011

Exterior Summer Fun with Patio Umbrellas and Furniture

The warm, sunny weather of summer is a great time to enjoy soothing relaxation in your back yard, on your deck, or out on your patio. Enjoy a long and lazy day, with the protection of shade that follows the sun’s movement. A patio umbrella is a clever choice to angle shade exactly where you need it as the day progresses.

By:
hiren modil

Home Improvement>
Gardeningl
Feb 24, 2011

What do I need in my greenhouse?

That’s a quite a far-reaching question as it does depend on what you want to use your greenhouse for.

By:
Growhousel

Home Improvement>
Gardeningl
Feb 24, 2011

Add the Finishing Touch to Your Room with a Cast Iron Radiator

When you are planning a room design the finishing touches are very important. They can bring together your design and create points of contrast and interest.

By:
Edward Halll

Home Improvement>
Gardeningl
Feb 24, 2011

How do I grow potatoes?

To grow potatoes you need to start with seed potatoes. Confusingly these are not seeds at all, but specially prepared tubers that are in fact potatoes.

By:
Growhousel

Home Improvement>
Gardeningl
Feb 24, 2011

Pool Water Fountains

If you are considering adding a custom swimming pool to your landscaping design, you might want to think about the addition of a pool water fountain. We have seen pool water fountains turn an everyday swimming pool into a memorable work of art because they add movement, sound, shape and…

By:
Jeff Halperl

Home Improvement>
Gardeningl
Jul 10, 2009
lViews: 210

Outdoor Swimming Pool Design

Outdoor swimming pool design is one of the most exciting and fulfilling aspects of landscape architecture. When guests come to visit, they almost always want to go to the pool. Regardless of whether they intend to actually swim, lay out, or gather for conversation on the patio, it is absolutely…

By:
Jeff Halperl

Home Improvement>
Gardeningl
Jul 10, 2009
lViews: 189

Fire and Water Fountains

Fire and water fountains place two opposing forces together to create startling and dramatic artistic statements in a landscape design. If you were to rate the various hardscapes used by professional landscapers along a horizontal scale, fire and water fountains would be situated on the far right-where the big wow-factors…

By:
Jeff Halperl

Home Improvement>
Gardeningl
Jul 10, 2009
lViews: 277

Contemporary Patio Design

Contemporary patio design is one of the most unique and dynamic elements of contemporary landscape design. It offers more opportunity for expansion and integration with other landscaping elements than do other types of hardscape. Planters, fountains, retaining walls, and even gardens can be integrated into the physical structure and basic…

By:
Jeff Halperl

Home Improvement>
Gardeningl
Jul 09, 2009
lViews: 221

Low Voltage Landscape Lighting

As low voltage landscape lighting technology has evolved over the years, it has come to enjoy a position of prominence in many aspects of outdoor lighting. Its decorative enhancement of certain types of landscape forms is unsurpassed. Its cost-savings potential is much higher as well because it is much cheaper…

By:
Jeff Halperl

Home Improvement>
Gardeningl
Jul 09, 2009
lViews: 110

Contemporary Water Fountains

In general, contemporary design means spare and simple geometries arranged in a pleasing, functional way. Combining innovation and flair, these designs use dramatic shapes to create a point of view that is fluid and natural. We believe these adjectives describe contemporary water fountains, too. With contemporary water fountain and garden design,…

By:
Jeff Halperl

Home Improvement>
Gardeningl
Jul 09, 2009
lViews: 345

Garden Waterfall Design

Garden waterfall design continues to gain increasing popularity all over the Houston Area. Many of our citizens have become a bit bored with traditional swimming pool and garden designs. The garden waterfall represents an instantly recognizable, beloved natural formation that adds an aesthetic to any back yard. Waterfalls are essential…

By:
Jeff Halperl

Home Improvement>
Gardeningl
Jul 09, 2009
lViews: 526

Backyard Landscaping

The intention of backyard landscaping is to create an outdoor living experience that can rival the stimulation and comforts of interior space. In order to accomplish this end, we have to do much more than work with the organic aspects of the yard itself. As important as trees, shrubs, and…

By:
Jeff Halperl

Home Improvement>
Gardeningl
Jun 02, 2009
lViews: 214

Add new Comment

Your Name: *

Your Email:

Comment Body: *

Verification code:*

* Required fields

Submit

Your Articles Here
It’s Free and easy

Sign Up Today

Author Navigation

My Home
Publish Article
View/Edit Articles
View/Edit Q&A
Edit your Account
Manage Authors
Statistics Page
Personal RSS Builder
My Home
Edit your Account
Update Profile
View/Edit Q&A
Publish Article
Author Box

Jeff Halper has 118 articles online

Articles Categories
All Categories

Advertising
Arts & Entertainment
Automotive
Beauty
Business
Careers
Computers
Education
Finance
Food and Beverage
Health
Hobbies
Home and Family
Home Improvement
Internet
Law
Marketing
News and Society
Relationships
Self Improvement
Shopping
Spirituality
Sports and Fitness
Technology
Travel
Writing

Home Improvement

Bath Showers
Construction
DIY
Furniture
Gardening
Home Security
Interior Design
Kitchens
Landscaping
Moving and Relocating
Pest Control
Remodeling
Tools and Equipment

]]>

Need Help?
Contact Us
FAQ
Submit Articles
Editorial Guidelines
Blog

Site Links
Recent Articles
Top Authors
Top Articles
Find Articles
Site Map
Mobile Version

Webmasters
RSS Builder
RSS
Link to Us

Business Info
Advertising

Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Copyright © 2005-2011 Free Articles by ArticlesBase.com, All rights reserved.

Jeff Halper is passionate for Landscaping and wants to share infomation about that passion. At Exterior Worlds you can read more about Landscaping ideas

Choosing a reputable greenhouse builder and manufacturer shouldn’t be difficult to do, but there are plenty of questions you should ask them when it comes to a business for building your greenhouse structure. I really hope this short article helps when it comes to a greenhouse builder and manufacturer. A garden greenhouse has been utilized because of not only small outdoor areas but has additionally been designed for schools and universities. There are various types of garden greenhouses. Some are created with vinyl, plastic, wood, aluminum, pvc, polycarbonate and glass among many other materials. In selecting a kind of greenhouse you need to seek advice from a national greenhouse builder that will help you talk to this regardless of how big or small. Most of the reputable greenhouse builders will be in business not less than Ten years and will also be capable of seeing their portfolio in addition to consult with a few of their clients too. The greenhouse builder focuses on dealing with the types of materials utilized in some other part of the nation and may assist you to decide what your requirements is going to be.

With lots of greenhouses, the builder offers benches, hanging rods, hydroponic tubing, shade cloths, air systems and misting systems. They are able to also let you know the number of windows necessary for the rooftop to permit proper moisture control and venting. Steve Reno, who owns an established greenhouse company located in Houston, Texas says “to allow enough room for that plants particularly if you intend on investing in benches, misting systems, etc. You’d be surprised how many people can forget that. Also, make certain your materials support the elements inside your particular the main country. You don’t want to construct a wood frame greenhouse within the south especially close to the coastal region. We actually remove a blueprint from the plan which allows everything the gardener must permit future growth too.”

When ordering a greenhouse it’s a wise decision to utilize a greenhouse builder who manufactures their very own product. Like a versatile greenhouse manufacturer, they ought to provide a full-range of greenhouse structures from economical and functional, hobby and commercial greenhouse kits to accomplish turn-key luxury estate greenhouses and garden rooms, and my way through between! Most of the online businesses which have not experienced business long order theirs through China or Europe and therefore are less good of quality for that avid gardener. Some companies may charge more for his or her product since the materials and structure was engineered to outlast basic climate conditions and can outlast the cheaper temporary models. Check and to find out if they’ve their manufacturing facilities near by. This could ease any issues with delivery and technical issues or missing pieces that may take a lot of time within the building process. There’s nothing so frustrating regarding order a greenhouse and also have a number of the screws or particular parts not appear and also have to hold back per month for that part in the future from China. It’s a wise decision to make use of someone who manufactures them locally.

Check and to discover out if additionally they provide greenhouse maintenance which could also save a lot of lost cash and time. When storms blow in, the neighborhood greenhouse builders can emerge and perform some repairs.

The greenhouse builder shouldn’t be a contractor that does not focus on greenhouses. They should be qualified and not merely a dealer, but a genuine builder that will assist design or works directly utilizing the architect which will assist you develop a nice pleasing greenhouse structure which will last a lengthy time within the future. They ought to assist talk to website selection, shade required and accessories. They ought to provide a manufacturer’s guarantee. I have listed some fundamental problems to think about when planning your greenhouse.

For a true greenhouse builder and manufacturer, there should be products ready to ship or make, and a full line of accessories available. Many companies will help with the selection of type of greenhouse, and will also answer any questions you have on constructing it yourself but make sure when dealing with the accessories much thought is given to working safety and working with glass. This can prove to be dangerous.

For smaller areas, you may wish to build a greenhouse dome, or greenhouse out of wood. Caution to the amount of wood used and plastic used as these not only last a shorter period of time, create wood rot and possible termites, but can also spread disease to the plants.

PVC has additionally been accustomed to build greenhouses. This appears like a much better material compared to wood choice.

Greenhouse builders might not be simple to find but asking the best questions will certainly save lots of heart ache. They must be pleased to provide you with the time when choosing an ideal greenhouse. Happy Gardening!

Decide to discover more about Greenhouse Builders, then look at the Southern Greenhouses web site and enjoy an array of gorgeous Greenhouses built!

We were contacted by the owner of a Houston, Texas home who asked us to design a series of gardens and landscaping features that would compliment and expand the Mediterranean theme of his house into the surrounding landscape. This house sat on a very large lot of several acres in a secluded Memorial Drive neighborhood located near the 610 Loop. The home featured a symmetrical, linear appearance in spite of its two-story build, and our client wanted a landscape and garden design that would follow these same principles of self-contained regularity and subtle linear motion.

Creating a Mediterranean theme in a Houston, Texas garden and landscape is a bit more complex that it might appear at face value. The southern coast of Europe-particularly in Italy and Greece-is a mountanous area where homes and gardens are built on steep angles and sharp vertical rises. Gardens and fields are often built in terraces that climb the mountains due to the limited planting area and rough, rocky terrain. Limestone is the predominant rock type in Italy and Greece and has become iconic of this part of the world in our collective consciousness. Mediterranean homes and gardens are historically famous for their white stucco walls, olive groves, and carefully sculptured greenery embedded in a rugged limestone backdrop.

The challenge lay in taking an essentially three-dimensional landscaping style and transfering it to a Houston property. As we all know, this part of Texas is very flat, so a hillside garden is out of the question in the literal sense. However, using a combination of symmetrical forms and linear progressions, along with some innovative garden materials, we were able to mimic several aspects of seaside European terrain.

The key to doing this was to establish a combination of circular forms and linear patterns in the multiple garden elements we designed. French and Italian gardens place a heavy emphasis on order and symmetry, and both tend to utilize right angles to establish form. We planted a variety of low level growth around the house and rear swimming pool patio to emphasize its walls and corners. We then added three keynote forms to the landscape to create a Houston equivalent of a Mediterranean garden.

The first of these forms was a knot garden centered on the front door, located just in front of the home’s motorcourt. We planted boxwoods in three circular rows that looked like terraces on a hillside. In the center of the knot garden we planted Loropatalum, punctuated with a lone Crinum lily as the center piece. The rich purple of the Loropatalum draws catches the eye, and the vertical dimension added by the lily draws it upward to the front entrance of the house.

Moving then to one side of the house, we transformed a substantial portion of the yard into a parterre garden that centered on a large glass room that extended from the west wing of the house. This garden was populated by low-growth rose bushes whose amenability to constant trimming makes them an ideal plant material for parterre gardens, and whose colorful blooms a made them stand out from multiple vantage points throughout this Houston neighborhood. The garden borders were made from of boxwood hedges, and the central pathways were made using European limestone gravel that mimics the color of the limestone cliffs of the Aegean and Adriatic Seas. We then completed the design by adding dwarf yaupon, a small shrub that bears a curious resemblance to clouds, all along the borders of the gravel walkways. This helped create the impression that the garden was located on a hilltop near the sea, and that the clouds were rolling across the shoreline.

One of the most appealing attributes of this Houston, Texas property is its superb location. The back of the yard borders a 50-foot ravine carved out of the earth by a major tributary of Buffalo Bayou. This seemed to us a natural destination spot for garden guests to visit after strolling around the west wing of the home to the pool. To encourage them to do so, we planted an alley of crepe myrtles leading from the pool area all the way back to the woods along the ravine. We then built a walkway out of limestone aggregate blocks that started at the parterre garden, ran alongside the house to the pool, then ran straight out through the alley of trees to the scenic overlook of the forest and stream below.

Jeff Halper is passionate for Landscaping and wants to share information about that passion. At Exterior Worlds you can read more about Houston Texas Garden or Landscaping Design

Modernism, in the context of landscape design, is a result of forms and functions that reflect the need for outdoor living spaces that enhance contemporary lifestyles. As Garrett Eckbo, one of the central figures in modern landscape architecture, said, landscape design is the “arrangement of environments for people.”

Contemporary garden design tends to focus on scale as opposed to formal landscape designs that are based on axial relationships. It also foregoes the more classic landscape design forms and larger scale from Greek, Roman, and classical architecture traditions. This design motif became popular in the 1950′s baby boom, particularly in California where weather and lifestyle was very conducive to this innovative style.

In modern landscape design, boundaries between areas of color, textures and shapes are undefined-or conversely, sharply defined. Color and composition create the emotional response. Combining freshness and flair, these designs use dramatic geometric shapes to create a point of view that is fluid and natural. Water and light are often used, as in artfully-lit outdoor water fountains, to enhance the sensual loveliness and liveliness. The designs are arresting, both close up and far away.

Form and Function in Modern Landscape Design

As the maxim says, form follows function. Modern landscape design is an aesthetic that shows only what is necessary while often leaving surfaces exposed. The simplicity of modern design reveals itself in that every form has a function, even when that function is merely to engage the senses.

It is possible, sometimes desirable, to use modern design techniques without creating a high-tech look. That is, to make use of horizontal and vertical planes that manufacture a modern sculpture effect-and let colors and plantings evoke a warm, welcoming feel. It is that juxtaposition-hard and soft, linear and non-linear, energetic and restrained-that is the essence of modern landscape design. “Less is more” is the modern landscape design mantra. A huge plant palette is not necessary. Rather, it is how plants, materials, and textures are used and mass them together that create the contemporary effect.

The architecture of the house needs to be carefully considered when using a contemporary garden design. If the house is bold, the grounds need to be strong also.
The home and landscape can be tied together through selective use of plantings or the intelligent placement of a hardscape feature, such as an organic approach to the front door.

Using Today’s Technology in Your Modern Landscape

Naturally new technologies in building materials are a big component of modern landscape design, which can mean a new approach using old materials or a new approach using new materials. Often, it is the contrast of material usage that suggests modernism.

Concrete, with its sturdiness and malleability, has won a firm place in contemporary garden design. Its cool, gray color alone establishes its credibility. Its uses run the gamut from flooring to columns to stark, amorphous benches. In addition to concrete, advances in steel and glass technologies, plus construction methods, can be even further exploited within the modern landscape design.

Often materials, such as stone, metal, plastics, steel and glass, are left in an exposed or raw state. Part of the beauty of these materials derives from their interplay with nature-the way steel rusts to a warm, burnt look, for instance.

The Spaces of Modern Landscape Design

Landscape themes such as English, Asian, Zen gardens, natural, Japanese or modern identify not only your property but also your tastes and style. Color, form, line, scale, and texture are your means of expressing those landscape design preferences.

Your choices can be demonstrated in the plants and hardscapes you choose. Beauty can be a maple imported from Japan. It can also be the wild grass native to the Texas coastal plains. You may have outdoor works of art to display in your landscape. Or you might use a stream that ends in a waterfall as an ever-changing sculpture of sound and movement. Landscape lighting is another crucial tool of contemporary garden design as it creates ambiance and lets you enjoy your landscape night and day.

Other uses of space in contemporary designs include:

? Outdoor rooms for living. These living areas, in effect, make your home bigger. They also serve to create transition areas that connect the indoor and outdoor spaces. In this regard, this style is similar to a Mediterranean landscape design with its underlying principle that the outdoor living area should be just as enjoyable and functional as the home’s interior.

? Outdoor kitchens. The center of outdoor entertainment, outdoor kitchens provide a natural gathering place. Their design should complement both the house and the landscape. Above all, their design should be functional.

? Luxury swimming pools. When designed from a modern viewpoint, luxury swimming pools are anything but a boring rectangle or kidney-shaped pool. They become sophisticated and exciting, eye-catching and mesmerizing. Often, you can combine them with an outdoor water fountain that eliminates some redundancies while adding vitality to your overall design.

Thoroughly Modern

Modern landscape design is even more appropriate today than it was 50 years ago. Jeff Halper with Exterior Worlds says, “Contemporary garden design has gotten only better with time. With today’s busy lifestyles, there is less time for gardening. Also, we need to use our gardens for multiple functions these days-sanctuary, entertainment, a place for children to play safely. Modern landscape design addresses all these wants and needs.”

Robert Irwin, the landscape architect of the Getty Center in Los Angeles, puts it this way: “…maybe the world is an art form [and] the gardening of our universe” reveals our participation in that work of art.

Exterior WorldsSpecializing in Modern Landscape Design

Decks add form, texture and interest to your landscape. The most common deck design attaches the deck to the house, although freestanding decks can be quite dramatic. With the variety of materials available today, deck designs come in all forms and shapes from their inclusion in a small garden design to an unexpected urban landscaping project to a sprawling hillside sun garden.

Decks add natural beauty, warmth and desirability to your home. And not just for you and your family. A well-designed, properly built deck-one that is sturdy, long-lasting and beautiful-will add value to your property as well.

Deck Design: Choosing a Designer or Contractor

The long list of choices you will face concerning the design of your deck begins with choosing who will build it. In this region, you have a wide choice of Houston landscape designers and landscape contractors to choose from. It is a critical decision for many reasons, not the least of which is the desire to avoid an under-built design-one that is inadequately attached to the structure or inadequately supported.

Here are some tips for finding someone suitable for your project, courtesy of Jeff Halper, landscape design specialist at Exterior Worlds:

? Spend time interviewing the designer. Discuss the types of projects they’ve done and how long they’ve been in business.
? Ask friends for referrals.
? Ask for references and then follow up on them.
? Halper advises you to keep in mind that “the more complex the project-the more sophisticated the design-the more important your designer and contractor become.”

Deck Design: Design Choices

Once selected and hired, your contractor or designer will start the interview process. It is during these discussions that you define and convey what you want out of your deck design. For instance, whether to cover the deck or not. Be creative in thinking through this aspect since other solutions, like planting trees, might work. (This type of issue is where professional designers really earn their keep since they’ll be mindful of the deck’s impact on the total landscape.) You also might want to consider deck railing and built-in seats.

Other add-ons include outdoor fireplaces or fire pits, outdoor kitchens, and outdoor water fountains. Houston’s infamous rainstorms need to be taken into account so you will want to tie the deck’s design into any existing drainage systems. Consider the need for gutters, French drains, or decorative drains. Decks also present a great opportunity to enhance your landscape lighting.

Your designer or contractor will work with you to make sure the deck is in proportion to your home and other structures. The deck design will also take into consideration the house’s architecture, exits and entrances, what space is available on which to build, the grade of the yard, and any existing trees or gardens.

Deck Design: Material Choices

In landscape design terminology, the term “deck” refers to both a wooden deck and the decking, usually some kind of masonry or stone, around a luxury swimming pool. Materials used vary with personal preferences, design considerations and your desired budget. Main choices include wood, stone (cut stone, flagstone, limestone, bluestone, slate), brick, concrete (colored or textured or both), and pavers.

When choosing wood for a patio or terrace, pressure-treated pine is the mainstay option.

Another good choice is an engineered product like Trex. The original financial outlay is a bit more than with wood, but, if maintained properly, the longevity is 1 ½-2 times that of wood. Trex offers another benefit in these eco-conscious times: its decking, railing and fencing are made primarily from recycled plastic grocery bags, reclaimed pallet wrap and waste wood. Halper also points out that Trex is great for tree preservation. “You only have to make a few holes to hold up the decking. And you don’t cover the ground with it, something that suffocates trees,” he says.

For pool decking, surfaces like stone, brick and concrete are durable options. Beautiful, too. These products are also valued because they can be roughed up and made to be non-slippery, which is essential for the wet areas around a pool.

Deck Design: Maintenance

Houston’s weather is hard on everything, including your deck. Wooden decks can be cleaned with a special cleaner, which will remove the gray mildew. Whatever cleaning agent is used, be sure to rinse thoroughly.

Stone, brick and concrete are relatively maintenance free. However, you will want your landscape service company to perform regular checks for any cracking or splintering. Also, if your deck is deeply shaded, mildew can grow on these surfaces. A deck cleansing product or a mild bleach solution will take care of most problems. Make sure your landscape maintenance contract covers all these items.

Jeff Halper is passionate for Landscaping and wants to share information about that passion. At Exterior Worlds you can read more about Deck Design or Landscaping Design

Every garden has a bit of fantasy in it and, for Houstonians longing for the look and feel of, say, Tuscany or the Italian Renaissance period, no garden fills that desire like a Mediterranean landscape design.

Combining elegant elements of nature with the relaxed Mediterranean culture, the Mediterranean landscape design can go from simple, yet cultivated to elaborate lavishness. Crystal clear water and outdoor water fountains, sweet herbs right off the vine to be used in outdoor kitchens, relaxed spaces for entertainment, and lush, practical vegetation characterized the Mediterranean landscape design.

Just as a rose by any other name smells sweet, so too the Mediterranean landscape design. It is known variously as Andalusian, Santa Barbara Revival, Tuscan and Moroccan styles. Primarily taking its name from the climate of the Mediterranean region and southern Europe, it falls midway between the broad formal and informal garden design categories. The influences of classic landscape design can clearly be seen in this style due to the proximity and prominence of ancient Rome.

Mediterranean Landscape Design-Through History

The Mediterranean landscapes originated in ancient Arabia and evolved, as all garden styles have, throughout the centuries. Major influences were the gardens of Greece, Rome and Italy.

Since it is so closely associated with the warm, sometimes arid, climate of the Mediterranean region, this style has little in common with English garden design, largely due to plant material choices. Because of its evocation of another time and place, the Mediterranean landscape design stands apart from modern landscape designs with its emphasis on contemporary choices and imagery.

Features of Mediterranean Landscape Designs

You can pick and choose among several different striking features suitable for residential gardens done in the Mediterranean style. The byword to remember is “Old World ambiance.”

? Stone, weathered bricks, terra cotta tiles, flagstone, tumbled travertine
? Wooden beams
? Wrought iron
? Classical statuary and Roman columns
? Outdoor furniture that evokes Arabian, Moroccan or Italian sensibilities

The architecture of the house needs to be carefully considered when using a Mediterranean landscape design. Actually the house dictates this choice, as some architectural styles-Colonial and Federal-style come to mind-would jar the senses if paired with a Mediterranean garden. The intelligent placement of a hardscape feature, perhaps a wrought iron garden gate in the curvaceous style of Barcelona, can be used to solidify the connection to your home.

When this style is appropriate, the home and landscape can also be tied together through selective use of plantings. Your choice of plants, in fact, further defines your Mediterranean design:

? Trees and shrubs. Given the hot climate from which this style arose, shade is extremely important-making it perfect for the Houston area. Live oaks, with their twists and turns, look lovely in this garden. Also, Italian cypress, olive trees and fruit trees such as orange and lemon trees.

? Vines. Use creeping vines like wisteria and grapevines.

? Herb gardens. Basil, rosemary, sage and thyme enhance the Italian influence and create enticing smells. Herbs are especially attractive in terra cotta planters.

? Vegetable gardens. Since authentic Mediterranean gardens are practical, heralding back to their roots in farming cultures, a vegetable garden fits right into the landscape. A vegetable garden not only provides sustenance, but also color.

The Spaces of the Mediterranean Landscape Design

The residential garden with a Mediterranean flair is beautiful and relaxed, capturing the easy living of the outdoors. In choosing the spaces and hardscapes to further augment that tone, consider these options:

? Outdoor kitchens. A focal point of outdoor entertainment, a summer kitchen provides a natural gathering place. Its design should tie the house and the landscape together and must, above all, be functional.

? Outdoor water fountains. Water is a critical part of the Mediterranean landscape design, so consider fountains done in an Italianate, Romanesque or rustic style. Be mindful of scale-you want the fountain to be in proportion to the rest of the landscape. Also consider the sightlines of the shooting water from your favorite viewing spot.

? Luxury swimming pools. Within the Mediterranean landscape design, classic shapes, like rectangles and circles, work well. Which, given the versatility of basic forms, means the pools can be simple and austere-or eye-catching and mesmerizing. Often, you can combine them with an outdoor water fountain that eliminates some redundancies while adding vitality to your overall design.

? Walkways. Gravel, stone, bricks and flagstone work well for paths in the Mediterranean landscape design. Neutral colors are preferred.

Final Thoughts on the Mediterranean Landscape Design

Jeff Halper with Exterior Worlds says, “Our clients travel to Europe and come home wanting to emulate a scene that they fell in love with in Italy, Tuscany, Spain or Greece. As the name implies, Mediterranean gardens are usually formal, dry-climate gardens. They have the same attributes-linearity, use of axis and central focal points-of formal landscape design. I think their most distinguishing feature is in their use of materials: limestone or gravels for paths, junipers, Italian cypress, dwarf yaupons and other blue-green or grey dry plants. Think of the dry, rocky hills of Austin with olive groves.”

He goes on to say, “What surprises people most with this type of design is the amount of math and order that it takes to create chaos in a garden.”

Mediterranean Landscape Design Exterior Worlds

In the first millennium, a wealthy Roman family would most likely have had a garden surrounding their home. In it, you might find an open-air palazzo, pergola-style structures dripping with vines and blooming flowers, a dining area with couches for relaxation, water features such as an outdoor water fountain or wall fountain, and walkways that led out into the garden proper, perhaps to a prized rosebush or into an olive grove. These are some of the elements characterizing what is now called classical landscape design, also known as traditional landscape design.

Classical landscape design is a subset of formal landscape design that uses linear, clean lines to develop an uncluttered look. These lines can be drawn with rows of trees and well-trimmed hedges, perfect plantings for the classical landscape design. Or perhaps a seat wall made of regimented terra cotta tiles can do double-duty. Here and there, vines, such as ivy or wisteria, can soften any harshness. In this regard, this style is similar to the Mediterranean landscape design with its Roman and Greek influences.

The History of Classical Landscape Design

Borrowing influences from previous civilizations, classical landscape design solidified in Rome and the surrounding countryside. Villas were built with comfortable courtyards, sparkling with the sound of water, shaded by large trees, fragrant with rosemary and citrus fruits. It was from this setting that we got the term “pleasure garden.”

In England of the late 1700s, property owners started looking backwards, past the Baroque period and the Renaissance, to the beginnings of western civilization. There, they found classical landscapes making use of woods, water, indigenous plants and small temples. These elements were incorporated into the gardens of that day, further defining the principles of traditional landscape design.

By the way, when Rome fell to the barbarians, the gardens had become so exquisite that the barbarians chose not to ransack them. Instead they kept them up and learned from them. This development is one of the early examples of how we, as humans, learned that beauty can change the world: it can stop violence. This principle is now being used to good effect in gardens started as rehabilitation projects in prisons, inner cities and ghettos.

Choices in Classical Landscape Design

As with all landscape design, the architecture of the house needs to be considered when using a traditional landscape design. For this style, the home and landscape can be tied together through the subtle placement of a hardscape feature, such as the use of tumbled travertine for the courtyard flooring.

Because of the formal principles inherent in this style, you want to strike a balance when choosing materials between boring blandness and baroque lavishness. Think instead in terms of interesting variety. For instance, well-contained decorative gravel can provide color and texture. Courtyards, pool decking and patios should use materials that are symmetrical, in keeping with the formal style. Stone, terra cotta tiles and flagstone are appropriate choices. Granite benches, concrete grottoes and marble urns add sturdiness and reference antiquities.

Your preference for classical landscape design can also be demonstrated in the plants you choose. Your residential garden will be enhanced by fruit trees and other dwarf trees-or perhaps a stand of cypress, mulberry or fig trees. The cheery colors of marigolds, hyacinths and roses are well suited for the classical landscape design. Herbs planted in terra cotta pots scent the air and provide fresh flavor in your outdoor kitchen cooking.

Hardscapes in Classical Landscape Design

Color, form, line, scale, and texture are your means of expressing classical landscape design preferences just as they are with modern landscape design.

Hardscapes to include:

? Outdoor rooms for outdoor living. These living areas, in effect, make your home bigger. They also serve to create transition areas that connect the indoor and outdoor spaces. Plus, they further the notion that a garden is a place of rejuvenation. In particular, outdoor kitchens are important to the traditional landscape design.

? Outdoor water fountains. If you remember your ancient world history classes, you know that the Romans perfected the aqueduct. So water is prized within classical landscape design and nothing showcases it like a picture-perfect outdoor water fountain. Look for fountains in formal, Romanesque, Italianate, Mediterranean and rustic styles. Those made of tile, cast stone, cast iron and concrete work particularly well with this style.

? Swimming pools. When placed within a classical landscape design, the shape of your swimming pool should tend towards basic geometric shapes like rectangles and ovals. Thus, the shape of the pool frames the water and turns it into a classical design element of the landscape. It is often efficient to combine the pool with an outdoor water fountain to eliminate some maintenance redundancies.

? Landscape lighting. Landscape lighting is another important element of traditional landscape design as it creates ambiance and lets you enjoy the outdoors, night and day.

Classical Landscape Design: A Houston Setting

”We implemented a classical landscape design for one of our Houston clients, whose home was French Country. For the garden, we chose a design that closely resembles a famous garden in Florence,” says Jeff Halper with Exterior Worlds. “The landscape design makes good use of gravel and limestone, which looks very natural in a Houston garden. And we planted boxwoods, which we trim and shape regularly as part of a well-thought-out residential landscape maintenance plan. It is a lovely and relaxing space.”

Classic Landsape Design exterior worlds

You know one when you see it. The English garden design is all about curved beds, winding paths, riotous color. The gardener’s hand is light. There-but just barely. It lets nature do its own thing. You might even say that the English garden design is controlled chaos.

The history of English garden design began with the revolt against the constraints of formal landscape design and classic landscape design. These two forms, with their appreciation of balance, symmetry and geometry, sit on the opposing end of the spectrum from English garden design. Where formal gardens find beauty in linearity, English gardens use undulating lines. Where formal gardens seek right angles, English gardens use few, if any, angles. The words of the English poet Alexander Pope (1688-1744)-the “amiable simplicity of unadorned nature”-describe this style.

Impressionist painters were key influencers in the continuing development of the English garden design. Claude Monet (1840-1926) claimed that painting and gardening were his only two interests in life. When he first moved to Giverny, where he would build his famous water gardens, his first concern was to arrange the garden in a rampant, naturalistic explosion of color.

The residential English garden design has since become hugely popular in the United States. Houston’s semi-tropical climate is well suited for vine-covered pergolas, sunny rose gardens, dazzling azalea beds and bursts of seasonal color-all plant materials that fit well within the English garden’s concept of abundance.

A Quick Study of English Gardens

The English garden design is the essence of an informal garden. The different colors and textures of the plant materials-the profuse wildness-draw the viewer in, creating a feast for the mind’s eye. However, while it has elements of a naturalistic garden, it is not considered of this style. Instead, flowering plants are arranged in a seemingly haphazard arrangement that merely recalls a natural landscape.

The general characteristics of an English garden design fall along these lines:

? Plants are chosen out of personal preference or connection. It is common to find cuttings from the gardens of family and friends.

? Regional plants have prominence because they enhance the naturalistic feel.

? Plants, especially flowering ones, are grouped into smaller clumps-not drifts. The desired effect is for the garden to appear somewhat random, but not messy.

? Many different kinds of plants are used-annuals, bulbs, herbs, perennials, shrubs and vines.

? Scent is very important in an English garden design. Hence, the prevalence of roses and herbs.

? Often the garden is enclosed by a picket fence or hedge to help bring some additional order.

? Strong mix of colors.

Colors of an English Garden: Evoking the Emotions

English garden design uses plants to reach the viewer emotionally rather than intellectually. Primarily, it is done with color.

Different colors affect people differently, but generally each color has its own psychological appeal. Green is the most restful color. Pale greens and yellow-greens are perfect for an English garden design because they feel lighter, brighter and more informal. White creates a sense of space in a garden. Red calls attention to itself or what it surrounds, making it perfect for planting near focal points. Apricot, salmon and peach tints are friendly and welcoming.

Space and Elements of the English Garden Design

The arrangement of elements within the English garden space is very important. Whereas the modern garden design uses a philosophy of “less is more”, the English garden simply says “more.”

Some elements to consider for an English garden:

Gates. The garden entryway can become an important element of an English garden design. Plants can soften the garden gate, making it even more inviting.

Hardscapes. Hardscapes are non-plant material features of landscape design. Popular residential hardscape structures made of wood that work well in an English garden design include arbors, pergolas and gazebos. In an English garden, walkways meander through the landscape while providing easy access to your home and other structures. Perhaps a retaining wall, a short wall used to hold the soil in place, is needed as part of a proper landscape drainage system. If so, good landscape designers and landscape architects will construct it so that it fits the design.

Material choices. Just as flagstone and travertine work well in a Mediterranean garden design, brick and gravel complement an English garden design.

The Ever After of an English Garden

While English gardens are lower in maintenance than a formal landscape design, a landscape maintenance program is still required. Especially it will involve the systematic feeding of flowers, bushes and trees. Since trees are a vital part of the English garden, make sure proper tree preservation methods are used during installation. “A temporary irrigation system and hand-digging to minimize damage to trees and their root systems are a very important part of tree preservation,” explains Jeff Halper with Exterior Worlds. For the longer term, a permanent irrigation system is also a plus for the entire landscape since it will increase the ease of the required regular watering.

English Garden Design exterior worlds

Learn About Gardens

How to keep your garden looking good all year round

Archive for the tag 'Houston'

Garden Gazebo Houston

Does the japanese garden in hermann park in houston, tx allow picnics?

Houston Landscaping Ideas

Building A Greenhouse | How to Find the Right Builder

Houston Texas Garden

Modern Landscape Design in Houston Texas

Houston Deck Design

Mediterranean Landscape Design and Garden Designers in Houston Texas

Classic Landscape Designs and Traditional Landscape Designs in Houston Texas

English Garden Design and Residential Engish Landscape Designers in Houston Texas

Gardening

Archives