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So you’ve been seeing each other around at the same stores. You’re well familiar with what they have to offer you, and what you can bring to them. And lately, your life has felt just a little…well, empty. You go out on your patio, and you feel like something is missing. You feel like you need something – anything – to fill this void that you feel when you’re sitting outside. And, after getting to know each other from your chance (and not so chance) meetings, you finally have the courage and the investment to make the next step. That’s right: you are ready to bring that teak patio set you want home.

But how do you know that you’re ready for a teak patio set? Sure, it looks nice sitting in the display at the store. But will it be a good fit for your family? Will it work for your crazy lifestyle? Will your patio furniture work well with everything in your life? With so many questions, are you really ready to make the commitment to add a teak patio set to your life?

With so much to consider, buying a teak patio set can feel more like making an addition to your family. Especially when you consider that your teak patio furniture can have a life span of 30 years or more. But as you weigh the pros of how teak will benefit your life, you may want to get more serious about your purchase.

First off, many teak patio sets are family-friendly. And by family friendly, I mean it will stand up to everything you can throw at it. Spilled drinks are no problem for teak furniture – because of how the wood is composed and made, teak will stand up to spills and stains for years. Clean-up is a breeze with this furniture – use a warm, moist rag and a mild cleaner to take care of any mess.

As one of the hardest woods on the market, teak patio sets will also stand up to everything your pets can throw at it as well. Because of its smooth finish and durability, your pets won’t be able to sink their claws, teeth, or much else. And because of the natural oils that are buried within, your pets will be deterred from wanting to get near it.

As far as safety goes, a teak patio set is one of the most family-friendly investments you can make. As teak is one of the harder woods on the market, it naturally resists splintering and breaking due to natural wear. Whereas other woods will break with the seasons and time, teak will withstand everything you can throw at it and more. With a lifespan of over 30 years, this patio furniture will bring you overwhelming joy as time marches on. And as the elements wear down on your furniture, it won’t splinter – rather, it will harden to a gray, smoothing out as the sun beats down on your furnishings.

While it can seem intimidating and even scary, knowing everything you can about buying a teak patio set will bring you joy for years to come. Knowing why it makes a good fit will help you make the best investment for your lifestyle, giving your patio a storybook ending.

About the Author:
Joseph Kortez is a freelance writer with diverse interests including home and garden, outdoor furniture and backyard living, and is a big fan of http://www.outdoorfurnitureplus.com/teak-patio-sets.html teak patio furniture. As a media professional, his work has been featured on CNN and the CBS Evening News. He currently writes for http://www.outdoorfurnitureplus.com Outdoor Furniture Plus.

Keyword tags: Teak, patio, set, furniture, outdoor, durability, family, friendly, cleanup

Maintaining a nice looking lawn does not have to be a difficult affair. To keep your lawn looking great, follow some of these easy tips and you will be well on your way. Perhaps one of the most important tips is to mow regularly. This does not imply that you must mow on the same day every week, but rather, it is important to keep the grass at a consistent height. Allowing grass to grow too high, or cutting it too frequently, will damage the lawn. An evenly cut lawn requires much less effort to mow and is also more visually pleasant.

In general, a lawn should be cut in the cool season when the grass has reached a height of about 3.5 inches. In the warm season, you will want to mow as the lawn reaches about 2.5 inches. No matter the height of the grass, never cut more than a third of the grass height because taking too much off at once may damage the lawn. When grass is damaged, it may die reducing the strength of the lawn overall. When grass dies, it can create patchy spots where there is enough nutrients available for weeds to take hold and grow.

Just as it is important not to cut too much off at once, you must also ensure that your mower blade is not dull. A dull blade does nothing but shred up the grass as it comes into contact with it. When the grass is torn up by a dull blade, dead and patchy spots will begin to appear in the lawn allowing weeds to eventually take hold. Check your blade every time you mow to make sure it is still sharp. Before you do this, however, be sure to disconnect spark plug wires. A recoil start motor may fire up if the blade is simply turned.

Be sure to change up the pattern in which you mow. Mowing in the same direction every time will train the grass to grow in a certain direction, eventually giving it a flat look. Before you actually begin mowing, however, walk over the lawn and look for potential obstacles. Sticks, stones, toys, and other objects can potentially damage the mower or injure someone nearby. Also, be aware of bumps or other spots that stand up in the lawn as these may cause the blade to go into the ground and possibly damage it.

You should also avoid cutting the grass when it is wet. This is a safety issue, and may also result in an uneven cut for the lawn. Wet grass also tends to foul up the mower housing and may clog up grass clipping bags. Absolutely avoid mowing on a hill or sloped grade when the grass is wet because it is all too easy for operator to slip up in these cases. Riding mowers may also lose their traction and tip over in these cases.
Make sure to follow safety guidelines closely.

About the Author:
Steve Weide is a gardening and lawn care expert He operates a website featuring lawnmowers reviews and lawn care tips that can be found at http://mowspot.com

Keyword tags: lawnmower

What’s better than a handpicked bouquet of vibrant flowers or the taste of fresh herbs? Not having to spend hours of back-breaking labor digging up a plot of arable land to make into a garden. Planter boxes are the not just the easy way out; they are the perfect and mobile way to showcase your blooms and foliage. Before you set up a box in your backyard or window, refer to this handy checklist so you’re prepped and ready to plant.

1. Plan ahead. Count how many planter boxes you have versus how many plants you would like, but take into consideration the spatial needs of the different species. Some plants require more space, while others have long-reaching roots. Others still, like ivy or phlox are creepers that will eventually hang over the sides of planters boxes.

2. Note where you will be putting your boxes and how much sunlight is in those areas. Plants and flowers are normally grouped into three categories by how much sunlight they need: direct sunlight, partial sunlight, and shade. For instance, do not plant a shade seeking flower with a sunshine seeking flower. Take heed: the late afternoon rays are much weaker than early afternoon sun because of the angle at which they hit the earth.

3. Play around with different color and pattern combinations. Flowers come in a plethora of varieties, and pairing them alongside green leafy plants like various grasses and ferns creates a nice contrasted and natural look.

4. After bringing plants home, have all tools at the ready so there’s no need to stop midway through planting to go and get something you have forgotten. The items you will need are gloves, a trowel and garden claw for digging, potting soil, optional fertilizer, and a hose or watering can.

5. Start out by filling planter boxes about 2/3 of the way full with potting soil. Here is where you may want to add a layer of fertilizer like Miracle-Gro if the soil you’re using is not already enriched.

6. Next, take plants from the containers they came in, gently loosening the roots a bit, and place into the box. Space plants evenly apart and do not overcrowd. Be extra careful trying not to break the roots.

7. While holding plants upright, fill in the rest of the potting soil up to the edge of your planter boxes. Press down on the base of the plants to secure them in place.

8.Finish by watering plants with a hose or watering can. Be gentle when using a hose as the water pressure could damage the fragile stalks, and make sure not to overwater plants, as this may kill them. Depending on the temperature, weather and humidity, water plants regularly according to their needs.

Build Your Own

If you’re a real go-getter, try constructing your own planter boxes. They’re relatively simple to build, and this way you can have them to your exact size and shape specifications. Store-bought planters usually come with a rudimentary drainage system and window planters come with attachable brackets, but otherwise they’re all basically open top square or rectangular wooden boxes. Just be sure to choose a durable hardwood like cedar or cypress that handles well in the outdoors. Also, reinforce bottoms as that is where the weight from all of the potting soil will rest. Finally, attach the side boards as close together as possible to reduce any spillage from the soil. In the end, whether you buy or build, planter boxes are a fruitful summer project whose results just keep giving.

About the Author:
Tonya Kerniva is an experienced research and free lance writing professional. She writes for outdoor and patio web sites including http://www.northcedar.com/.

Keyword tags: planters, window boxes, perennials

Planter boxes are a fun and easy way to create a mini mobile garden. Whether you’ve opted for flowers, creepers, leafy foliage, or whatever plant of your choosing, know what to do from start to finish. Before you even set foot in a nursery, having a plan of action will ensure the best results possible, and a beautiful bounty in your planter boxes.

Plan ahead

Count out how many planter boxes you’re using and consider space factors before settling on a specific number of plants. Remember that some plants require more room than others, have longer reaching roots, or will eventually creep or hang over the side of the box. Sunlight is another key issue to take into account. Plants and flowers are usually divided into three basic categories as far as the amount of sunlight they need: direct sunlight, partial sunlight, and shade. In addition to planning out where each box will sit with this mind, also be careful not to plant a shade seeking plant with a sunlight seeking plant. When choosing plants, and especially flowers, keep in mind different color and pattern combinations. Often times, a pairing of a few different flowers and a green leafy plant like a grass or a fern can make a lovely combination.

At Home

After you’ve chosen and bought your desired plants, have all the materials you’ll need at the ready so you don’t have to stop midway through the process. The basic tools you will likely use include gloves, trowels and claws for digging, potting soil and either a hose or watering can. Start by filling planter boxes halfway with potting soil. If you have any sort of separate Miracle-Gro or other fertilizer, add some as well. Next, gently remove the plants along with the soil they come with and place them equidistant in the box from one another. Be careful to break as few of the roots as possible. Lightly pulling the roots around the bottom of the plant will more easily help it adjust to its new environment. When all of the plants are in, fill in potting to the edge of the box, while holding plants upright and firmly pressing down. Continue these steps until all of your planter boxes are full. When you’re done, lightly water plants, being careful not to over-water or damage the fragile sprouts. Depending on the temperature, amount of sunlight and weather conditions, keep up with watering plants on a regular basis. You will be able to tell by touch the soil’s moisture content and by looking at the plant itself whether it needs to be watered. A classic mistake, though, is over-watering which can easily kill a plant. When the next growing season rolls around, the process starts afresh, until you’ve opted to plant annuals.

DIY

Because of their simple shape, a lot of people build their own planter boxes. Most store-bought planters come with a basic drainage system and/or brackets for attaching boxes to window sills, but the basic idea is the same for any kind. Use a sturdy wood such as cedar or cypress and make sure the bottoms of planter boxes are strong enough to hold as much soil as you’ll be putting in it. Also, make sure there are no cracks in the side that would allow soil to slip out. Other than that, have at it. Planter boxes are a fun summer project, and the fruits of your labor will be sweet.

About the Author:
Tonya Kerniva is an experienced research and free lance writing professional. She writes for outdoor and patio web sites including http://www.cedarwoodfurniture.com/.

Keyword tags: planters, window boxes, perennials

Finding someone who doesn’t like flowers is like finding someone who doesn’t like sunshine. The uplifting and beautiful colors and blooms brought on by the multitude of flower species are what makes planter boxes so popular, especially in urban centers where green space is scarce. It’s not only flowers that people plant, though. There are some incredible edibles that you can grow easily at home in your window sill or freestanding planter boxes. What exactly should one plant in these mini-gardens? Herbs, vegetables and flowers tend to flourish in this environment. Here, along with what types to plant are a few helpful hints on how to do it. So even if you’re guilty of killing everything your butterfingers touch, there’s hope yet to turn you into a green thumb.

For starting out, herbs are practically foolproof and their smaller sized plants fit perfectly in compact planter boxes. Place them indoors, outdoors, in most any kind of sunlight. It’s hard to mess these guys up. As a starter, try your hand at cilantro, basil, chives or whatever your favorite spices are. There is absolutely zero comparison between the taste of dull, store-bought dried herbs and fresh from the garden herbs. And if you’ve bought fresh herbs from the grocer, you know how expensive they are and how quickly they wilt in the fridge. The best part is, once the weather turns cold, smaller planter boxes can be brought indoors for yearround fresh herbs.

If you’d like to try your hand at something a little more substantial, consider the possibility of fresh vegetables. In general, planter boxes, especially the kind that hangs from window sills, are not large enough to accommodate vegetables. However, there are some freestanding boxes available on the market that are larger in size and can fit smaller plants. Tomatoes and some pepper varieties like banana peppers and jalapenos work well in confined spaces and under varying degrees of sunlight.

Flowers, though by far the most fun thing to plant owing to their endless color and variety combinations, can also prove the most tricky to aspiring gardeners. A good thing to do is plan ahead what flowers to plant where so when they grow you have aesthetically pleasing patterns and colors. What also goes well with flowers are bits of green foliage mixed throughout for added contrast and leaf patterns. When choosing between perennial and annual flower types, it’s really up to personal choice, and many people plant both. Also, if you’re interested in the Japanese practice of Feng Shui, placing red flowers by the front door brings harmony and good fortune.

When you get to the flower nursery, don’t be overwhelmed by the multitude of types, their meticulous care instructions, etc. Just remember what flowers and plants require what amount of sunlight, depending on where you place your planters boxes. Also, the biggest rookie mistake is to overwater plants. Read the instructions that come with each plant and you’ll be blooming in no time. Here’s a quick cheat sheet on what perennial flowers work best where and with what plants.

For flowers that grow in shaded areas, choose from the following:

Periwinkle, Phlox, Sweet Pea, Viola, Astilbe, Bleeding Heart, Blue Bells, Daylily, Geranium, Lily of the Valley, Trillium, Peonies, and Trinity Plant.

For a greener touch, pair mainly with a variety of ferns and Hosta. Ivy and Moss also prefer this environment

For Partial Shade:
Begonia, Bleeding Heart, Columbine, Daisies, Daylily, Foxglove, Geranium, Lily of the Valley, Peonies, Phlox, and Roses

Partial shade leafy plants:
Ferns, Hosta, Snow-on-the-Mountain, Wintercreeper and grasses

For all-day direct sunlight:
Aster, Baby’s Breath, Black Eyed Susan, Blue Bells, Carnations, Daisies, Delphinium, Lavender, Geranium, Hibiscus, Iris, Lily, Mums, Peonies, Phlox, Poppies and Yucca.

Plant with:
Hosta, Hens and Chickens or various grasses

Some plants and flowers, including phlox, hosta and peony appear in each category of the list. That’s because they thrive in practically every amount of sunlight. Novice gardeners may want to start out planting these heartier varieties before moving onto more time and care-intensive flower types.

About the Author:
Tonya Kerniva is an experienced research and free lance writing professional. She writes for outdoor and patio web sites including http://www.northcedar.com/.

Keyword tags: planters, window boxes, perennials

Houston landscape architects are much more than gardeners and lawn maintenance professionals. They are degreed professionals whose training includes botany, irrigation science, construction, and outdoor lighting techniques. These multi-specialists often spend up to seven years in undergraduate and graduate studies to master these disciplines, and the expertise they develop in the process enables them to introduce sophisticated designs and structures to properties that magnify the aesthetics of Nature and unify human architecture with topography and vegetation.

To best serve their clients, Houston landscape architects begin every project with an in-depth consultation with the client. Understanding the expectations of the homeowner is necessary prior to initiating any work on the property. Some people are looking to simply improve the appearance of the front and back yard, and consequently have a strong preference for gardens, natural pools, fountains, and ornamental sculptures. Others are looking to create outdoor entertainment space that offers comfort and amenities equivalent to those found indoors. Still others are looking to create special play areas for their children. It is the duty of the landscape professional to ask as many specific questions as possible to get a clear picture not only of what the ultimate purpose of the design is going to be, but also what details will be most suitable to that homeowner’s particular tastes and lifestyle.

What next when hiring a Houston Landscape Architect

The next step in the design process is a walk-through of the property where a thorough analysis is made of the terrain. Topography can vary significantly in different parts of Houston. Landscape architects often work on properties that lie close to flood plains and bayous that present significant challenges to water drainage. Devising effective methods of managing water runoff without diminishing the property’s aesthetic is one of the many nuances of this science that can only be learned after years of disciplined training and experience. Sunlight is also a major factor that landscape architects study in detail before proposing a preliminary design. The amount of shade versus light, and the amount of time each day that certain areas receive light, will play a major role in determining what plant species can be added to the landscape. Designers also have to take into account how the overall design will look in comparison to adjacent properties. If neighboring homes, buildings, or yards are too blatantly visible from a client’s locations, steps will have to be taken to create a more self-contained aesthetic that provides the homeowner with a more unique and personal experience.

The ultimate purpose of this analysis is to develop a strategy for shaping the terrain to meet the objectives of the Houston homeowner. The true Houston landscape architect works with Nature, not against it, by looking at the many elements that constitute the big picture of the landscape and seeing where they can be developed according to the desires of the clients. Areas that are shaded by trees can often be developed into summer gathering areas. Places near the backs of yards, or tucked away in the corners of the lot, and play host to a patio that overlooks a quiet fountain. Some areas, such as the places along fence lines and areas adjacent to the house itself, are highly suitable to ornamental gardens planted in any number of styles. Open spaces should be utilized as play areas for children and building areas for arbors, outdoor kitchens, and swimming pools.

Because of Houston’s temperate climate, it is possible to plant almost any kind of vegetation here. Landscape architects can offer their clients a wide range of choices when it comes to garden species, shrubbery, hedges, and trees. Professional landscapers need to remind their clients, however, that the actual choices in vegetation should be based on the goal of complimenting the architecture of the home and fully developing the greenery of grasses and indigenous tree species. Both the size and type of vegetation can play a significant role in how a home looks to visitors. Garden styles like Italian, French, Zen, and Modern all add very distinctive elements to a landscape that are more suitable to some architectural styles than others.

Last but not least, one of the most important benefits that Houston landscape architects offer to their clients is an entirely litany of specialized services subcontracted from professionals who specialize in certain forms of masonry and construction. Swimming pools, outdoor buildings, special walkways, and landscape lighting represent very unique niche disciplines that must be carefully integrated into a comprehensive landscaping plan in order to truly serve the best interest of the homeowner. It is best to let a professional manage these services because contractors tend to be more comfortable working in partnership with other contractors. More effective communication is ensured in this manner, and a more harmonious blend of individual parts to the whole will result.

About the Author:
Jeff Halper is passionate for Landscape and wants to share information about that passion. http://www.exteriorworlds.com

Keyword tags: Houston landscape architects, landscaping design

You are more likely to achieve your landscaping goals by hiring a professional landscaper—no matter if your project is a themed garden, like an English garden design or a Mediterranean landscape design, a small garden design that only encompasses landscape planting or a complex construction project. A well-versed Houston professional landscaper will take into account not only your desires, but the specific challenges of this region: dense soil, weather conditions of the Gulf coast, drainage issues, and likely insect infestations and plant diseases.

Choosing a Professional Landscaper

Begin the process by distinguishing between off-the-shelf landscaping design services and a professional designer who can capture your vision for your landscape. During the preliminaries, visit the company website and ask to see a portfolio to determine if the design firm under consideration has a sense of style that complements your own. Ultimately, you want a professional who can design a landscape that reflects your home’s architecture and your lifestyle.

As you begin the early discussions, be as specific as possible about what you want the end design to look like. Perhaps you would enjoy hardscapes, like a well-thought-out patio design or pool design, eye-catching gates or interesting pathways. Maybe you like to entertain, something that calls for an outdoor kitchen. Understanding these landscape elements, their relationships to each other and the open space, and interpreting them well distinguishes a Houston professional landscaper working in the top echelon.

The Process

After selecting a landscape professional and the subsequent exploratory discussions, the next steps involve meetings, site analysis, program of uses, and use of the design professional’s expertise. During the conceptual phase, the landscape professional develops the overall design and puts it onto paper. The resulting documents will show such specifics as lawn areas, plantings, areas of general use and their sizes, irrigation systems and drainage systems, landscape lighting, and the projected overall cost.

Once you have agreed to the designer’s overall layout and made general material selections, it is time for the implementation and construction phase. This phase comes with its own set of landscaping design drawings for documentation purposes:

• For permitting.
• To convey final design intent and material selections for you and the installation contractors.
• To specify materials and installation methods. This paperwork is also known as construction documents.

In the permit arena, each governing body has its own set of requirements for landscape plan approvals. Usually a submittal of the permitting package will be accepted or rejected by a committee. This checkpoint illustrates why it is important to hire a knowledgeable professional, as they will know what information to include—items like engineered drainage plans, pool fencing layout, lot coverage ratios and specifications.

Taking the Long View

In choosing among Houston landscape designers, remember that it makes sense to use a design firm that also performs the project management and landscaping installation. Jeff Halper, landscape specialist with Exterior Worlds, says, “You want someone who not only has great ideas, but also knows local contractors and their methods of construction, the best use of materials and their availability, and overall budget development and containment. In other words, you want a landscaper who can bring you a landscape design that thrives in the Houston climate—and is on-time and on-budget.”

About the Author:
Jeff Halper is passionate for Landscape and wants to share information about that passion. http://www.exteriorworlds.com

Keyword tags: professional landscaper, landscaping

Most homeowners already have one or more Most homeowners already have one or more landscaping design ideas fixed firmly in their mind when they contact Exterior Worlds. They may have seen visited our landscaping design portfolio and seen the work we have done for other homeowners in neighborhoods like West University, Bellaire, River Oaks, and Tanglewood. They may have seen photographs of properties in a reputable publication that inspired certain landscape design ideas based on several motifs that caught their eye, or they may be have had a passion for a certain cultural style such as French, Italian, or Japanese that they have always wanted to develop on their own personal homestead.

Regardless of the origin of such inspiration, it is important that you work with a Houston Landscaping Service that can help you more fully develop your landscaping design ideas in a manner that compliments the appearance of your home and helps extend its living space outdoors in a way that fully expresses the core values and subjective sentiments of your own personal lifestyle.

Make your landscape a virtual, organic extension of your home’s structure and aesthetic.

When you meet with your landscaping architect for the first time, try to develop landscaping design ideas that will compliment the architecture of your house. No matter how small or large your home actually is, it represents the most dominant feature of your landscape, and as such, cannot be ignored. Any outdoor structures such as an arbor, fire pit, outdoor kitchen, patio fireplace, or special walkway needs to reflect the basic design principles that distinguish your house from surrounding structures.

The swimming pool in particular is something you should pay very close attention to. Most swimming pool construction that is done independently from a landscaping plan tends to focus only on making the pool itself functional and aesthetically pleasing. We see this all the time when we work on older homes that were build in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. The pool looks fantastic in and of itself, but it clashes severely with surrounding terrain and home architectural features. We commonly have to remodel swimming pools significantly, or rebuild them all together, to harmonize the poll with the surrounding landscape.

Garden design is another area that you should really rely upon professional expertise to help develop. While you may already have dozens of landscaping design ideas in mind about what types of flowers, shrubs, and trees will look best in your yard, please keep in mind that vegetation groupings constitute forms in and of themselves that either work with or against the appearance of your house. A good example would be some of the contemporary landscapes we have done in our landscaping portfolio section which required us to plant some very unique vegetation patterns to truly do justice to the unique elements that constituted a particular home’s appearance.

Think form follows function when developing a landscaping plan.

The best landscaping design ideas will develop forms around practical use of open areas. After all, the more beautiful your landscape, the more you are going to want to go outside and experience it firsthand. Activities will naturally follow, so coming up with a clear picture of what you intend to ultimately do when you are outdoors will help you more fully develop a plan for development of key areas of your yard. If your ultimate goal is to create entertainment space, then outdoor structures and special environments will need to be built that support the many activities that you and your guests particularly enjoy. If you have children, and you are looking to create special play areas and sports facilities, Houston professional landscapers can help you by subcontracting specialists who can design these facilities (such as courts and practice fields) safely and effectively while still remaining ultimately true to the overall landscaping design idea envisioned in the master plan.

Ornament the landscape to create special space in addition to simply decorating it.

Even something that normally conveys a purely artistic sentiment can play a functional role in the development of your landscaping design idea. Your Houston landscaping company can help develop special patio and seating areas that are aside just for you. Here, you can reflect, meditate, read the paper, and enjoy the morning over conversation and coffee. Fountains and sculptures, though typically categorized as purely decorative, can take on a new, more subtle role as boundary markers between public space, children space, and special, private space. Landscape lighting can then be installed around these areas to maintain these boundaries during the night as well as the day. In this sense, one single landscape can be turned into many smaller landscapes; each represented by its own unique features, forms, purposes, and carefully designed ideas.

fixed firmly in their mind when they contact Exterior Worlds. They may have seen visited our landscaping design portfolio and seen the work we have done for other homeowners in neighborhoods like West University, Bellaire, River Oaks, and Tanglewood. They may have seen photographs of properties in a reputable publication that inspired certain landscape design ideas based on several motifs that caught their eye, or they may be have had a passion for a certain cultural style such as French, Italian, or Japanese that they have always wanted to develop on their own personal homestead.

Regardless of the origin of such inspiration, it is important that you work with a Houston Landscaping Service that can help you more fully develop your landscaping design ideas in a manner that compliments the appearance of your home and helps extend its living space outdoors in a way that fully expresses the core values and subjective sentiments of your own personal lifestyle.

Make your landscape a virtual, organic extension of your home’s structure and aesthetic.

When you meet with your landscaping architect for the first time, try to develop landscaping design ideas that will compliment the architecture of your house. No matter how small or large your home actually is, it represents the most dominant feature of your landscape, and as such, cannot be ignored. Any outdoor structures such as an arbor, fire pit, outdoor kitchen, patio fireplace, or special walkway needs to reflect the basic design principles that distinguish your house from surrounding structures.

The swimming pool in particular is something you should pay very close attention to. Most swimming pool construction that is done independently from a landscaping plan tends to focus only on making the pool itself functional and aesthetically pleasing. We see this all the time when we work on older homes that were build in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. The pool looks fantastic in and of itself, but it clashes severely with surrounding terrain and home architectural features. We commonly have to remodel swimming pools significantly, or rebuild them all together, to harmonize the poll with the surrounding landscape.

Garden design is another area that you should really rely upon professional expertise to help develop. While you may already have dozens of landscaping design ideas in mind about what types of flowers, shrubs, and trees will look best in your yard, please keep in mind that vegetation groupings constitute forms in and of themselves that either work with or against the appearance of your house. A good example would be some of the contemporary landscapes we have done in our landscaping portfolio section which required us to plant some very unique vegetation patterns to truly do justice to the unique elements that constituted a particular home’s appearance.

Think form follows function when developing a landscaping plan.

The best landscaping design ideas will develop forms around practical use of open areas. After all, the more beautiful your landscape, the more you are going to want to go outside and experience it firsthand. Activities will naturally follow, so coming up with a clear picture of what you intend to ultimately do when you are outdoors will help you more fully develop a plan for development of key areas of your yard. If your ultimate goal is to create entertainment space, then outdoor structures and special environments will need to be built that support the many activities that you and your guests particularly enjoy. If you have children, and you are looking to create special play areas and sports facilities, Houston professional landscapers can help you by subcontracting specialists who can design these facilities (such as courts and practice fields) safely and effectively while still remaining ultimately true to the overall landscaping design idea envisioned in the master plan.

Ornament the landscape to create special space in addition to simply decorating it.

Even something that normally conveys a purely artistic sentiment can play a functional role in the development of your landscaping design idea. Your Houston landscaping company can help develop special patio and seating areas that are aside just for you. Here, you can reflect, meditate, read the paper, and enjoy the morning over conversation and coffee. Fountains and sculptures, though typically categorized as purely decorative, can take on a new, more subtle role as boundary markers between public space, children space, and special, private space. Landscape lighting can then be installed around these areas to maintain these boundaries during the night as well as the day. In this sense, one single landscape can be turned into many smaller landscapes; each represented by its own unique features, forms, purposes, and carefully designed ideas.

About the Author:
Jeff Halper is passionate for Landscape and wants to share information about that passion. http://www.exteriorworlds.com

Keyword tags: Landscaping design ideas, landscaping

If we were to have a truly native landscape in Houston Texas it would look like an abandon field of various grasses, a thicket edge of tangled vines, shrubs and underbrush or a mature grove of oaks with leaf ground cover underneath. These landscapes are beautiful out in the countryside but in our suburban enclaves we seek some order and design. You say to yourself “it looks messy or it needs to be improved upon.” Let’s say that the first requirement is it should look beautiful to you. It is your interpretation of how you want natural to look. The natural landscape is really improving upon the existing natural conditions and making it even better into our own liking. On the most wooded of lots in Piney Point and Memorial the issue becomes “how to work with and plant under all this shade?” There is an aesthetic, a blend of the existing and the things we can improve upon based on the comforts, functions and the necessary uses of the site- a landscape design marriage. In the natural landscape interpretation we take the best of natural site elements and make it even better still based on the concept of form, function to house comfort and beauty. So now that we know the natural landscape is by no means native or natural what is it?

Nature as Inspiration

The natural landscape designer will first and foremost pay attention to the “sense of place” and “mood” of the site and its relationship with the house. Inspiration can come from the existing site or from vacations and travels throughout the natural world. Are there a grove of fantastic trees in the rear lawn, a view out the backyard to the Bayou that should be preserved or a large back lawn of beautiful old Pecan trees? On a new site you may borrow a nature inspired vision from a place in the wild that you want to recreate. For example a flagstone patio under a soaring oak tree that reminds you of a cliff or hillock in Ireland. Highlight the best features of the sight and down play those not so attractive. The natural landscape will be more sympathetic to working with the site rather than changing it. Work with the existing site features, trees, or existing woodland edges rather than imposing a specific “shape” or “design” as in classical landscape design or formal landscape design.

Interpreting Natures Hardscape

The landscape design for the natural landscape has the same overall approach to the form and functionality of outdoor rooms and spaces as all of the other landscape styles. The overall design can be formal or informal. One design concept for the natural is to create more formal hardscape spaces and surfaces near the home and to dissipate into more natural spaces and surfaces as you move away from the house. In this approach you are creating a hierarchy of spaces and pathways:

• Luxury Swimming Pools-materials might include slate and natural stone coping and surfaces to create a refined rustic overall feel.

• Walkways and pathways-materials including cut stone, wood, pavestone, gravel and cobble or small stones and boulders.

• Landscape Lighting-to light up existing large trees or path lighting and accent lighting for natural flagstone pathways and features

• Fencing and gates-made of split cedar for a rustic natural look

Interpreting Natures Landscape

The landscape design can reflect the patterns of natural plantings in nature. We have found that plantings in larger masses and groupings as opposed to natural associations are just easier to maintain over time. Natural patterns and plant masses can be utilized creating a natural look as follows:

Patterns of Nature. Nature groups compensating plantings in terms of drifts which can be interpreted as natural curves and arc of plant materials.

Plant Associations. Plant groupings that grow together such as grasses, roses and flowers in full sun, small ornamental trees at woodland edges such as red buds, dogwoods, and deep shade areas of longleaf pines, with ferns below. The design layout of planting is still based around the form and function of use areas and the layout of hardscape surfaces.

Conclusion

The goal of the natural landscape is truly an interpretation of nature and our attempt to represent our reality of beauty and bring about its very best features. In the traditional landscape design sense the home and landscape still function in relation to your wants and needs for form, function and your ideal of natures canvas.

About the Author:
Jeff Halper is passionate for Landscape and wants to share information about that passion. http://www.exteriorworlds.com

Keyword tags: Natural Landscaping Design

It’s pretty much impossible to find a person you know who doesn’t like the look of cheery flowers. What is much more common are those unfortunate people who don’t have room or access to a garden. The urban wonder and space-saving solution are planter boxes, that compact little garden on the go we see on so many windows and in backyards. But maybe this is your first window box, or you’re more of a butterfingers than a green thumb. Here’s a quick look at what plants and flowers go well in these mini-gardens.

Herbs:

Planter boxes are absolutely ideal for herbs, which are normally small plants to begin with. Try planting basil, cilantro, chives, or whatever your spice of choice. The taste of dried herbs is nothing compared to the freshness of aromatic, hand-picked herbs from your own garden. Besides, buying fresh herbs from the grocery store is expensive, and tricky to store. Also, when the winter turns cold, smaller planter boxes can be brought inside for fresh herbs all year long.

Vegetables:

In general, planter boxes are not large enough to accommodate a lot of vegetables (have you ever seen a watermelon growing in someone’s window?) but there are some freestanding boxes that can get pretty large. For these, try planting tomatoes and small peppers like banana peppers and jalapenos. These plants are small and hearty enough to thrive in limited space and with partial to direct sunlight.

Flowers:

Flowers are by far the most fun thing to put in planter boxes because of their delicate blossoms and rainbow varieties. When you’re planning out what to plant, a nice idea is to stagger boxes by color and shape of the flowers. Another good tip is to pair flowers with leafy green foliage for added contrast. If you choose a freestanding planter box you can even incorporate the Japanese practice of Feng Shui into your setup. For instance, to attract good fortune, place red flowers by the front door. As far as perennial or annual flowers, it’s completely up to you. Many people choose both.

Flowers can be tricky, though and different species require different exposure to sunlight. Too much or too little can kill the plant, as can overwatering. For some flower and plant combinations, use this list of flowers ordered according to the light they need.

Some perennial blooms that require direct sunlight include the following:

Aster, Baby’s Breath, Black Eyed Susan, Blue Bells, Carnations, Daisies, Delphinium, Lavender, Geranium, Hibiscus, Iris, Lily, Mums, Peonies, Phlox, Poppies and Yucca.

For leafy foliage, pair with Hosta, Hens and Chickens or various grasses

For Partial Shade Perennials try one of these:

Begonia, Bleeding Heart, Columbine, Daisies, Daylily, Foxglove, Geranium, Lily of the Valley, Peonies, Phlox, and Roses

The following foliage also takes partial sun:

Ferns, Hosta, Snow-on-the-Mountain, Wintercreeper and grasses

Finally, for perennials that don’t require sunlight, go with one of these flowers:

Astilbe, Bleeding Heart, Blue Bells, Daylily, Geranium, Lily of the Valley, Trillium, Peonies, Periwinkle, Phlox, Sweet Pea, Viola and Trinity Plant.

For a greener touch, pair mainly with a variety of ferns and Hosta. Ivy and Moss also prefer this environment

You’ll notice some flowers and plants, like phlox, peony and hosta, appear on more than one list. That is because they flourish in almost any amount of sunlight, and if you’re particularly new to gardening you may want to start with one of these hardier varieties which don’t necessarily require as much time or skill to look after as some other types of plants.

About the Author:
Tonya Kerniva is an experienced research and free lance writing professional. She writes for outdoor and patio web sites including http://www.cedarwoodfurniture.com/.

Keyword tags: perennials, planter boxes, herbs