Traditional Garden Design

What is Traditional Garden Design?
Rustic classic garden design. Arcadia was a legendary place in Greece known for its quiet garden beauty were Virgil, the Roman poet, described as the home of pastoral simplicity. Natural woodland trees weaving into weathered stone columns and colonnades covered with Wisteria vines and English ivies is the rustic beauty of the classic garden. These ideal and romantic garden settings of the past are a cross between Formal garden design forms, English garden design and have an arid feel likened to Mediterranean gardens.

Classic Garden Design in Houston.
We can look for inspiration in the painters of the 18th century -Ruins of Greek and Roman architecture with garden statues, grottos, temples, water, winding paths, and the surrounding land. The look is natural yet the positioning of every tree, rock, and planting element was placed to present a balanced, harmonious and timeless mood. First, set up the axial paths and open spaces that create structure in the garden. A rustic patio of limestone gravel, step stones, and groundcovers for relaxed entertaining and European contemplation. Elements such as an antique concrete bench weathered or chipped with moss or ferns on it for nostalgia or concrete plinths that terminate at a Texas mountain Laurel or Olive tree in a rustic Gardiner. A natural effect utilizes plants such as Wisteria, agapanthus and lace ferns. At its smallest scale create a weathered vase with a sphere of dwarf yaupon and creeping rosemary and fig ivy covering its curves.
The Rustic Pool-an understated square pool with a Tuscan tan shell. At the waters edge; a simple mixed tile of greens, blues, and browns accented with a bold coping of thick chiseled stone.

Outdoor Water Fountains of Antiquity-An 18 century stone trough that catching the water from iron spout, is a perfect touch for an old world landscape design. Vines can be trained up its edge, which can echo the Italian centuries of long ago.
Arbors, Pergolas, Colonnades and Grottos- similar to English gardens is the opportunity for an arbor or pergola. Concrete pillars covered with a wood pergola, rambling wisteria and star jasmine vines.
Landscape Lighting- Tradition gardens did not have landscape lighting, however given the opportunity to illuminate their gardens, we can be reasonably sure they would. Landscape lighting is a fantastic opportunity to add ambiance and accent statuary for evening drama.
Landscape Maintenance- classic garden maintenance will be critical in keeping the natural yet orderly feel of your garden in check on a regular basis. Regular trimming of vines, fig ivies, and dead heading of roses is a weekly necessity in the classic garden.
Elements of good landscape maintenance:
1. Lawn service
2. Rose maintenance
3. Annual flowers
4. Irrigation inspection
5. Mulching

If you are interested in a traditional garden designs discussed above, Exterior Worlds has been providing high-end landscape services for upscale homes throughout the Houston (Hou) area since 1987. Specializing in Memorial Villages landscaping (Piney Point Village, Bunker Hill Village, Hunter Creek Village, Hedwig Village), Tanglewood, Bellaire, River Oaks and West University. Contact us at 713-827-2255

Difficult Landscape Spaces

Landscape design comes with big challenges. Perhaps your property is next to a 30 foot high wall of a neighbor’s townhouse or office building. Maybe the space is narrow with straight lines and right angles. Or you’ve remodeled your residence, changed the elevation, added a new room and reduced the size of your backyard, all of which affect the relationship to the existing landscape.

You must break through the dissatisfaction of your existing landscape design and just decide what you want. Your program elements are an outline or list of desired wants/needs and functions for the site. For example, you might want a swimming pool, outdoor kitchen or an outdoor room with an outdoor fireplace to entertainment from. Or you might want your landscape design to reflect the beauty of the Italian villa.
Once the landscape contractors or landscape designers meet on site with the client, they get the landscape program and challenges of the site. The designers will study the relationship of the architecture to the site and begin to work out a skeleton or backbone of the landscape design. A professional landscape designer or landscape architect will have intuitive, imaginative and analytical abilities to resolve the difficult landscaping space.

How to turn negatives into positives:

The purpose is to create spaces that relate to the home and elements that also have a connection with the yard and surrounding area. First, look at the big factors that will literally decide whether or not you can have all the things on your wish list or not. “We really need to screen the neighbor’s windows, or we will have to conceal the generator or swimming pool equipment.” In looking at positives and negatives we first test the big picture against the viability/capacity of the site. Define you Spaces and TransitionsOnce the larger positives and negatives are resolved you can move on to the particulars.Now is the time to address the more difficult spaces such as transitions between the home, were maybe the foundation is unsightly and needs to be hidden. This is were you put consideration on how to hide 18” of concrete foundation or moving a 3 foot path away from the foundation to accommodate for greater landscape layering. The landscape design is a hierarchy of problem/solution/problem/solution down to each detail and back out in relation to the whole. The overall objective of any great landscape design is a space that breathes with the home and has a connection to its surroundings-reflecting the client's visual desires and functionally working together in every aspect.

Additional options to consider:

 Outdoor Water Fountains

 Arbors and Pergolas

 Outdoor Fireplaces

 Landscape Lighting

 Swimming Pool

 Large trees

If you are interested in any high-quality landscape services, Exterior Worlds has been providing the high-end residential landscaping services discussed above for the Houston and the surrounding areas including Memorial Villages (Piney Point Village, Bunker Hill Village, Hunter Creek Village), Tanglewood, River Oaks, West University and the greater Houston (Hou), area since 1987. Contact us at 713-827-2255

Houston Garden Design

What is great Garden Design?
Dan Kiley, one of the greatest landscape designers of this century explains: “the strongest artists and designers are in search for the mystery of who we are-the best work comes from that search-the mystical dimension joins with our faculties to prepare us for further growth.” The great Roman architects described it as finding the “Genius loci” or the “spirit of place” that transcending experience we may find in life from nature, visiting a place of worship or a favorite vacation spot.

How do we create a thorough garden design?
If garden design is a master piece painting; the clients program, the architecture of the home and the site context are the composition of the painting. The clients program are the wants, needs, wishes, likes dislikes, functions and uses for the space that they intend to see. A great designer treats the home as a living anatomy that is in relationship with it’s site-never as a static lifeless building. The architecture of the home may dictate the structure of the gardens, selection of materials and there arrangements, continuations of axial views and experiences extending form inside the home to the site. The context is the potential of the site to include lot size, utilities, views, obstructions, accessibility, and sun patterns, zoning restrictions basically the sum total of what is possible or not possible in response to the clients program before the design has even begun.

The Garden Design process
After the initial meeting a garden designer’s intuitive function automates and an initial diagram, concept, or concepts emerge. “In response to our customers needs” says Jeff Halper of Exterior Worlds, “we have a creative process that involves the client from inception. Through email and informal phone meetings, we move though an assemblage of drawings and rough sketches so clients are very involved with design decisions rather than showing up with the final design all at once dictating the whole thing.”

Garden Design Elements:

Pools and Outdoor Fountains-these represent the most significant part of the overall garden design, especially the relationship to the house and the outdoor use areas. Great garden design is essential to a positive out come regardless of pool cost. We have found being involved with the architect and builder at the earliest stages allows a cohesive transition from house to swimming pool.

Hardscapes - (including patios, decks or walkways.) These use areas are essential to the extension of the home. Patios, decks and walkways need to accommodate specific uses. A landscape designer must to be very in tune with the functional requirements for these areas.

Gardens - trees, shrubs and plantings may extend the relationship with the homes architecture, serve as a transition from the home to the site, or address specific problems in the sites context such as screening neighbor views, an unsightly telephone pole or create a dramatic backdrop.

The Final Painting. Jeff Halper adds: “Continued from the inception of the concept and general layout of project elements to the final built work-we work closely with the customer in the continued refinement, selection of materials, there overall suitability and performance.”

Call Exterior Worlds at 713-827-2255 to set an appointment to discuss your garden design. They have been landscaping Houston since 1987, including River oaks, West University, Bellaire, Memorial Villages and Tanglewood.

Landscape Architects in Houston Texas

What is the difference between a landscape architect and landscape designer?

A Registered Landscape Architect in the state of Texas has a degree in Landscape Architecture from an accredited university, two years of experience practicing under a Licensed Landscape Architect and has passed a national licensure exam that tests for basic competency in protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public in practicing landscaping on a residential, commercial and civic level.

What is the difference in hiring a landscape architect or landscape designer for your residential landscape?

This has to do with your project goals and the individuals/ companies experience on past projects similar in scope to your landscape garden rather than education, licensure or degrees. Does their portfolio and website reflect the breath of creativity, knowledge, beauty, skill, craftsmanship that you envision at your own home? Does the individual have experience in working with local zoning codes and permitting in your area? What is their design and construction process and what do they charge for design and or construction drawings? It is not only creative ideas and designs that make for a great project, but the ability to communicate drawings into construction documents for landscape contractors so that the design can be clearly built as proposed.

Experience as a landscape project manager
In our experience, in high end residential landscaping, hiring one person from design through construction implementation and maintenance is what most clients’ desire. Customers don’t want to deal with the frustration of hiring and managing contractors, schedules, and work flow trying to implement a landscape design that isn’t relevant to budgetary or construction constraints! In building a relationship with your design and construction professional, they should exhibit the ability to communicate known design standards for built elements and convey simple sketches, written or verbal specifications to contractors and sub-contractors in implementing design strategies. When you have one individual see a project through from vision to managing the collective contractors, all the way through to maintenance, you have someone who not only knows what they are doing but is taking responsibility for the outcome.

Experience as a landscape contractor
The proof is in the pudding, the best reflection of work well done is what is the landscape contractor’s referral base? For how many years have they been working for the same satisfied clients’? In Houston’s high-end residential landscape construction niche, quality landscape construction contractors are a select few. What you are looking for is some one who is extremely busy because they are in such demand, proof of quality work and a reference list.

Questions to Ask
Regardless of license or registration as a landscape architect or education, in high end residential landscape design and construction; landscape architects, garden designers and landscape contractors should exhibit:


1. An extensive portfolio of quality work.
2. Clearly communicate creative design solutions to you through illustrative drawings, sketches and material samples.
3. Knowledge and experience in working with local permitting and code requirements and in hiring consultants to permit design solutions so they meet code requirements.
4. Project management experience. Understanding of the entire construction process: project scheduling and multi-task ability to work with several contractors in the completion of a project.
5. Understanding of all different materials and their construction methods, constraints, costs and maintenance requirements.
6. Use of quality contractors who exhibit the kind of detail and craftsmanship that you expect.
7. Show a reference list of satisfied clients and experience in the successful and continual maintenance of landscape design installations.

Exterior Worlds can help with your urban landscaping needs. Visit their website at www.exteriorworlds.com or call 713-827-2255. Since 1987, Exterior Worlds has been providing high-end landscape design and services for Bellaire, River Oaks, West University, and other fine neighborhoods in the greater Houston area.

Mediterranean Landscape Design

As the morning mist burns off, wine vineyards and olive trees role along the valley’s of the Tuscan wine country. Limestone rocks dot along a meandering gravel path terminating at a sitting area under an arbor swing of fragrant grape wisteria. These are the images that bring us back to the timeless beauty of Mediterranean landscape gardens. These are formal garden designs expressed by the topography and palette of arid Greece, Rome, Crete, Tuscany and Spain. Mediterranean garden designs are traditional gardens relating to the classic garden design forms of Greek and Middle Eastern times. As opposed to English Garden design and Modern Garden design, Mediterranean landscapes repeat the elements of classic garden design from the ancient times-axis, rooms and points of interest for the viewer of the garden to sit, ponder, and wonder. It also utilizes classic form in an arid climate so both the color palette (blues, greens, limestone rocks, stone) as well as garden forms (compact, dry, rugged) give this style its old world charm.

Mediterranean Challenge in Houston Landscaping
How can we bring the beauty of a Tuscan villa or quaint grotto garden to our Houston backyards? How do we capture an arid climate and rolling hills on a flat, humid gulf coast property? Mediterranean gardens best fit homes of a traditional style. Stucco exteriors, arching windows and door entries of the Spanish style, southern formal Louisiana plantation style, or the ranch style house updated with a white or taupe exterior best compliment Mediterranean Garden Design. The formal design is the back bone of your Mediterranean garden. The first steps would be the spatial definition of lawn, path, pool and the garden focal points such as arbors, pergolas, statuary. In pulling off the arid and dry climate in Houston Texas, think of material selection in terms of what is reminiscent of “arid and dry.” You might want to think in terms of 50 percent green to 50 percent stone, gravels and paving. There are of course palm trees, oranges, and other tropical plants in the Mediterranean Garden but the overall look is sparse and minimal. Remember the Gulf Coast climates humidity and heat will create an overly lush garden very quickly.

Elements of the Mediterranean Garden at your Houston Home Pools - coping material selection could be lueders limestone, with a rough edge or peacock pavers. The pool finish may be a lighter bluish white or even a tan. You could use a mix of pastel washes for the pool tile-browns and terra cottas. The overall intent here is weathered, washed out-aged.
Water Fountains - could be a statuary-possibly either weathered or broken for character. If this is too pretentious and intentional a series of small fountains with a water channel connecting them together could be built of stone.
Arbors and Pergolas - materials of natural pine or rough cedar with a grey stain painted white to match the house or washed blues to attract the eye. Rather than the typical star jasmine running over the arbor maybe try passion vine, wisteria or coral vine.
Plantings- arid compact planting colors of blue greens, grays, and compact textures. Here is a short list of Houston plantings for Mediterranean gardens:
 Evergreen wisteria
 Junipers-shore juniper, Hollywood juniper, Leland cypress, Italian cypress (provide good drainage for all.)
 Will Fleming Yaupons, dwarf yaupons, pittosporums, lantana (caution all these plants need excellent drainage)
 Zoysia grass over St. Augustine

Screening Hedges- of Japanese yews, Leland cypress, and holly trees. Hedges of boxwoods and yaupons can be planted in rows or with gravel in-between relating to rows of wine vineyards.
Rows of plantings could curve to simulate changing topography-this is metaphorical of course.

Gravels and Stones- white limestone or patterns of contrasting gravels. Also, integrate large flagstones into existing paths in random patterns of 5’s could create a rustic look and add interest.
Large bowls and Rustic Garden Art –Rustic terra cotta jars and small fruit tree bowls. These could be planted with fig ivy running down the surface or creeping rosemary’s. Also old world statuary could be added to pedestals that relate to the home. Authentic old world pieces are worth their investment because they add so much old world charm and could be accented with night lighting in the evening.

Contact Exterior Worlds for more information about Mediterranean Landscape Design for your Houston home.

English Garden Design

What is the English Garden?

The English Garden design derives from the unpretentious landscape ideas of the rural farmsteads and country sides of Europe. Rolling meadow vistas with homes built of local materials-wood, stone, and stucco surrounded by woodlands, brambles, grasses and perennials weaving in and out up to the homestead. Curvilinear paths of local gravel or just a mowed strip might indicate a pathway between the natural and the slightly cultivated with simple shade trellises and benches built by the local artisans of the time. Unlike formal garden design and modern garden design, English gardens use a scattered “quilting” plant design approach to grasses, perennial, herbs and flowers.

How did this simple and natural English garden design style become popular?
It was most likely the first impressionist painters of the 1850’s such as Claude Monet. As these paintings were purchased through private shows or commissioned for the wealthy, a desire for the natural English garden at the countryside estate became popular. Beauty, simplicity and the untamed world of the natural represented a simple way of life away from the rigors of the city.

How does one design or layout an English garden?
Even in this wild setting it’s important to have definition of space or pathways which can curve around the house defining various gardens-pathways, seating areas, and large open meadows or lawns. Reminiscent of the English garden design are arbors, pergolas and lattices for vines. “Think of your planting design as a patch work of plants,” says Jeff Halper of Exterior Worlds, “spread out and mixed in natural associations.” If you have plenty of sun, dot in Ornamental Grasses such as Miscanthus followed by tall perennials like Hibiscus, Gold Dust Esperanza, Mealy Sage, the bulbs of agapanthus, butterfly iris and blue plumbago. For the ground layer society garlic, bulbine, hints of monkey grass.

English Garden Pathways, Spaces and Plantings
In the English garden pathways and space ramble naturally from one to the other as opposed to the modern garden design were experiences and spaces are very deliberate. Also in formal garden design plant elements are used in a very architectural way as opposed to “managed chaos” approach of the English garden design approach.

Features for the English garden:
Gates, Arbors, Trellises, Pergolas, gazebos and whimsical elements such as sun dials can be used. Landscape lighting can be utilized to uplight garden arbors.

Natural and Local Material Selection:
In English Garden design take cues from the homes material and use that outside especially if its brick stone and gravel.

English Garden maintenance.
Managed chaos is the goal here-deleting and weeding out plants here and there. If you want to keep some of the maintenance down or provide more order plant in organized drifts. Ultimately you still need a landscape maintenance program. In the English garden flowering trees, shrubs, bulbs, annual flowers and other perennials will need a regular feeding program. If your property has large trees, tree preservation methods will need to be employed while installing an irrigation system, you will need to do some hand-digging to prevent tree damage.

If an English garden design is your hearts desire then call Exterior Worlds at 713-827-2255 for its years of professional experience.

Landscaping design and Entertainment

What is landscaping design for Entertainment?
It is creating ambiance and a wonderful mood. In order to do this you have to know the fundamentals that compose the feeling of repose, relaxation, elegance, pleasure and arrange landscape design elements in such a way that the whole thing has a convenient layout and provides interest. The landscape design should create intrigue with different areas to visit and ponder-the excitement factor.

How do you create the right frame of mind?
What creates a fantastic landscape design environment that keeps your guests entertained, refilling their wine glasses, smelling and tasting the fresh hors de chore. Apart from of budget and elements a great outdoor room for entertainment should have multiple uses and activities, be comfortable and beautiful. Although highly personal, a beautiful landscape design should be appealing with water fountains, sculptures, or garden art with graceful foreground trees and a soft lush back drop of hedges and shrubs. Landscape pathways of varying and unifying materials guide your visitors form one space to the next with intrigue and interest, “what else is here” is the excitement you want to generate. How can you make the most out of each garden element to create most beauty, functionality and use?

Use lawns and patios and plantings.
Creating a chain of command of pathways, patios and landscape lawn areas delineates spaces that have diverse uses. In addition, you can add details to paving and concrete areas. For instance, you can create an outdoor rug effect by adding a mosaic tile pattern to a patio or have a brick herringbone courtyard with a white stone edge to add visual interest and detail in defining the space. You could also change color or materials in transition pathways between larger spaces such as using cut stone with ground cover planted in between to soften the effect of the path and provide greater visual interest and softness with the surrounding garden. Lawns can serve as open courtyards for play with trimmed hedges and garden borders that have seating areas-just like in a public park were people love to watch other people.

Can Swimming Pools, Spas and Water Features add to you outdoor entertainment?
Over the years swimming pools have became lively landscape architectural elements with built in water features. Sun decks are common to walk into and step down into the pool. Benches can be built along one entire length of the pool for lounging. Additionally swimming pools can be shallow for walking. Water features can take advantage of adding a vertical sculptural element suck as a raised spa that descends into the pool basin or jets can be seamlessly woven into the pool for visual and auditory effects.

Can I do other things in an outdoor room beside cook?
Outdoor kitchens have become multimedia rooms. A beautiful outdoor fireplace can serve as the backdrop for a wonderful evening outdoors serving as both function and art. A simple fire pit can supply all the entertainment and focal point that you need in a small garden. Televisions can be built in and stereos and surround sound can add to your grilling enjoyment. There are all types of variations in grill setups. There are combinations of grilling and smoking as well as sinks or refrigerators depending on the amount of cooking you see doing for your company. Outdoor kitchens bring indoor entertainment outdoors.

Consider the amount of space you need.
Seating needs to vary from passive to comfortable. This would include passive seating walls and concrete, stone or wood benches, areas were your guests can sit or stand against to talk to someone for a short mingling conversation. At the next level you may have seating for eating and conversation. Then, more comfortable oversized chair seating for the family and relaxation.

Outdoor extravaganza
The more you can add the above elements, the more your landscape garden design becomes an experience for gatherings, events and private renewal. Just as the inside of your house provides for different use areas, so should the garden reflect your many public and private needs and dreams.

Since 1987, Exterior Worlds has been creating premier outdoor environments, as well as providing high-end residential landscape maintenance, for River Oaks, the Memorial Villages and the surrounding Houston area. Call Exterior Worlds at 713-827-2255 to discuss your Houston Landscaping needs.