Land Grading
Land grading is necessary for most Houston landscaping designs. Exterior Worlds does more than simply beautify yards. We create outdoor living environments that require the construction of impeccable drainage systems to preserve the integrity of landscape forms during periods of heavy rain. Sloped areas must be created around each major element so that water will run into concealed drains that hide from open view. Slopes must be carefully angled enough to perform their intended function and still remain undetected to the eye.
Prior to actually changing the grade of the landscape, contractors clear the yard of debris. Rocks and tree stumps must be removed. Large chunks of clay rich earth must also be broken up to create looser soil that we can amend appropriately for different purposes. Areas that will ultimately support patios may require a perfectly level surface. Driveways and some walkways may require calculated slopes to manage runoff water during times of heavy downpour. All of this must be attended to prior to the construction of Houston landscaping elements.
Other parts of the yard will need land grading whose primary purpose is to change the topography in ways that prevent erosion of topsoil. This is extremely important in areas around gardens, tree walls, hedgerows, and along the boundaries of the property line in the back of the yard. In places where the earth tends to form small sinkholes that create visible dips in the lawn, grade must be altered to prevent sedimentation from building up around the edges of the dip and creating a noticeable rise in elevation that could potentially diminish curb appeal.
Land grading must also be done around every building foundation in a Houston landscaping design. Structures such as swimming pool houses, outdoor kitchens, gazebos, and pergolas must have water removed from their foundation areas almost as quickly as it falls. It goes without saying that sloped areas must also be created around the house itself. Because each of these structures typically has some sort of softscape perimeter surrounding it, drain systems have to also be installed to catch the water as it is carried away.
Keep in mind too that land grading may also be necessary in yards characterized by noticeable variances in elevation. This is common in homes that border Buffalo Bayou and its tributaries. Back yards that line the bayou may either have a sharp rise in the very back just before they drop off to the banks of the channel, or they may drastically begin to drop off several feet back from the main channel. Exterior Worlds Houston landscaping designers may level these areas and buttress them against erosion. Or, we may reinforce existing rises in the landscape by building berms or retaining walls to secure topsoil against the elements.
Land grading should only be done by professionals with knowledge of topography and topsoil retention. Ideally, changes like this should be made in conjunction with the creation of a new outdoor living environment. This way, grading the landscape will be done with a greater, more aesthetic purpose in mind, and it will be tied into superior drainage systems that are also a part of a comprehensive Houston landscaping design.
