| u cut out and collect magazine pictures of great | | | | Whatever style you prefer, the main thing to |
| landscaping ideas? Do you have a photo album of, | | | | remember is that your overall landscape will be |
| say, a stately English mansion that you’d love | | | | improved if you use an outdoor water fountain that |
| to use for your home landscape design in Houston? | | | | coordinates with the style of your home and garden. |
| Have you admired the plants and trees of European | | | | • Outdoor kitchens. Decisions to make |
| countryside estates and wondered if they would | | | | concerning your outdoor kitchen include whether to |
| grow on the Texas coastal plains? If so, then you | | | | cover it or not. You will want to consider the overall |
| have a beautiful start to turning your landscaping | | | | size needed. For instance, for the chairs at the dining |
| ideas into reality. | | | | table, you need at least two feet away from any |
| Landscaping Ideas: The Gathering | | | | other element, especially the grill or any step-downs. |
| Landscape design starts with ideas. Your | | | | Be sure to plan for adequate cabinet space. Counter |
| ideas—before you bring in the professionals. It | | | | top options include tile, granite, stone and concrete. |
| is the time to write down not only your needs, but | | | | Also you’ll have choices regarding overhead |
| also your wishes and deepest desires. This is true | | | | fans and types of refrigeration. |
| whether you want to landscape a two-acre | | | | Landscaping Ideas: Theme Possibilities |
| homestead or install a small garden design. | | | | • Modern landscape design. Modern garden |
| Jeff Halper, landscape design specialist with Exterior | | | | design tends to focus on scale rather than formal or |
| Worlds, says, “Landscaping ideas help in your | | | | classic designs that are based on axial relationships |
| own landscaping design process. The more landscape | | | | from Greek, Roman, and classical architectural |
| ideas and photos one has, the better. Even | | | | traditions. The architecture of the house needs to be |
| landscaping ideas of things one doesn’t like | | | | carefully considered when using a contemporary |
| can help landscape designers and landscape architects | | | | garden design. The home and landscape can be tied |
| achieve the desired results.” | | | | together through selective use of plantings or the |
| Landscaping Ideas: Elements to Consider | | | | intelligent placement of a hardscape feature, such as |
| • Hardscapes. Hardscapes—the | | | | an organic pathway to the front door. |
| non-plant material of your landscape | | | | • Formal landscape design. Formal landscape |
| design—play a critical part of any garden | | | | design invokes order and balance. Think of the |
| landscape project. Types of hardscapes include | | | | gardens of Monticello, the landscaping of Versailles, |
| pathways, retaining walls, pool decking and driveways. | | | | and, closer to home, the gardens of Bayou Bend, |
| You will need to make material choices that range | | | | which is part of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. |
| from basic concrete to decorative stone and brick to | | | | • English garden design. The English garden |
| wooden decking. | | | | design is all about curved beds, winding paths and |
| • Luxury swimming pools. A swimming pool is | | | | free-flowing color. The gardener’s hand is |
| a necessity for any upscale home. It finishes off the | | | | light. There—but just barely. Houston’s |
| design of the house because it is a natural extension | | | | semi-tropical climate is well suited for vine-covered |
| of your indoor living space. All choices about a pool | | | | pergolas, sunny rose gardens, and sparkling azalea |
| should factor in safety. One way to do it is through | | | | beds—all plant materials that fit well within the |
| the use of fences. Halper points out that they can be | | | | English garden’s concept of abundance. |
| built in a non-intrusive way. “We like to hide | | | | • Mediterranean landscape design. The phrase |
| fences and gates by weaving them among | | | | to live by in this style is “Old World |
| shrubbery. This method makes the pool area safe, up | | | | ambiance.” Favored materials include stone, |
| to code and aesthetically pleasing,” he says. | | | | weathered bricks, terra cotta tiles, flagstone, tumbled |
| • Outdoor water fountains. Outdoor water | | | | travertine, wooden beams, wrought iron, classical |
| fountains come in a multitude of shapes, sizes and | | | | statuary and Roman columns, and outdoor furniture |
| styles. Additional features can be added, such as a | | | | that evokes Arabian, Moroccan or Italian sensibilities. |
| cascading waterfall or a contemporary wall fountain. | | | | |