| Maybe you've been collecting residential landscape | | | | design for a green garden, the goals are basically the |
| designs for a while. Perhaps you saw a Japanese | | | | same as for any other landscape project with a |
| garden design at a friend's house that captured your | | | | special focus on reducing the main concerns of |
| imagination. Or maybe it was a Mediterranean garden | | | | ongoing landscape maintenance: watering, trimming, |
| design with sweet herbs right off the vine, relaxed | | | | weeding and mulching," says Jeff Halper with Exterior |
| spaces for entertainment, and lush, practical | | | | Worlds. |
| vegetation. Possibly your space is limited and you're | | | | Residential Landscape Design: The Unsung Heroes |
| looking for small garden design ideas that will have a | | | | A well-thought-out drainage system and irrigation |
| big impact. | | | | system have a big impact of the health of your |
| If you're making plans to change your residential | | | | yard-and on your enjoyment of it. Drainage systems |
| landscape design, a good place to start is with | | | | are an important part of any Houston residential |
| landscape designers or landscape architects. These | | | | landscape design and include catch basins, channel |
| competent landscape professionals take you through | | | | drains and French drains. Drainage systems impact |
| the entire design development process, which | | | | your residential landscape maintenance by preventing |
| includes consultation and program development, | | | | standing water that can cause mosquito breeding |
| analysis of your property, conceptual landscaping | | | | grounds, slippery surfaces, and washed-out |
| design, construction documentation and permitting. | | | | landscaping. A proper landscape drainage system is |
| And then on towards turning the vision in your mind | | | | essential for the care of your lawn as it removes |
| into a concrete reality. | | | | water from your property in a timely manner, thus |
| Ideas for Residential Landscape Design | | | | encouraging healthy plants and allowing your |
| Landscape lighting. From a practical urban | | | | maintenance crew to perform their regular lawn |
| landscaping standpoint, the right landscape lighting | | | | service duties. |
| provides security and safe access. It allows you to | | | | Irrigation systems help you deliver the correct |
| showcase beautiful trees and garden elements, while | | | | amount of water to the appropriate plant material. |
| simultaneously letting you control what you don't | | | | They allow your landscape to be separated by zones |
| want people to see by leaving some things dark. It is | | | | into lawn, bed and color areas that require different |
| often a relatively inexpensive way to boost your | | | | watering conditions due to varying plant materials and |
| property value. | | | | sunlight conditions. They do this by utilizing controller |
| Outdoor water fountains. Outdoor water | | | | box technologies, such as timers, time delays and rain |
| fountains make a graceful statement about a home | | | | sensors, that let you set a regular schedule for your |
| by creating a pleasing and welcoming focal point. | | | | landscape watering needs while, at the same time, |
| They are especially beneficial as camouflage for all | | | | allowing you to switch to manual for unexpected |
| the white noise we live with, such as traffic, | | | | events. |
| air-conditioning units and lawn mowers. | | | | It is best when drainage systems and irrigation |
| Pool design. Various geometrics, materials and | | | | systems work in concert with each other. Irrigation |
| plantings can be used to create the style that suits | | | | and drainage contractors can develop a |
| you-a water work of art, a cocktail pool, an | | | | whole-system approach so that the nuts and bolts of |
| Olympic-sized pool or a water-park for children are | | | | both systems are hidden as much as possible. If that |
| just a few examples. Pools are usually designed by an | | | | method can't be done, custom decorative drain gates |
| architect who manages the construction and | | | | can be used to reduce the negative visual impact. |
| oversees all the details. | | | | The overall goal is for the design and location of the |
| A "green" green garden. That is, a garden that is | | | | two systems to be in harmony with the design of |
| ecologically smart, prudent and sustainable. "With a | | | | the rest of the landscape. |