Landscape contractors are licensed professionals who are trained in performing techniques and designs onto a piece of land. This is whether it is a small or a large scale project. Landscape design comprises mainly of landscape management, landscape planning, landscape detailing, landscape assessment, landscape urbanism and garden design innovations. The skills of a landscape contractor, together with their certifications and experiences, has varying factors that can affect you selection and criteria of who is the best these days.

Landscape contractors are licensed professionals who are trained in performing techniques and designs onto a piece of land. This is whether it is a small or a large scale project. Landscape design comprises mainly of landscape management, landscape planning, landscape detailing, landscape assessment, landscape urbanism and garden design innovations.

People behind these, would be contractors that are also regarded as landscape designers. They are also the ones who convert a simple yard into great outdoor scenery, using renovation and decorative processes. Aside from this, they are also equipped in managing landscape renovations such as:

1. Disposing existing:

? Pests
? Plants, and
? Unused things

2. Building new infrastructure features

3. Installing drainage and irrigation systems

4. Sculpting:

? Themes
? Designs, and
? Walkways

5. Installing:

? Gazebos
? Fences, and
? Patios

6. Assuring the flowering of garden plants.

Hence, landscapers will present and even plot advisable themes but they also follow your chosen design. They can arrange maintenance services and provide follow ups, for future care. Contractors or design firms are also rest assured that their people had undergone training and expertise. This is with regards to landscaping at its best.

Moreover, many firms enjoy the market’s growth, especially in the landscaping industry nowadays. There was an increase both abroad and domestically. With this, top designing firms and contractors in US have reached billions of revenues. Reaping the subsidy, design firms became strong, particularly in the design market of the U.S.

Thus, changes and challenges in the industry such as new client demands, work loads, additional staffs and new design models has been a long standing problem because of the strong market.

According to the 2007 Electronic Edition of the ENR Top 500 Design Firms, they surveyed and published the top firms according to their revenues. The top 5 from the top 100 pure designers are as follows:

Type of Firm 2006 Revenue

1. AECOM TECHNOLOGY CORP. EA $2,831.9

Los Angeles, California

2. THE LOUIS BERGER GROUP EA $865.5

East orange, New Jersey

3. CDI BUSINESS SOLUTIONS EC $630.6

Philadelphia

4. PBS&J EA $546.1

Tampa, Florida

5. MUSTANG ENGINEERING EC $540.0

Houston, Texas

These top 5 rankings were judged according to their award winning plans, strategies, applications and extensive experience. Furthermore, here is the Top 5 for the Best Architectural Firms, which focused on landscaping:

1. FRCH Design Worldwide

Cincinnati, Ohio
Web Address: http://www.frch.com

FRCH Design Worldwide is a design and architectural firm that serves hospitality markets, restaurant, offices, entertainment and retail markets internationally. The firm got this slot in the year 2006. In fact, it is the first place winner of ZweigWhite’s national for the “Best Firms to Work for Award”. Thus, FRCH offers new strategies for architecture designs, promoting customer satisfaction.

2. Little Diversified Architectural Consulting

Headquarters:

? Charlotte, NC
? Dallas, TX
? Irvine, CA
? Detroit, MI
? Orlando, FL
? Washington D.C
? Irvine, CA
? Los Angeles, CA, and
? Research Triangle Park, NC

This firm was formerly Little & Associates Architects. Hence, this firm specializes in:

? Universities and Colleges
? Interiors
? Facilities Management
? Offices
? Civic
? Retail industries, and
? Financial industries

Thus, this company comes in an array of architectural consulting services such as:

? Land Development Services
? Space Management Consulting, and
? Architecture

3. BSB Design

Headquarters:
? Costa Mesa
? Denver
? Atlanta
? Chicago
? Dallas
? Las Vegas
? Sacramento
? Boston
? Jacksonville
? Chicago Loop
? Phoenix
? Tampa
? Orlando, and
? Fresno

BSB was founded in the year 1966. They specialize in architecture for residential areas. Where in, they have even expanded to commercial architecture such as:

? Community land planning
? Hospitality, and
? Resorts

Thus, BSB Designs offers unique design solutions, along with award winning plans. This firm is a veteran for 40 years, having 300 architects, staffs and designers.

4. Sasaki Associates, Inc.

Offices:

? Watertown, MA
? Boston
? San Francisco

Founded by Hideo Sasaki in 1953, Sasaki Associates became a respected international landscape firm. With 270 professionals, interdisciplinary measures are being implemented in their offices.

5. EDSA

Address: Fort Lauderdale

Offices:

? Florida
? California
? China
? Maryland
? Orlando
? Los Angeles, and
? Baltimore

EDSA was established in the year 1960. They actually guarantee an extensive experience in:

? Cultural and campus planning
? Environmental and community planning
? Hotels and resorts
? Ecotourism
? Entertainment and urban design

With over 220 employees, EDSA is a landscape architectural, planning, graphic and urban design specialist. Lastly, it is an internationally renowned firm.

Thus, with the vast number of landscaping firms and contractors, how can one find the best should you decide to build your own area, into an outdoor paradise? Here are the some tips:

? A big ad is not important, what is important is taking time to present and match your own designs to the landscaper. A good contractor actually listens to his clients.
? Visiting stores that offer listings of firms. With this list, you can do some research about the entire company profile and the designer itself.
? Get estimates from the contractor and other prospects as well.
? Don’t rush things. A good contractor lays down the design plot and its features before signing up.
? Seek for a firm that has a superior service and facilitates excellent customer care. They should be able to value their client’s opinions.

There are many excellent landscaping contractors and landscape designers nowadays. A vast progress of the landscaping industry inherits these contractors to upgrade their specialization with other competent companies.

Local landscapers can arrange special maintenance services in lieu with their customer satisfaction rate and performance. This may help in bringing them to become one amongst the top contractors and firms in the U.S. today.

Now that new computer design software is in demand, it has become an added variety of service for one firm to possess. Due to the advent of computer generated landscaping designs, more professionals must be trained and knowledgeable enough to implement this kind of progress.

Prospects in choosing contractors and firms to be on the top list must follow certain researches and surveys to the best of their services.

1. Why landscaping picture?

Most often we would have a picture in our mind telling us how exquisite and different we want our landscaping to be done when compared to our neighbors. However, it would not be as easy to explain it to another person; why not a professional landscaper himself? When you go through various landscaping pictures, you get that clear-cut defining ability and you can elaborate as to what exactly you are looking for. Even if you have no notion about how the landscaping needs to be done, these pictures would give great inspirations to proceed further. Seldom do people have practical and suitable idea of landscaping when they are doing it new. So when you are choosing to renovate your landscaping activity next, ensure that you look for various pictures suiting what you have in mind.

2. Professional landscaper and landscaping pictures

Always ascertain that, however specialized is the landscaper you have chosen, at the very outset, he would show you different landscaping pictures. This would help you in knowing how the landscaper has an idea for the look of your house once the activity is completed. Such pictures would assist you in choosing the apt landscaper for having your job done as the picture they manifest would give you more information about them, such as their imagination and what work they plan to do. Consequently, always make the choice for your landscaper only after you have seen some interesting landscaping pictures.

3. Flip through the pictures

You should never forget to ask your landscaper about the different pictures of landscaping which he has done in the past. These are usually completed projects and they would give you an idea about your landscaper’s proficiency at work. Experienced and the best of landscapers usually have more than one picture of their completed projects. They would also imply that you flip through their pictures portfolio and leave your decided choice up to them. Would this not give you abundant options to choose the right professional group?

4. Make the right choice

Landscaping would bestow upon that fabulous look of your house. Therefore, you would definitely want people passing by, to mention those affirmative statements as they observe your certified landscaping. A charming garden would give you not just what you are expecting, but more! Hence choose the right landscaper for your job deciding upon his pictures and lead the sport of perfect landscaping.

Landscape Design

Designing your own landscape, can be both exciting and challenging. If you are considering such a project, here are some practical ideas and suggestions.

Planning the Project

Planning your landscape design is the first and most important step. Take the time to gather the information you will need to make your decisions on the elements you wish to include in your landscape design. Will you want a deck, patio, foot paths, walkways, a pond? What type of plants, trees, flowers, and ground cover will you want to use? You should research books, articles, and landscape design magazines to help you make these decisions. This will pay off in the end by saving you money, time, and frustration, enabeling you end up with a beautifully finished project to be proud of.

The Design

The landscape design is your next step. You will need to make a layout of the area to be landscaped, as close to scale as possible, and with accurate measurements. Many landscape design planning guides that will give you step-by-step instructions are available on the internet for free, and books or eBooks are abundant. Once your landscape design layout is done you can began to place your elements on the layout pad. This should be your first or preliminary plan and as you progess, changes can be transfered to your secondary or updated plans. Changing your mind often is just fine. After all this is just on paper at this point and you have not spent any money or performed any labor yet. Experimenting with a few plans is necessary before you come up the final landscape design. A well planned landscape will never look the same in different seasons. Plan your landscape design to change with the seasons. You should attempt to design your landscape as maintenance free as possible.

Landscape Design Software

If it is hard for you to visualize your finished landscape design by just looking at your layout, there is some very good landscape design software available. Much of the landscape design software was originally developed for professional landscapers, but since has been modified for the beginner who wants to do-it-themselves. There are many do-it-yourslef landscape design software programs available today. Landscape design software lets you see a virtual picture of the landscape design and enables you to move items around and see the changes you make come to life. Some software allows you to import a photo of your home or building and designs the landscape around the photo. Most landscape design software programs offer advise on using and placing the many different elements available today in your landscape design. A well designed landscape will always change with time, abd some of the landscape design software available will allow you to view your landscape as it matures. You can see what it will look like 5 or 10 years from now when the trees have grown and the plants matured.

Gardens

Many people like to incorparate a garden in their landscape design. Gardens can be tucked away in the corner of an area, or be the focal point of the entire landscape design. Gardens can even be stragecly placed among the plants, flowers and trees so they blend in with the entire landscape design. If you like to garden, dont overlook all the garden design possiblities when planning your landscape design.

If you have always been interested in the topic of landscaping you should learn about it from the experts. While you can read various gardening magazines, the best way for you to learn about landscaping is to take a landscaping class.

You might be surprised to know that landscaping classes are an excellent option. These classes are usually something that people who are interested in botany like to take, as it is a way to implement their love of plants.

You’ll learn about:

* Plant health, soil, and fertilizers

* Servicing garden tractors and other tools used in landscaping

* Creating landscaping designs using shrubs and ground covers

* Specialty landscaping, starting and operating your own landscaping business

* And you may be able to learn it right at home

With the right credentials, you can:

* Work for an established landscaping firm or start your own business.

* Complete your training in as little as six months from today, or take longer if you wish.

If you have a basic knowledge of flowers and plants, that basic knowledge will help you when it comes to learning about the basics of landscaping. If, however, you really do not know much about either, that is not a problem, because a landscaping class will teach you all of the basic knowledge plus more.

There are usually several levels of landscaping classes that you can choose from, in accordance with your current knowledge. The basic landscaping classes will most likely have to do with being able to identify certain kinds of plants, and how they can be implemented into various landscaping designs.

One important thing that you should know about landscaping is that you will need to pay attention to the kinds of plants that work well in your climate. For example, if you like a certain kind of plant, but that plant is only right in warmer climates, and you live in a colder climate, you will need to find a plant that can work with your climate.

Another important thing to learn about landscaping is the quality of soil that you have, because it varies with the climate. The kind of soil that you have should have sufficient nutrients, so you might need to get soil that has all the nutrients that your plants need. If you decide to take a class about landscaping, that should be one of the topics.

While your front yard landscaping is generally going to be about other people and what they see, your backyard landscaping is all about you. Backyard landscaping is one of the most popular methods in improving your outdoor space without spending too much money on materials, labor and other tasks involved in implementing a landscape design.

With backyard landscaping, not only can you achieve an improved overall appearance of your outdoor area, adding landscape elements can also benefit your home by providing environmental functions, increasing real estate value of your home, saving energy costs and adding privacy to your home.

Backyard landscaping can alter a person’s mood and perception because of the environmental feel of the area. As a result, people who work at home can improve productivity from work when they can work on a stress-free environment. Landscape elements in your backyard can have a positive effect on people with illnesses by giving the patient’s mind a relaxing state that speeds up recovery.

The good thing about backyard landscaping is you can take control of sunshine and air purification. By planning the placements of trees, shrubs and other elements, you can improve air circulation in your backyard, while maintaining adequate sunlight to enter your outdoor space. In addition, planting trees can help reduce pollution because plants can control erosion, reduce wind speed levels and noise effects, disperse mist and help in influencing snow deposition.

Reflect Your Interests

Backyard Landscaping is really very important as this is a place which is a safe and beautiful. Some of the best backyard landscaping ideas for you include making the yard in a style your own. Try to figure out what some of the things are that are important to your family and try to incorporate these things into your backyard landscaping ideas. For instance, if you are really interested in fishing or other outdoor sports, you might want to add these things into your backyard landscaping ideas. Remember that your backyard should be something that you like, and somewhere that your family feels at ease.

Make it Fun

No one said that backyard landscaping ideas had to include frumpy ideas that no one would like. If you are doing your landscaping you should be trying your very best to really make it fun for everyone. Do what you can to make sure that you are allowing yourself and your family plenty of room to play, whether that is with sandboxes, hammocks or a back porch for entertaining guests.

No matter where you live, you are probably going to be spending some time of the year in your backyard. So be sure to make it somewhere that you’d love to be and have some things that everyone will love incorporated in the backyard as well. Try to make it a place which has something to hold every family members interest.

Get everyone’s Input

Backyard landscaping is not just positioning plants in your backyard. Backyard landscaping ideas include asking for everyone’s help and for their suggestions as well. Your whole family can help design the backyard and they can all let you know what they’d like to see in it. If you’d like to get their input but you don’t’ want a million ideas, try to create some ideas on your own and then ask your family for which ones they like best.

The question arises though, exactly what type of backyard landscaping is best for your house. Even young children and seniors can put in their two cents worth. A mosaic stepping-stone competition amongst family members can give you material for a unique walk way into your backyard. By building a tree house (or at least starting with a bird house) you can get the entire family more involved in the outdoors.

If you can let everyone take ownership of the backyard landscaping ideas and everyone feels like they are playing a part, they are going to be more likely to enjoy the backyard and lend a hand in its maintenance and upkeep too!

Use the Internet

An internet search of “Backyard Landscaping Ideas” will give you and your family ideas of what people are doing all over the country. Just make a list of 5 things that everyone agrees on and get started.

Have fun and enjoy!

Copyright © John Hanna All Rights Reserved.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.

The fact that beautiful landscape increases the worth of the house, has given much serious thought to this profession. People are spending their time and money in creating beautiful landscape that has also made landscape contracting a highly competitive field. Landscape contractors are licensed professionals who hold expertise in applying techniques for creating beautiful designs onto a piece of land. A landscape project comprises mainly of landscape management, landscape planning, landscape detailing, landscape assessment, landscape urbanism and innovative garden designs. Skill and experience of landscape contractor make a huge difference on the creation of landscapes.

Landscape contractor are also known as landscape designer, who convert simple piece of land into great outdoor scenery by renovating and decorating that piece of land. They start their work by disposing unwanted things like pests, plants and unused things. Then they install irrigation and drainage systems so that water can be effectively used and drained out. After this they work according to the design of the landscape and creating walkways and then installing fences and patios. At last they plant garden flowers and assure their flowering. Landscape contractors provide with many attractive garden designs but they can also work according to their clients design. Apart from creating the landscape they also took maintenance service of the landscapes.

With the use of latest software on landscape project, a lot of variety has been added to the landscape service and more and more professionals are gaining knowledge and training to excel in this field. This has further added more attraction in this field and generated people interest in creation of the landscapes. Landscape contractors help one to create and maintain beautiful and stress free landscapes. They work mainly for the beautification of the property but they have complete knowledge from planning of the landscapes to the choosing and designing of right plants.

Have you cut out and collected pictures of great landscaping ideas, but now wonder how to actually put them onto your own property? Have you wanted to capture the vision of a stately French mansion on your property in Houston, Texas? Would you like to know whether the plants you’ve admired in European and New England countryside estates will grow on the Texas coastal plains?

If so, you need the services of an experienced residential landscape design professional. A competent landscape designer or landscape architect takes you through the entire design development process, which includes: consultation and program development, analysis of the existing site, conceptual landscaping design, construction documentation and permitting. And then on towards turning the vision in your mind from virtual reality to actual reality.

Landscape design and Analysis of the Site

An essential part of the initial consultation with your landscape designer or landscape architect is a walk around your property. Here is where you get to share your overall vision, detail your wants and needs and desires. It should be a free-flowing discussion about aesthetics, which includes your likes and dislikes of materials, preferences on arrangements-all the “wouldn’t it be nice if…” things you’ve been considering.

Try to be as specific as you can. For example, you may want a deck to seat a party of ten people or a large lawn area on which your three- and five-year-old can play with your Labrador retriever. This detailed information will be brought together by your residential landscape designer or landscape architect to create a program of uses. The program organizes uses by their relationship to one another, much like the inside flow of your home. In fact, the architecture and flow of your home should relate to the architecture and flow of your landscaping. Understanding these relationships and interpreting them well separates the artist-architectural designer from a landscape horticulturalist-contractor.

Residential Landscaping Design

The next step in the design process develops out of the meeting notes, site analysis, program of uses, and the design professional’s experience. At this conceptual level, the landscape designer or landscape architect conveys the overall design intent, such as the general use areas and their sizes, swimming pools and other hardscapes, outdoor kitchens and outdoor fountains, lawn areas, and plantings. This phase will also be the time when it is determined which wish list items are possible on the site and which are not. An overall cost study is developed from the conceptual landscaping design as well.

Moving Forward with you Landscape Design:

Once you have agreed on the overall design intent, sizes of use areas, general material selections and their applications, you are ready to begin the landscaping design development and construction phase. The documentation for this phase can be broken down into three groups: 1) landscaping design drawings for permitting. 2) landscaping design drawings to convey final design intent and material selections for you and the installation contractor 3) landscaping design drawings, called construction documents, with specifications for materials, specifications for their installation and installation methods.

These drawings may be accompanied by a full package of additional drawings to include an existing site survey, tree disposition and elevation plan, tree preservation plan, demolition plan, swimming pool plan, landscape drainage systems, irrigation systems, hardscape plan including outdoor kitchen and outdoor water fountains, landscape planting plan, landscape lighting plan, and construction details for the above plans.

As for permits, each city has its own unique requirements for landscape plan approvals. The norm is a submittal of the entire permitting package to be approved or rejected by a committee board. For this reason, it is important to hire a landscaping company that is fluent in these areas, one who knows what vital information to include, such as lot coverage ratios, engineered drainage plans, pool fencing layout and specifications. It is equally important to omit unnecessary information that could create confusion or send up a red flag that would keep the project from getting approved. A knowledgeable residential landscape designer or landscape architect helps win approval as quickly as possible.

Garden Design and the End Results

Whether your project is a simple landscaping design that only encompasses landscape planting or is a complex construction package, it is vital that you hire a landscape designer or landscape architect that is competent in the skill sets detailed here. For your satisfaction, it is also important to distinguish between off-the-shelf landscaping design and a designer who can reflect your unique style. Always ask to see a portfolio and visit the website to determine if the landscaping company under consideration has the sense of style you appreciate and is one who can design a landscape that complements your home and lifestyle.

Additionally, it is highly recommended that you utilize a landscaping design company that not only does the design work, but also performs project management and landscaping installation. There is a world of difference between someone who has great ideas and another person with great ideas who also knows the availability and best use of local materials, local contractors and their methods of construction, overall cost and budget development, and can then maintain the finished product. In short, you want a landscape designer or landscape architect who can deliver a landscape design solution that flourishes in the Houston climate over the long term.

Landscape accessories are a great way to enhance a beautiful landscape design. These accessories may not serve a practical purpose, but they can add beauty and personality to a landscaping design. Some landscape accessories do offer a practical purpose to the consumer, for example, lawn chairs, but many of the accessories only offer interest and visual appeal, rather than a functional purpose. You can do so many different things using landscape accessories and you can find so many different landscape accessories that they choices may even overwhelm you.

When you are determining what landscape accessories are best for your yard, then you need to keep in mind the whole landscaping design as well. You do not want landscaping accessories that overpower the rest of the landscaping or that take too much attention from the landscaping itself. You want something that enhances the rest of your landscaping design and blends in with the rest of the landscaping. Smaller items can usually be added to your landscaping design very easily, but larger items may need more thought put into their use and location.

You need to choose landscaping accessories that you find beautiful and interesting. Don’t just choose an item because you think that it would cause people’s eyes to be drawn to it or you may end up with an accessory that you do not like very well. Make sure that it is a landscaping accessory that is well made and durable enough to spend time outdoors in your landscaped area. Ask yourself if you would like this item if it were not in your yard and determine whether it gives you positive feelings. Choose landscaping accessories that makes you feel proud and good about your landscaping design.

Natural accessories are the simplest things to add to a landscaping design. Natural landscaping accessories work so well in the landscaping design because they look like they are a part of the yard or garden. You may even want to consider using driftwood for your landscaping design because it comes in a wide variety of colors, including white, silver, black, and brown. Another natural landscaping accessory that you can choose is rocks, stones, or boulders. By choosing natural landscaping to add to your landscape area, you will be helping to make it more relaxing and enjoyable.

You can also find a big variety of landscaping accessories that are manmade. This may include things like sculptures, outdoor chandeliers, and stained glass. You need to choose these items carefully or they may overpower your landscaping design. You can find manmade landscaping accessories that will mesh well with your natural landscape, but it is important that you make the choice carefully. Adding lights to your landscape is a great way to add interest and visual appeal. They are not necessarily for security, but they are for décor and beauty.

You can find landscaping accessories that can serve a purpose and give visual appeal to your landscape. Lawn and patio furniture is one kind of landscaping accessory that you can choose. This may include tables, umbrellas, chairs, hammocks, and/or benches. Carefully consider each piece before purchasing any accessories to make sure that it goes with your landscaping design and with your other landscaping materials. Even though it is a piece of furniture, it still needs to mesh well with your landscaping design. You may also find that planting containers, birdbaths, and bird feeders can be quite a useful landscaping accessory for your yard. These items are considered landscaping accessories because they are not a necessary component to the landscape, for example the lawn, trees, plants, etc.

The most important thing that you need to remember is to not overdo the landscaping accessories. You want them to enhance your landscaping design, rather than take away from the feel of it. Keep your lawn looking neat and tidy, rather than cluttered and ugly. If you carefully consider the choices that you make so that they beautify your yard, you will find that your satisfaction level and enjoyment level will increase substantially.

Landscape Architects: Background

Who are landscape architects? To become a landscape architect usually requires a bachelor’s or master’s degree in landscape. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are two undergraduate professional degrees: a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA) and a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture (BSLA). Typically, these degrees entail four or five years of study in design, construction techniques, art, history, natural and social sciences.

For landscape architects seeking advanced degrees, there are two routes. Those who hold undergraduate degrees in landscape architecture can earn their Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) in two years. If you hold an undergraduate degree in a field other than landscape architecture and want to go into landscape architecture, the MLA usually takes three years of full-time study.

In 2007, 61 U.S. colleges and universities offered 79 undergraduate and graduate programs in landscape architecture that were accredited by the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).

Landscape Architects: Their Work Process

The first step for landscape architects in planning a project is to study it as a whole. First, they strive to understand the clients’ objectives and the available budget. At the same time, they take into consideration the natural elements of the property, such as the climate, soil, trees and other vegetation, and the slope of the land and resulting drainage issues. Additionally, they assess where sunlight falls during the different seasons and the different times of day. They also take into account the surrounding area-the neighboring homes and buildings, sidewalks, streets and utilities.

With studies and analyses in hand, landscape architects then draw up a preliminary design. This is the time when landscape architects consult with other professionals who may be involved in the project, such as civil engineers, landscape contractors or residential architects. This initial design takes into account any late-arriving changes that the client wants, as well as unforeseen requirements made by different governing bodies. In other words, changes, additions and adjustments are expected during this stage.

A proposal is then prepared, showing detailed plans of what the landscaping will look like. Most landscape architects use computer-aided design (CAD) in these technology-driven days and some firms even use video simulation to help clients better see the suggested ideas and plans. The final proposal may include written reports, sketches, models, photographs and cost estimates. These documents will be used both by the client and regulatory agencies.

Finally, landscape architects prepare working drawings to be used by the landscape contractors that show all existing and proposed features. Included is an outline that details the methods of construction and lists the approved materials. At this point, landscape architects usually move into a supervisory role, monitoring the project as the landscape contractors and their crews carry out the plans.

Landscape Architects: Finding One

In the state of Texas, the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners www.tbae.state.tx.us/Professions/Landscape.shtml regulates the practice of landscape architects. Only those individuals who have become registered as landscape architects may legally call themselves a landscape architect. The website provides a link to find a registered landscape architect.

The American Society of Landscape Architects (www.asla.org) is one of the leading industry groups for landscape architects. Founded in 1899, ASLA represents more than 18,200 members in 48 professional chapters and 68 student chapters. Its website offers a “firm finder” link.

Landscape Architects: Things To Do Before Interviewing

The ASLA offers these tips to better prepare yourself to find the best landscape architect for you:

? Think about what you want and how you will use your landscape. Formal entertaining, herb gardens, and children’s playgrounds are just some of the possibilities. Think about your preferences for the look of the grounds-would you like an English garden design or perhaps a Modern landscape design?

? Don’t just limit yourself to plants and trees; maybe you would like a distinctive garden gate, an outdoor water fountain, a outdoor kitchen, swimming pool or dramatic landscape lighting.

? Make a realistic budget. One rule of thumb is to invest 5 to 10 percent of your house’s worth into landscaping. If this seems steep, remember that homes with professional landscaping can fetch 15-20 percent more at the time of resale than homes that lack landscaping, according to a 2004 study commissioned by the Professional Landcare Network.

? Look at books and magazines for ideas and start a file of plants, trees, gardens, yards, pools, patios, decks, fences and other hardscapes that you like-or dislike-to show your landscape architect. This research will help you communicate what you want to achieve or avoid.

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.