Landscaping projects are quite difficult and complex and it requires trained and qualified professionals to complete the task efficiently and timely. An experienced and talented landscape contractor can make a big difference to the value of your home. Landscape contractors are specialized in different forms of landscaping; mostly they specialize in commercial and residential landscape design, landscape construction, and grading, loaming, seeding, planting and commercial maintenance. According to a recent poll landscaping can add from 7% to 15% value to one’s home signifying 100% to 200% return on landscape investments. 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.
Posts Tagged ‘Landscape’
Successful Landscape Contractor – a Perfect Balance of Talent & Experience in Property Beautification
Friday, August 6th, 2010Classic Landscape Design and Traditional Landscape Design in Houston Texas
Monday, August 2nd, 2010In the first millennium, a wealthy Roman family would most likely have had a garden surrounding their home. In it, you might find an open-air palazzo, pergola-style structures dripping with vines and blooming flowers, a dining area with couches for relaxation, water features such as an outdoor water fountain or wall fountain, and walkways that led out into the garden proper, perhaps to a prized rosebush or into an olive grove. These are some of the elements characterizing what is now called classical landscape design, also known as traditional landscape design.
Classical landscape design is a subset of formal landscape design that uses linear, clean lines to develop an uncluttered look. These lines can be drawn with rows of trees and well-trimmed hedges, perfect plantings for the classical landscape design. Or perhaps a seat wall made of regimented terra cotta tiles can do double-duty. Here and there, vines, such as ivy or wisteria, can soften any harshness. In this regard, this style is similar to the Mediterranean landscape design with its Roman and Greek influences.
The History of Classical Landscape Design
Borrowing influences from previous civilizations, classical landscape design solidified in Rome and the surrounding countryside. Villas were built with comfortable courtyards, sparkling with the sound of water, shaded by large trees, fragrant with rosemary and citrus fruits. It was from this setting that we got the term “pleasure garden.”
In England of the late 1700s, property owners started looking backwards, past the Baroque period and the Renaissance, to the beginnings of western civilization. There, they found classical landscapes making use of woods, water, indigenous plants and small temples. These elements were incorporated into the gardens of that day, further defining the principles of traditional landscape design.
By the way, when Rome fell to the barbarians, the gardens had become so exquisite that the barbarians chose not to ransack them. Instead they kept them up and learned from them. This development is one of the early examples of how we, as humans, learned that beauty can change the world: it can stop violence. This principle is now being used to good effect in gardens started as rehabilitation projects in prisons, inner cities and ghettos.
Choices in Classical Landscape Design
As with all landscape design, the architecture of the house needs to be considered when using a traditional landscape design. For this style, the home and landscape can be tied together through the subtle placement of a hardscape feature, such as the use of tumbled travertine for the courtyard flooring.
Because of the formal principles inherent in this style, you want to strike a balance when choosing materials between boring blandness and baroque lavishness. Think instead in terms of interesting variety. For instance, well-contained decorative gravel can provide color and texture. Courtyards, pool decking and patios should use materials that are symmetrical, in keeping with the formal style. Stone, terra cotta tiles and flagstone are appropriate choices. Granite benches, concrete grottoes and marble urns add sturdiness and reference antiquities.
Your preference for classical landscape design can also be demonstrated in the plants you choose. Your residential garden will be enhanced by fruit trees and other dwarf trees-or perhaps a stand of cypress, mulberry or fig trees. The cheery colors of marigolds, hyacinths and roses are well suited for the classical landscape design. Herbs planted in terra cotta pots scent the air and provide fresh flavor in your outdoor kitchen cooking.
Hardscapes in Classical Landscape Design
Color, form, line, scale, and texture are your means of expressing classical landscape design preferences just as they are with modern landscape design.
Hardscapes to include:
? Outdoor rooms for outdoor living. These living areas, in effect, make your home bigger. They also serve to create transition areas that connect the indoor and outdoor spaces. Plus, they further the notion that a garden is a place of rejuvenation. In particular, outdoor kitchens are important to the traditional landscape design.
? Outdoor water fountains. If you remember your ancient world history classes, you know that the Romans perfected the aqueduct. So water is prized within classical landscape design and nothing showcases it like a picture-perfect outdoor water fountain. Look for fountains in formal, Romanesque, Italianate, Mediterranean and rustic styles. Those made of tile, cast stone, cast iron and concrete work particularly well with this style.
? Swimming pools. When placed within a classical landscape design, the shape of your swimming pool should tend towards basic geometric shapes like rectangles and ovals. Thus, the shape of the pool frames the water and turns it into a classical design element of the landscape. It is often efficient to combine the pool with an outdoor water fountain to eliminate some maintenance redundancies.
? Landscape lighting. Landscape lighting is another important element of traditional landscape design as it creates ambiance and lets you enjoy the outdoors, night and day.
Classical Landscape Design: A Houston Setting
“We implemented a classical landscape design for one of our Houston clients, whose home was French Country. For the garden, we chose a design that closely resembles a famous garden in Florence,” says Jeff Halper with Exterior Worlds. “The landscape design makes good use of gravel and limestone, which looks very natural in a Houston garden. And we planted boxwoods, which we trim and shape regularly as part of a well-thought-out residential landscape maintenance plan. It is a lovely and relaxing space.”
Commercial Landscape Maintenance in Houston Texas
Thursday, July 29th, 2010Integrity. Professionalism. Fiscal stability. Operating efficiencies. Ethical standards. These concepts are key traits of all top commercial real estate management companies. Not surprisingly, they describe top commercial landscape maintenance companies, as well.
As a commercial property manager or owner, you want to find a commercial landscape maintenance company who will partner with you in reaching your long- and short-term goals. With your daily priorities of meeting the needs and demands of tenants, establishing property security and controlling budgets, time management is critical. Therefore, it will make your job easier to work with a provider who honors your time. Finally, every property is unique, and so you want to work with a landscape service company who will maintain your property so that its strengths are maximized and, just as important, its weaknesses minimized.
Components of a Commercial Landscape Maintenance Program
First, the benefits. A quality maintenance program provides these four advantages:
? Presents a positive image to your customers or tenants and their customers
? Protects your investment
? Extends and retains tenants by maintaining beautiful grounds
? Helps conserve and enhance property value
The basic components of a commercial landscape maintenance program involve:
Landscape design services and installation-
1. Design and installation. In the landscape design phase, a landscape service provider will work with you on the program elements, permitting issues, design approach-including your likes and dislikes-and aesthetics. The next phase may include landscape layout, planting plans and cost studies. In providing landscape services, a true professional should work diligently and patiently to help you define the scope of your project, determine the scheduling, coordinate vendors, assist in the selection of materials, and develop a final budget.
2. Landscape lighting. A well-designed landscape lighting system gives a commercial property 24/7 visibility. Since lighting is a big deterrent of crime, one of the most important services that it delivers is safety, thereby providing an invaluable service to establishments that conduct business at night, such as hotels, country clubs, social clubs, colleges, schools, museums, and restaurants. Ultimately, though, the main propose of landscape lighting is to create a beautiful nighttime vista of the landscape.
3. Irrigation systems. Money savings and convenience are the two main descriptors of an irrigation system. It supplies the appropriate amount of water to the appropriate plant material. It separates the lawn, beds and color areas into different zones that require different watering conditions due to the various plant types and sunlight conditions. Finally, it utilizes controller box technologies, such as timers, time delays and rain sensors, that let you set an automatic schedule based on your landscape needs while, at the same time, allowing you to switch to manual for unplanned events.
4. Drainage systems. With Houston’s heavy soils, low-lying areas and torrential rains, a proper landscape drainage system is essential for three reasons: a) to protect your property from flooding b) to protect the foundation of the building(s) from cracking and uneven shrinkage or swelling c) to properly drain roofs and landscaped areas to avoid standing water that can cause slippery surfaces, breeding grounds for mosquitoes or drowned landscaping. A landscape drainage system should be viewed as a whole to ensure that its appropriate functions and fixtures work together properly.
Regular maintenance-
1. Turf maintenance. One of the most basic features of a commercial landscape maintenance program, turf maintenance is more than just cutting the grass. It is edging, feeding and treating-all activities that promote healthy growth. And it is meticulous clean-up so that your tenants can quickly return to enjoying the grounds once the crew leaves.
2. Trimming hedges and ground covers. As part of a thorough commercial landscape maintenance program, hedges, shrubs and bushes should be trimmed regularly to the desired contours. Ground cover and vines should be edged to maintain a neat appearance. The intention is to ensure that all elements conform to the overall plan of the landscape design.
3. Tree care. A top-notch commercial landscape maintenance company will attend to trees, which are valuable assets. Houston summers can be very stressful for trees, so deep-root fertilization is important because it promotes healthy trees. Aeration also encourages root growth. Trees should be inspected regularly for any insect infestations. Insects, such as pine bark beetles and boring insects, can be tree killers, sometimes striking very quickly, especially when Houston’s weather turns hot or if trees are suffering due to construction duress.
4. Fertilizations. Critical to plant health, regular fertilization is a form of insurance for your plants. Commercial landscape maintenance providers should have a methodical feeding program that insures the health of tropical, acidic and seasonal color plants. The feeding program may also include spring and fall aeration of lawn areas with the application of fall rye grass.
5. Herbicide and insecticide treatments. These programs are also critical to plant health. Continual observation and diagnosis of plant pests and diseases are the last part of a complete and proactive commercial landscape maintenance program.
Seasonal Color-
1. Seasonal plantings are an important part of presenting a positive image for any commercial property. You will want to work with a commercial landscape maintenance company whose extensive knowledge of plant material, color, and texture creates eye-catching designs.
Preventive Maintenance
Preventive maintenance can be your best defense against potential landscape and property damage-or something going wrong just when you need it to go right. In the long run, preventive maintenance saves money.
As a precaution, a professional commercial landscape maintenance company will make periodic surveys of your property to ensure that everything is in good order. Items on the checklist include:
? Tree inspection. Watch for branches touching the building or overhead wires. Dead limbs need to be trimmed to promote vigorous growth. Trees should be regularly checked for disease, decay or wounds and swift action taken as needed.
? Irrigation inspection. It is critical to have irrigation systems working smoothly as proper maintenance minimizes large amounts water pouring out of broken lines and heads. Jeff Halper with Exterior Worlds says, “This service is so important for commercial properties. For some of our clients, it has meant savings of as much as $5,000 to $10,000 per month.”
The Magic Of Landscape Accessories
Sunday, July 25th, 2010Landscape 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 Lighting Increases Your Curb Appeal
Wednesday, July 21st, 2010High quality landscaping can add so much to a home or business, especially when the landscaping brings color and creativity to the forefront. When a homeowner or business owner takes the next step and adds landscape lighting, the result has the potential to be phenomenal.
Landscape lighting really enhances attractive landscaping, and can make ordinary landscaping stand out and turn into attractive landscaping. Adding landscaping isn’t necessarily all that difficult or even terribly costly, but the curb appeal which good lighting adds is undeniable.
Adding lighting can even enhance winter landscapes, accentuating trees, bushes, and even ornaments that really add to the visual affect that makes landscaping so appealing. Introducing this to existing landscaping is a project that is definitely worth consulting with a professional. Having this lighting installed professionally can help you avoid some very common mistakes that detract from the landscape instead of enhancing it.
Having your landscape lighting professionally installed will open up your options more than most people realize. Professionals have a very critical eye for landscape and landscape lighting and can easily pull forth the best qualities to highlight while introducing you to your best option for your lighting.
The installation of this can be done at the time of having landscaping completed or can be added to existing landscaping. Having the lighting added to landscape as it is being completed allows the landscaper an extra margin of creativity, creating the lighting as an original part of the overall landscaping. Adding this to existing landscaping may sometimes require a few transplantations and perhaps the addition of a few extra plants, but most of the time landscape lighting can be added to existing landscaping without rearranging anything. However, if you’ve been considering making a few additions or changes to your existing landscaping, doing so while installing landscape lighting is the perfect opportunity.
Homes with landscape lighting attract more attention than homes without it. The better the landscape lighting, obviously, the more attention the homes or business will attract. Accent lighting and landscape lighting can bring forth a very different night time beauty that was previously overlooked. During the darker winter months, it can add a value of warmth to the look of the home or business, which will make it appealing and inviting. During the summer months when the landscaping is in full bloom, landscape lighting will accentuate the best and most appealing parts of your landscaping while creating a very attractive and even festive look to the home or business.
Businesses that take the time to install it are much more appealing than businesses that don’t. This additional appeal attracts clients and customers, especially those businesses which are open after dark even if for only part of the year. When a business is exceptionally appealing to clients and customers, they tend to attract regular and repeat business. Landscape lighting can be part of that attraction. There is a visual sense of calm that people associate with landscape lighting. That visual sense of calm make clients and customers feel at ease about coming inside and spending some time or money.
Homes with the lighting are more appealing as well. Whether you are considering selling a home, having family and friends over, or simply want to make your home a nicer and more comfortable environment, landscape lighting can absolutely deliver what you’re looking for. Homes which are up for sale that have landscape lighting attract more potential buyers than homes without it.
Professionally installed it can offer a home or business owner variable options to enhance the qualities they believe are the most appealing while allowing a professional landscape lighting expert to make unbiased recommendations. This ensures that your landscape lighting will be more than adequate, it will be phenomenal. Don’t choose a lighting professional carelessly. Often professional landscape lighting experts can offer you examples of their work, which in turn can give you confidence that you are hiring the very best in landscape lighting.
Having this installed in a huge home or business improvement that will have noticeable effects right away. It is highly recommended to have your landscape lighting professionally installed and professionally maintained. Professional installation of landscape lighting is easy and adds value to a home or business without much effort and no inconvenience. This adds curb appeal faster than almost any other home or business improvement.