Category: Landscape Construction

HARDSCAPES and NATURE

Hardscapes and Nature

When you think about landscaping you might imagine lush green lawns, vibrant colorful flowers, and wispy grasses blowing in the breeze. It’s not as often that we consider the structures within the setting — your hardscapes.

Hardscapes are an important part of your landscape design. They are paths, walls, patios, and any other “hard” features made of concrete, brick, or rock. Paths and patios can tie your design together; while  adding a fire element such as a fire pit or fireplace can create that cozy or romantic ambiance you’re searching for. There are four main elements you can incorporate into your landscaping: fire, water, earth, and air.

FIRE

One of the most popular hardscape elements is fire. Whether it’s a fireplace or a fire pit, you can be sure this will be THE place of gathering for friends and family. They both offer lighting and warmth once the sun starts to set, and the ambiance will keep everyone gathered around, chatting into the wee hours of the night. Not only are there many different sizes and shapes, but fire pits allow you the choice to burn wood or gas and to have colored glass or decorative rock fill the space – creating a stunning, more modern look.

WATER

Adding a water feature to your hardscape increases the aesthetics tenfold. Not only are they beautiful and mesmerizing to watch, but the sound of water flowing creates a relaxing atmosphere anyone can find serenity in. All you need to complete the flow is a comfy chair to curl up in and a little bit of time to close your eyes and relax.

EARTH

The perfect addition to a hardscape is the surrounding landscape. Adding trees allows for privacy, shade, and even a little burst of color. Bordering pathways with vibrant flowers and other small greenery can expand the hardscape while adding texture and color. You can also, easily, transition from the hardscape into the lawn by incorporating decorative rock or mulch.

AIR

We couldn’t leave out Pergolas! A quickly growing trend, especially here in Texas, pergolas provide shade, lighting, privacy, and a place to hang your favorite flowery baskets. It provides an excellent place to have your patio furniture for outdoor meals or a full outdoor kitchen. Surround your pergola with tall, flowy grasses and you’ll be able to hear the whisperings of the wind as you enjoy the cooler temperatures of your shady oasis. Air elements are all about finding unique ways for the senses to experience natural air and cooling elements; and these are sure to have you covered.

Whether you choose one or multiple elements to include in your hardscape, adding these components will definitely have you spending more time outdoors with your family, friends, and self.

Transform Your Yard with Hardscapes This Winter

Room to Dream

It seems like everyone is moving to the Austin metro these days! While the Austin suburbs grow up around us out in the Hill Country, just a short drive north east of Austin, in towns like Salado, Jarell and Florence, being a homeowner can still easily mean you’re going to need a riding lawn mower as well.

With room to breathe and dream, owning a home with land gives you the opportunity to create whatever you want. It can also be a daunting task to figure out where you should begin or how it will all work together.

Covered rock patio with fire pit

The Benefits of Winter

Where will the paths lead? What type of sitting areas do they go to? What elements do you want to include? Should the outdoor kitchen go here? Or a fire pit there?

The winter months, when your space is less cluttered with greenery, is a great time to visualize a plan for your landscape. It’s also the perfect time to build hardscape structures like patios, paths or outdoor living areas. Take the opportunity now to create a year-long solution for your landscape design that you can enjoy from one season to the next.

Hardscapes & Outdoor Living Spaces

If you’re lucky enough to have the space to dream of more for your home, get some inspiration for hardscapes and landscape designs for your home below.

PATHS & WALKWAYS

Stone Pathway in Grass

natural stone walkway with gravel and rock and plant accents

OUTDOOR KITCHENS

OUTDOOR FIREPLACES & FIRE PITS

Outdoor Fireplace

UNIQUE HARDSCAPE ELEMENTS

Love Where You Live

Aren't you ready to stop planning and start enjoying your new backyard, or front yard…or both? If you're one of the lucky ones, give the space you've invested in the heart and attention it deserves, or in other words, love where you live.

Give the landscape design and build team at Best of Texas Landscapes a call today at 512-240-1433 to schedule your consultation. We are your turn-key solution to all of your landscape needs!

Urban Landscape Designs for Modern Homes

Urban Spaces

Modern and contemporary homes are both known for clean, architecutral lines and an open-space feel. It is often the case however, that modern designs (as in mid-century modern) often have more wood elements and contemporary designs have more stone and steel. The end result for both is a minimalist, clean look that both charms and calms the senses with a touch of class and order.

One myth regarding modern landscape designs is that you will have to sacrifice functionality for minimalism. We’re going to show you how you can incorporate both so you can enjoy an outdoor space with all of your choice amenities and a clean landscape design that complements your modern home.

Beautifully Blended

Modern and contemporary homes are commonly being outfitted with more indoor to outdoor living installations. In the picture of above we were able to create a seamless backyard design with

  • A fluid indoor to outdoor transition
  • An artful blend of wood, stone and steel elements
  • Clean lines and modern elements
  • A contemporary feel
  • A pop of color
  • And gorgeous 360° views!

The end result is a contemporary landscape design that perfectly complements and completes the overall look and feel of the home.

Look closely and you'll find that this backyard is also not suffering from a lack of functionality that would render the space overlooked and under-utilized. In fact it is fully equipped with

  • An outdoor kitchen
  • A zero-entry pool
  • Paths and walk-ways
  • Benches and plant beds
  • An almost indistinguishable outdoor shower
  • And outdoor lighting!

Whether you want a calming place to relax or an inviting space to entertain, this backyard has it all!

Make the Hard to Reach Easy to Maintain

If you're the kind of person that wants to finish your lawn maintenance with a few turns of a push-mower, be sure to make the hard to reach spots easy to maintain.

You can do this by including hardscapes like stone patios and paths or rock beds with select accent plants. Be sure to consider your plants spacial requirements for future growth and use different sizes and shapes to create depth and focal points.

 

 

To capture the aesthetic of your home or create a modern outdoor design, you don't have to abide by strict guidlelines or a uniform style. While contemporary designs are known for their monochromatic tones, a pop of color or the warmth of wood can be a welcome addition. Additionally, you can have a functional outdoor space that meets your minimalist goals. Your vision can be a reality with a little planning, some creative design and a trusted team of experts.

 

Image of a gated entry with landscaping and a rock wall with the words "Landscaping Street Entries" over-layed on image.

Landscaping a Gated Entry or Driveway

When guests arrive at your property, there are a few things they notice right away. This is your opportunity to welcome your visitors and set the stage for what’s to come.

A welcoming entryway doesn’t start at your front door. Your driveway is possibly their first impression, so use it as an opportunity to frame the experience for your visitors. If you really want to make a statement, go with a gated entry.

As the portal to your home, your entry or driveway should draw guests seamlessly from the curb to the front door.

Lush greenery and maintained flowers could suggest a country retreat, where stark stonework and geometric hedges suggest a more modern approach. Choose elements that align with the aesthetics of your home, without clashing with the surrounding landscape.

Here are 4 tips for creating a wow-worthy entry to your home.

Contrast and Complement
Color, texture and balance are important aspects to consider in your landscape design. Use a color wheel to find a few choice colors you may like to incorporate and which colors best complement your primary options.
Height and Depth
Add depth by creating focal points between the street and the house. A natural rock wall also makes a beautiful backdrop. Unlike a front porch entry, where you may be inclined to go with more-is-better, the street entry can be a dynamic part of your overall design with a few, properly positioned, choice elements.
Low Maintenance
Low-maintenance and drought-tolerant plants are a great way to go in the Central Texas area. During the summer especially, if you don’t have irrigation installed along the street, you’ll want indigenous plants that are known for living through the toughest temperatures.
Lighting & Safety
To keep your landscape safer from cars and possible “plant pickers” use lighting around the edges or for specific focal points. If you have security cameras, especially at a gated entry where your car has to stop, using a camera-floodlight combo is a proven deterrent for burglars.
Set the stage for your guests from the very beginning and enhance the beauty and security of your home in the process.

Not sure which plants are indigenous to Texas? Check out this list of native, drought-resistant plants in Central Texas.

Need more design inspiration? We found a great Pinterest board with tons of ideas!

Call us today at 512-260-1430 to talk to us about scheduling your design consultation!

Landscape Design for Central Texas – Part 2 of 2

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”1087″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Now that you understand how to plan your space, let’s talk about what will complete it.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

LANDSCAPING PLANTS

A great source for getting ideas regarding your space, and what will work best in your location, is to consult with local landscape designer. Finding a local professional who has extensive experience in your area will provide you with the knowledge to make informed decisions regarding the plants that will inhabit your new space.

Select plants according to their ability to thrive in your specific space. Many home owners choose from native varieties, and are pleasantly surprised by the number of options that are easily overlooked. There are many plants that perform well in our area that are not native, however its generally good to consult with a landscape design professional before planting.

Native (indigenous) plants provide a beautiful, hardy, drought resistant and low-maintenance options because they have evolved over thousands of years in a particular region. They are suited to the geography, hydrology and climate of that area. However, even with native plants, it’s important to group them with plants that have similar needs in terms of sun, water and soil conditions.

Types of Plants to Consider:

[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_column_text]Flowers
Shrubs
Ferns[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_column_text]Trees
Grass
Herbs[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_column_text]Vines
Cactus
Ground Cover[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

HARDSCAPES

Typically, one of the most striking parts of your new space will be the hardscape. These are the walls, paths, patios and non-living elements in your outdoor space. Hardscapes make your space more functional and fill in bare spots to make it more aesthetically pleasing.

Again, this is a great time to speak with a landscape designer. Seeing past projects as well as having a walkthrough can help you as well as the designer come up with the perfect vision for your space and your budget. Think, paths of gravel or stone, patios or decks, rock walls (like a retaining wall or decorative element), arbors or pergolas.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

IRRIGATION SYSTEM

Using native and drought-tolerant plants is always a great way to reduce your need for supplemental irrigation, but you still need an efficient way to irrigate. No matter how tolerant your plant selection is, they are going to need water. On average, 30 percent of your water bill will be dedicated to outdoor use.

There are many options regarding irrigation in your space from sprinkler and drip systems to grading and effective use of your property’s physical features and all points in between. For the best options for your area and the plants inhabiting your new space it pays to speak with a professional who can offset long-term irrigation bills with a modern, efficient irrigation system designed for water conservation.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

LIGHTING

Improved technology has made landscape lighting one of the most popular outdoor living features among homeowners. Nothing makes your new space more inviting than custom lighting designed specifically for your property.

Types of lighting to consider are pathway, accent and security lighting. A good landscape designer will make sure all three of these lighting options are addressed in your space.

(American Society of Landscape Architects, found 96.2% of homeowners want outdoor lighting.)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1532354309753{margin-top: 25px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

WHO TO HIRE

Hiring a Designer

It’s a good idea to shop until you find someone who will take the time to ask you questions about how you want to use your space, what your design style is, and can consult on how to landscape and irrigate your property. Hiring a professional who sees the grand vision as a whole, will help you design a space that looks good all year, because your landscape is a living work of art that has its own life-cycle.

Hiring Contractors

Additionally, you’ll need to hire a team to complete the design – to install plants, irrigation systems, and construct hardscapes.

Sounds like a lot of thought and preparation needs to go in to your new space! We encourage you not to start this journey on your own. Instead, reach out to Best of Texas Landscapes to get started and stay on the right track to create the perfect space for you and your family. We can help remove all the guess work from how long it will take, to how much it will cost, and how it will look from season to season and year to year.

The landscape design-build professionals at Best of Texas Landscapes work as a cohesive unit, combining the knowledge of design and horticulture with the hands-on skill of landscape contractors to complete your project on-time and on-budget. Adding substantial value to your property should the goal of every home owner and when you reach out to Best of Texas Landscapes you’ll be amazed at how easy it can be.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]