Category: Landscaping

backyard putting green with text overlay Improve Your Golf Game From Home

Backyard Golf Course

Improve Your Golf Game from the Comfort of Home

With a custom putting green in your own backyard, you can improve your golf game whenever you’d like and enjoy hours of family fun. Our putting greens are completely customizable, so we can create the perfect putting green for any size, shape, terrain, or player level needed. We’ll design your artificial turf golf course precisely the way you like it, so you can bring your putting dreams to life.

NO YARD IS TOO BIG OR SMALL

Synthetic grass-putting greens are the perfect solution for awkwardly-shaped areas of your yard such as a hilled area or narrow side yard. Custom putting greens can be installed to fit any size, shape, or terrain you have to work with, so the design possibilities are virtually endless. We can incorporate features such as contours, bunkers, and tiers to create a realistic and professional putting experience, and our synthetic turf options always simulate the roll and feel of a professional course. Whether you’re a professional golfer or just looking for some family fun, you’ll love having a custom putting green in the comfort of your own home.

PRACTICE AT YOUR CONVENIENCE

If you want to turn your Austin backyard into a golfer’s oasis, call Best of Texas Landscapes for an artificial grass putting green installation. Our team of expert designers will work with you one-on-one in order to bring your imagination to life and create the custom putting green you’ve always dreamed of. Improve your short game from the comfort of your own home or create fun for the whole family with artificial grass putting green. To find out more about the options available or to receive a free installation estimate, give us a call today at (512) 260.1430.

You need to add a widget, row, or prebuilt layout before you’ll see anything here. 🙂
Landscaping-Design-Trends-in-2022-Best-of-Texas-Landscapes-Leander-Texas.png

Top Landscaping Trends in 2022

We’ve spent more time at home in the past two years since the Great Depression in the 1930s. So it’s no wonder we have turned our attention to spending more time outside, whether it’s relaxing, dining, entertaining, playing, exercising, or working. The sky’s the limit nowadays. No longer are the backyards regulated for 1-2 outside BBQs, there is a new appreciation for the great outdoors.

Let’s take a look and see what 2022 has in store for you. Whether it’s acres of land or a sub-divided neighborhood, scroll through to see the latest landscaping trends.

Your Front Porch

Lockdowns and restrictions have left people craving connection and community more than ever. Therefore, front porches and gardens are becoming a renewed focus for many families. A place to sit back and watch the world go by or relax with your neighbors while the kids play, porches can offer fresh air and vital connection to the world beyond your fence. You can make yours more inviting with comfy seating, good lighting, and potted plants.

Foliage, Grass, & Groundcover

In 2022 you will also see a big focus on greenery, also called Softscapes. Think of it as transporting yourself to the tropics without ever having to leave your home. Grasses are a popular landscaping choice as they are multi-seasonal and rather low maintenance. You can mix in perennials and bulbs to bring in that pop of color everyone loves.

Outdoor Living

You’ve heard of bringing the outdoors in and bringing the indoors out—but why not both? So much time at home has led to homeowners realizing that blurring the lines between indoors and out extends the living area. When you stop limiting your idea of “home” to the structure on your property and instead consider your entire property your home, you can create a strong sense of place and connection to the natural world.

Landscaping With Curves

This year we’ll see more shy away from strict, rigid lines in favor of more organic shapes and natural designs, as seen in this space by one of our award-winning landscape designers. This works particularly well in smaller gardens, where curves give a softer, more relaxing vibe, delivering a much more interesting space. So, if you’re planning on a new path, lawn, wall, beds, or borders, think curvy! You might even consider introducing curves by way of shapely planters, curved benches, and fire bowls.

With so many new trends and ideas, the sky is the limit with our landscape designers! Are you ready to take the first step toward your dream yard?

 

Serving Austin and it’s greater areas including: Leander, Liberty Hill, Georgetown, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Lago Vista, Lakeway, Marble Falls, Burnet, and Bertram

Gardening Guide For Texas Winters

Anyone from Texas can tell you that we have unique weather patterns. There are few other places where you can experience all four seasons in just one day. The running joke of “if you don’t like the weather, just wait a minute” rings true to many of us. While it can be nice to experience summer weather on a December day here in Texas, winter flowers can pose a challenge for even most experienced gardeners. Below you’ll find our top tips for Texas residents on how to “winterize” your garden in Texas and satisfy your winter gardening cravings.

Preparing Your Garden

Protect your garden from pests

Ensuring that you have a healthy garden before winter begins is especially important if you plan on minimal garden maintenance during the winter months. In Texas, you’ll start to get some serious (by Texas standards) cold weather toward the end of November. These cold fronts typically last until the end of February. Your pre-winter garden cleanup should also include the removal of any dead plant debris or stalks, as these can be a breeding ground for harmful diseases and other pests. If you have plants that you know are finishing annuals, remove them at the start of winter for a clean slate of soil when spring rolls around.

Prepare the beds

Winter is a great time to let nutrients really soak into the ground so that when prime gardening time rolls around during the spring, your soil is healthy and nutrient-rich from months of decomposition.  Before the winter rains start, add around 3 inches of compost to your beds. Over time, the compost will decompose into crucial nutrients in the soil, making springtime gardening a breeze. Most of central and southern Texas won’t experience steady freezing temperatures throughout the winter that would make it worthwhile to try to keep the garden frozen with mulch. However, based on last year’s winter storm and the prediction of this year being the same if not worse, mulching your gardens at the beginning of the winter might be beneficial.

Freezing temperature planning

In Texas, below-freezing temperatures are spread out throughout the wintertime. You might experience your first isolated freeze toward the middle of November. Freezes will become more frequent as the winter progresses; however, they are rarely constant. It’s a good idea to have a plan in place for when freezes do come to make sure that your perennials (plants that survive winter) are protected for re-blooming in the spring. Since freezes are quite sporadic during a Texas winter, it’s feasible for you to pull out all the stops when you hear news of a freezing cold front. Be prepared to take the following actions when a freeze is imminent:

  • Cover shrubs and other tender plants with some sort of fabric (burlap, sheets, etc.). Do not use plastic to cover your plants.
  • If high winds are expected, plan to cover evergreen plants as well.
  • Cut back perennials to a few inches above where the stem meets the plant’s crown at soil level (with the exception of hardier perennials, which should be left unpruned).

How To Water During Winter in Texas

Watering your garden

There are several tips to keep in mind when watering your garden during the winter. You’ll want to water your plants once or twice a month unless Texas is experiencing a particularly dry winter. Your plants are likely to absorb more water during the earlier hours of the day; however, try to make sure that the temperatures are above 45 degrees Fahrenheit. For most days, this shouldn’t be an issue in Texas, but every once in a while, you’ll get a cold snap during which temperatures dip below normal. Make sure to water both winter plants as well as perennials that might be dormant, as their roots will still need water to stay alive until spring. Only water until the soil of your garden is moist, and try to avoid watering when you are expecting a freeze!

Watering your lawn

Though it may be tempting, make sure to remain on a consistent watering schedule until temperatures drop below freezing. You can typically expect this to happen during some point in November, so plan to continue with your regular watering schedule until the days start to get significantly shorter. Truly frozen lawns aren’t a huge concern in Texas, as it typically doesn’t stay below freezing for more than a night or two. You should plan to stay on a fairly consistent watering schedule when you are experiencing a dry winter. Barring frozen soil, we recommend watering your lawn every two to three weeks for 15 to 20 minutes during the winter months. 

It’s especially important to water your lawn earlier during the day in the winter so that it has adequate time to dry before the evening rolls around. For ease of watering your lawn during the cold winter months, we recommend using a sprinkler system that you can simply schedule to turn on in the morning for 15 minutes, minimizing time spent outside in the chilly weather. Check out our favorite Rainbird ESP-ME below.

 

Don’t have a sprinkler system in place? Give us a call to schedule your FREE in-person consultation at (512)260-1430.

 

Serving Austin and it’s greater areas including: Leander, Liberty Hill, Georgetown, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Lago Vista, Lakeway, Marble Falls, Burnet, and Bertram

BOT MARCH BLOG

Creating Your Personal Oasis

Have you ever seen a backyard swimming pool so nice that it felt as though you were swept off to a luxury resort? We have … in fact, we’ve installed a few! A beautiful and functional backyard pool environment is a pleasure to behold. Not only is a pool the perfect place to entertain guests, but it becomes your own, private oasis to escape to at any time.


When renovating your backyard and adding a pool, you want to take into account both your preference on aesthetics and functionality. Consider all of the elements that will go into your new, private oasis. Your luxury pool will be the focal point of the yard, but feel free to gather inspiration from your home when completing the design. Landscaping and hardscaping always work well together, in order to create an attractive, cohesive space around the pool and your yard.

Plants by the Pool

Plants balance the hard surfaces around your pool, with the softening effects of landscaping. They also add liveliness to your oasis through height, color, and movement. If you have existing trees or plants in your backyard, we will evaluate them and do our best to incorporate them into your new design. Besides, why take out what you already have, if it will work within the space? It is important to surround yourself with plants you love;that way when you are relaxing poolside, you’re all smiles.

modern backyard landscape design with horizontal fence, spruce trees along fence line, and in-ground pool

Building Privacy

The last element to bringing YOUR luxury resort to life… privacy! There are an exuberant amount of  ways to add an element of privacy to your backyard oasis. Trees can provide shade for meals or lounging out on the patio. Bushes screen box decks and keep unsightly pool equipment hidden away. Enclosing your backyard with a pergola or walls creates a sense of seclusion and intimacy; keeping distractions and neighbors at bay.

Complete YOUR Oasis

Wouldn’t you love to have your own private, luxury oasis? A place to entertain friends and family? A place to relax and unwind after a long week? If so, give us a call to set up your consultation.

SPRING 2021

Preparing For Spring

A healthy green lawn, colorful flowers, and lush shrubs and trees are key components in an attractive landscape design. Whether you have just moved into a new build or are wanting to spruce up your existing home, focusing on your landscaping is smart.

Good landscape design not only makes your home more appealing but it also adds value. In some instances, landscaping can add a 215% return on your investment. We understand that choosing what elements to include in your landscaping can be a bit overwhelming. That’s what we are here for: to help you choose the best elements that compliment both your style and your home.

Shade Producing Drought Tolerant Trees

We all know Texas gets pretty hot, but that’s not the only thing you need to think about when choosing the proper trees. Drought is  a major concern during certain parts of the year; so you’ll want to consider installing shade producing trees that don’t require a great deal of water

The Lacebark Elm is a small leafed tree that has a unique, exfoliating “lace” pattern bark, which gives it an unmistakable presence. The bark peels off in a puzzle piece pattern, revealing beautiful patterns of multiple underlying colors (grey, green, brown, orange). This tree can handle harsh conditions, including poor quality soils and harsh winds. During the Fall months, the Lacebark Elm tree leaves turn a bright, fiery reddish-orange –  perfect addition to any landscape.

If you are looking for an Oak tree look no further than the Monterrey Oak. This sturdy tree is a medium sized oak that is tolerant to Oak Wilt (a fungal disease that makes the foliage wilt and eventually kills the tree.) It thrives on extra sunlight, which is why it’s perfect for Texas summers. The leaves are a bright and shiny green that transform to a soft shade of yellow in the Fall.

Heat Loving Shrubs

Trees are great investments, but shrubs are also important elements when it comes to landscape design. Shrubs can enhance your curb appeal by accentuating the front of your home; all while creating borders and adding pops of color or texture in flowerbed

The Texas Red Yucca is a hummingbird favorite that produces talk spikes of reddish-pink flowers, whichcontinue to bloom all Summer long. It is also one of the most drought tolerant, flowering succulent plants.

When it comes to ersatile shrubs, the Boxwood is as good as it comes. They bring year round color to your front yard landscape; creating bright moments during those dreary winter months. Their ability to bounce back and withstand regular shearing makes them perfect for hedges and topiaries.

Durable Flowers

Trees and shrubs are beautiful for your yard, but adding some flowers is important for softening up the greenery in your landscape design.

Unfortunately, not all flowers are suited for the sun and heat of Texas; so it is key to know which ones are durable enough to withstand the climate.

Perennial flowers are plants that return year after year. In most cases they die off in the Winter and return to life in the Spring. There is considerable variety when it comes to perennial color; making it possible to have something of interest throughout the year.

For fun and whimsy that will stand the test of time, make sure to include Gerbera Daisies in your flowerbeds or pots. These flowers need full sun; and with proper care, they will thrive.

Columbine flowers are another well suited option. They love the heat, (but will also grow in partial shade) so they work well in flowerbeds with trees and shrubs. They come in many vibrant colors and have an attractive, clover-like foliage.