Category: Landscaping

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!