Tag: Cedar Park

Eco-Friendly Landscaping in Texas: The Future of Outdoor Design

In the heart of Texas, where the sun beats down on rolling hills and rugged terrain, homeowners have a unique opportunity. The increasing temperatures, water scarcity, and concerns about fire safety have prompted a shift in the way we think about landscaping. Enter eco-friendly landscaping—a sustainable and proactive solution for today’s challenges.

What is Eco-Friendly Landscaping?

Eco-friendly landscaping, often known as xeriscaping or native landscaping, is a method of designing and maintaining landscapes in a way that reduces the need for water, protects local ecosystems, and reduces environmental impact. This approach utilizes plants that are native or adapted to the region, minimizes lawn areas that require high water consumption, and implements water-saving irrigation techniques.
close up of round cactus with native grasses and yucca plants

Why Design an Eco-Friendly Landscape?

There are many reasons why Texas residents should care about eco-friendly landscaping. Here are just a few:
  • Water conservation: Central Texas faces periodic droughts, and with increasing global temperatures, water scarcity is becoming a more pressing issue. Lawns and non-native plants can require a significant amount of water. By transitioning to an eco-friendly landscape, homeowners can significantly reduce their water usage, ensuring there’s enough to go around for everyone.
  • Environmental health: Native plants have co-evolved with local insects, birds, and other wildlife. They offer the necessary nutrients and habitat these species need. By incorporating native plants into your landscape, you’re promoting biodiversity and helping the local ecosystem thrive.
  • Fire safety: As temperatures rise, so does the risk of wildfires. Certain plants and landscaping methods can act as firebreaks, slowing down the spread of wildfires. Properly chosen and placed vegetation can provide an added layer of safety for your property.
  • Cost savings: Native plants are adapted to the local climate, which means they require less maintenance, fewer pesticides, and less water. Over time, this can translate into significant savings for homeowners.

Trending Ideas for Eco-Friendly Landscaping in Texas

In addition to the traditional principles of eco-friendly landscaping, there are a number of trending ideas that homeowners in Texas can incorporate into their outdoor spaces. These include:
  • Rainwater harvesting: This is a great way to collect and store rainwater for use in your landscape. Rainwater is soft and free of chemicals, making it ideal for watering plants.
  • Xeriscaping: This is a landscaping style that uses plants that are adapted to dry conditions. Xeriscaping can save you a lot of water and money on your landscaping bill.
  • Native plants: Using native plants in your landscape is a great way to support local wildlife and reduce your impact on the environment. Native plants are also well-suited to the Texas climate and require less water and maintenance than non-native plants.
  • Edible landscaping: This is a trend that is gaining popularity in Texas. Edible landscaping is a great way to grow your own food and reduce your reliance on the grocery store. You can also use edible plants to create a beautiful and functional landscape.
  • Sustainable hardscaping: Hardscaping materials, such as patios, walkways, and retaining walls, can be made from sustainable materials, such as recycled concrete or natural stone. These materials can help to reduce your environmental impact and add beauty to your landscape.

 

Eco-friendly landscaping is more than a trend—it’s a responsible and smart choice for Texas homeowners. By making these sustainable choices today, we ensure a healthier, safer, and more beautiful Texas for future generations.
Visit the Texas SmartScape site for more helpful info and resources!
If you’re interested in learning more about eco-friendly landscaping in Texas, contact our team today. We would be happy to help you create a beautiful and sustainable landscape for your home.
Contact us today or call 512-260-1430

Winter: The Ideal Time to Plan Your Next Landscape Project

After surveying your yard, you realize your landscape is looking a little drab and could use a makeover. You do your research, check out some online designs, and are ready to schedule your next landscaping project! So, of course, it makes perfect sense to wait until the spring to get started right? Wrong.

But why is that? Well, because other residents in the greater Austin area are thinking that too. Many people consider spring to be the ideal time for their landscaping projects, but it’s actually quite the opposite. The truth is, if you want to enjoy your new outdoor area to the fullest, your project planning needs to be started in early winter.

Spring is the busiest and craziest time of year for landscape companies. You want to know you can have everything you’d like included in your final design, and if there are any issues with your original choices, you’ll want ample time to make the necessary changes.

At Best of Texas Landscapes, we recommend that our clients begin planning out their new landscape project during the winter for several important reasons.

1. Scheduling ahead of time ensures your job can be completed sooner

As previously stated, the spring rush is the peak season for lawn and landscape companies across the country. Think Black Friday but with more flowers and less pushing and shoving.

The goal is to be able to enjoy your new landscape by next spring, so you don't want to have your job pushed back or started too late. If you try scheduling your landscape project for after winter, you could end up at the end of a very long waitlist.

Skip the line by planning ahead in the winter. The sooner you set up a consultation to speak with one of our landscape designers, the earlier we can start and finish the project so your landscape is one of the first ones completed for the spring season!

2.Inspecting, analyzing, and troubleshooting landscape issues is easier in the winter

While walking around your property you or the landscapers may realize, upon closer inspection, that there are one or more issues with your outdoor space. It's nothing to be worried about, but it is important that any problems are addressed before getting started on your new landscape design.

Since most plants and softscapes have almost no foliage during the colder months, it makes it easier to diagnose common landscape issues with:

 

We can help amend these problems earlier, which in turn saves you money on future repairs and maintenance that you would've had to pay for later on if these landscape issues had gone unnoticed.

3. More softscape and planting options are available when Spring arrives!

Limited supplies of annual flowers and other plantings are probably one of the biggest issues you'll run into by planning your landscape project for the spring. Nurseries always sell out of seasonal plants the fastest since everyone wants to redo their landscapes and flower beds at the same time.

If you want to guarantee that certain plants and softscapes will be available for your design, you shouldn't delay your project until the spring. Our team will have plenty of time to put an order in so they arrive in time for the season.

4. Winter provides ample time to plan for your next landscape project

Some people often have more free time during this time of year. Use that time wisely to plan out your landscape project and consider all that you'd like added to your outdoor living space. There are so many elements that can be incorporated into your design. We find that many of our clients love to include these landscape features in their projects:

landscape design with outdoor seating of natural rock and tiered raised plant beds

Beat everyone in your neighborhood to the punch by planning your landscape project in the winter so it’s fully installed and in bloom by the Spring!

Don't make the common mistake of waiting until spring to start designing your landscape project. Every outdoor living space is different, so we like to be detailed about every client's job to ensure the best and most efficient service possible.

 

Get ahead of the curve by calling Best of Texas Landscapes at (512) 260-1430. Our crew can design and install a beautiful landscape for your home or business in the greater Austin area that fits your desired images and ideas!

Are Landscape Remodels Worth the Investment?

By Alicia Witt  |  5/27/22

Like many of us, spending more time at home has probably given you the sudden urge to change your surroundings. You’ve repainted the bedroom walls, hung up some new pictures, and rearranged your furniture one too many times. With summer weather here, and no more indoor space to spruce up, you’ve set your sights on larger grounds: your outdoor space.

Suddenly many great ideas are coming to you – the patio and poolside can use an upgrade and a firepit would be nice. And while you’re at it, why not add an outdoor kitchen since that’s most likely where you’ll be spending the majority of your time? All of these additions seem really tempting, up until you look up pricing. You’re probably starting to wonder: is remodeling a landscape really worth the investment? In this article, we’ll go over a few reasons why a landscape renovation is more than worth it. Let’s get started!

Why remodel your outdoor space?

Aside from the obvious and much-needed change of scenery, there are many great reasons to invest in renovating your landscape: 

Quality of Life

Creating a beautiful outdoor space can have a significant impact on your quality of life and mental wellbeing. According to a 2018 study conducted by the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) and the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 85% of homeowners reported a greater desire to be home after completing their project, 78% reported feeling an increased sense of enjoyment when at home, and 79% reported a major sense of accomplishment when thinking about their project. 

Other studies have also found that spending time outdoors surrounded by nature can reduce stress, decrease blood pressure and increase memory and attention. Simply put, a well-designed landscape remodel will bring you happiness, something that we can all use a little bit of and that is priceless!

Family Living

Are the kids growing up much faster than expected? Or maybe you couldn’t resist bringing home one more puppy. It happens to the best of us. Instead of shopping for a larger home to accommodate your growing brood, why not renovate your backyard for some extra living space? When going this route, you should start by defining the areas you’d like to see in your yard.

Do you want to keep your vegetable garden? Do you want to add a space for entertaining family and friends? Do you have or want a pool with a lounging space? Can you easily keep an eye on your kids and pets from your patio? Properly planning your backyard remodel will ensure that you maximize your space and create a living environment that can be enjoyed by all for years to come. 

Home Resale Value

Something often overlooked when performing any renovation is how it may increase the resale value of your home. Improving our living environment is nice, but wouldn’t it be great to also see a monetary return on investment?

As with most things in life, first impressions matter, and the façade of your home is no different. According to 99% of NAR members, your home’s curb appeal will have a large impact on attracting potential buyers. So, what does that mean? Think manicured lawn, blooming flower beds, gorgeous steps, and an eye-catching driveway. Additionally, a well-landscaped home can sell for up to 12% more than a home with no landscaping!

Which features should you invest in?

The features you choose to invest in will depend largely on the reason why you are remodeling your landscape in the first place. That said, certain features will increase your home’s value more than others. If that’s a deciding factor for you, we’ve compiled a list based on the NALP-NAR survey mentioned earlier:

Outdoor Kitchen

Barbecues are great, but a fully equipped and personalized outdoor kitchen is even better! If you enjoy hosting get-togethers in your backyard, this is a feature you definitely want to look into. From shelving to mini-fridges and even side burners, there is no reason for you to be running back and forth from the indoors to the outdoors. We offer a wide range of retaining walls, allowing you to build a feature that is 100% you. Should you decide to sell your house, your outdoor kitchen just might seal the deal, and you can expect to recover about 71% of the invested cost. 

Concrete Patio

What’s a backyard without a patio? Whether you’re looking for a spot to lounge while the kids play in the yard, a place for your outdoor dining table, or a space for friends and family to gather, a patio is a must. According to the NALP, walkways, and patios with contemporary, geometric patterns are a growing trend! And with our large selection of concrete pavers and patio slabs, designing your perfect patio is made easy. From traditional to modern and everything in between, you will certainly find a product to match the style of your dreams. 

 

Fire Feature

Nothing says summer more than gathering around a crisp, warm fire after a day of lounging in the pool. But when we think about a fire pit, the image of a cast-iron bowl often comes to mind. Luckily times are changing, and options are growing, making it oh so simple to create a feature that will match your home’s aesthetic. Have a modern design in mind? Why not add a more modern fire pit into the mix? Its ultra-sleek design will certainly make it the centerpiece of your yard. Prefer something a bit more rustic? No problem – we can custom-build your ideal fire feature. Regardless of the style you choose, real estate website Zillow reported that homes mentioning ‘’fire pit’’ in their listing sold on average 3.8 days faster, and for 2.8% more – That equates to $8,400 more on a $300,000 home! It also ranked number one in the American Society of Landscape Architects survey on the most popular outdoor design elements. Finally, whether you’re selling or not, you’ll have something to make your space enjoyable throughout the seasons. 

Curb Appeal

If you’re thinking of selling, now is a great time to spruce up your entrance! The façade of a house usually tells buyers what they can expect once they come in, and a poorly kept front yard can leave potential buyers wondering what else is wrong with your home. A simple way to refresh your lawn is by keeping the grass green, the flowers blooming and adding garden edging and planters to keep everything in place. If you really want to take it up a notch, now would be the time to redo your driveway and follow design trends by laying pavers in eye-catching and unique patterns! You’ll certainly boost your curb appeal and have passersby doing a double-take. 

Landscape Lighting

Often an afterthought when planning a landscape renovation is lighting. But if you’re investing so much in your home’s exterior, wouldn’t you want to enjoy the view even once the sun has set? Not only does lighting increase safety when walking around your property at night, but it can also set the mood for your outdoor space. To really get the bang for your buck, we suggest investing in high-quality lighting that can be set with a timer and is guaranteed to last for years! If you’re in the process of redoing your steps, driveway, or any hardscape project, think about including integrated lighting such as step lights or recessed lighting, and use them to highlight key features of your landscape design. Adding ‘’outdoor lighting’’ to your home’s listing can even speed up the sale by three days. Not 100% sold on the idea? Check out our gorgeous hardscape lighting ideas for inspiration. 

So, is a landscape remodel really worth the investment?

In our opinion, a well-planned and thoughtfully designed landscape remodel is always worth the investment. Whether it be an improved quality of life and mental wellbeing, more space for family activities, or a higher resale value, renovating your outdoor space is sure to bring you long-lasting benefits. So, what are you waiting for?

 

Find out how much your project will cost and treat yourself to the landscape remodel of your dreams!

 

 

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