Articles by this Author
Pool Water Fountains
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Friday 10th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
If you are considering adding a custom swimming pool to your landscaping design, you might want to think about the addition of a pool water fountain We have seen pool water fountains turn an everyday swimming pool into a memorable work of art because they add movement, sound, shape and color to the landscape design
Outdoor Swimming Pool Design
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Friday 10th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
Outdoor swimming pool design is one of the most exciting and fulfilling aspects of landscape architecture When guests come to visit, they almost always want to go to the pool
Fire and Water Fountains
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Friday 10th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
Fire and water fountains place two opposing forces together to create startling and dramatic artistic statements in a landscape design If you were to rate the various hardscapes used by professional landscapers along a horizontal scale, fire and water fountains would be situated on the far right—where the big wow-factors live
Contemporary Patio Design
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Thursday 9th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
Contemporary patio design is one of the most unique and dynamic elements of contemporary landscape design It offers more opportunity for expansion and integration with other landscaping elements than do other types of hardscape
Low Voltage Landscape Lighting
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Thursday 9th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
As low voltage landscape lighting technology has evolved over the years, it has come to enjoy a position of prominence in many aspects of outdoor lighting Its decorative enhancement of certain types of landscape forms is unsurpassed
Contemporary Water Fountains
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Thursday 9th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
In general, contemporary design means spare and simple geometries arranged in a pleasing, functional way Combining innovation and flair, these designs use dramatic shapes to create a point of view that is fluid and natural
Garden Waterfall Design
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Wednesday 8th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
Garden waterfall design continues to gain increasing popularity all over the Houston Area Many of our citizens have become a bit bored with traditional swimming pool and garden designs
Pool and Patio
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Saturday 27th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
The relationship between the pool and patio begins with a relationship of duality that unfolds in multiple dimensions throughout the remainder of outdoor space A key determinant in the effectiveness of pool and patio design is the complimentary function these two structures serve as compliments to home architecture
Hardscape Design
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Thursday 21st 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
The term hardscape refers to landscaping structures constructed from inorganic materials that work toward sculpting the overall landscaping design These structures include many things such as driveways, patios, walls, fencing, and drainage
Patio Landscaping
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Thursday 21st 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
A patio is a form of architecture that creates a special area of interest Patio landscaping requires taking a number of essential considerations in mind when creating a new design
Pool and Patio
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Thursday 21st 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
The relationship between the pool and patio begins with a relationship of duality that unfolds in multiple dimensions throughout the remainder of outdoor space A key determinant in the effectiveness of pool and patio design is the complimentary function these two structures serve as compliments to home architecture
Contemporary Landscape Architecture
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Wednesday 6th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
Contemporary landscape architecture is characterized by a subjective determination to sculpt the landscape into spaces that reflect the human living experience It develops these spaces with respect to Nature, and in some way or another always works to create a relationship between architecture and the contemporary landscape
Garden Arch
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Wednesday 6th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
A type of garden structure, a garden arch helps turn a mundane garden into a masterpiece It is one of the ways a homeowner-gardener expresses a belief that their living environment includes the sum total of their property—not just the four walls of the house
Garden Design Plans
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Wednesday 6th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
Garden design plans are best developed with the help of a professional landscaping contractor with formal training in botany and landscape architecture Gardens are key components to any yard and contribute much more than color and greenery to the aesthetic of your home and your landscape
Professional Landscape Service
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Wednesday 6th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
Regardless of whether it is a dramatic modern landscape design or english landscaping, a well-planned, well-maintained property says something about the owner The well thought-out landscape plan and profession landscape service conveys a message about who you are and can make the property stand out among all the others on the street
Front Yard Landscaping
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Wednesday 6th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
Lots of all sizes look much better when portions of the front yard are differentiated with a number of individual landscaping design methods Entrances, transit areas, gardens, and seating areas all represent highly individualized elements that a professional landscaper will create and unify with linear progression and repeated aesthetic themes
Landscaping in Houston
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Monday 4th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
Houston residents can expect a wide range of landscaping options when it comes to beautifying their properties Houston’s near-tropical climate provides an ideal growing environment for a plethora of seasonal and perennials that can make any yard vibrant and colorful
Mediterranean Gardens
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Monday 4th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
The owner of Mediterranean-style home near Houston’s Memorial Park asked us to develop a garden and landscaping theme that would mirrir the architecture of his home This house was located on a very large lot of several acres and was characterized by a symmetrical, linear form that in spite of its two-story height appeared much longer than it was tall
Deck Building
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Monday 4th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
When considering a deck building project, you are probably thinking about either a wooden deck, most often attached to a house, or the decking, usually made of some kind of masonry, around a luxury swimming pool Both types of decks add a special dimension to your landscape design, creating usable, safe spaces that are also pleasing to the eye
Garden Arbors
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Monday 4th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
A garden arbor is a type of garden structure that invites and entices people into your home landscape design by giving vertical depth to your garden landscape As a classic element within landscape architecture, arbors provide a cozy feeling of enclosure without boxing you in
Houston Garden
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Monday 4th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
The Houston climate makes it one of the best places to plant a garden in the United States Houston experiences a warm climate much of the year, and even though it is exceptionally hot in the summer months, the humidity latent in the atmosphere serves plant life very well
Houston Landscape Architects
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Friday 24th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
Houston landscape architects are much more than gardeners and lawn maintenance professionals They are degreed professionals whose training includes botany, irrigation science, construction, and outdoor lighting techniques
Professional Landscaper
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Friday 24th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
You are more likely to achieve your landscaping goals by hiring a professional landscaper—no matter if your project is a themed garden, like an English garden design or a Mediterranean landscape design, a small garden design that only encompasses landscape planting or a complex construction project A well-versed Houston professional landscaper will take into account not only your desires, but the specific challenges of this region: dense soil, weather conditions of the Gulf coast, drainage issues, and likely insect infestations and plant diseases
Landscaping Design Ideas
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Friday 24th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
Most homeowners already have one or more Most homeowners already have one or more landscaping design ideas fixed firmly in their mind when they contact Exterior Worlds They may have seen visited our landscaping design portfolio and seen the work we have done for other homeowners in neighborhoods like West University, Bellaire, River Oaks, and Tanglewood
Natural Landscaping Design
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Friday 24th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
If we were to have a truly native landscape in Houston Texas it would look like an abandon field of various grasses, a thicket edge of tangled vines, shrubs and underbrush or a mature grove of oaks with leaf ground cover underneath These landscapes are beautiful out in the countryside but in our suburban enclaves we seek some order and design
Garden Gazebo Houston
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Tuesday 21st 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
A garden gazebo is the ultimate garden structure within your landscape architecture It fits nicely into your home landscape design, whether your property is vast and varied or a small garden design
Houston Paver Patio
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Tuesday 21st 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
Prized for their durability, affordability and strength, patio pavers—or concrete pavers—have become increasingly popular among US
Houston Swimming Pool Remodeling
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Tuesday 21st 2009
- Home Management
- Unrated
Swimming pool remodeling is often done as part of a larger landscaping plan Many times people purchase a home that already has a pool built many years before
Houston Texas Garden
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Tuesday 21st 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
We were contacted by the owner of a Houston, Texas home who asked us to design a series of gardens and landscaping features that would compliment and expand the Mediterranean theme of his house into the surrounding landscape This house sat on a very large lot of several acres in a secluded Memorial Drive neighborhood located near the 610 Loop
Houston Landscape
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Tuesday 21st 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
The Houston landscape today is very different from the landscape that European settlers found when they first arrived in Texas At that time, the areas around Buffalo Bayou and its many tributaries was a dark swamp populated by cypress and magnolia trees
Houston Deck Design
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Thursday 16th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
Decks add form, texture and interest to your landscape The most common deck design attaches the deck to the house, although freestanding decks can be quite dramatic
Outdoor Rooms
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Thursday 16th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
An outdoor room uses the basic design principle of harmony It is where your interior space and the exterior can harmonize most beautifully
Retaining Walls
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Thursday 16th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
Representing both form and function, a retaining wall in your landscape garden design solves problems, adds interest and creates space A retaining wall addresses drainage issues and, with some of today’s attractive products, can serve in that function while still looking quite beautiful
Xeriscaping
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Thursday 16th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
Xeriscaping is form of landscaping intended to reduce water and fertilizer consumption Slow-growing, drought tolerant species are introduced alongside of indigenous vegetation already accustomed to the annual rainfall levels of a particular area
Swimming Pool Construction
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Thursday 16th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
Many people question why they would hire a landscape firm to handle their swimming pool construction rather than going directly to a pool contractor They assume that a pool contractor will naturally have more expertise when it comes to needed materials and design options
Knot Garden Design
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Thursday 16th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
In a knot garden, low-growth plants intertwine in intricate patterns that resemble embroidered stitch work or knots They were developed during the English Renaissance at the time of Queen Elizabeth I and William Shakespeare
Green Garden Design
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Thursday 16th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
“Green” is an interesting word these days It, of course, still means the primary color green
Southern Garden
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Thursday 16th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
Houston is a unique year round southern garden
Houston is a unique style of the southern garden because of our location to the Gulf coast Our climate is a mixture of the hot humid south and the tropics of Mexico
Stone Landscaping
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Thursday 16th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
Stone is a naturally durable substance that you can use to decorate virtually any landscape It can work as a supportive element of a garden or ornamental feature, or it can work as a primary element to a special style or earthwork
Residential Landscape Designs
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Thursday 16th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
Maybe you’ve been collecting residential landscape designs for a while Perhaps you saw a Japanese garden design at a friend’s house that captured your imagination
Professional Landscape Maintenance
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Thursday 16th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
Professional landscape maintenance is the systematic growth management of the organic synergy of your property All vegetation ultimately works together to both the foundation for and keynote elements of every traditional-style landscape
Landscape Garden Design
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Thursday 16th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
If you’re thinking about some new ideas for your landscape garden design, Exterior Worlds has plenty of good ones to get you started Just dive in and start planning
French Garden Design
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Thursday 9th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
French garden gardens use the same of geometry and symmetry that André Le Nôtre established in the 17th Century The Lodge at Versailles had originally been a quite retreat used for royal hunts, but Le Nôtre turned it into a palace that became the envy of the European Elite
Urban Landscaping
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Thursday 9th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
The overall objective of any landscape design, including urban landscaping, is to create a space that breathes with the home and has a relationship to its surroundings It should reflect your visual desires and function together in every aspect
Ranch Landscaping
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Wednesday 8th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
The Ranch landscape appeals to our senses of rural beauty, nature and living in a slower time Ranch properties usually have vast acreage, old buildings that might have been built at different times and land uses that have changed considerably over time
Professional Landscaping
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Wednesday 8th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
One of the main reasons people should go with a professional landscaping company is the scope of service that an established and reputable firm is able to provide People do not always realize in advance just how many details will be needed to fulfill their expectations
Parterre Garden Design
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Wednesday 8th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
A parterre garden is a type of formal garden created by 16th Century French nursery designer Claude Mollet Mollet based his design on the square boundaries and elaborate interior patterns of English knot gardens
Natural Lagoon Swimming Pool
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Sunday 5th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
Six years ago, Exterior Worlds was contacted by a couple by the names of Rick and Susan Ashcroft They asked if we could do something about the lagoon-style swimming pool that had been built behind their house in the late1940s
Houston Concrete Patios
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Sunday 5th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
Concrete has been given new life in the last 10-15 years It has become a viable aesthetic, especially in contemporary and urban designs
Houston Tropical Landscaping
- By Jeff Halper
- Published Sunday 5th 2009
- Gardening
- Unrated
The fascination with tropical landscaping makes sense in Houston because of its proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, cultural influences of the tropics, subtropics of Spain and Latin America which provide plenty of local inspiration for creating the tropical landscape design Houston’s architectural styles now popular including New Orleans plantation, Spanish, and Mediterranean all lend themselves well to tropical landscaping
