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When the sun goes down and night falls, the details you've worked so hard to include in your residential or commercial landscape should truly come into focus. That is if they have the benefit of exterior lighting to illuminate them. Landscape lighting provides a unique and aesthetically pleasing dynamic to any yard, garden, patio, walking path, or common area, and at Illuminations Lighting Concepts we offer more low voltage lighting options than any other retailer in the industry. And the best part of custom outdoor lighting is the word "custom", meaning your input is key and your vision the end goal of our design and installation process.

Landscape LightingYou know your yard better than anyone else, and the same can be said regarding our knowledge of outdoor lighting. That said it makes sense that the design element is a collaborative process between us and our customers. We'll visit your property first hand and get the lay of the land in order to provide you with an accurate estimate before starting. We also offer our customers the luxury of seeing other properties that we've done in order to see our work firsthand. If this isn't convenient, we can actually provide an evening demonstration at your home. In other words, before we start you'll have a first-hand working knowledge of how our lighting can accentuate and illuminate your property.

Once design elements are agreed upon our quick and easy installation process can begin. All of our installation professionals are certified with the National Institute of Landscape Lighting Professionals, and are the beneficiaries of extensive classroom and on-site training as well as real world experience. And when we do install we do so using only lighting fixtures from the most respected names in the industry; names such as Unique, Hadco, Kichler, and Focus. The professionalism and attention to detail we bring to both the design and installation processes is reinforced by our maintenance programs, which include the most comprehensive warranty and service programs in the industry today.

If you've gone to the trouble of achieving your vision for your residential or commercial landscape, we invite you to incorporate the element that will allow you to enjoy it day or night. Create an atmosphere in your yard that highlights and adds to its uniqueness, and create many moods that are certain to open the night up to work and play. Let Illuminations Lighting Concepts work with you to create just such a scenario.

Demetro Carbone is the owner operator of Illuminations Lighting Concepts. Commercial and residential landscape lighting design is available through Illuminations Lighting. Their expert contractors and designers can help you find the best low voltage lighting and outdoor lighting for your home garden, patio, front yard or backyard.

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Sale Kichler

Who thinks LED and Solar lights give quality lighting?

I've been installing landscape lighting for almost 20 years and can't uderstand why people see value in LED & Solar lights. It's like the electric car - great in theory but proformance leaves alot to be desired. Fireflies in a jar, Fireflies in a jar.

Depends on your need for landscape lighting.
I find MOST bright landscape lighting unnecessary & garish. I find the soft subtle solar lights are perfect for most garden uses.
Remeber it is a garden - not the Las Vegas strip!!!

For More Solar Lighted Info Click On The Blue Links Below

48 Inch Solar Light Feeding Doe Yard Decoration In Gold Mesh 389527 US $13.81

Solar Pagoda Light US $35.00

60 LED Blue Solar Power Outdoor Garden String Lights US $1.57

60 LED Garden Xmas Party Solar Fairy Lights Blue More Xmas Lights View Our Shop US $1.57

Mosaic Solar Light Jar US $7.00

Solar Post Cap Light US $11.95

12 AAA 650 mAh NiCd Rechargeable Battery Solar Lights US $10.95

2 Pk Stainless Steel Hexagon Solar Wall Mount Light Patio Garden Yard Lights US $19.48

12 AA 1200 mAh NiCd Rechargeable Battery Solar Lights US $11.95

Solar Power Led Rope light 100 Led Fairy Lights Waterproof Garden Light Coloured US $20.99

Solar Lid lights in Antique brown western style water proof sealed panel US $11.95

DC 5V 18V Solar Light Control Switch Module Controller No waterproof 5cm x 28cm US $3.28

Solar light pot US $5.00

Solar Powered Motion Activated LED Security Flood Light eLEDing® Pure Digital US $39.00

Set of 2 Stainless Steel Tall Dome Solar Garden Lights US $18.49

23ft Mix Colors LED Solar Powered Lights Garden Spike US $9.96

Outdoor Solar Powered Trendy Blue 36 feet 60 LED Fairy String Christmas Lights US $.78

Yard Solar decorating lights one butterfly dragonfly and hummingbird US $19.99

NEW SOLAR 32 LED LIGHTS 9 TAN PATIO UMBRELLA W TILT OUTDOOR MARKET US $94.95

SOLAR LANDSCAPE LIGHTS 8 PACK NEW IN BOX US $40.00

NEW BLUE Solar Powered String LED Lights Garden Spike US $9.98

SOLAR LED MARKER LIGHTS SET OF 4 NEW IN BOX US $36.50

SOLAR COACH LIGHTS SET OF 4 NEW IN BOX BLACK FINISH US $44.00

Colourful Solar Garden Xmas 7M 60 LED Fairy Light ☆☆☆ US $1.41

2 Pack Solar Indoor Outdoor Solar Bollard Pathway Light Patio Garden Lights US $12.88

Sun may soon send storms toward Earth
BOULDER - The sun may finally be awakening from its longest quiet period in about a century and powering up to solar maximum, when it could fling disruptive electromagnetic storms toward Earth.

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Solar Lighted

Of course, the way that a garden is lit usually makes or breaks the ambience and this is where many will go wrong. The wrong kind will take away from the look, but get it right and everyone will want to be there much more often. Even entertaining can be carried on there and what better way to impress people than to have some beautiful corners lit up to show off some lovely parts.

But this is not as easy as it may first seem and this is where the expert will be needed to come in and give an idea of what is possible and what is not. Water features are great places that can be lit to good effect and even garden furniture or statues can be lit in a great way.

But all this must fit in with the layout of the garden and the plants which have already been set out there. Expert gardeners will be able to advice on what plants will suit the climate, as well as how big they will grow and if they will trespass onto to the other plants at all. Indeed, some people will really have no idea when it comes to planting up the garden and this may just spoil the completed look in the end.

Some people like the idea of having winter color, while others will want a flush of color to come in every few months or so. Trees that turn golden in the autumn or flowers that come through at the end of winter are just two ideas that most people will be familiar with. When this has been decided then it is time for the illumination expert to have a hand in the finished look so that the garden can grow.

Of course, it is possible to put in the illumination after the plants have gone in but some do not like to be disturbed after they have put down their roots and should be considered in the overall plan.

Finding ways to go ‘green’ is also on a lot of minds these days particularly when power bills are going astronomical. By putting in sun powered illumination there is an opportunity to use power without worrying about the cost. Power is practically free so the garden will be able to be lit at will and this is where evening entertainment will come to the fore. Whatever is chosen, making sure that quiet corners are left for those who want to read or just hang in nature is a must.

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Ways To Purchase Some Different Lighting Ideas For That Special Garden

If you are ready to explore your outdoor living options, sit down with your entire family and determine how they see themselves using the space. Everyone should have a say or it will turn into an area that is exclusive to some members of the family and not interesting to others. Of course, if the parents are looking for a private space, this may be a great idea! But if it is family space you want, it is important to make everyone comfortable. The most important thing to do is create a seating area. Those with a pool can place seating near that area, or further away from the action. You can also choose a centerpiece for the seating area like a fire pit or chimenea. This also allows you to keep your outdoor space functional a few weeks earlier and later into the cold season than you otherwise would be able to. A comfortable seating area is probably the most important part of making your outdoor space useful.

Next, decide if you need outdoor dining space. If so, section off an area with a table and chairs that are comfortable and allow for meals al fresco. You may also want to consider incorporating aspects of a kitchen into the space. You can install a large cooking space with a grill, a sink, and a refrigerator and freezer. This makes for convenience outdoors. This is also important if you are planning to entertain. If you have people over be sure to have space for people sit and relax, as well as put down drinks and enjoy eating. A party will be so much fun with an outdoor kitchen space that is comfortable. Designing an outdoor living area is an excellent way to bring together family and friends. Instead of worrying about the expense of hard work, relax, start with a few chairs, and get outside to enjoy your space!

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Your Exterior Can Be Comfortable For Everyone

In the first millennium, a wealthy Roman family would most likely have had a garden surrounding their home. In it, you might find an open-air palazzo, pergola-style structures dripping with vines and blooming flowers, a dining area with couches for relaxation, water features such as an outdoor water fountain or wall fountain, and walkways that led out into the garden proper, perhaps to a prized rosebush or into an olive grove. These are some of the elements characterizing what is now called classical landscape design, also known as traditional landscape design.

Classical landscape design is a subset of formal landscape design that uses linear, clean lines to develop an uncluttered look. These lines can be drawn with rows of trees and well-trimmed hedges, perfect plantings for the classical landscape design. Or perhaps a seat wall made of regimented terra cotta tiles can do double-duty. Here and there, vines, such as ivy or wisteria, can soften any harshness. In this regard, this style is similar to the Mediterranean landscape design with its Roman and Greek influences.

The History of Classical Landscape Design

Borrowing influences from previous civilizations, classical landscape design solidified in Rome and the surrounding countryside. Villas were built with comfortable courtyards, sparkling with the sound of water, shaded by large trees, fragrant with rosemary and citrus fruits. It was from this setting that we got the term "pleasure garden."

In England of the late 1700s, property owners started looking backwards, past the Baroque period and the Renaissance, to the beginnings of western civilization. There, they found classical landscapes making use of woods, water, indigenous plants and small temples. These elements were incorporated into the gardens of that day, further defining the principles of traditional landscape design.

By the way, when Rome fell to the barbarians, the gardens had become so exquisite that the barbarians chose not to ransack them. Instead they kept them up and learned from them. This development is one of the early examples of how we, as humans, learned that beauty can change the world: it can stop violence. This principle is now being used to good effect in gardens started as rehabilitation projects in prisons, inner cities and ghettos.

Choices in Classical Landscape Design

As with all landscape design, the architecture of the house needs to be considered when using a traditional landscape design. For this style, the home and landscape can be tied together through the subtle placement of a hardscape feature, such as the use of tumbled travertine for the courtyard flooring.

Because of the formal principles inherent in this style, you want to strike a balance when choosing materials between boring blandness and baroque lavishness. Think instead in terms of interesting variety. For instance, well-contained decorative gravel can provide color and texture. Courtyards, pool decking and patios should use materials that are symmetrical, in keeping with the formal style. Stone, terra cotta tiles and flagstone are appropriate choices. Granite benches, concrete grottoes and marble urns add sturdiness and reference antiquities.

Your preference for classical landscape design can also be demonstrated in the plants you choose. Your residential garden will be enhanced by fruit trees and other dwarf trees-or perhaps a stand of cypress, mulberry or fig trees. The cheery colors of marigolds, hyacinths and roses are well suited for the classical landscape design. Herbs planted in terra cotta pots scent the air and provide fresh flavor in your outdoor kitchen cooking.

Hardscapes in Classical Landscape Design

Color, form, line, scale, and texture are your means of expressing classical landscape design preferences just as they are with modern landscape design.

Hardscapes to include:
• Outdoor rooms for outdoor living. These living areas, in effect, make your home bigger. They also serve to create transition areas that connect the indoor and outdoor spaces. Plus, they further the notion that a garden is a place of rejuvenation. In particular, outdoor kitchens are important to the traditional landscape design.

• Outdoor water fountains. If you remember your ancient world history classes, you know that the Romans perfected the aqueduct. So water is prized within classical landscape design and nothing showcases it like a picture-perfect outdoor water fountain. Look for fountains in formal, Romanesque, Italianate, Mediterranean and rustic styles. Those made of tile, cast stone, cast iron and concrete work particularly well with this style.

• Swimming pools. When placed within a classical landscape design, the shape of your swimming pool should tend towards basic geometric shapes like rectangles and ovals. Thus, the shape of the pool frames the water and turns it into a classical design element of the landscape. It is often efficient to combine the pool with an outdoor water fountain to eliminate some maintenance redundancies.

• Landscape lighting. Landscape lighting is another important element of traditional landscape design as it creates ambiance and lets you enjoy the outdoors, night and day.

Classical Landscape Design: A Houston Setting

"We implemented a classical landscape design for one of our Houston clients, whose home was French Country. For the garden, we chose a design that closely resembles a famous garden in Florence," says Jeff Halper with Exterior Worlds. "The landscape design makes good use of gravel and limestone, which looks very natural in a Houston garden. And we planted boxwoods, which we trim and shape regularly as part of a well-thought-out residential landscape maintenance plan. It is a lovely and relaxing space."

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Classic Landscape Design and Traditional Landscape Design in Houston Texas

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. They may have seen photographs of properties in a reputable publication that inspired certain landscape design ideas based on several motifs that caught their eye, or they may be have had a passion for a certain cultural style such as French, Italian, or Japanese that they have always wanted to develop on their own personal homestead.

Regardless of the origin of such inspiration, it is important that you work with a Houston Landscaping Service that can help you more fully develop your landscaping design ideas in a manner that compliments the appearance of your home and helps extend its living space outdoors in a way that fully expresses the core values and subjective sentiments of your own personal lifestyle.

Make your landscape a virtual, organic extension of your home's structure and aesthetic.

When you meet with your landscaping architect for the first time, try to develop landscaping design ideas that will compliment the architecture of your house. No matter how small or large your home actually is, it represents the most dominant feature of your landscape, and as such, cannot be ignored. Any outdoor structures such as an arbor, fire pit, outdoor kitchen, patio fireplace, or special walkway needs to reflect the basic design principles that distinguish your house from surrounding structures.

The swimming pool in particular is something you should pay very close attention to. Most swimming pool construction that is done independently from a landscaping plan tends to focus only on making the pool itself functional and aesthetically pleasing. We see this all the time when we work on older homes that were build in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. The pool looks fantastic in and of itself, but it clashes severely with surrounding terrain and home architectural features. We commonly have to remodel swimming pools significantly, or rebuild them all together, to harmonize the poll with the surrounding landscape.

Garden design is another area that you should really rely upon professional expertise to help develop. While you may already have dozens of landscaping design ideas in mind about what types of flowers, shrubs, and trees will look best in your yard, please keep in mind that vegetation groupings constitute forms in and of themselves that either work with or against the appearance of your house. A good example would be some of the contemporary landscapes we have done in our landscaping portfolio section which required us to plant some very unique vegetation patterns to truly do justice to the unique elements that constituted a particular home's appearance.

Think form follows function when developing a landscaping plan.

The best landscaping design ideas will develop forms around practical use of open areas. After all, the more beautiful your landscape, the more you are going to want to go outside and experience it firsthand. Activities will naturally follow, so coming up with a clear picture of what you intend to ultimately do when you are outdoors will help you more fully develop a plan for development of key areas of your yard. If your ultimate goal is to create entertainment space, then outdoor structures and special environments will need to be built that support the many activities that you and your guests particularly enjoy. If you have children, and you are looking to create special play areas and sports facilities, Houston professional landscapers can help you by subcontracting specialists who can design these facilities (such as courts and practice fields) safely and effectively while still remaining ultimately true to the overall landscaping design idea envisioned in the master plan.

Ornament the landscape to create special space in addition to simply decorating it.

Even something that normally conveys a purely artistic sentiment can play a functional role in the development of your landscaping design idea. Your Houston landscaping company can help develop special patio and seating areas that are aside just for you. Here, you can reflect, meditate, read the paper, and enjoy the morning over conversation and coffee. Fountains and sculptures, though typically categorized as purely decorative, can take on a new, more subtle role as boundary markers between public space, children space, and special, private space. Landscape lighting can then be installed around these areas to maintain these boundaries during the night as well as the day. In this sense, one single landscape can be turned into many smaller landscapes; each represented by its own unique features, forms, purposes, and carefully designed 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. They may have seen photographs of properties in a reputable publication that inspired certain landscape design ideas based on several motifs that caught their eye, or they may be have had a passion for a certain cultural style such as French, Italian, or Japanese that they have always wanted to develop on their own personal homestead.

Regardless of the origin of such inspiration, it is important that you work with a Houston Landscaping Service that can help you more fully develop your landscaping design ideas in a manner that compliments the appearance of your home and helps extend its living space outdoors in a way that fully expresses the core values and subjective sentiments of your own personal lifestyle.

Make your landscape a virtual, organic extension of your home's structure and aesthetic.

When you meet with your landscaping architect for the first time, try to develop landscaping design ideas that will compliment the architecture of your house. No matter how small or large your home actually is, it represents the most dominant feature of your landscape, and as such, cannot be ignored. Any outdoor structures such as an arbor, fire pit, outdoor kitchen, patio fireplace, or special walkway needs to reflect the basic design principles that distinguish your house from surrounding structures.

The swimming pool in particular is something you should pay very close attention to. Most swimming pool construction that is done independently from a landscaping plan tends to focus only on making the pool itself functional and aesthetically pleasing. We see this all the time when we work on older homes that were build in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. The pool looks fantastic in and of itself, but it clashes severely with surrounding terrain and home architectural features. We commonly have to remodel swimming pools significantly, or rebuild them all together, to harmonize the poll with the surrounding landscape.

Garden design is another area that you should really rely upon professional expertise to help develop. While you may already have dozens of landscaping design ideas in mind about what types of flowers, shrubs, and trees will look best in your yard, please keep in mind that vegetation groupings constitute forms in and of themselves that either work with or against the appearance of your house. A good example would be some of the contemporary landscapes we have done in our landscaping portfolio section which required us to plant some very unique vegetation patterns to truly do justice to the unique elements that constituted a particular home's appearance.

Think form follows function when developing a landscaping plan.

The best landscaping design ideas will develop forms around practical use of open areas. After all, the more beautiful your landscape, the more you are going to want to go outside and experience it firsthand. Activities will naturally follow, so coming up with a clear picture of what you intend to ultimately do when you are outdoors will help you more fully develop a plan for development of key areas of your yard. If your ultimate goal is to create entertainment space, then outdoor structures and special environments will need to be built that support the many activities that you and your guests particularly enjoy. If you have children, and you are looking to create special play areas and sports facilities, Houston professional landscapers can help you by subcontracting specialists who can design these facilities (such as courts and practice fields) safely and effectively while still remaining ultimately true to the overall landscaping design idea envisioned in the master plan.

Ornament the landscape to create special space in addition to simply decorating it.

Even something that normally conveys a purely artistic sentiment can play a functional role in the development of your landscaping design idea. Your Houston landscaping company can help develop special patio and seating areas that are aside just for you. Here, you can reflect, meditate, read the paper, and enjoy the morning over conversation and coffee. Fountains and sculptures, though typically categorized as purely decorative, can take on a new, more subtle role as boundary markers between public space, children space, and special, private space. Landscape lighting can then be installed around these areas to maintain these boundaries during the night as well as the day. In this sense, one single landscape can be turned into many smaller landscapes; each represented by its own unique features, forms, purposes, and carefully designed ideas.

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Landscaping Design Ideas

High quality landscaping can add so much to a home or business, especially when the landscaping brings color and creativity to the forefront. When a homeowner or business owner takes the next step and adds landscape lighting, the result has the potential to be phenomenal.

Landscape lighting really enhances attractive landscaping, and can make ordinary landscaping stand out and turn into attractive landscaping. Adding landscaping isn't necessarily all that difficult or even terribly costly, but the curb appeal which good lighting adds is undeniable.

Adding lighting can even enhance winter landscapes, accentuating trees, bushes, and even ornaments that really add to the visual affect that makes landscaping so appealing. Introducing this to existing landscaping is a project that is definitely worth consulting with a professional. Having this lighting installed professionally can help you avoid some very common mistakes that detract from the landscape instead of enhancing it.

Having your landscape lighting professionally installed will open up your options more than most people realize. Professionals have a very critical eye for landscape and landscape lighting and can easily pull forth the best qualities to highlight while introducing you to your best option for your lighting.

The installation of this can be done at the time of having landscaping completed or can be added to existing landscaping. Having the lighting added to landscape as it is being completed allows the landscaper an extra margin of creativity, creating the lighting as an original part of the overall landscaping. Adding this to existing landscaping may sometimes require a few transplantations and perhaps the addition of a few extra plants, but most of the time landscape lighting can be added to existing landscaping without rearranging anything. However, if you've been considering making a few additions or changes to your existing landscaping, doing so while installing landscape lighting is the perfect opportunity.

Homes with landscape lighting attract more attention than homes without it. The better the landscape lighting, obviously, the more attention the homes or business will attract. Accent lighting and landscape lighting can bring forth a very different night time beauty that was previously overlooked. During the darker winter months, it can add a value of warmth to the look of the home or business, which will make it appealing and inviting. During the summer months when the landscaping is in full bloom, landscape lighting will accentuate the best and most appealing parts of your landscaping while creating a very attractive and even festive look to the home or business.

Businesses that take the time to install it are much more appealing than businesses that don't. This additional appeal attracts clients and customers, especially those businesses which are open after dark even if for only part of the year. When a business is exceptionally appealing to clients and customers, they tend to attract regular and repeat business. Landscape lighting can be part of that attraction. There is a visual sense of calm that people associate with landscape lighting. That visual sense of calm make clients and customers feel at ease about coming inside and spending some time or money.

Homes with the lighting are more appealing as well. Whether you are considering selling a home, having family and friends over, or simply want to make your home a nicer and more comfortable environment, landscape lighting can absolutely deliver what you're looking for. Homes which are up for sale that have landscape lighting attract more potential buyers than homes without it.

Professionally installed it can offer a home or business owner variable options to enhance the qualities they believe are the most appealing while allowing a professional landscape lighting expert to make unbiased recommendations. This ensures that your landscape lighting will be more than adequate, it will be phenomenal. Don't choose a lighting professional carelessly. Often professional landscape lighting experts can offer you examples of their work, which in turn can give you confidence that you are hiring the very best in landscape lighting.

Having this installed in a huge home or business improvement that will have noticeable effects right away. It is highly recommended to have your landscape lighting professionally installed and professionally maintained. Professional installation of landscape lighting is easy and adds value to a home or business without much effort and no inconvenience. This adds curb appeal faster than almost any other home or business improvement.

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Landscape Lighting Increases Your Curb Appeal

Have you cut out and collected pictures of great landscaping ideas, but now wonder how to actually put them onto your own property? Have you wanted to capture the vision of a stately French mansion on your property in Houston, Texas? Would you like to know whether the plants you've admired in European and New England countryside estates will grow on the Texas coastal plains?

If so, you need the services of an experienced residential landscape design professional. A competent landscape designer or landscape architect takes you through the entire design development process, which includes: consultation and program development, analysis of the existing site, conceptual landscaping design, construction documentation and permitting. And then on towards turning the vision in your mind from virtual reality to actual reality.

Landscape design and Analysis of the Site

An essential part of the initial consultation with your landscape designer or landscape architect is a walk around your property. Here is where you get to share your overall vision, detail your wants and needs and desires. It should be a free-flowing discussion about aesthetics, which includes your likes and dislikes of materials, preferences on arrangements-all the "wouldn't it be nice if..." things you've been considering.

Try to be as specific as you can. For example, you may want a deck to seat a party of ten people or a large lawn area on which your three- and five-year-old can play with your Labrador retriever. This detailed information will be brought together by your residential landscape designer or landscape architect to create a program of uses. The program organizes uses by their relationship to one another, much like the inside flow of your home. In fact, the architecture and flow of your home should relate to the architecture and flow of your landscaping. Understanding these relationships and interpreting them well separates the artist-architectural designer from a landscape horticulturalist-contractor.

Residential Landscaping Design

The next step in the design process develops out of the meeting notes, site analysis, program of uses, and the design professional's experience. At this conceptual level, the landscape designer or landscape architect conveys the overall design intent, such as the general use areas and their sizes, swimming pools and other hardscapes, outdoor kitchens and outdoor fountains, lawn areas, and plantings. This phase will also be the time when it is determined which wish list items are possible on the site and which are not. An overall cost study is developed from the conceptual landscaping design as well.

Moving Forward with you Landscape Design:

Once you have agreed on the overall design intent, sizes of use areas, general material selections and their applications, you are ready to begin the landscaping design development and construction phase. The documentation for this phase can be broken down into three groups: 1) landscaping design drawings for permitting. 2) landscaping design drawings to convey final design intent and material selections for you and the installation contractor 3) landscaping design drawings, called construction documents, with specifications for materials, specifications for their installation and installation methods.

These drawings may be accompanied by a full package of additional drawings to include an existing site survey, tree disposition and elevation plan, tree preservation plan, demolition plan, swimming pool plan, landscape drainage systems, irrigation systems, hardscape plan including outdoor kitchen and outdoor water fountains, landscape planting plan, landscape lighting plan, and construction details for the above plans.

As for permits, each city has its own unique requirements for landscape plan approvals. The norm is a submittal of the entire permitting package to be approved or rejected by a committee board. For this reason, it is important to hire a landscaping company that is fluent in these areas, one who knows what vital information to include, such as lot coverage ratios, engineered drainage plans, pool fencing layout and specifications. It is equally important to omit unnecessary information that could create confusion or send up a red flag that would keep the project from getting approved. A knowledgeable residential landscape designer or landscape architect helps win approval as quickly as possible.

Garden Design and the End Results

Whether your project is a simple landscaping design that only encompasses landscape planting or is a complex construction package, it is vital that you hire a landscape designer or landscape architect that is competent in the skill sets detailed here. For your satisfaction, it is also important to distinguish between off-the-shelf landscaping design and a designer who can reflect your unique style. Always ask to see a portfolio and visit the website to determine if the landscaping company under consideration has the sense of style you appreciate and is one who can design a landscape that complements your home and lifestyle.

Additionally, it is highly recommended that you utilize a landscaping design company that not only does the design work, but also performs project management and landscaping installation. There is a world of difference between someone who has great ideas and another person with great ideas who also knows the availability and best use of local materials, local contractors and their methods of construction, overall cost and budget development, and can then maintain the finished product. In short, you want a landscape designer or landscape architect who can deliver a landscape design solution that flourishes in the Houston climate over the long term.

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Landscape Design For Homes in Houston Texas

Landscape architects-they are members of a team that you call in when you want your landscape to have an impact. Landscape architects are the professionals that help you turn your property into your dream home. And into a true investment.

Landscape Architects: Background

Who are landscape architects? To become a landscape architect usually requires a bachelor's or master's degree in landscape. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are two undergraduate professional degrees: a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA) and a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture (BSLA). Typically, these degrees entail four or five years of study in design, construction techniques, art, history, natural and social sciences.

For landscape architects seeking advanced degrees, there are two routes. Those who hold undergraduate degrees in landscape architecture can earn their Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) in two years. If you hold an undergraduate degree in a field other than landscape architecture and want to go into landscape architecture, the MLA usually takes three years of full-time study.

In 2007, 61 U.S. colleges and universities offered 79 undergraduate and graduate programs in landscape architecture that were accredited by the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).

Landscape Architects: Their Work Process

The first step for landscape architects in planning a project is to study it as a whole. First, they strive to understand the clients' objectives and the available budget. At the same time, they take into consideration the natural elements of the property, such as the climate, soil, trees and other vegetation, and the slope of the land and resulting drainage issues. Additionally, they assess where sunlight falls during the different seasons and the different times of day. They also take into account the surrounding area-the neighboring homes and buildings, sidewalks, streets and utilities.

With studies and analyses in hand, landscape architects then draw up a preliminary design. This is the time when landscape architects consult with other professionals who may be involved in the project, such as civil engineers, landscape contractors or residential architects. This initial design takes into account any late-arriving changes that the client wants, as well as unforeseen requirements made by different governing bodies. In other words, changes, additions and adjustments are expected during this stage.

A proposal is then prepared, showing detailed plans of what the landscaping will look like. Most landscape architects use computer-aided design (CAD) in these technology-driven days and some firms even use video simulation to help clients better see the suggested ideas and plans. The final proposal may include written reports, sketches, models, photographs and cost estimates. These documents will be used both by the client and regulatory agencies.

Finally, landscape architects prepare working drawings to be used by the landscape contractors that show all existing and proposed features. Included is an outline that details the methods of construction and lists the approved materials. At this point, landscape architects usually move into a supervisory role, monitoring the project as the landscape contractors and their crews carry out the plans.

Landscape Architects: Finding One

In the state of Texas, the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners www.tbae.state.tx.us/Professions/Landscape.shtml regulates the practice of landscape architects. Only those individuals who have become registered as landscape architects may legally call themselves a landscape architect. The website provides a link to find a registered landscape architect.

The American Society of Landscape Architects (www.asla.org) is one of the leading industry groups for landscape architects. Founded in 1899, ASLA represents more than 18,200 members in 48 professional chapters and 68 student chapters. Its website offers a "firm finder" link.

Landscape Architects: Things To Do Before Interviewing

The ASLA offers these tips to better prepare yourself to find the best landscape architect for you:

• Think about what you want and how you will use your landscape. Formal entertaining, herb gardens, and children's playgrounds are just some of the possibilities. Think about your preferences for the look of the grounds-would you like an English garden design or perhaps a Modern landscape design?

• Don't just limit yourself to plants and trees; maybe you would like a distinctive garden gate, an outdoor water fountain, a outdoor kitchen, swimming pool or dramatic landscape lighting.

• Make a realistic budget. One rule of thumb is to invest 5 to 10 percent of your house's worth into landscaping. If this seems steep, remember that homes with professional landscaping can fetch 15-20 percent more at the time of resale than homes that lack landscaping, according to a 2004 study commissioned by the Professional Landcare Network.

• Look at books and magazines for ideas and start a file of plants, trees, gardens, yards, pools, patios, decks, fences and other hardscapes that you like-or dislike-to show your landscape architect. This research will help you communicate what you want to achieve or avoid.

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Landscape Achitects in Houston Texas

120-volt lighting is occasionally referred to as high voltage lighting. The 120-volt kind of landscape lighting uses the same sort of electrical lines which are employed in a normal house. 120 volt lighting is especially bright, and it is normally used in larger areas, such as parks or ball fields. If you have a particularly large bit of acreage, this kind of lighting might produce the juice required to brighten a long driveway or large pool area. It is fairly pricey to run and install, unfortunately. The power lines need to be buried inside a conduit, and often an electrician and one or two local permits will be required for installing the lights. So, it is important to do do your homework.

12-volt lighting, Solar Flood Light, or low voltage lighting, is cheaper and more accommodating than 120-volt lighting. Because the cables will not carry such a high volume of electricity, they will not need to be buried. A transformer will need to be used to run these lights, but once the fixtures get wired to the transformer, the single lights can be repositioned simply. Even though you could opt for an electrician to put in the transformer, in a few areas this is not insisted on. Consequently, the installation should not be required to cost a lot. As you’d expect, these lights should use less electricity than 120 volt lighting fixtures, so your utility bills will not be required to cost a lot, either. The very obvious downside is that 12-volt lights aren’t going to be as bright. Still, these lights are able to provide sufficient illumination for a normal yard. So, it is definitely something to consider for your house.

Solar Flood Garden Lighting fixtures are the most versatile and least expensive to use. Several systems come with a large single solar cell which is wired to the individual lights, while some different styles come with individual cells incorporated into each fixture. The first type enables you to use one certain sunny place in the yard for collecting energy. Then the juice can be shot through wires to lights that have been installed in usually shady places. The second system needs no lines, and the individual lamps can be mounted virtually anywhere and shifted easily, so, it’s extremely customizable.

Landscape lighting can be used to give you a attractive outdoor “room” by spotlighting plants and architectural features. Or, if you’d rather, it can merely illuminate a footpath to your home. However you choose to employ landscape lighting, someone makes a landscape lighting option to answer your needs and be possible on your budget. Remember with just a little patience and perseverance anything is possible.

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Beautify Your Home with Landscape Lighting