Tag Archives: landscape design

Home and Garden, Landscape Design, Landscape Design

Themed Landscape Design Part 3: The Gardens of Spain and Italy

Posted on by Larry

Part three of a series on themed landscape design explores Spanish gardens and design elements of Italian gardens. First off, let’s cover Spanish gardens.

Spanish Gardens and their Design

Plan a Spanish Garden | (928) 356-8167 image courtesy of Loizeitung
Plan a Spanish Garden | (928) 356-8167
image courtesy of Loizeitung

What is a Spanish garden from a landscape design perspective?  According to Wikipedia: “A traditional Spanish Garden is a style of garden or designed landscape developed in historic Spain, incorporating principles and elements of garden design from precedents in ancient Persian gardens, Roman gardens and Islamic gardens, and the great Moorish gardens of the Al-Andalus era on the Iberian Peninsula. In the 20th and 21st centuries a ‘Spanish Garden,’ or new gardens in Spain, have continued, interpreted, abstracted, or departed from these traditional planning and aesthetic motifs.Traditionally, the paradise garden is interpreted with a central cross axis, in the four cardinal directions, with long ponds or water channels (a rill or stylized qanat) where water reflects and flows, set in a walled courtyard. [READ MORE]

When you call in a landscape design professional to plan a Spanish garden, ultimately, you want to remember that with such a  garden, less is more.  Like a Zen garden, Spanish gardens are based on simplicity.  But what about one of the roots of such gardens?

Italian Gardens and Designing Tips

An Italian garden, also known as a  Roman garden is based upon a walled off central courtyard.  They are designed to be refuges from the outside world, and are meant to be peaceful and serene spots as a result.  You don’t want an Italian garden in a planned community as your HOA would almost certainly object.

When you are planning to make some changes to your landscape, think about what fits your home as well as your lifestyle.  An English country garden is beautiful, but it needs a LOT of water, the same with a rose garden.  Xeriscaping is beautiful in it’s own way, but it isn’t for everyone, particularly if they’re nostalgic for back home.  Ultimately, whatever you decide, the right landscape design company can help.

This concludes our three part series on themed landscape design.  Be sure to read part one and part two as well.

Green ServPro LLC
600 W. Ray Rd. Suite B2
Prescott AZ 85225
(928) 356-8167
http://www.greenservpro.com

Home and Garden, Landscape Design

Themed Landscape Design Part 1: The Gardens of Asia and the Far East

Posted on by Larry

Part one of a series on themed landscape design will explore the gardens of Asia and the Near East.  First off though, let’s explore China and Japan. Be sure to read part two of this series as well as part three.

Setting Up a Chinese Garden As Part of Landscape Design

Themed Landscape Design | (928) 356-8167
Themed Landscape Design | (928) 356-8167

First off, though, what’s the difference between a Chinese garden and a Japanese garden?  Chinese gardens are themed landscape designs that are over three thousand years old.  Chinese gardens can be vast, like for those of the Imperial Family, or they can be small and intimate places that are designed for both peace and as a temporary respite from the outside world.  Whether large or small, however, a Chinese garden is supposed to convey a message that harmony should always exist between nature and mankind.

In a way, a Chinese garden is like a living story, separate from the outside world.  Walls always enclose Chinese gardens and there are a combination of paths, rocks, flowers and pavilions. Sometimes, there are water features as well.  By moving  through the garden, visitors get to see a series of scenes.  All Chinese gardens, like their Japanese counterparts are very serene places.  A Japanese garden does differ from a Chinese garden in a lot of ways, as far as themed landscape design goes.

Themed Landscape Design: Japanese Gardens

Japanese gardens originally were Chinese gardens, but over time, they started to develop their own unique style, and have been unique for over two centuries.  A lot of Japanese gardens for example originated with the Shinto religion, and as such have several common threads.  First off, there are unusual rocks in a Japanese garden, as well as white pebble paths.  The white of the pebbles symbolizes purity, as well as simulates a dry riverbed.  One thing that is interesting about these gardens is how diverse they are.

The Moss Garden in Kyoto is a classic Japanese garden, as is Kinkaku-ji, and so is the Zen rock garden of Ryōan-ji, and each of them is vastly different from each other. Some of them are just for asethetics, and others for meditation and contemplation. And you can also have one on your property too, as part of landscape design with a theme.

Green ServPro LLC
600 W. Ray Rd. Suite B2
Prescott AZ 85224
(928) 356-8167
http://www.greenservpro.com

Landscape Design

More Info About Landscape Design

Posted on by Larry

Landscape design in Prescott isn’t just about what flowers to plant in fall,  or how much to water.  Sometimes, it is also about ingenuity as well.

Landscape Design Tip:  Convert Your Yard To Desert Landscaping

Landscape Design to Fit Your Taste | (928) 356-8167
Landscape Design to Fit Your Taste | (928) 356-8167

Some people may wonder why anyone would want to convert a yard to desert landscaping would be a good idea in a place as hot as Arizona.  Well, while lawns are beautiful green spaces, they are also fairly labor intensive as well as cost intensive.  If you have a lawn, for example, you can expect to pay up to 10% higher water bills per month from having to water your lawn.   Hiring a service saves you labor, but doesn’t necessarily save you money.  With people having to make cutbacks, one solution involves changing their yard over to something more economical.

yard conversions have started to rise.  Most housing tracts and commercial centers are already starting to incorporate desert landscaping.   It’s merely a matter of removing lawn,  laying down gravel, putting a few boulders around, and planting a cactus or two or some desert plants.  However, it isn’t just desert landscaping that you can convert a yard to.

Yard Conversions: More Landscape Tips

Maybe you don’t want to go desert on your landscaping.  Well, did you know that you can turn your yard into a tropical oasis of landscape design.  Whatever, you decide, make sure you do it right.

Having a lawn isn’t for everyone.  If you want to cut back on your water bill, and are no tired of mowing your lawnl, don’t make it a crater, make it into something else.  Convert your lawn to an area that has landscaping instead.

Green ServPro LLC
600 W. Ray Rd. Suite B2
Prescott AZ 85225
(928) 356-8167
http://www.greenservpro.com

Landscape Design

Landscape Design-Prescott and You

Posted on by Larry

Landscape design Prescott doesn’t start with calling a service.  You have to do a bit on your own too.

Landscape Design Fundamentals

call to action billbaord GreenservPro landscapingGoldLandscape design really does start with you as a homeowner.  Why?  Well, you have to make decisions based on a lot of factors, some of which are practical, some legal and some aesthetic. Let’s start with the practical side first.

If you’re looking into a landscape remodeling project for your home and you are someone who loves being outside, you’re going to have different needs than someone who can’t be outside that much.  So one thing you want to consider is how much maintenance your project is going to need after it’s been set up.

If it needs a lot of water, or regular watering, you may wish to get an irrigation drip system installed in addition to your landscaping.  Now, let’s look at the legal issues. You may not be able to landscape your home exactly the way you want because of various rules.

Homeowner’s Associations and Landscape Remodeling

Homeowner’s Assocations or HOAs have a mixed reputation. On one hand, they try to keep property values up by imposing rules and regulations regarding the appearance of property.  On the other hand, they can also be intrusive as to what you can plant and where.  If you live in a HOA controlled housing tract, you will have to review your rules and make sure that any landscape remodeling that is to be done fits in with the rules that you were most likely a party to.  One of the reasons that HOAs are often rigid with their rules leads us to our final point: aesthetics.

If your home is stark metal and glass with Zen like simplicity, getting a plant that is ostentatious and over the top will ruin the dynamic of your home.  If your home is grandiose, a plant that’s too subtle can get lost with all the other visual elements that are in place.  So as you see, it is a good idea to call in a landscape design service in Prescott.

Green ServPro LLC
600 W. Ray Rd. Suite B2
Prescott AZ 85225
(928) 356-8167

 

Desert Landscape, Design, Landscape Design, Prescott Landscape Maintenance

Synergy and Designing Your Landscape

Posted on by Larry

In our last article we discussed the concept of synergy where landscape design is concerned.  What is synergy?  We are glad you asked…

Synergy and Landscape Design

call to action billbaord GreenservPro landscapingGoldSynergy literally means that all the parts combined are greater than the parts as a sum.  How this relates to landscape design is fairly straightforward.  Let’s say part of your property is down with an Old West Motif.  You’ve got a wagon wheel, and maybe a cow skull.  Perhaps you have an oxidized iron cactus or cowboy silhouette.  You also have rocks and desert plants.

Now, however, you want to do a landscape remodeling project and redo part of your landscape with a Chinese motif.  Well, problem solved.  If you know anything about the history of the west, you know that Chinese workers were part of that history.  So you can tie them together and have a lot of your guests get that delighted expression on their faces when they figure out your landscaping.  See, alone, the elements of Old West and China don’t work, until you tie them together.  And that is synergy in motion.  Whatever you go for design wise, make sure that you know the care and upkeep of it.

Landscape Design and Maintenance

Landscape remodeling means that whatever your new design is, you’re either going to have to take care of it, or hire a landscaping company to do it, otherwise, what starts out as a design ends up in overgrown and weed choked chaos.  One of the things that you have to think about is that you are not locked into your design.  There are no “landscape police’ out there, save for the odd HOA that’s super restrictive about what you can and cannot do to your property.

If you feel like adding something more, then you are free to do so. There are several ways by which you can make your garden more interesting. You can use  rock sculpture or fountain. But always ask for assistance when you need it from a landscape design service.

Green ServPro LLC
600 W. Ray Rd. Suite B2
Prescott AZ 85225
(928) 356-8167
http://www.greenservpro.com

 

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Landscape Design

Landscape Design and Remodeling Part 2

Posted on by Larry

Part two of a two part series explores landscape remodeling.

Landscape Remodeling The Elements You’ll Need

Landscape Design to Fit Your Taste | (928) 356-8167
Landscape Design to Fit Your Taste | (928) 356-8167

Principles of landscape design include a fair amount of synergy, and knowing what works as well as what doesn’t.  What makes a memorable landscape is the little touches.  A garden can be made beautiful with the help of grass, wood, flowers, rocks, ponds, and fountains. If you want to make your garden more natural, you should go for fewer rocks and more plants. However, if you do not want to spend a lot of money and time on maintenance, then you should go for hardscape or rock gardens.. Whatever you choose,wen it works it really works, and when it doesn’t well, it is more infamous than great.

The Disneyland Hotel is a prime example of this.  When the Disneyland Hotel went through landscape remodeling because the park expanded, it took away a lot of the charm, leaving a lot of fans of the place disillusioned.  You obviously don’t want your own landscape remodeling to illicit a similar response.  To be fair, you’re also most not dealing with 10 acres, but still the principles are applicable even for a smaller property.

What is Your Style: Know This Before You Get Landscape Design

Your taste should always be considered when you’re consulting with a landscape design service.  If you love the cultures of Asia, then an Old West motif would not fit your needs.  Or if you love desert landscape, then an English country garden wouldn’t be right either.  Whatever your design, make sure you have accessibility in mind too.

Accessibility includes things that link elements of your landscape remodeling project together such as pathways, and elements that serve as a bridge.

So, start getting an idea in your mind of what you want to see.  Then get on the phone to a landscape design service to make it all come alive for you.

Green ServPro LLC
600 W. Ray Rd. Suite B2
Prescott AZ 85225
(928) 356-8167
http://www.greenservpro.com

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Design, Landscape Design

Landscape Design and Remodeling Part 1

Posted on by Larry

Landscape design is another strategy for successfully remodeling your home.  And it helps in surprising ways…

Why You Should Get Landscape Design

Landscape Design in Prescott, AZ
Landscape Design in Prescott, AZ | Call Us Today | (928) 356-8167

When most people think of remodeling, they concentrate their efforts on the inside of their home, however, your home is not just the rooms you have, it is also the landscaping around your home as well. Landscape remodeling is a strategy that’s often neglected or forgotten about.

Are you thinking of bringing life to your dull lawns? Do you dream of entertaining your friends in your stunning home garden? Instead of keeping on renovating the interior of your home, why not try something different; improve the landscape of your house. Having a beautiful pool, beautiful flowers, and probably a fountain can prove to be much more than just inviting for your visitors; it can also be used as a relaxing lawn for you to run away from your worries. There are several ways by which you can remodel your landscape. But should you do it yourself, or call in a service to do it for you?

Save Time and Trouble: Hire a Landscape Design Service

Even though you can do it by yourself, it is recommended that you let an expert landscape design company do the work for you and bring your dreams to reality. A general idea: After you have decided that you want to improve the landscape of your home, the first thing that you need is to prepare a layout or a rough sketch.

In the rough sketch you should at least try to make a general outline of how you would want your lawn to look like. In the layout you can separate areas such as ponds, dining spaces, sitting area, fountains etc. When preparing the sketch, you have to be creative. You can also use the internet to look for more ideas. You can proceed to the next stage only if you are satisfied with the rough layout for your landscape design.

Green ServPro LLC
600 W. Ray Rd. Suite B2
Prescott AZ 85225
(928) 356-8167
http://www.greenservpro.com

Prescott Landscape Maintenance

Landscape Design and Your Home

Posted on by Larry

Landscape design is more than just putting some roses in and deciding whether to plant azaleas or not…

Landscape Design and Your Home

Landscape Design-Prescott | 480-420-0902
Landscape Design-Prescott | 480-420-0902

First off, what is landscape design?  Well, according to this excerpt from Wikipedia, Landscape design focuses on both the integrated master landscape planning of a property and the specific garden design of landscape elements and plants within it. The practical, aesthetic, horticultural, and environmental sustainability components merit Landscape design inclusion. It is often divided into hardscape design and softscape design. Landscape designers often collaborate with related disciplines such as architecture and geography, soils and civil engineering, surveying, landscape contracting, botany, and artisan specialties. Design project focus can tend towards: in landscape design – artistic composition and artisanship, horticultural finesse and expertise, and a detailed site involvement emphasis from concepts through construction; whereas in landscape architecture – focus of urban planning, city and regional parks, civic and corporate landscapes, large scale interdisciplinary projects, and delegation to contractors after completing designs. There can be significant overlap of talents and skills, depending on the education, licensing, and experience of the professional. Both landscape designers and landscape architects practice landscape design [READ MORE]

Landscape remodeling is another form of this, as it takes existing elements and either replaces them or puts in features to complement them.  All forms of landscape design are basically a bridge between architecture and designing garden space.  Psychologically garden space is very valuable.

Landscape Design and Stress Reduction

An old saying is that a “thing of beauty is a joy forever.”  Landscape design is a proven way of relieving stress, by giving you something positive and beautiful to look at.  Can landscaping really make that much difference?  Well, people with high morale have a proven lower stress ratio.  And pride in your home or property is a great way of achieving morale.

So, keep your home clean, and redecorate when you can afford it.  And one of the best ways that you can redecorate is to get landscape design services done.

Green ServPro LLC
600 W. Ray Rd. Suite B2
Prescott AZ 85225
(928) 356-8167
http://www.greenservpro.com

Design, Landscape Design, Landscape Design

Landscape Design in Phoenix Q & A

Posted on by Larry

In our last article, we brought up some excellent landscape design questions.Phoenix Landscape Design Q & A

What type of soil does a gardenia grow best in?

Gardenias grow in acidic soil. If you want to use gardenias as part of your landscape design, we recommend only using them in a container with potting soil and peat moss added, otherwise it won’t grow well.

The label on my gardenia I just bought says full sun. If I plant it in full sun will it grow?

Only if you plant it in a container and move it indoors when it gets hot. Otherwise, it will die out.  The ‘full sun’ that is referred to on the label is full sun in a much more temperate environment than Arizona.  This is something you really have to think about where landscape design is concerned. Where does the plant come from?  Do your research.

Landscape design in Arizona has it's own unique challenges
Landscape Design in Arizona | Call Us Today | (928) 356-8167

I was out in California and my sister has gorgeous fuchsias, and I want to grow them here, how do I do it?

You don’t, at least not easily. Fuchsias require a more moisture rich climate to do well. You may be able to hang them in a climate controlled greenhouse, but not outside, and they can’t be used in traditional landscape design in Phoenix.

I have heard that Jessamine or Jasmine does well in Arizona, is that true?

Again, do your homework before any landscape design decisions.  Carolina jasmine or jessamine can do well in Arizona, as can Arabian jasmine.  However, there are other species of jasmine that you buy from seed catalogs that are supposedly drought tolerant than will quickly become brown sticks with Arizona’s hot summer.

It’s all about the choices you make.  Drought tolerant can mean that it can survive a long time without water…for England where it rains 33 inches per year.  Arizona is a bit different.  Your landscape design should reflect this too.

 

Green ServPro LLC
600 W. Ray Rd. Suite B2
Prescott AZ 85225
(928) 356-8167
http://www.greenservpro.com

Prescott Landscape Maintenance

Landscape Design in Phoenix

Posted on by Larry

Good landscape design in Phoenix is based on adaptability.  After all, Phoenix is a desert.

Landscape Design in Phoenix For Beginners

Landscape Design in Prescott
Landscape Design Phoenix | Call Us Today | (928) 356-8167

Phoenix has one of the most fluid populations out there.  Even though the number of Arizona natives has gone up in the past few decades, a great many of the people who live here are originally from somewhere else.  As a rule, they bring their ideas regarding landscape design with them, which is not always a good thing.

Why?  Well, what works in one part of the country does not work well in Phoenix.  Let’s say you’re from Louisiana and you miss magnolia trees.  So you find a catalog that offers them for sale, and you buy one.  You pop it in the ground, follow the care instructions to the letter and your magnolia tree dies.  Why?  Because the instructions were written with the ideal climate for a magnolia to grow in, not Phoenix.  Arizona has a desert environment, which makes landscape design Phoenix a bit more challenging.

While the Gulf Coast can hit high summer temperatures, it also has a significantly higher humidity rate.  Sometimes, plants from humid climes die because the air is just too dry for them and when combined with the heat, it literally bakes  plants in the ground.  That’s another reason you want to consult a landscape design service before you shell out money for a plant.  However, there are other reasons why you may want to consult a pro too.

Soil Types and Effective Landscape Design

Despite those that have a green thumb claiming that they can grow any type of plant anywhere, there are limits to what  you can do.  Here are just some of the landscape design questions that we’ve actually answered.  What type of soil does a gardenia grow best in?  The label on my gardenia I just bought says full sun.  If I plant it in full sun will it grow?  I was out in California and my sister has gorgeous fuchsias, and I want to grow them here, how do I do it?

In our next article,  we’ll answer these and many more questions about landscape design.

As you see, sometimes it is more complicated than you might think.  That’s why if nothing else, consult a professional landscape design service in Phoenix.

Green ServPro has been offering landscape design services in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area since 2010.  Call us today.

Green ServPro LLC
600 W. Ray Rd. Suite B2
Prescott AZ 85225
(928) 356-8167