In 2003, we received a call from John and Jennifer Randall of West Houston. They had decided to build a French-style home just off of Piney Point near Memorial Drive. Jennifer wanted a modern French landscape design that reflected the symmetry, balance, and patterns of Old World estates. French landscapes like this are popular because of their uniquely proportioned partier gardens, formal garden and constructions, and tightly clipped hedges. John also wanted the French landscape design because of his passion for his heritage (he originally came to Houston from Louisiana), as well as the obvious aesthetic benefits of creating a natural complement to the architecture of the new house. The first thing we designed was a motor court driveway/parking area in the front of the home. While you may not think that a paved element would have anything at all do with landscape design, in reality it is truly apropos to the theme. French homes almost always have paving that extends all the way to the house. In the case of the Randall home, we used interlocking concrete pavers to create a surface that looks much older than it really is. This prevented the property from looking too much like a new construction and better lent itself to the elegance and stateliness characteristic of French landscape designs in general. Further blending of practical function with the aesthetic elements of French landscaping was accomplished in an area to the left of the driveway. John loved fishing, and he requested that we design a convenient parking area to temporarily store his boat while he waited for a slip at the marina to become available. Knowing that this area would function only for temporary storage, we came up with the idea of integrating this special parking area into the green space of a parterre garden. We laid down a graveled area in the shape of a horseshoe that would easily allow John back up his truck and unload his boat. We then surrounded this graveled area with a scalloped hedge characterized by a very bright, light green color. Planting boxwoods and Holly trees beyond the hedge, we then extended them throughout the yard. This created a contrast of light and green ground cover that is characteristic of French landscape designs. By establishing alternating light and dark shades of color, it helps establish an unconscious sense of movement which the eye finds it hard to resist following Parterre gardens like this are also keynote elements to French landscape designs, and the combination of such a green space with the functional element of a paved area serves to elevate the mundane purpose of a temporary parking and storage area into an aesthetic in its own right. Also, we deliberately chose the horseshoe design because we knew this space could later be transformed into a decorative center for the entire garden. This is the main reason we used small stones to cover the area, rather than concrete or pavers. When the boat was eventually relocated, the darkly colored stones surrounded by a brightly colored hedge gave us an excellent place to mount an outdoor sculpture. The elegance of the home and surrounding French landscape design warranted attention at all hours so we contracted a lighting design company to ensure that all important elements of the house and property were fully visible at night. With mercury vapor lights concealed in trees, we created artificial moonlight that shone down on the garden and front porch. For accent lighting, we used a combination of up lights and down lights to differentiate architectural features, and we installed façade lights to emphasize the face of the home itself. Although a new construction, this residence achieved such an aura of stateliness that it earned fame throughout the neighborhood almost overnight, and it remains a favorite in the Piney Point area to this day. For more the 20 years Exterior Worlds has specialized in servicing many of Houston's fine neighborhoods.

CLCA (California Landscape Contractors Association) Judge's Award Winner for Best California Residential Landscaping project under 150k. Project features gardens, natural rock water fountain, pavers & stone work, putting green for golf lovers, BBQ area, outdoor dining, and night lighting for ambiance at all times of day. Samscaping is Diamond Certified (independently rated highest in quality) and is celebrated by decades of multiple state and local awards. - http://Samscaping.com By Josh Wilbur of AxisWebMedia.com

Design ideas for a mediterranean courtyard water fountain landscape in Los Angeles.

Residential Installation, Merit Award by Oakland Design, Columbus, OH. For this stately home, the client requested a serene, but textured, landscape with colorful and formal elements. The large rectangular walkway spans the perimeter of the lawn and provides a meditative path. Hydrangea, roses, catmint and other perennials were planted in the transition from driveway to lawn to add pops of color. From the patio, the boxwoods and meticulous paver edges emphasize formality with clean lines and structure. One of the most important elements for the client was the fountain, which was modeled after the stone architecture of the home, but with a contemporary statue added for interest. Lily pads and a trickling water feature sooth those sitting on the patio.

This is an example of a mediterranean front yard landscaping in Los Angeles.

Designed by Chelsea Pineda Interiors Landscape by New Leaf Landscape
Design ideas for a traditional front yard stone landscaping in Los Angeles.

This is an example of a traditional landscaping in Boston.

Glencoe Residence Landscape. Brick Paver Driveway with Bluestone Motorcourt Border, Radiant Snow Melt Heat System, French Inspired Formal Entrance Landscape, Low Voltage Lighting, and Irrigation. Entire property Constructed by: Arrow. Designed by: Marco Romani, RLA - Landscape Architect.

Summer Beauty onion surround the stone entry columns while the Hydrangea begin to glow from the landscape lighting. Landscape design by John Algozzini. Photo courtesy of Mike Crews Photography.

A steep hillside is turned into a lush landscape using salvias, ornamental grasses, pomegranates and other easy care plants.
Photo of a traditional hillside stone landscaping in San Francisco.

Limestone pathway with outcrop steps.
Design ideas for a traditional landscaping in Other.

French Inspired Pool and Landscape. Designed and Photographed by Marco Romani, RLA - Landscape Architect. Arrow
Example of a classic backyard stone and rectangular pool fountain design in Chicago

Landscape construction, masonry, architectural stone all installed by R. P. Marzilli & Company Keith LeBlanc Landscape Architecture Photography by Rosemary Fletcher

Often, less is more. Take this landscape design composed of climbing roses, hydrangeas, and lilies surrounding a bluestone terrace. This small, suburban garden feels both expansive and intimate. Japanese forest grass softens the edge of the terrace and adds just enough of a modern look to make the garden’s owners, urban transplants, happy. “My husband and I were looking for an outdoor space that had a secret-garden feeling,” says homeowner Anne Lillis-Ruth. “We’ve had fun adding furniture, antique planters, and a stone fountain to [landscape designer] Robert Welsch’s beautiful landscape. The white and green plantings provide the perfect backdrop to my collection of colorful table linens, glassware, and china. We love our garden!” Dean Fisher loved it, too. “The setting is so lovely and relaxed. It evokes the south of France, with its intimate scale and the integration of house and patio through the use of the vines and other plantings.”

The inviting fire draws you through the garden. Surrounds Inc.
Photo of a large traditional backyard stone landscaping in DC Metro with a fireplace.

William Carson Joyce
Photo of a rustic landscaping in San Diego.

Design ideas for a traditional shade side yard landscaping in New York.

Irregular bluestone stepper path and woodland shade garden.
Inspiration for a traditional shade stone landscaping in Boston.

In order to meld with the clean lines of this contemporary Boulder residence, lights were detailed such that they float each step at night. This hidden lighting detail was the perfect complement to the cascading hardscape. Architect: Mosaic Architects, Boulder Colorado Landscape Architect: R Design, Denver Colorado Photographer: Jim Bartsch Photography Key Words: Lights under stairs, step lights, lights under treads, stair lighting, exterior stair lighting, exterior stairs, outdoor stairs outdoor stair lighting, landscape stair lighting, landscape step lighting, outdoor step lighting, LED step lighting, LED stair Lighting, hardscape lighting, outdoor lighting, exterior lighting, lighting designer, lighting design, contemporary exterior, modern exterior, contemporary exterior lighting, exterior modern, modern exterior lighting, modern exteriors, contemporary exteriors, modern lighting, modern lighting, modern lighting design, modern lighting, modern design, modern lighting design, modern design