# landscape design



## sotx23 (May 4, 2010)

well my wife and i tried to do our own landscape last year, and didnt do enough research on plant selection. I am going to have a landscape company or nursury put together a plan/design for me and my wife and i will do the work ourselves...we enjoy it. I just want to eliminate the trial and error!! Anyway, anyone have a recommendation on a landscape designer??


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## chuck leaman (Jul 15, 2004)

Trial and error make it more fun. Dont know of any designers but a lot of the better nurseries can do that for you. Tea's in Bellaire had that service when they were still around.


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## BATWING (May 9, 2008)

I do not know of any landscape companies looking to just do a design without the intention of them getting to do the install. You want to search for a good Landscape Architect to do a design for you. Generally these cost a few hundred for a good one.

They will have a conversation with you on the phone about what you like and are looking at. They will come out and take a few pics and measurements. Then they will draw a plan out to scale and legend for detail.


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## w_r_ranch (Jan 14, 2005)

I would do it myself if I was you. Plant selection is relatively easy with a little research or just ask here.

Investigate one of the packages from Idea Spectrum such as Realtime Landscaping Architect. This is what I've used in the past. I've done 4 houses over the years & 3 of them were fairly elaborate. There is nothing like doing it yourself & learning along the way.


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## Johnny9 (Sep 7, 2005)

Teas Landscape call Rhonda 713-295-5101


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## sotx23 (May 4, 2010)

Ranch your horticulture knowledge far outweighs mine!!! I have a quote from Enchanted on a design- 250-400 depending on how complex. They are coming out for a consult tomorrow. I buy a lot of my plants fom Joey at enchanted. They deduct that fee if they do the install, but I am sure that will be absurd. 

We actually really enjoy working in the yard... just dont want to throw money away again this year.


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## chuck leaman (Jul 15, 2004)

Jeff, What did you have trouble growing last year?


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## Muddskipper (Dec 29, 2004)

I had a design done ... it ran $600 for just the desgin .... very nice ...

Now that i have seen it done I can one ....

it was funny, after they handed over the plans and and I paid them .... they said they could make me a deal .... and do the planting for $4 grand!!!

LOL - I did it for a 1/3, including a deck


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## Muddskipper (Dec 29, 2004)

Do a 3 tier system

Pisstporum in the back - Tallest
Lorapetellum in the middle - mediem
Agapanthas (lillys) up front

this is one section of mine 

I would more than likley go more native now.... all the above can be found at box stores


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## w_r_ranch (Jan 14, 2005)

sotx23 said:


> Ranch your horticulture knowledge far outweighs mine!!!


LOL!!! Maybe now because I'm an old fart, but you can easily do this and save yourself enough to easily pay for your next project. I'm sure that many here will offer their ideas for your consideration, feel free to ask... there is a collective ton of experience here that I'm sure will help you & your wife design your yard & assist you in plant selection. 'Doing' is how we all learned!!!









Here is the old house's yard (as a sample) before moving to our present house. I designed it from the start to be extremely low maintenance because we always spent our weekends at the ranch.


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## sotx23 (May 4, 2010)

very nice looking Ranch.....very nice. 

we struggled with just about everything.... at least in our biggest beds... 1/2 gets cooked, the other 1/2 gets very filtered sun, then large shade beds..... I had enchanted guy out today. Since my beds are existing and no major work, he is going to draw up a plant layout for $100..... not bad. I am going to get some guys to bring in some good soil and mix it in, and my wife and i will probably do all the planting.


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## sotx23 (May 4, 2010)

looking for an ornamental tree for 1 of the larger beds... anyone have any ideas???


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## w_r_ranch (Jan 14, 2005)

Post a picture of the bed & its dimensions. 

Is it in the sun, partial shade or shade? 

How tall & wide do you wish this ornamental tree to be? 

Deciduous or evergreen? 

Is the bed irrigated?


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## w_r_ranch (Jan 14, 2005)

I should have also asked you to define "tree"... A real tree or are you looking for a large flowering 'shrub', such as a Crape Myrtle, Rose Of Sharon or Esperanza???


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## BATWING (May 9, 2008)

I am about to do a renavation on a new property and just got irrigation in last week. Im pretty pumped about it however it does have a few nice things I feel bad about just throwing away.

I have (3) 100 gallon canary island date palms about 6' tall that need to be yanked out.


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## sotx23 (May 4, 2010)

ranch- will post pics and dimensions this afternoon.


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## sotx23 (May 4, 2010)

Overview of both beds....








Left bed dimensions are 15' wide by 21' deep. This bed gets full sun from late morning until dark 








Right bed dimensions are 9' wide nd 21' deep. This bed gets filtered sunlight from late morning until dark...Shaded somewhat by oak tree.


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## w_r_ranch (Jan 14, 2005)

Good deal, sotx. Let me see what I can come up with for you & your wife. If you can PM me a phone number I have some questions regarding your likes/dislikes, as well as what else you have in the way of plants around your house so it will look integrated. Thanks!


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## fishingcacher (Mar 29, 2008)

Really look nice W_R_Ranch. The house looks nice too.


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## sotx23 (May 4, 2010)

ranch- i will post up some more pics of the other beds also!


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## Greg E (Sep 20, 2008)

Ranch, your old house is very nice. i do like your new pad a little better.


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## w_r_ranch (Jan 14, 2005)

Thanks, Greg... We like this place much better too. Until be left that house, we never realized just how noisy that area really had become...

Ain't nothing like having the room (and now the time, LOL!!!) to garden on the scale that we always wished we could!!! That, and being close to the wildlife. And the only thing we hear is the wind cutting thru the trees...


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## w_r_ranch (Jan 14, 2005)

Send me you phone number, sotx. I'm ich'in to know some stuff & we can do this in 20 minutes or so...


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