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In the recent past we undertook a very complex and multi-dimensional landscaping project in River Oaks that involved the replacement of an old outdoor kitchen with a new landscaping arbor. This new structure was very technically and aesthetically unique in several different ways. To start with, it was not made of cedar as are many landscaping arbors. Rather, it was constructed entirely of pressure-treated, rough cut pine that was stained to look like cedar. The advantage of using pine lay in the both the lower cost and in the longevity of the wood—up to thirty years.
The landscaping arbor was built for comfort. We installed fans and lights so that it could be enjoyed by the occupants at any time of day or night. This created a challenge from an aesthetic perspective, however. When installing anything electronic in a landscaping arbor, most contractors have to run conduits up the sides of the beams. This detracts from the appearance of the structure, and was something that we wanted to avoid in our project.
There was no easy way to work around this, however, simply because the wires themselves had to be run through interiors of the beams in the arbor. Because they could not be wired in this fashion after the fact, what we had to ultimately do was erect the beams and joints, notch each one individually, and then take them down to run the wires through. Not only did this enable us to conceal the wires, but it also added considerable strength and stability to the arbor itself. After the landscaping arbor was reassembled, the routed areas were then covered with wood and the wires were completely hidden from view. Lighting controls were installed in the interior bottom portions of the beams, where they would not be seen by anyone but the person operating them.
The importance of taking these extra steps in the arbor's construction cannot be overemphasized. While it was considerably more labor intensive—and thus more expensive—it was an investment that the homeowners insisted on making. The elegance of the wireless design contributes to the visual effect of the arbor rising from the landscape's background vegetation like a natural form in its own right. The beams were also slightly arched to compliment the arc of the pool, and the entire arbor was backed by a yew hedge that provided a silhouetted of green just behind the structure.
Finally, to fully complete the unity of the arbor with the surrounding landscape in both actuality as well as appearance we also made OGEE custom cuts in the beams to allow for a pathway for vines to grow up the sides. In the years to come, the vines will intertwine with the arbor beams, completing the sense that the arbor is a part of the green landscape that sprung from the ground as if the earth itself had somehow conceived of a perfect outdoor structure for man.
At night, the arbor dominates the landscape without overpowering it. A ceiling fan in the top of the structure keeps the interior cool even on the hottest Texas summer nights. Down lights on either end spot light urns on either side of the arbor, linking it visually to the pool in front. In the back, mercury vapor up lights illuminate the Japanese yew, blending the colors of wood and greenery together in the ambient mystique of emulated moonlight.
One of our more reputable achievements in recent years was a project in River Oaks that involved replacing a fountain that stood in the corner of the large brick wall. While only one of many elements that we added, this new corner fountain played a significant role in transforming the entire landscape. It introduced a new, more symmetrical geometry to the yard, and it helped provide a more noticeable, complimentary color contrast to that of the brick wall behind it.
The existing corner fountain was a very old three-tiered fountain structure that was common several decades ago. This is the type of fountain you almost always see in old movies. In a way it projects a certain sentimentalism about simpler, more absolutist times. However, its power as a symbol fails to convey feeling beyond simple nostalgia, and because of this its use in landscaping has long since become cliché.
The old corner fountain had many problems on a functional level as well. It had started rusting out several years past and was now constantly malfunctioning. This was primarily because the fountain pump had been installed underwater and had started to rust out. The lighting fixtures had begun to rust out as well, and the leakage that resulted caused them to intermittently fail. There was also a problem of too much space between the fountain walls and the brick wall around the home. Weeds and excessive vegetation had overgrown the back of the fountain, and they were beginning to overshadow a good portion of its structure. The time had come for a significant change. We therefore replaced not only the original corner fountain, but we also developed an entirely new fountain design.
The new structure was shaped like rectangle whose right angles closely mirrored those of the wall behind it. The vertical walls of new fountain itself were made to slope upward on either side in a slight, inverted arc that leveled off at the top and intersected in the corner. To create a decorative color contrast, we covered most of the bricks in the front, as well as the limestone walls in the back, with a travertine coping. This gave the entire structure a soft cream color that proved a perfect complement to the red brick of the wall.
Then, on both vertical walls, we installed three water spouts each and installed new fountain lights to illuminate the water from below as it fell into the basin. To add to the mystique of this experience, we also fitted the new corner fountain with a remote pump and an external filtration system that allowed it to run silently, leaving only the water itself to be heard. This also had the practical benefit of preserving the pump itself from the rust that had destroyed the original one.
Of course, right angles create very sharp focal points that can often clash with other elements of a landscape. In order to alleviate this and create a sense of harmony and blended aesthetic, we planted several new types of vegetation around our corner fountain. We used dwarf monkey grass and Ardesia to create ground cover. Both species do very well in shady areas, and Ardesia also offers the added benefit of erosion control and a nice green color to further compliment the colors of the wall and the fountain. To add an enhanced vertical element to the scene, we planted a Japanese maple beside the corner fountain. This is a wonderful tree to use in landscaping because it provides both ideal proportions and color. It has burgundy leaves that provide a great deal of shade, but it never gets too tall.
Because this property was so large, it was actually landscaped with two separate patio areas in the yard. Since each patio faced either one side of the corner fountain or the other, the illuminated waterspouts dancing against a limestone backdrop became the natural focal point that drew the eye toward itself as the center of attention regardless of one's position in the yard.