Outdoor Structures Like Pergolas Complete Your Tulsa Outdoor Environment

If you feel that something's missing from your Tulsa outdoor environment, your home could need an outdoor structure to complete your outdoor living space. These outdoor landscape additions bring the environment together, giving the space a polished feel and can be built to perfectly complement your home. Having a structure over your outdoor kitchen or fireplace can ensure you’ll be able to use these spaces more and have a more enjoyable time, whether entertaining or just relaxing. What are some types of outdoor structures and what are their benefits?

Elegant Pergolas

Pergolas make up in elegance and charm what they make lack in providing full shelter. These outdoor structures can really define your Tulsa outdoor environment while not separating the different elements of your space. These more open architectural structures support crossbeams for a slatted roof to provide shelter from direct sunlight.

Pergolas can really be customized to fit your home’s style or outdoor space needs, whether to provide a sitting area by the pool or a dining area on the patio or to outline a walkway or path. They can be made using a variety of materials. Create a spa-like feel by adding fabric panels or as a covering for the roof. Add a fan to keep the air flowing and cool the space. Build the pergola with Roman-style columns to give the pergola a classically elegant flare. Climbing plants and vines can be grown on the pergola to add to garden appeal and create natural shade. These luxurious outdoor structures can add a vertical focal point as well as elegantly extend your home’s outdoor living space.

Cabana-style Pavilions

No longer just for luxury resorts, cabanas are now taking over Tulsa outdoor environments as a practical and visually engaging piece for your outdoor living space. These covered structures provide shelter, shade, and a great space for entertaining, especially by the pool. They can house fireplaces, outdoor kitchens with granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and grills, bar areas and plush seating. Add overhead heaters, fans, and even a flat-screen television and surround sound and you have the perfect spot for relaxing all year round. The variety of trends and styles for these outdoor structures are almost endless.

Classic Gazebos

While traditionally gazebos have been octagon-shaped, white structures settled in a garden, landscape designers are now building gazebos in a variety of shapes and sizes from rectangular, square, or round.  These structures, that are open on all sides with a covered roof, provide comfortable shade and shelter from the elements. They can be built out in a garden as a free-standing structure or as the perfect addition to your deck, patio, or even over a pond as part of a dock. Gazebos can be used to shelter a hot tub or spa area on the deck or patio or as an extension of a home’s porch area. Gazebos can be made from wood, stone, metal, or concrete. Screens and doors can also be added to keep out bugs. With creativity and a modern style, gazebos offer a great place to ‘find yourself outside.’


Outdoor structures in Tulsa add timeless charm to your outdoor environment, provide practical function for all seasons, and can significantly increase the value of your home and property. Oklahoma Landscape’s design specialists can custom-design and build the right outdoor structure for your space.

Tips for Planning your Organic Garden in Tulsa

Everybody’s going green and an organic garden in Tulsa is one way to include sustainable landscape design into your outdoor space.

As more Tulsa residents turn to eating organic foods, many have seen the benefits of starting their own organic food garden. According to the American Society of Landscape Architects, vegetable and fruit gardens had a 76.4 percent popularity ranking for outdoor design elements.

Not only is growing veggies healthier for your family, especially organic vegetables which are not grown using chemicals, but doing so can also save your family quite a bit at the grocery store. So where do you start with planning an organic garden? Below are a few tips to help jumpstart you on your path to organic gardening and healthy living.

Planning your garden – what you want in it and where – will be your first step. It’s good to put your ideas on paper so you can clearly see any problems that could come up.  Will you grow just vegetables or vegetables and herbs? Will you plant in containers or in the soil? The University of Maryland Extension recommends placing taller crops on the north and west sides of the garden so that they will not block the sunlight from shorter plants. They also encourage grouping plants by the season they grow in and how long they take to mature, and allow space between rows for watering and maintaining your garden.

In thinking about where to plant your garden, the University of Maryland noted, choose a level spot of ground that gets at least six hours of full sunlight a day with no trees, shrubs, or tall objects around. The root systems of nearby trees and shrubs can disrupt your vegetable garden. It’s also good to place your garden within a short distance of your water supply.

Preparing your soil is your next step to a ‘fruitful’ garden. Soil needs to have plenty of nutrients and oxygen to grow strong, healthy plants. You can determine the quality of your soil by getting it tested, either with a home testing kit or through your local agricultural extension office. To make sure your soil has enough nutrients, you’ll want to add compost, with different types of organic matter such as grass and leaf clippings (without herbicides) as well as manure, to the soil.

The next step is choosing your crops and planting.  Of course, it’s a good idea to choose veggies that you like and those that are expensive to buy in the store. Crops that are easier to grow such as tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and zucchini, greens, and pole beans will not only make gardening easier for you but also more enjoyable when you see the fruitage of your labors. Native plants and crops that will thrive and be more drought and disease resistant are also a good idea for a garden.

“If you’re buying seedlings, look for plants raised without chemical fertilizers and pesticides. A great place to look is at your local farmer’s market, which may also have native plants and varieties well suited to your area,” The Daily Green reported. “It’s better to buy stocky seedlings with few, if any blooms yet, and with roots that don’t look overcrowded.”

With smaller seeds, it may be slightly difficult to determine how far apart to space the seeds, and you may have to thin out seeds later. Your local garden store, agriculture extension, or the seed packet itself should have information about the correct spacing for a particular seed. In any case, whether using large, small seeds, or transplants, “pushing the envelope too far [with spacing] will cause a decline in yield and plant problems,” the University of Maryland noted.


Finally, watering and taking care of your organic garden are essential for great crops. It’s best to water crops in the morning to avoid disease problems and evaporation. In general, crops do well with one inch of water per week, although some crops may have different watering requirements based on such factors as type and growing stage. The local climate will also determine whether more water is needed. Watering at the base of plant is best to help the root system grow deeper. A drip irrigation system is a good way to deliver water to the base of the plant. Applying mulch to the garden will help keep out weeds while helping to conserve moisture in the soil.
Organic gardening is not only fun and a relaxing hobby, but can help your family to eat healthier while you get in touch with nature and ‘find yourself outside.’ Oklahoma Landscape can help you design the right organic garden for your landscape and your lifestyle.

Sources: Organic Gardening – How to Start an Organic Garden – The Daily Green
http://extension.umd.edu/growit/food-gardening-101

Water Features Add Character to Tulsa Outdoor Living Spaces

Decorative water features bring character and life to your Tulsa outdoor environment. These elements create an area of added serenity and beauty for your outdoor living space. In a survey conducted by the American Society of Landscape Architects, decorative water elements were predicted to be in high demand for home landscapes. There are a variety of different decorative water features that can be added to an outdoor space.

Some of the more familiar ornamental water features include fountains, ponds, and streams. Fountains add an interesting focal point to your landscape. Fountains can be built in ponds and with streams of water spraying from them. There are also wall fountains that can be attached to buildings or other garden structures that bring a soothing sound of trickling water to the outdoor living space. Fountains can be created using a variety of materials like stone, concrete, marble, and tile as well as in an array of colors. They can have lights attached to them to produce a romantic nighttime glow and bring out the subtle beauty of flowing water.

Waterfalls and grottos bring life to a custom swimming pool and landscape. These features that can be made to resemble natural caves offer culture and depth to a landscape, especially a pool, creating a focal point for the body of water.

Waterfalls can also be built in connection with ponds and streams. Imagine listening to a cascading waterfall in your outdoor space, reading a book by the koi pond and stream. Waterfalls not only create an amazingly soothing atmosphere for your outdoor environment, but they are also a practical addition for your decorative pond. In keeping water moving, these elements help to keep the pond’s water clean, free from algae, and help to add needed oxygen to the water for plants and fish to thrive. Designing a waterfall can be very tricky in deciding how high the waterfall should be in relation to the surrounding elements. The landscape design experts at Oklahoma Landscape can help design the perfect waterfall and decorative water features for your Tulsa outdoor space.
Water runnels are a linear channel that carries water through the landscape. These can help retain rainwater and move it through the landscape in an aesthetically engaging and practical way.

Other water features include splash pools and water bubblers, as well as ornamental pools. These all have their own unique features that can bring creativity and flare to your outdoor environment, as well as add value to your home and property.

Visit http://www.oklahomalandscape.com for more ideas on ornamental water features and complete Tulsa outdoor environments.

Tulsa Low Maintenance Landscape Design - Xeriscaping and Water Conservation

We all would love more time. While gardening can be therapeutic, taking care of your landscape can take up much of your time, energy, as well as money. That’s why many homeowners are opting for low maintenance landscape design in Tulsa. Low maintenance landscaping is just that; it requires less maintenance as well as requiring less water. But this doesn’t mean that these landscapes have to be filled with cacti or have a desert-like feel. No, these landscapes can be very colorful all year round.

One important aspect of creating a more low maintenance landscape is using plants that are native to your local region. These plants are naturally more resistant to diseases and insects in the area and can survive better in the local climate. Native and drought-tolerant plants are less prone to be overtaken by weeds and often require less water. All of this translates to less maintenance. And it just makes sense that if these plant species can survive in the wild on their own, they will take far less maintenance than exotic plants that are used to a totally different climate. Oklahoma Landscape’s horticulturists can help you find colorful and lively native plants that will perfectly complement your landscape and home.

Choosing drought-tolerant plants is part of a landscape design known as xeriscaping or dry gardens. This doesn’t mean that no water is used, but that water conservation techniques are employed in the landscape design to reduce the need for water while still creating a sustainable and beautiful landscape. As with low maintenance landscape design, xeriscaping involves not only choosing plants that will thrive in the local climate and are resistant to drought, but also planting and grouping them in ways that will require less maintenance.

Effective planning is vital for your Tulsa landscape to become a low maintenance garden or xeriscape. Grouping plants together that have similar watering and sunlight needs will make it easier to care for them. Noting the terrain of your landscape and the way rain drains can help you prevent erosion by using terraces and other landscape features to reduce soil loss. In shaded areas where grass is hard to grow, ground covers and flowers that thrive in shade can be used to replace turf. Grass on slopes can be replaced by low-maintenance ground cover to reduce difficult lawn mowing. Analyzing and planning areas with more traffic can help you decide whether to introduce a ground cover or even a hardscape like a walkway or patio that will greatly reduce maintenance by replacing turf. This does not mean replacing your entire lawn, but simply designing turf areas in a more thoughtful way to maximize their effectiveness by balancing practicality. For instance, large, open spaces may be more practical with turf, but narrower, shaded areas where grass doesn’t grow well may need more native plants, rocks, and shrubs.

Planning also involves ensuring your soil is well-nourished so as to reduce the need for water. Aerating the soil and using a good fertilizer or compost can help improve your soil, helping it to retain the water it needs for plants and grass to flourish. Using mulch around plants can help prevent weeds and erosion while also helping the soil retain its moisture.

Drip irrigation systems can be used to maximize the effectiveness of irrigating while conserving water. With this type of irrigation, water loss due to evaporation, surface runoff, and wind is virtually eliminated. A slow, steady application of water directly to the plant’s root system is the best way to ensure plant health and vitality. In general, drip irrigation applications use 30 to 70 percent less water than an overhead irrigation system, and plants grow to maturity about twice as fast.

A low maintenance landscape doesn’t have to dull, but can be vibrant, full of colorful plants and using a variety of themes and designs. These landscapes can reduce watering costs, time in maintaining, reduce pollution, and increase the value of your home with sustainable landscape design practices. Oklahoma Landscape can design the best low maintenance landscape for your home so that you’ll have more time to “find yourself outside.”

Tulsa Outdoor Environments - Even Movie Theaters in your Backyard

What’s better than a custom-built Tulsa pool, outdoor kitchen, or outdoor living space? A custom-built pool or outdoor living space with a complete entertainment center! Today many homeowners are adding more entertainment amenities to their Tulsa outdoor environments like televisions, movie theater areas, projection screens, surround sound, and more. Watch the big game with friends outside while you barbecue or throw the ultimate pool party, watching the latest movie as you lounge in the pool.

With all-weather televisions, you can watch the game outside, hosting the premier tailgate party, or play your Xbox or Wii game system in your outdoor living space. Landscape lighting added to your outdoor theater area can help set the tone for your outdoor event or provide romantic lighting for a great date night at home. With high definition video and a powerful surround sound audio, your outdoor enjoyment will be taken to a whole other level. These custom-built entertainment systems give you the nostalgia of a drive-in movie in your own backyard. And with an outdoor entertainment system, you can spend time with family on holidays or host family reunions outside while still enjoying the entertainment you want.

To give added protection from the elements, homeowners can also build a pergola, gazebo, arbor, pavilion, or other outdoor hardscape structure over their outdoor entertainment center. These can be designed as simple or as ornate as you like. Some provide complete shade while others may allow some sunlight to shine through. These outdoor structures offer an ideal way to add cabinet space to your entertainment system as well as other comfort elements like fans to keep those not relaxing in the pool cool and happy.

There are an almost endless array of possibilities with outdoor entertaining. From state-of-the-art outdoor kitchens to cozy outdoor fireplaces to entire outdoor living rooms with movie theaters and stylish seating, Tulsa homeowners can have the staycation of their dreams or entertain with luxury and class with these premier and now more affordable outdoor entertainment centers.

Tulsa Outdoor Fireplaces and Fire Pits - Practical Outdoor Living Design Elements

Fire pits and outdoor fireplaces in Tulsa allow us to enjoy our outdoor environment well into winter and can be an aesthetically engaging design piece for our outdoor space. These are quickly becoming one of the most popular outdoor living features for homeowners. They were among the most wanted additions in the 2013 Outdoor Living Trends survey conducted by the American Society of Landscape Architects. What are the major design and practical differences between fireplaces and fire pits?

Both outdoor fireplaces and fire pits in Tulsa provide warmth, light, a source for cooking (depending on design and fuel sources) and entertaining, as well as a relaxed atmosphere and cozy ambiance for your outdoor environment. They both can use mostly the same fuel sources – wood, natural gas, and propane – and can be built with a variety of aesthetic materials such as stone, brick, concrete, stainless steel, tile, and copper. These can be coordinated to match the style of your home and your outdoor environment.

Deciding on whether an outdoor fireplace or fire pit would be better may depend on a few preferences such as your entertaining style. Like a campfire, fire pits allow for people to gather all around them, which encourages storytelling and laughter and is often better for a larger group.

Although fire pits are often circular, they can be constructed into a variety of shapes such as linear, square, or custom-shaped and can have a wider rim or table feature to allow for easier dining. Outdoor fireplaces provide a more intimate ambiance with cozy seating next to the fireplace that may allow for a more romantic setting.

An outdoor fireplace often becomes the focal point or anchor of your outdoor environment. An entire wall can be attached to the fireplace, helping to “divide” the outdoor living space. An outdoor structure or roof can be built around the fireplace allowing for shade and protection from the elements as well as other decorative features that add a coziness to your outdoor space. The size and height of a fireplace can also add protection from wind, and with a chimney or ventilation system, guests can enjoy the glow of the fire without bothersome smoke. Thus, outdoor fireplaces provide a distinctive ambiance to an outdoor living space that cannot be ignored.

Fire pits create another mood or environment that can be equally charming based on your entertaining style and landscape needs. While these can become a centerpiece for your outdoor living space, they also offer a more subdued design style that doesn’t overwhelm the other elements of your outdoor space or the property itself.  With open seating, guests can fully enjoy the scenery that surrounds them an converge at a central spot that allows for everyone to join in the fun.

Both of these outdoor living features offer great value to your outdoor environment and home itself. They can increase your property value and provide a lasting investment. Oklahoma Landscape’s design specialists can help you determine which landscape feature may coordinate best with your outdoor space and home, or whether both may be captivating entertainment spot for guests all year round.

For more information, visit http://www.oklahomalandscape.com.

 

  

Additional sources:

http://www.concretenetwork.com/outdoor-living-rooms/firepit-vs-fireplace.html

http://www.landscapingnetwork.com/fire-pits/

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Outdoor Living Trends for 2013 - Tulsa Outdoor Environments Popular

Outdoor environments are increasing in demand, not only in Tulsa, but nationally according to a survey done by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).

“American homeowners are increasingly drawn to adding outdoor rooms for entertaining and recreation on their properties,” ASLA reported. “The category of outdoor living spaces, defined as kitchens and entertainment spaces, received a 94.5 percent rating as somewhat or very popular.”

In the Outdoor Living Features category, outdoor fire pits and fireplaces ranked the most popular additions, followed by grills and seating/dining areas. With so many options and features in outdoor environments, it’s no wonder that these have become major aspects of home improvement in recent years. Today, outdoor fireplaces can be custom-designed using a variety of beautiful materials to complement a home, and they can have installed and ornate seating to perfectly enjoy entertaining guests by the fire during the fall and winter months.

Outdoor kitchens in Tulsa can be customized to fit your cooking and entertaining lifestyle with stainless still grills and other appliances like pizza ovens, refrigerators, and more. Many outdoor kitchens have marble countertop bar areas for guests to have additional seating and allow the cook or host to be near guests while watching the grill.

Why are outdoor living spaces becoming so popular?

“In this uncertain economy, homeowners want to get more enjoyment out of their yards,” ASLA Executive Vice President and CEO Nancy Somerville, Hon. ASLA said. “They want attractive outdoor spaces that are both easy to take care of and sustainable.”

Yes, staycations have become an ideal way to relax and have family fun without the stress and expense of traveling. Many homeowners are adding movie theaters, televisions, and WiFi to their outdoor living space so that they don’t miss a minute of the game or can watch a movie while swimming in their custom pool. These areas are great for children’s parties, business events, or just a weekend with friends.

Decorative water elements like waterfalls, grottos, ornamental pools, and splash pools were also in high demand for home landscapes, ASLA noted, followed by spa features and swimming pools in the Outdoor Recreation Amenities category. Terraces, patios, and decks ranked high as popular Outdoor Structures. The practical and aesthetic value of these structures is evident when you think of entertaining or just relaxing in your backyard. They also add significant value to your home and property, making them a great investment.

Among the trends in outdoor living for 2013 were sustainable and low-maintenance design as the nation continues to increase its awareness on green living. “Americans still prefer such practical yet striking design elements for their gardens as low-maintenance landscapes (93.9 percent),” ASLA said.

Landscaping with sustainable design can include using native or drought-tolerant plants, drip irrigation, permeable paving, reduced lawns, xeriscaping, rooftop gardens, organic gardens, and more. Many people are opting to add vegetable and food gardens including orchards and vineyards to their landscape to help keep their family eating healthy.

As Americans continue to see the need to ‘find yourself outside’ and reconnect with the serenity and beauty of nature, as well as to get the most from their home and landscape, the demand for complete outdoor environments and sustainable living will increase.

Learn more about the Outdoor Living Trends for 2013 at http://www.asla.org/NewsReleaseDetails.aspx?id=38451.

For more information on landscape design including outdoor environments like outdoor kitchens, fireplaces, pools, and patios for your Tulsa home, visit http://www.oklahomalandscape.com.

Enjoy your Tulsa Outdoor Environment with Effective Mosquito Prevention

Mosquitos may often prevent you from fully enjoying your Tulsa outdoor environment. These irritating insects are not only bothersome, but can be life-threatening. Fifteen Oklahomans lost their lives because of the West Nile virus, which is transmitted to humans by mosquitos, in 2012, and so far five Oklahomans have died this year because of the disease, according to the Oklahoma State Health Department.

Although the weather is getting cooler, people are still at the greatest risk of expose to mosquitos infected with the virus from July through October, the OSHD said.

So what can you do to prevent mosquitos from spoiling your outdoor living space? Mosquito misting systems have become a popular and effective means of controlling mosquitos in outdoor areas.  These systems spray a fine mist of insecticide throughout your outdoor space to eliminate these pests. Mosquito misting systems can be automated to send out the mist at high-risk times, during dawn and dusk, or can be controlled with a handheld remote, perfect in preparing for special events or cook-outs. The automatic units can either be tankless or a traditional drum-based systems that ensure an even distribution of the insecticide.

Most insecticides in these misting systems use a botanical active ingredient called pyrethrin, which is derived from chrysanthemum flowers. While not exactly “organic” because the ingredient contains a man-made “synergist,” they are low in toxicity to people and pets, noted MistAway Systems, a popular mosquito misting system company. There is also a man-made misting treatment called permethrin that acts much like pyrethrin and is also low in toxicity. In fact, MistAway noted that these are important ingredients in many household products like aerosols and pet shampoos. However, they can cause respiratory problems, the company said, so it’s recommended not to use the misting system around people, pets, or food. Oklahoma Landscape offers mosquito misting systems to eliminate these irritants for Tulsa homeowners.

Another important way of preventing mosquitos is to remove items such as old tires, bottles, buckets, unused ceramic pots, jars, and other things that can hold standing water, where mosquitos breed. The Oklahoma City County Health Department reminded residents to change the water in birdbaths at least twice a week as well as emptying pets’ water pans daily.
Note these other prevention tips from the OCCHD mosquito checklist:

• Clean clogged gutters and/or slope to downspouts.
• Drain improperly installed and sagging swimming pool covers.
• Clean and chlorinate swimming pools, outdoor spas, saunas, and hot tubs. If not used, keep them empty and covered.
• Change water and scrub containers holding outdoor plants twice a week.
• Screen or cover rain barrels and openings to water tanks.
• Repair leaky pipes and faucets.
• Stock ornamental ponds with mosquito-eating fish.
• Eliminate weeds and tall grass to prevent mosquito breeding sites.
• Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens.

Air curtains and mosquito netting can also be used to reduce mosquitos as well as other portable traps and citronella candles. Insect repellents made with DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus can also be effective in preventing mosquito bites when applied to the skin or clothing. Also, it’s recommended to wear long sleeves, long pants, and light colors when you’re in areas with a possible high concentration of mosquitos like when doing yard work, camping, or other outdoor activities.

The OSHD says that mosquitos most likely to transmit the West Nile virus are most active during early morning and evening hours, so staying indoors during dawn and dusk would help reduce the risk of infection.

Oklahoma Landscape can help keep your Tulsa outdoor living spaces like outdoor kitchens, outdoor fireplaces, and swimming pools free from mosquitos and help you enjoy your outdoor environment pain-free.