Guest article by Ali Sanderson. Photo by Luke Schobert on Unsplash. Planning and developing a beautiful garden is a very rewarding pastime. However, there is one aspect of a successful garden that many people overlook. That is the availability of pollinators. For those who hope to grow fruits or vegetables in their garden, having nearby pollinators, such as domesticated bees, is necessary for flowers to set fruit on plants. Thankfully, beekeeping has become an increasingly popular activity for people with gardens and yards of all sizes. You do not need to have several acres of apple orchard to keep bees. You just need a little planning to ensure you have adequate food resources available for your hive. Creating the Perfect Landscape New Orleans agriculture, plants, and wildflowers depend on pollination from bees. Thus, the fall season is the perfect time to plant and make your…
When is the best time to add a shade tree to your landscape? Beverly suggests fall is one of the best times to add shade trees to your landscape. The soil is still warm, yet the opportunity for rainfall and cooler temperatures allow the tree to establish itself before springtime. When selecting a shade tree for your landscape, a few considerations should be kept in mind. Size how large will the tree become once it’s mature where will it cast its canopy in your landscape, and how will its shade affect other plants Appearance what will the tree look like throughout the year will it fit in with your landscape aesthetic Ecological how your selection will benefit the local wildlife whether or not the tree be a host to destructive insects and disease pests Maintenance what maintenance will accompany your…
The temperature has dropped (slightly) and the Holidays are upon us! We wanted to take this opportunity to offer some inspiration to get your home ready for the season! A simple, yet festive way to create a Holiday look is by adding ornaments or colorful bulbs to your outdoor planters. Simply drop a few into your existing potted plants and your home will suddenly look Holiday ready. Of course, at Exterior Designs, we love the idea of incorporating fresh greenery into your decor. Some of the best front door designs we have seen stick with a theme. Whether you go with a playful look and incorporate colorful bulbs with Christmas characters, or a more elegant theme using fresh greenery and white twinkle lights is totally up to you. Choose a theme special to you and your family and run with it!…
Beverly Katz Adds a Touch of French Quarter Style to Metairie Home Old world custom fireplace, brick paved courtyard and black wrought-iron details reflect influences of Spanish and French architecture. Upon entering Cathy Green Rosenstein’s garden in Metairie, you cannot help but notice the vibrant colors that greet you. The eye is drawn to a large multi-trunk Savannah Holly tree and an elegant fountain used to anchor the space while setting the stage for a colorful garden that flanks the kitchen window. Intended to be enjoyed from inside the home as well as outside, the garden incorporates varying textures and heights, creating visual interest from both perspectives. Dwarf mondo grass provides a lush filler of dark green blades and is the perfect backdrop for the surrounding pink geraniums, blue salvias and sun-loving impatiens. Beverly Katz left nothing to chance when…
Looking to start a landscape project in time for spring? Exterior Designs and Bevolo Gas and Electric Lights partner frequently to create well lit New Orleans style courtyards and outdoor spaces using Bevolo’s copper electric & gas lighting. Read the interview below, copied from the original article at: http://www.bevolo.com/blog/trends-in-landscape-architecture What makes New Orleans landscape unique? The outdoor spaces reflect the historic buildings of Spanish and French influence with the brick masonry, wrought iron and sconces. Customers will say to me, ‘I just want a feeling of the past and to connect to [my] ancestors, I want what my grandmother had.’ Beverly achieves this feeling through careful selection of materials and frequent maintenance. What trends are you seeing in Landscape Design? Here, the trend is to stay Southern and true to local. I can take a huge space and make it an intimate area. It…
It’s Valentine’s Day and I can’t help but to think of the love I have for New Orleans – our city is so diverse in its culture, music, food and even landscapes! We have traditional New Orleans courtyards that Exterior Designs has become somewhat of a local legend for designing. We also get a lot of requests for outdoor patios, kitchens and comfortable areas to entertain guests when grilling, boiling crawfish or crabs, or hosting a fish fry. More recently, we have been asked to design meditation gardens. That’s right, a place where residents can get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and retreat to a relaxing, tranquil garden in their very own back yard. I think this trend is a result of our busy schedules – we’re running around town, working full-time, carting our children to after-school…
Exterior Designs by Beverly Katz of New Orleans Awarded Best Of Houzz 2017 Over 40 Million Monthly Unique Users Nominated Best Home Building, Remodeling and Design Professionals in North America and Around the World New Orleans, LA, January 19, 2017 – Exterior Designs by Beverly Katz of New Orleans has won “Best Of Customer Service” on Houzz®, the leading platform for home remodeling and design. The full-service design and build landscaping company was chosen by the more than 40 million monthly unique users that comprise the Houzz community from among more than one million active home building, remodeling and design industry professionals. The Best Of Houzz is awarded annually in three categories: Design, Customer Service and Photography. Design award winners’ work was the most popular among the more than 40 million monthly users on Houzz. Customer Service honors are based…
Beverly Katz was chosen as the 2016 Master of Landscape Design by MyNewOrleans.com. See excerpt from their site below. Master of Landscape Design Beverly Katz Exterior Designs As a girl growing up in Texas, Beverly Katz wanted to be a ballerina. As an adult, she found her way into another artistic endeavor — landscape design. Katz first worked as a landscape architect’s assistant and then struck out on her own. In business for more than 25 years, clients have come to refer to Katz as a “landscape therapist” due to her way of transforming their outdoor spaces by exploring an owner’s interior life. “I study people through their interior first so I can capture what they like and need and let it flow to the outside,” she says. A life member of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers, Katz has garnered…
Local New Orleans Designer Travels to China Beverly Katz of Exterior Designs Spends Labor Day with brother architect Larry Samuelson, AIA in Chengdu, China Beverly Katz, local New Orleans landscape designer and owner of Exterior Designs, travels to Chengdu City, Sichuan, China to visit brother architect Larry Samuelson, AIA. During her time abroad, Samuelson showed his sister around and introduced her to his latest modular home project. Chengdu is the capital of China’s southwestern Sichuan province and perhaps most commonly known for its cuisine, the spicy Sichuan peppercorn that flavors the region’s hot-pot dishes. Also the home of the giant panda, Chengdu has established the world-renowned breeding and research base for giant pandas that attracts almost 100,000 visitors each year. Covering tens of hectares with bamboo groves and a native-like habitat, the base is the only one of its kind…
Planning a bridal shower, wedding, baby christening??? Or maybe, you want a change—a chance to relax in your courtyard or backyard with welcoming flora and perhaps new hardscape, or lightening. What better reason to refurbish your summertime landscaping? Now is the time to clear away and update last year’s annuals, weeds and overgrowth and make changes. Think of an all-white landscape planted with happy geraniums, gentle Impatiens, crisp wax begonias, elegant Spathiphyllums, and contemplative hydrangeas—in the soil surrounding the landscape or in an array of splendid clay or ceramic pots, in gorgeous colors and sizes to fit within your plan throughout your landscaping. Maybe you want a more colorful palate for your landscaping. This is the time of year—the right season–to make changes to create the look and feel you want for your special moments and events—or just for you….