A. In the coastal area in which we live, homeowners are often faced with elevated houses. Make plans for the overall landscaping structure before planting around your new house.
You can achieve a pleasing transition from the lawn to the house with terraced beds. Through the use of raised beds which gradually "step up" to the desired level, you will achieve the effect you desire. Instructions on planning terraced beds can be found in local hardware and gardening stores and the library, or you may want to hire a consultant to design and install the terraced beds.
Decisions to make when planning the terraced beds include the height and depth of each level, the materials to use as retaining walls, the need for support or bracing for the retaining walls, and the planting mix to use. Other things to think about before planting are possible accent lighting and a watering system.
You can achieve many different looks through the materials used as retaining walls. Visit the Galveston County Extension office gardens for an example of mate rials that can be used in raised beds. Your local hardware stores, rock yards, and lumber yards have a wide selection of materials. Railroad ties, concrete walls capped with stone, brick walls to match the house, or landscape timbers are a few possibilities.
Consider the plants you plan to use when selecting the potting mix or soil used in the raised beds. Guidelines for soil preparation can be found in local gardening publications, such as the River Oaks Garden Club's A Garden Book For Houston and the Texas Gulf Coast and through the Galveston County Extension Office.
Another consideration would be the possible difficulty of watering the raised beds. It may prove difficult to move a garden hose around the beds. Now is the time to install an automatic watering system, before the plants are in place. This is also the time to install cables for accent lighting if that is included in your plans. Instructions and materials for doing both can be found in your local hardware stores. Experienced contractors are also a choice.
When selecting plants, consider the sun or shade requirements. Also concentrate plants with the same water requirements. For example, you would not want drought tolerant plants and those needing abundant amounts of water to share the same corner. By planning before planting, you will save yourself the cost of transplanting or replacement later.