Landscaping tips for outdoor kitchens and pizza oven construction - Forno Bravo. Authentic wood stoves (2023)

March 29, 2023Posted by Forno Bravo

An outdoor kitchen is the best’room with view. 'What view is this? It is usually beautifully landscaped. The following are several tips to consider when planning your outdoor living environment that will maximize the potential of your backyard and gardens to make it the most beautiful and functional setting for your wood or gas fired pizza oven and entertainment space. .

With so many things to consider, we'll try to help you narrow down your decisions to keep your project manageable, on budget, and practical, but also whimsical and inspiring that will make you want to spend time outdoors.

First decision: do it yourself or use a consultant?

In the age of Pinterest and Youtube, every home project seems like it can do itself. While there are many new tools and tutorials that can help, the first decision you need to make is whether you WANT to take on the learning curve and time it takes to make your landscaping project a success. Do you already have the tools, skills and knowledge, or is it something you want to acquire? If so, great! Budget, plan and take action. If not, professional help is available.

If you are looking for help, you can consult a landscape architect or landscape designer. The main difference between these two disciplines is education and state licensing. (Know moreHERE.)

Alandscape architectwill have a bachelor's and/or master's degree in landscape architecture from a university and will be licensed by the state.

• Do you have technical problems with your property? They are excellent for adapting to steep slopes, irrigation and drainage, retaining walls, and structures. On commercial properties, they may also plan driveways, parking lots, and landscaping projects like putting up driveways, so involve them early on.
• They are also trained to deal with special environments, such as wetlands or drought-prone areas, and historic preservation in unique locations.

landscapers, on the other hand, tend to work on smaller residential projects and specialize in the "soft" elements (plants).

• Some landscapers are self-taught, but most have taken courses in their fields.
• They may serve as general contractors, help with procurement, and landscape/patio designers, but to do any earth moving, walling, or electrical work, a licensed landscape contractor must be hired for the project.

Many masons, furnace fitters, and pool installers have a network of landscape architects or designers they prefer to work with and may recommend, or may even have, these in-house resources to serve as a one-stop-shop for your project (eg.GPT constructionin Sacramento, California, offers masonry and landscaping skills).

What to ask when interviewing landscape professionals?

It can be a bit tricky to find the right professional landscaper to work on your project, one that provides the right services and experience, but at a price you can afford. Tim Davies Landscaping in Australia has put together an excellent list of questions to make the hiring process easier. Below is a summary of things to consider. (ClickHEREto see the full article).

What are your services?

• Do you only offer design services (creation of a master plan, electronic documents, renderings and contractor drawings?)
• Design and build services (including furnace installation if desired).
• Or do they do all the design in addition to providing ongoing maintenance?

How long can they adapt to my project?

• This is especially true in early spring and at the end of the year, which is the “before Christmas“Time of landscaping crisis.

Can you estimate the cost of carrying out the project?

• Know your realistic budget and assume that the materials will probably be 3-5 times what you expect them to be!
• Ask how mid-project variances or changes are handled. What are the typical costs of a project? Cost estimate to implement the plan?

What are some of your past projects?

• See photo samples of his work and ask about his design philosophy.
• Are you familiar with outdoor kitchens and pizza ovens and the rules associated with things like ventilation and fuel release?

Do you do face-to-face consultations?

• Seeing the space can spark great ideas! (There may be a fee to do an on-site assessment)

What would you like to see done in your garden?

• Good designers will work with your aesthetic, but part of what you're paying for is their sense of style. You are paying for their ideas, even if you have a clear vision. Use your experience!
• Always work backwards from larger items (like a pizza oven or swimming pool). You'll define the budget, work order, and remaining space available for plants and featured items.

How long will it take to design and/or install?

• Delay, construction time, and complexity will affect the schedule. If a big event is coming up, plan a large reserve for unexpected complications like inclement weather or material delays, plus add time to look your best.

How much maintenance will my garden need?

• UE "I want to wantkeep it” is not a plan. Know yourself (skills and interests, resources of time or 3^thirdcost of the party) and plan a patio or garden accordingly.

General Considerations for Creating a Good Pizza Oven Landscape Design

site inventory

• Review your site for key elements to highlight, keep, or avoid, and to find an optimal location for your oven placement. Note: The oven should be in a flat, level location near your home and easily accessible to your indoor or outdoor cooking area.
• Remove all permits and check for underground utility lines or pipes before you start building.
• Keep the "background" in mind - what's going on around your oven in terms of light, humidity, wind and views - you'll spend a lot of time looking at all of this while you're waiting for your food to cook or talking to your guests. .

style and space

• Your oven will need a good amount of space for fuels (10'), as well as space to store firewood, prepare food, and a seating/serving area.
• You may also consider adding privacy around your kitchen/dining room by using fencing, trees, or retaining walls for added comfort.
• The style of your landscaping and outdoor kitchen should be an extension of your home, both visually and functionally, and can include colors, finishes, or features that blend the two spaces together. This will increase continuity and unity. (That is, you generally don't want an ultra-modern garden next to an ornate Victorian house, as the clash can be jarring, making both spaces feel smaller than they are.)

Arrangement and Organization

• Think about how you will actually use the space. Take the easiest routes to the kitchen and dining room and plan your routes accordingly. Do you have any children? Pets? An outdoor fireplace or grill? Everything matters.
• How about seating for guests who want to watch (or help) cook in your wood oven?
• Be sure to leave enough space between all items to avoid bumping into people and to have a good line of sight between your items and guests.

Soil Cover and Irrigation

• Using a hard surface (concrete, pavement, deck) instead of a soft surface (grass, straw, gravel) will dramatically change the look of your space. This will also change the budget, work order, and irrigation/drainage requirements of the project, so it must be decided in advance.
• If you use soft mulch in your yard or garden, consider mixtures of natural grass, drought-resistant species, or even artificial grass. (Kentucky bluegrass really isn't natural in most of the country, and is usually difficult to maintain in terms of time and chemicals.)
• Plan to group plants and trees based on water and shade needs to reduce maintenance and watering challenges.
  • Even with drought-resistant plants, plan on watering 2 times a day for most gardens (before sunrise and after sunset).
  • Drip is more efficient, while sprinkler systems cover more area in less time.

add lighting

• Ambient lighting is warm and inviting, but keep it to a minimum and directed toward safety. For example, paths of light or planters with solar lights to reduce wiring.
• Consider lighting a tree or major feature, but often recessed lighting will help guests maintain their night vision and make the space more magical after dark. You want a “valley”, not disco technology!
• Many people have added lighting to their oven cabinet (if using a pizza oven kit) or food prep area for the sheer convenience of cooking in the dark! Remember, the more practical and easy it is to use your oven and your patio, the more you will get out of it.

landscaping costs

• A common question is: "Can I create a great garden on the cheap?" Unfortunately, the answer is usually no, unless you're just modifying what's already there rather than starting from scratch. Some common landscaping costs for a large project are design, cleanup, soil preparation, grading and drainage, paved edging, fencing, watering, lighting, planting (This is great!) and decks or ceilings.
• In general, plan on the more mature your plants and trees are at the time of purchase, the higher the purchase price; the bigger the tree you need to move or remove, the higher the cost too.
• One budget option is to make a plan, add the key parts, and wait; go simple now and add more each season. You can also do some of the work yourself, but recognize that this approach also comes at a cost in terms of time and materials.

** REMEMBER - the value that a beautiful patio, garden, and wood or gas pizza oven will add to your home and quality of life is priceless! The more you love your space, the more time you will want to spend there, adding priceless wealth to your life and friendships. Plus, these things can also add a lot to the resale value of your home, for long-term benefits and a return on your investment!

Classic landscaping principles from the experts.

The first three principles of garden/landscape design apply to the overall feel of the landscape, including the approach of simplicity versus variety:

• Proportion
• Transition
• Unit

The second set of principles concerns the control of the viewer's eye movement, including elements of sequence versus emphasis:

• Rhythm
• Balance
• Approach

These two principles are achieved through the use of five elements of landscape design:

• heart
• Mould
• Texture
• Line
• Scale

And finally, your choices of crops that will thrive in your space are heavily influenced by:

• Hardiness zone of the plantwhere you live - determine which plants will thrive where
• Climatepatterns: this is zone related, but can have additional elements (hail? wind? very hot summers? hurricanes?)
• conditions– Mountain, plain, desert or coast
• Wild animals– for example, “deer resistant” plants usually aren't! You'll need other types of protection if you don't want your backyard to be a salad bar.

additional characteristics

• www.thespruce.com/landscape-design-for-beginners
• www.landstylist.com/blog/2019/2/13/the-top-10-most-common-landscape-design-questions-i-get
• https://timdavieslandscapes.com.au/blog/
• County and local extension agencies
• Community garden groups