Surrounds Inc.

09/22/2026

𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫: 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐔𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞
A well-designed landscape does more than improve the appearance of a property—it creates an outdoor environment that feels purposeful, inviting, and connected to the home.
Through thoughtful planning, layered plantings, and clearly defined spaces, this transformation gives the property greater structure, depth, and year-round visual interest. Every detail works together to create a landscape that feels both beautiful and naturally established.
Considering a transformation of your own? Contact Surrounds Landscape Architecture to explore what is possible for your property.

09/17/2026

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠
A thoughtfully designed water feature brings movement, sound, and a sense of calm to an outdoor space.
Here, a broad stone waterfall creates a striking focal point while connecting the pool to the surrounding terraces, plantings, and natural stonework. During the day, it adds energy and visual interest. In the evening, integrated lighting transforms the entire setting into a peaceful retreat.
The result is more than a pool—it is a layered outdoor environment designed to be experienced from every angle.
Ready to bring the beauty and tranquility of water to your landscape? Contact Surrounds Landscape Architecture to begin designing your outdoor retreat.

09/16/2026

If you've hired a company to perform scheduled maintenance, you aren’t likely to see plant diseases get out of control in your landscape. But our latest garden care article, "Common Northern Virginia Garden Plant Diseases", will give you a basic understanding of what these diseases look like and which plants they attack.

That knowledge could help you alert your neighbor about an issue. And that is important because, if your neighbor’s garden has issues, it usually doesn’t take long for them to migrate over to your yard!

The best cure is prevention: Five common plant diseases found in Northern Virginia gardens and the types of plants and trees that are most susceptible to them.

09/15/2026

𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐞 & 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫: 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 ☀️🌿
A well-designed outdoor space should be comfortable throughout the day—not just when the weather is perfect.
Pergolas, pavilions, and covered outdoor rooms provide welcome relief from the summer sun while creating defined spaces for relaxing, dining, and entertaining. Add features like ceiling fans, lighting, fireplaces, and comfortable furnishings, and the backyard becomes a true extension of the home.
Whether it’s an open pergola beside the garden or a fully covered poolside pavilion, shade and shelter can help you enjoy your landscape more often and for more of the year.
𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞? 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞.

09/10/2026

𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬: 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐎𝐰𝐧 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐲𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐄𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞 💧
Water has a way of transforming a landscape. Whether it’s the clean lines of a custom pool, the soothing movement of a naturalistic pond and waterfall, or the quiet luxury of a built-in spa, water features bring another dimension to outdoor living.
Thoughtfully integrated with the architecture, stonework, plantings, and surrounding landscape, each feature can feel like it has always belonged there.
From energizing summer afternoons to peaceful evenings outdoors, the right water feature creates a destination just steps from home.
𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞? 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞.

09/09/2026

We've just published a new eBook: "Build Your Dream Inground Swimming Pool: The Ultimate Guide to Success"

The best backyard swimming pools are set in holistic landscape compositions where shade structures, hardscape, and plantings work together harmoniously. This ebook guide you through all the steps including how to plan and who to hire!

Before you take the plunge… read it!

This guide presents the costs, timeline, and logistical challenges related to Northern Virginia inground pool construction and design so you can hire the right inground pool contractor.

09/08/2026

𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 & 𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫: 𝐀 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐲𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 ☀️
A great outdoor transformation is about more than changing how a space looks—it’s about changing how it can be used.
This backyard was reimagined from a traditional patio and lawn into a complete outdoor living environment designed for relaxing, entertaining, and making the most of summer. The finished space brings together a custom pool and waterfall, spa, fire pit, outdoor kitchen, expanded hardscaping, lush plantings, and open space for play.
One backyard. So many ways to enjoy it.
𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐲𝐚𝐫𝐝? 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞.

09/03/2026

𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐊𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐬: 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 🌿
Why head inside when everything you need for entertaining can be right in your backyard?
A thoughtfully designed outdoor kitchen creates a natural hub for cooking, dining, and spending time together. From built-in grills and generous counter space to bar seating, storage, refrigeration, and covered entertaining areas, each kitchen can be designed to complement both the home and the surrounding landscape.
The result is an outdoor space that makes everything from a quiet weeknight dinner to a summer gathering feel effortless.
𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐬? 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐤𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞.

09/02/2026

What if you have a backyard swimming pool but something about it doesn't feel right? Maybe a pool renovation will make it right.

Our latest case study article, "Reimagining a Potomac Backyard: From Lonely Swimming Pool to Vibrant Poolscape", chronicles the journey of one Potomac couple from unsolvable problem to elegant solution.

Learn how a creative landscape architect transformed a Potomac backyard with difficult to access swimming pool at the bottom of a steep slope into a richly layered poolscape.

09/01/2026

𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡: 𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐌𝐲𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐞
Few plants capture the feeling of summer quite like the crape myrtle.
Known for its vibrant, long-lasting blooms, crape myrtle brings beautiful color to the landscape during the hottest months of the year. Depending on the variety, flowers can range from white and soft pink to rich red and purple.
But the appeal doesn’t end with summer. Its sculptural branching, distinctive peeling bark, and fall foliage give crape myrtle interest across multiple seasons.
𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐖𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐈𝐭:
• Long-lasting summer blooms
• Thrives in heat and full sun
• Available in a variety of sizes and colors
• Beautiful bark and branching add winter interest
• Works as a specimen tree or incorporated into larger planting designs
𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐓𝐢𝐩: Give crape myrtle enough room to develop its natural form. Choosing the right variety for the space can reduce the need for excessive pruning and create a much more graceful landscape feature.