Hardscaping can be an integral part of a truly beautiful and functional landscape design. What is hardscaping? Essentially, it’s any man-made, non-living element of your landscape, which can range as something as simple as a garden path or extravagant as an outdoor kitchen or structure like a pergola.
Along with visual appeal, hardscaping can make your outdoor space more livable, which not only enhances your enjoyment of your home, but can increase its value as well. Benefits of hardscaping include:
- Enhancing your living space – Whether it’s a simple patio, a refreshing pool, a protective pergola or some other feature that adds to your enjoyment of your home, hardscaping allows you to create spaces that expand your living space to include your outdoor area.
- Resolving landscaping issues – A sloped yard can be a landscaping challenge, but the addition of terracing and/or a retaining wall allows for grading land into level surfaces along with preventing soil erosion and water runoff.
- Defining spaces – Privacy walls, walkways, patios, firepits, pergolas, pool areas and even simple edging help to define landscape spaces, create areas for gathering, activities, resting and establishing focal points.
- Reduces yard maintenance and water usage – Hardscaping typically replaces turf, which can require considerable amounts of water as part of its maintenance, and saves time and energy mowing, trimming and fertilizing the lawn.
- Increases home value – In addition to adding extra usable outdoor living space, over 80% of home buyers prefer properties that have outdoor entertainment areas. Combined with the added aesthetics and structural enhancements, hardscaping makes a property particularly appealing.
Here are some examples of types of hardscapes and the advantages they can provide to your outdoor living space:
Pools and pool areas – There’s nothing better than having the luxury of cooling off with a dip in your backyard pool. Pools and pool areas are natural gathering places and can be a focal point of your landscaping. We can help you create the perfect pool and surrounding space that best suits your lifestyle. You may want to consider extras like a waterfall feature, built-in seating areas or a smaller, more shallow pool extension for little ones.
Patios – Eighty-four percent of home buyers look for properties with existing patios, so including one in your landscaping is a smart investment. Patios can be any size, constructed from a wide variety of materials (brick, pavers, concrete, etc.). They can be as simple as a level area in which to place outdoor furniture, to something more elaborate with built-in areas for plants or water features. If space and budget allow, you can include several patios based on function (gathering/eating; relaxation/meditation; play area for children) to customize your landscape.
Outdoor cooking areas – Whether you’re looking for a safe, level foundation from which to grill or a layout for a complete outdoor kitchen, hardscaping can set the stage for all your outdoor cooking. We can help you create a space that can accompany a grill and eating area or something grander, like a full outdoor kitchen with running water, electricity and gas features.
Walkways, driveways and garden paths – A hardscape walkway helps ensure safe footing, guides foot traffic, and helps delineate landscape spaces as well as contribute to your yard’s overall aesthetic. Driveways can range from straight, simple paved areas that lead to a garage or carport, or a circular drive that becomes part of your home’s front entry, adding curb appeal as well as functionality.
Garden paths – perhaps as simple as some thoughtfully placed steppingstones – can encourage exploration of your gardens or property while preserving existing turf grass. Like patios, the design possibilities, colors and materials used are limited only by your imagination.
Pergolas, pavilions, and gazebos – If you’re looking for a structure that provides protection from the outdoor elements, a pergola, pavilion or gazebo might fulfill your need. These structures can also provide some privacy from neighbors or street traffic. Sturdier structures like pergolas and pavilions can allow for the inclusion of electricity for cooking, heating, cooling, lighting and other features so these structures can function as true outdoor rooms.
Retaining walls and edging – Edging along walkways, driveways, patios, gardens and lawns help to crisply define spaces for a clean, manicured landscape look. They can also be used for strictly aesthetic appeal as a design element with contrasting/complementary shapes, colors and materials. Retaining walls can be both functional and beautiful, protecting sloping yards from runoff, or leveling areas when used in a terraced landscape design. Walls and edging can help define a home’s style, from formal elegance to rustic charm.
Outdoor firepits/fireplaces – Gathering around a fire is something people have enjoyed for centuries! The warmth of an outdoor firepit or fireplace helps extend your outdoor living time in spring and fall, while adding beautiful illumination to warm summer evenings. (Not to mention inviting marshmallow toasting and making s’mores!).
Water features (ponds, fountains) – Water features are relaxing, beautiful additions to your landscape. These include fountains, waterfalls, ponds, pools, and water gardens. We can help you create a standalone water feature that serves as a focal point in your yard, such as garden fountain, or add a water feature to an existing landscaping element, such as a waterfall to your built-in pool.
Hardscape seating – Whether it’s a low, flat-topped wall by the pool area or a small stone bench tucked into the garden that invites you to sit and enjoy a quiet moment in nature, hardscape seating is another outdoor landscape element that combines functionality with attractive design.
To see a beautiful example of elegant hardscaping, view our portfolio – Backyard Getaway
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