Hardscaping 101 – The Basics

Hardscaping is often regarded as a more permanent way to enhance your outdoor space than planting flowers and trees. In addition to their aesthetic and practical benefits, hardscapes are also low-maintenance and can help increase property value. This is especially true if your property is flat or hilly, as these can benefit from creative hardscaping.

What Is Hardscaping?

Hardscaping is the process of building patios, landscaped walkways, sitting walls, retaining walls, fire pits and other custom-built features for your outdoor living space. Often used in conjunction with softscaping, a good hardscape design creates a harmonious environment between the two elements. Excessive hardscaping can make a yard appear jungle-like, while a lack of softscaping can be cold and unwelcoming. While hardscaping has become increasingly popular over the years, many designers now incorporate eco-friendly options like permeable pavers for reducing water usage and pollution runoff from stormwater. By absorbing rainwater back into the subsoil, these pavers can help prevent water pollution in lakes and rivers.

Benefits Of Hardscaping

Hardscaping, or using non-alive elements in a landscaping design, is an extremely effective way to improve your yard and add value. It can also reduce your environmental impact and support local wildlife. When compared to softscapes (which are usually primarily plants, flowers and grass), hardscaping features like pathways, retaining walls and patios require little or no maintenance. They are not prone to die or turn brown in hot or dry weather and they are also permanent, which makes them highly attractive to potential home buyers. They can also increase your property’s accessibility, giving you and your guests more space to enjoy your backyard. Furthermore, hardscapes add texture, depth and visual diversity to your landscape.

Different Aspects Of Hardscaping

Whether you’re planning to host an outdoor party or just want to snuggle up with friends and family, outdoor fireplaces and fire pits can create an ambient glow for a relaxing night outside. When choosing a fire pit, consider your budget and aesthetic preferences. Wood-burning fire pits can vary in price from under $50 to over $5,000. If you’re looking for a more contemporary design, propane or natural gas fire pits are a good option. You can also purchase gel fuel fire pits, which do not give off smoke when burning. They require you to pour gel fuel into the fire pit and use a lighter to ignite it.

Materials

Whether you’re planning on creating a garden, a patio, or simply a walkway, there are plenty of materials you can use for hardscaping. Loose stone is a versatile and cost-effective material that can be used for driveways, pathways, and patios. It also offers the added benefit of being permeable and reducing runoff water. Bricks are another popular hardscape material. They’re an excellent choice for paths and patios, as well as for retaining walls. They are available in many colors and patterns, so you can find something to match your house and yard’s existing look.