Landscaping involves a lot – like a lot. Mowing, weeding, bedding – oh my. But of all the different components of landscaping, what in the world is hardscaping?!
Here’s What Hardscaping in Northern Virginia Involves.
Hardscaping design consists of the non-living elements of landscaping – and no, we’re not talking about dead plants. These non-living elements include elements such as a brick patio, a stone wall, or a wood arbor. Hardscape falls into one of the two subcategories of landscaping. The other category being softscaping (more on that on another blog post). Hardscaping materials that are commonly used include concrete, brick, stone, wood, and metal – see, things that are hard much like getting your kids up early on a Saturday during summer vacation. Hardscaping can also include water features such as ponds and fountains and includes a broad range of projects that include almost any type of decorative or practical structure in a landscape.
The Benefits of adding Hardscaping to your Landscaping
This can include driveways to fences to benches. Hardscape is an essential portion of landscape because it is able to provide definition and organization to the natural areas and features of the landscape. Hardscape elements can also define certain areas of the space such as the driveway. The elements of hardscaping can also guide people walking in the areas with spaces such as pathways that can lead visitors through different zones of softscaping. An example of this is a gravel path that winds through a grassy area into a garden.
The Functional Benefits of Hardscaping
There are many ways hardscape can be used to enhance the other objects on your property. Here are a few hardscape ideas that can be used on your property: Stone retaining walls to create planting areas, concrete patios, brick patios to offer a more upscale look, flagstone patios which are low cost option for natural stone outdoor flooring, tile patios which are great ways to dress up a concrete patio slab, stone walkways, gravel paths, stone landscape steps, metal fences, wooden fences, wooden decks, wooden arbors or gazebos to enhance a landscape while providing shade, and pergolas that are arbor like structures attached to the house or other buildings. Water features are counted as hardscape too – including that pool you’ve been hinting at for years for Father’s Day.
How to Effectively Integrate Hardscapes into Landscape Design
Growing plants in and around the water features or slate walkways is a great way to integrate hardscape with softscape in the same element. With the right landscaping designer, marrying hardscapes and softscapes is the most effective way to turn your backyard into an at-home getaway. Weeding and bed maintenance can make a world of difference on your home’s aesthetic – don’t get us wrong, but adding in a walkway leading to a koi pond surrounded by the perfect shade of colorful flowers can revolutionize your backyard landscape design making it an escape from the mundane. Another way to soften the hard lines of hardscapes comes from Dargan Landscaping – “nothing makes a deck, patio or other hardscape look more natural than draping plantings around them. This technique also softens the harsh lines of hardscapes. Just be sure to maintain plantings, so they don’t become too overgrown!”
Why Hardscaping can Be Difficult and Reasons to Hire a Professional
Working on hardscape projects are a different story, however. Installing hardscaping can be very difficult work because of the differences between softscaping projects and hardscaping projects. Even under the best climate conditions, working on hardscape projects can still be extremely difficult because rain, drainage, and even rogue tree roots can have a negative effect on the intended outcome. That is why most homeowners choose to get hardscaping projects completed during favorable weather, typically in the spring, fall, or even sometimes during the moderate times of summer.
Many hardscape projects are far too physically demanding to complete with manual labor alone and require industry-specific heavy lifting equipment. In these cases, do not let the heavy lifting equipment requirement phase you out of building your hardscaping projects. It is better to look for companies capable of building hardscapes than to kiss the dream of a backyard oasis goodbye. Which is why Brennan’s Landscaping in Nokesville, Virginia, does the “heavy lifting” for you! Our talented team of landscapers and hardscape designers are here to build and bring your remodeling dreams to reality. Simply call (571) 330-2659, click (https://www.brennanslandscaping.com/quote/) or email (info@brennanslandscaping.com).