What Is Hardscape & What Purpose Does It Serve?
What is hardscaping in landscaping
When it comes to designing the exterior of your home, you may hear terms like "landscaping" and "hardscaping" used. While landscaping is a little easier to comprehend, the question is, what is hardscape and how is it relevant to your backyard? This guide will unravel the mystery behind these outdoor terms and more specifically provide the differences between the two, giving examples of what falls into each category and how they can work together to create the backyard of your dreams.
What Is Hardscaping vs. Landscaping?
Landscape (also known as softscape) refers to all living and organic elements on the ground. This includes grass, flowers, and trees – essentially any living plantlife. Hardscape, on the other hand, includes all non-living elements, ranging from driveways to retaining walls, water features and firepits. Hardscaping is a critical part of landscape design because it helps to define and organize the natural spaces, creating focal points, and even leading you through the landscape to other areas. In other words, it is almost any type of practical or decorative structure that is added to a landscape.
How Can You Use Hardscaping?
Hardscaping is what can transform an overgrown or plain landscape into a stunning vista that ups your home value and curb appeal. The good news is that there are a myriad of ways to use hardscaping on your property – your imagination, land layout, and budget will help you determine what is most feasible. Here are just some of the hardscaping options and how they can be used.
1. Water Features as Hardscape
Water fountains are upmarket and elegant hardscape elements that instantly elevate any landscape. These structures can be made from concrete, fiberglass, and resin (to name a few), and can be installed on both the floor and wall. While fountains are considered hardscaping, many pond water fountains allow you to integrate softscaping into the same design by growing plants in and around them.
Tip!
Read our Outdoor Fountain Guide as well as our guide on the Types of Fountains, to learn more about these hardscape features.
Arbors are structures that help to add a soft and cozy feeling to any home. These arches often feature latticework to allow trailing vines and flowers to creep up and around and form a beautiful verdant wall – again, allowing for that combination of hardscape and landscape. They can be made from wood or metal are and typically placed at entryways and over walkways, helping to delineate between different sections of landscape while providing shade.
Tip!
Read What Is an Arbor? Why This Structure Belongs in Your Garden to learn more about these stunning additions and why you could do with one in your life.
Fire pits are great hardscape features for anyone looking to spend more time outdoors. They make for fantastic focal points as well as an enjoyable location for you and your guests to gather around when the sun goes down. These versatile additions come in a broad array of shapes including; square, round, rectangular, materials like; steel, concrete, and stone, and with different fuel types such as; propane, wood, and natural gas.
Tip!
Our Firepit Buying Guide will give you more insight and help you select the best one for your needs.
A large part of hardscaping is making the outdoors more accessible, with patios and decks being a prime example of this. Having a designated area that is carved out of the landscape will allow you to put down furniture and accessories so you can host barbecues, throw dinner parties, or just soak up sun and enjoy the outside world. While decks and patios are some of the larger hardscape features out there, they also give you the most enjoyment and use out of your outdoor space.
Tip!
If you are considering installing a deck, read Deck Materials & How They Compare for a little more info to help you choose the right option.
One of the more overlooked and yet most pivotal hardscaping options is pathways. These allow you to traverse otherwise unwalkable or unreachable land. They can be made from concrete pavers and cobblestones, outdoor deck tiles, and planks. Pathways lead you between different landscapes and give you access to other hardscapes like fire pits and patios. They can create a defined walkway to your home and help give your property a more welcoming look. It is also possible to use flower beds to flank paths for another aesthetic combination of hard and softscape.
Not all hardscaping has to be large or alter your property layout to be effective. In fact, landscape lighting is designed to highlight and bring attention to existing natural features ranging from flower beds to topiary, or light up other hardscapes like ponds and decks. There are also pathway lights to make nighttime strolls easier as well as spot lights designed to illuminate unique features when the sun goes down.
Tip!
For lighting inspiration, read Landscape Lighting Ideas That Will Light Up Your Life.
Fences may have slightly different purposes but they are designed with the same premise in mind – to separate areas of landscape. Whether that be to cordon off your home from the street, delineate between yours and your neighbor's property, or to mark out a garden bed or separate areas in the yard. It is possible to place fences around pools for extra protection or to provide a safe space for animals to roam, while retaining walls are installed to maintain land in specific positions. Fences can be small or tall, made from wood, metal, or vinyl, all customizable to your needs.
Now you know what hardscaping is, it's time for you to begin rethinking your own land. Shop our impressive selection of hardscaping options to begin transforming your outdoor space with ease.
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