Garden and Flowers

You are very satisfied with how your new garden grows except for that spot where no matter what you plant, it won’t prosper and grow. Now, what will you do with that spot? The answer is to put a hardscape on that spot. But what is a hardscape? A hardscape refers to paved areas like sidewalks for housing developments but in your case, this will refer to the brick patios, sidewalks, retaining walls and water features. Hardscapes are placed in areas where human traffic is allowed to flow and in areas where there is barren earth.

There are many things that you can use as materials for your hardscape. You can use stones, bricks, fountains, benches, the options are endless. All you need is your imagination. Once you have decided on what to do for your hardscape, you must plan it well. Look at the whole landscape before you start. Take into consideration the entire area of your garden, backyard or frontyard. You should plan a design for the whole area. Anticipate how your design fits into your future plans especially if you have objects in your hardscape that are hard to move or a fixed object like a retaining wall. Include in your planning the drainage requirements. You must plan how the drainage will be affected when you place, say, a wall or a patio. It may cause puddles or worse. You should plan runoff so you can capture the water and use it on site, instead of letting it hit that concrete and go down the drainage pipe.

Make a focal point for your hardscape and make a path so that when someone will view your garden, their eyes will be drawn to it. As much as possible, develop a good balance between your hardscape and your softscape or your garden. Make all of your elements work together so that it will look natural, as if it has always looked like that and not manipulated by you. It is not advisable that your hardscape space is much, much bigger than your softscape. The garden or some grass and greenery will soften and compliment your hardscape.

It is okay to match your hardscape materials with the materials used in your home’s exterior but you have to do this carefully. The idea is to find two or three materials that are visually creative and coordinate not just with each other but with the interior and exterior of the house. Make sure also that your hardscape will match the style of your house. It will look awful and will do more harm than good in terms of aesthetics. If you are in doubt and have an extra budget, don’t hesitate to hire a professional. You will save on time, money and effort spent on your landscape. Hire a designer or contractor that comes with good recommendations and references. Professionals can also do some projects that you have in mind that are complicated such as building a retaining or a structural wall.

When all is set and work is ready to start, you can now buy the materials needed. Buy enough materials at the start because you’ll never know if the materials will be lacking and there no more available. You can still use the extra materials later as accents like stepping stones or landings. When you consider the materials to be used, take into consideration not only the prize and installation of the materials but also how long the material will last and will it suit the project that you have in mind. It makes more sense to economize by scaling back a project or the number of design elements, with the help of a cost-conscious professional, then to always buy the least expensive materials.

Taking all of the above advice, plus you careful planning, you will be on your way to having a great landscape that you and your family and friends will enjoy for a long time.