You’ve heard of landscaping, but what about hardscaping? These terms may evoke opposite ideas – “land” evokes an entirely different aesthetic from “hard” – but in practice, they’re close relatives.
In this article, we’ll discuss the definition of hardscaping and explain how you can combine it with landscaping to create the most beautiful outdoor space you ever imagined.
Definition of Hardscaping
Hardscaping is the design and construction of your lawn’s stone or brick areas – AKA the “hard” areas. These include retaining walls, patios, seating areas, and firepits.
Hardscaping Vs Landscaping
We distinguish the hardscape elements of your outdoor space from the landscape because they require completely different modes of work, designs, and maintenance measures.
For example, landscaping primarily involves planting grass, bushes, flowers, and other greenery in a coordinated fashion to create a design that meets the homeowner’s vision for beauty and functionality. After they take root, the plants must be regularly watered, trimmed, replanted, and covered in winter to preserve their beauty. Landscapes are fairly adaptable, however, meaning plants can be moved – or removed – to optimize the final look.
Hardscapes are the opposite of landscapes in all the above ways.
First, hardscapes don’t come down as easily as plants, so it’s critical to get the layout and construction right from the beginning of the project. Once built, however, they typically don’t need a lot of maintenance except an occasional cleaning or resealing. They do have to be constructed correctly with a stable foundation, or else they could sink into the ground or develop cracks in the facade. At that point, the entire space might have to be redone.
Why You Need Both Hardscaping and Landscaping
Despite their differences, hardscaping and landscaping complement one another in the following ways.
- Landscapes embody the softness and loveliness of nature. Hardscapes can simulate those qualities or make an appealing contrast depending on the texture, colors, and patterns you select for your stone or brick.
- Hardscapes are focal points that draw visitors in and allow them to appreciate the surrounding landscape from a stable, central position.
- Hardscapes provide a sturdy place for friends and family to gather and socialize without crushing the plants or disturbing the insect and animal life around them.
How To Hardscape and Landscape Simultaneously
Even though hardscaping and landscaping are vastly different in terms of construction, materials, and maintenance, we still want to bring them together to maximize each one’s beauty.
But doing them simultaneously isn’t a job for a new DIYer. It requires an experienced lawn care team with expertise in plant cultivation as well as construction, project management, and exterior design.
At Hackmann Lawn & Landscape, we’re experts at both hardscaping and landscaping projects. Whether your vision is for a garden oasis with elegant retaining walls or a grand patio with a fire pit, we’ll bring all our skills to bear to create a blended outdoor space you can’t wait to enjoy.
Let Hackmann give you the best landscaping and lawn maintenance in St. Louis and St. Charles, MO! Request a free quote today by calling (636) 688-6647 or clicking “Free Quote” on our website.
We Can Bring Your Landscaping & Hardscape ideas to Fruition
Getting the right garden design to include hardscape takes expertise not only in design, it also requires building skills and combining the two. Designing an outdoor living space with hardscape involves picking colors or plants and technical considerations that must be combined. When done correctly it provides a serene oasis.
Don’t miss out on your backyard oasis designed and built by Hackmann Lawn & Landscape, a professional landscaping & hardscaping company servicing St. Louis and St. Charles, MO! Call a (636) 688-6647 for a free quote.
And if you’re ready to take advantage of our highly rated outdoor landscaping and hardscaping service, sign up your free quote online today.