Add Beauty and Function to Your Yard with a Hardscape

Greensboro Hardscapes are non-living, man-made landscaping elements. From paved pathways to stone benches, water features and wood trellises, hardscapes add structure and beauty to your yard.

Properly designed, hardscapes also contribute to efficient water management by directing rainwater into soil where pollutants such as pet feces and city dust are filtered out, and where groundwater can be recharged.

A beautiful paver patio can become a focal point for a landscaping design or blend with other elements, painting one cohesive picture that enhances your property and boosts its value. The choice of manufactured products — such as concrete and brick pavers, wall blocks, and paver stones — will influence how a hardscape features into a landscape. Whether you decide to go big with your hardscape project and include an outdoor kitchen, seating area or fire pit, or if you prefer a smaller scale feature like a walkway or stepping stone path, a Belgard authorized contractor can help you create a design that is perfectly in balance with your landscape, providing the functionality and aesthetic you want for your yard.

While most landscaping projects only make a house look prettier, hardscapes add functionality to your home and increase its usable square footage. By creating a pathway between your garage door and the front porch, you make it easier for visitors to enter your home. Similarly, outdoor kitchens and seating areas encourage outdoor entertaining, while a paved walkway through a garden lets guests explore the plants without trampling on them.

Hardscape materials also help protect softscapes from erosion and weeds. Pavers, for example, can act as a functional edging for flower beds, and their hard, durable surface is much easier to mow than grass or mulch. Additionally, pavers can be installed in a grid pattern to help with drainage, so your softscapes don’t flood or become muddy.

As a finishing touch, hardscapes can even enhance your property’s curb appeal. Adding a decorative accent to your driveway or a water feature to your patio can set your landscape apart from others in the neighborhood, giving you an advantage when it comes time to sell your home. Whether you are looking to make an immediate improvement or are planning for your future, hardscapes will be an excellent investment that you will enjoy year after year.

Drainage

Drainage is a major issue with hardscapes. Without proper drainage, pooling water creates a slip hazard, and excess runoff can erode garden beds or wash away mulch. Effective drainage around hardscapes protects surrounding landscapes and preserves the beauty of these areas.

A few different types of hardscape drainage are available to manage the flow of water around your landscaping, including French drains, spot drains, and permeable pavers. Each has its pros and cons, and it’s important to consult an expert before choosing a drainage solution.

The key to ensuring good drainage with your hardscapes is planning ahead. When designing your project, consider how rainwater flows through the area and any natural features, such as a river or creek. This will help you plan for potential runoff that may occur after a storm. It’s also important to take into account the elevation of your home and the surrounding landscape when determining where water should flow.

Once your hardscape project is installed, it’s important to maintain it regularly. This includes clearing debris and inspecting grading to make sure that your hardscapes are draining properly. In addition, you should periodically test the surface of your paving materials for looseness or cracking. This ensures that your hardscape is safe to walk on and doesn’t pose a risk to pedestrians.

Incorporating hardscape elements into your landscaping increases the usable space in your yard and provides a place to entertain guests or enjoy the scenery. Unlike softscapes, hardscapes require less maintenance, such as watering and mowing, and they are more resilient to weather extremes. They also provide visual appeal and increase the curb appeal of your property. However, it is important to note that hardscapes can decrease the value of your home if they are not well maintained. It is therefore important to keep them looking their best to maximize your home’s selling value. A professional can help you design hardscapes that meet your lifestyle needs and enhance your home’s appeal. By combining both hard and softscapes, you can create a space that is functional, low-maintenance, and beautiful.

Safety

Adding hardscape elements to your outdoor living space can increase usable square footage in the yard and improve indoor-outdoor flow. Whether it’s an outdoor kitchen, fire pit or pergola, these types of features extend the use of your landscape well into fall and winter months. Additionally, they help add curb appeal and resale value to your home.

However, with many hardscape features come safety issues. When not properly maintained, a driveway, patio or walkway can become uneven and create hazardous conditions. Uneven ground also increases the chances for slips and falls, which is a major concern for commercial properties with employees and visitors on site. A thorough property inspection can identify potential hazards, and taking steps to rectify the problem can prevent injuries.

Some of the most common hardscape features include sidewalks, walkways, fences, walls, fire pits and grill surrounds, patios, pergolas and water and garden structures. Generally speaking, anything that is non-living and inanimate is considered hardscaping, but this can mean different things for each property. For instance, a stone walkway could provide organization within a natural landscape while a fence adds structural definition. Additionally, hardscapes can be designed to create visual contrast and ambiance to the landscape, or they can serve more functional purposes like identifying areas of the property or masking traffic noises.

Although hardscaping can have a higher initial cost than softscape, they often require less maintenance and last longer. This is because they are not subject to the same weathering processes as the plants, making them much more durable than their softer counterparts. A properly installed and conditioned concrete patio or asphalt driveway should last far longer than a garden bed full of annual flowers.

The main benefit of hardscaping is the increased functionality it provides to a residential or commercial landscape. With features like outdoor kitchens, fire pits and seating areas, you’re able to create a relaxing oasis where you can enjoy the beauty of nature without leaving the comfort of your own home. Additionally, hardscapes can help reduce the time and energy you spend maintaining your landscaping by eliminating the need to water, fertilize and weed regularly.

Curb Appeal

From a functional standpoint, hardscapes can add value to your home. They help extend the usable space in your backyard, and can create a more welcoming and inviting atmosphere for guests. They can also increase the overall resale value of your property. From a design perspective, these elements can also add structure and elegance to your yard, helping it stand out from the competition in your neighborhood.

Curb appeal is a huge factor for many homeowners, especially when it comes to a potential sale. A gorgeous walkway to your front door, a stylish retaining wall with greenery, or an elegant patio can all elevate the curb appeal of your property.

Aside from their beauty, hardscapes require significantly less maintenance than grass and other plants. For instance, pavers, concrete, and stone don’t need to be mowed or watered as frequently as a lawn. However, they should be cleaned regularly to keep them looking their best. If you are not comfortable with tackling this task yourself, consider hiring a professional landscape company to care for your hardscape.

In addition to boosting the visual appeal of your yard, hardscapes can make your outdoor space more accessible for those with mobility challenges. For example, a well-designed pathway to your front door can be more attractive than an untidy gravel path, and can offer greater safety for those who have difficulty walking. Additionally, steps, ramps, and railings can all be added to a hardscape design to improve accessibility for wheelchair users and those with other physical or cognitive impairments.

While there are numerous benefits to adding hardscapes to your yard, it is important to choose the right design for your specific needs and tastes. A reputable landscaping company can help you select the perfect materials for your project, and ensure it is professionally installed. By choosing a professional, you can be confident that your hardscapes will be both functional and beautiful for years to come.