Hardscapes

Consisting of the inanimate elements of landscaping (especially any masonry or woodwork), hardscapes take the form of stone walls, tile paths, garden ponds and water fountains. But what few people know is that by extension, anything that is used in landscaping that is not part of the softscape (or earth landscaping features like plants) can be considered a hardscape element, even lawn gnomes and flamingoes.

Typical small-scale hardscaping examples include stone, brick and concrete walls and sidewalks, but a wide-range of materials can be used, such as gravel, timber, bitumen, glass, and metals. From an aesthetic perspective, hardscaping allows workers to erect landscaping features that would otherwise be impossible due to soil erosion, or that compensate for large amounts of human traffic that would cause wear on bare earth or grass. Reasons for hardscaping are easy, from providing built-in seating for an outdoor living area to providing visually interesting elements in that area of lawn where grass refuses to flourish.

Whatever the reason, research and careful planning must be made in advance, especially when you consider that it will be fixture in your landscape for a long time to come. It is important to try to anticipate how it will fit into your long-range plans for the rest of your landscape.

Planning a hardscape? First consider...

A hardscape can enhance the visual appeal of your landscape, as well as enhancing the usefulness. It takes careful planning to make sure your project does not turn into an unexpected problem that prevents you from enjoying your new space. Use these tips to help avoid headaches.

Look at the whole landscape to begin with

As much as you can, consider the entire area available to you for hardscaping before you design an element, even if you're just tackling one space for now. If you don't consider the site comprehensively, you may find that a single element you have built is inhibiting another plan you have come up with later down the road. For instance, you may put in a garden fountain, and then decide you want a barbecue, patio or walkway and the fountain blocks your plans.

Take care of drainage issues

More hardscapes are harmed by ignored drainage requirements than by all the other errors combined. It is important to be absolutely certain that the added hardscape will not cause drainage issues once installed, even if you currently have good drainage. It is easier to plan ahead than to try to fix it afterwards if the new object is now blocking the previous path of drainage. Runoff can be captured to use on site instead of going down a drainage pipe as an environmentally-friendly consideration.

Develop a focal point

Don't overdo the design of your hardscape. You want the eye to travel toward a destination and one or two visual elements that make you visually pause. A cluttered design can lead to excess expense and effort that may not add up to a more attractive or useful landscape.

Create a natural feel

Don't just "plop down" on the ground elements that are supposed to be helping to naturalize an area. Pay attention to placement and size to use these elements successfully and make them look like a naturally-occurring element. This may involve burying a boulder a little bit instead of just sitting it on top of the ground. Too-linear elements can create the same unnatural feel. A straight or L-shaped line for a walkway or patio may degrade the visual effect created by the natural lines of the space. Try to include curves and shapes in a way that the hardscape elements transition gracefully into the rest of the landscape.

Don't eliminate your entire lawn

If you do not live in the Southwest where vegetation is difficult to grow, an all-stone or concrete hardscape is not a trend to follow. An ideal hardscape should include plentiful vegetation in relationship to hard surfaces. Although a hardscaped patio is a great place to entertain, nothing beats a small patch of grass as a safe playing area for children.

Carefully mix and match

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. A hardscape with all one color or material is a bore. Textural variety is important as well (although not too much), as two textures working together seems to create the best effect without looking messy.

Stick to a style

Hardscapes can have many feels from relaxed to formal, but the best ones show a well-defined style. Think of a word or phrase that describes your vision and stick with it.

Follow the standards and talk to experts

A level surface to build on and the proper depth for the freeze line are everything in hardscaping. If you don't have them, five years out, your project will be breaking up. Putting in a hardscape element without preparing the site appropriately is a sure formula for future failure. If you don't put the correct amount of base material down, or compact it well enough, you risk having a wall sink or settle or a patio settle and heave in frost. Anyone embarking on a project that involves a structural wall or a hall with stability issues should first contact an engineer to discuss the implications.