What is Hardscaping?

Landscaping, plantscaping, softscaping, hardscaping….suddenly everywhere you look, new terms and trends are popping up! But what do these words really mean for your yard at home? 

Landscaping, of course, is the sum total of every action taken to improve the look and ambiance of a piece of land. Plantscaping takes some of that lovely greenery indoors in the form of strategically-placed potted plants. Softscaping refers to the placement of greenery outdoors. And finally, hardscaping is the underlying permanent or semi-permanent structure that holds the softscaping in place. Clear as mud? Don’t worry – this is our complete guide for everything you need to know about hardscaping your home or business. 

What Is Hardscaping?

Hardscaping is the hard materials – bricks, rocks, concrete, planters, and other structures – that form the outline of your landscape design. Hardscaping is essentially the foundation of your landscape. Without hardscaping, all those carefully chosen trees and shrubs and flowers won’t stay in place for very long.  

When your greenery is placed firmly into a structure of hardscaping, it stays put. Hardscaping is the opposite of green, living things. It is the inanimate, non-living, durable and long-lasting “home” in which your greenery will live.

Benefits of Hardscaping

Hardscaping comes with a number of benefits, some more visible than others. One of the major benefits is that it keeps all your greenery in place.

Well-designed hardscaping is also able to deter weeds and pests. It can encourage desirable structured growth (up, out or both) and present a seamless curbside appearance. Hardscaping can help to control runoff from watering and storm waters. The choice of non-porous or porous materials can encourage water to soak into the soil or direct it into controlled runoff channels.

One fun new trend in hardscaping is increasing emphasis on hardscape design for small or vertical spaces.“Living walls” incorporate hardscaping and softscaping to bring greenery into small outdoor or indoor spaces to refresh and oxygenate the air while adding ambiance and natural beauty to formerly functional areas.

Hardscaping can also help visitors to your space understand what areas are for parking and walking. They also set apart what areas are designed to be kept clear of foot traffic.

Effective Hardscaping

The most effective hardscaping begins with a study of the local climate. Arid climates demand a different hardscaping strategy than do tropical climates. For areas regularly impacted by drought-based water use restrictions, hardscaping can help maximize retention of available water. Careful hardscape design can also compensate for areas that are less hospitable to greenery while still adding visual appeal.

The choice of hardscape materials can also have a surprising level of impact on future maintenance needs. Well-chosen hardscaping can reduce maintenance in all sorts of ways. From guarding against weeds and pests to working with the local climate and seasons to maximize greenery all year round.

Types of Hardscaping

As the landscaping industry becomes more sophisticated, the line between hardscaping and softscaping begins to blur. Today, there is an increased demand for “living” semi-permanent or permanent materials. These are used to create eco-friendly landscapes at home and at work. With this new demand has come a range of new hardscaping materials that are both alive and inert.  

Examples of traditional manmade hardscaping materials can include artificial turf, bricks, prefabricated stone, weed barriers made of nylon or poly materials, glass, concrete, and metal. Examples of naturally occurring “living” yet inert hardscaping materials can include sand, pea gravel, decomposed granite rock, finely ground marble stone, river rocks, and mulch.  

It is important to understand all your hardscaping options. It’s also smart to use the right terminology to talk with your landscape designer about your wants. Here are three terms you need to know:

Soft-scapingThis term refers to using naturally occurring hardscaping materials along with greenery to craft the design for your space. A good example would be filling in walkways with river rocks and then lining the walkways with moss.

Mixed hardscaping– Combining naturally occurring and man-made hardscaping materials together with greenery for your landscape design. A good example would be filling in walkways with river rocks, lining those walkways with concrete stepping stones and interspersing each stepping stone with moss.

Living hardscaping– Alternating living greenery with non-living natural or manmade hardscape materials. A good example would be alternating concrete stepping stones OR river rocks with moss.

Reducing Hardscaping Maintenance

A well-planned hardscape design can help reduce your ongoing maintenance needs, saving you both time and money. Here is where hardscaping, softscaping, and landscape design meet to create a landscape plan that is durable, lovely and low maintenance.

Three factors can greatly influence the maintenance of landscaping: choice of climate-friendly greenery, hardscaping/softscaping materials and planned drainage. In other words, you don’t want to walk out after the next heavy rainstorm to discover your entire landscape has washed away down the drain! Similarly, you don’t want to spend your winter worrying about what is going on underneath all that snow. Pest control is often best accomplished by carefully choosing weed barriers, fertilizers, mulch and soil that will encourage plant growth and send pests packing. 

If all of this sounds intriguing yet overwhelming, remember we are here to help! Here at Hidden Creek Landscaping, we’re here to answer all of your questions and ready to help you take on any project. Give us a call today. 

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What is Plantscaping?

One of the latest gardening trends that has become popular in recent years is plantscaping. Plantscaping involves placing potted plants in an indoor area. Although this seems simple, plantscaping involves strategy and offers many benefits.

What is Plantscaping?

Plantscaping is the strategic arrangement of plants in an indoor space. When done correctly, plantscaping can bring beautiful visual appeal to your home. Plantscaping can also be used to spruce up deck and patio areas.

Plantscaping depends on a number of things. What do you want to accomplish with your plants? Do you want a bright, flowery look? Or something more toned down? Plantscaping is a great way to extend your outdoor garden into your home. It can bolster the ambiance of an area. For instance, no air freshener will ever smell as beautiful as a natural lavender plant. For a trendier look without a scent, you can add some succulents to your space.

Benefits of Plantscaping

Having plants inside your home is both visually appealing and offers some practical benefits. Plantscaping in your living area can help to purify your air. There was a famous NASA experiment done in the 1980’s showing that potted plants indoors can help cut down on cancer-causing compounds in the air. The more surface area your plant has, the cleaner your air will be.

Indoor foliage can also help boost your mood and energy.  They can also help you feel more relaxed and at ease in your space. Studies have shown that companies with indoor plants have healthier and happier employees. According to Forbes, offices that have a higher amount of indoor plants showed a boost in cognition and sleep quality. Overall, having plants in your work-space is incredibly beneficial to your mood and productivity.

Effective Plantscaping

Every garden is different and likewise, every indoor plant space will be different. If you are new to plantscaping or gardening, it’s smart to start with plants that don’t require a lot of attention. Spider plants, peace lilies, aloe, and dragon trees are all great starter plants. Once you get the hang of these beginner plants, you can move onto ones that require more complex care.

Evaluate your space. Will your plants be exposed to enough sunlight? Will they have ample room to grow? Are they in danger of being bowled over by kids or pets? Once you know what you are capable of, you can begin setting up your plantscape.

Next, work on your setup. Arrange the plants in a way that adds to the room without becoming an overwhelming presence. Layering your plants can add design and depth to your space. Hang some from the ceiling, leave some on the ground, and place them everywhere in between. This will add a fun and trendy dimensional feel to your living area.

Choose pots for your plants that tie in with your area. If they coordinate with the other decor in your room, the entire space will have a more cohesive look and feel.

Care and Maintenance

To begin, pick a good soil potting mix to home your plants. It is important not to take soil from your yard or garden. This may be filled with insects, fungus, and weeds. Buying soil will ensure that your plants have access to all the minerals and nutrients they need to thrive. Some soils even come with fertilizer built in. Talk to experts at your local gardening center to see what brands they recommend.

To begin, only plant one type of plant per pot. Different plants have different needs and it can be hard to accommodate light and watering schedules when you have too many variations of plants sharing a small space.

Because your plants are indoors, they will need more care than outdoor plants. Giving them fertilizer is a great way to ensure that all of their needs are met. Deadheading (aka trimming off dead parts of the plant) is also an important way to keep your plants healthy.

Beware of Pests

Even though your plants are indoors, there are some pests to be aware of to keep your plants safe and healthy. Mites, mealybugs, and scale are all things that can threaten the health of your plants. The key to success here is preventative care. Groom your plants regularly and keep an eye out for any threatening-looking growth or activity in the pot. It is also important to not overwater your plants and to be aware of their exposure to moisture. Too moist of an environment can lead to rot and eventually kill your plants.

Overall, plantscaping is a great way to boost your health and to benefit your space. Plants help keep you healthy and happy and can give your home a trendy and fresh new feel. Bringing plants into your home offers many benefits. If you are interested in plantscaping and have any questions, contact our experts at Hidden Creek today.

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