When it comes to transforming your property’s outdoor space, there are many options. Ultimately, you’ll need to decide which service best suits your needs and budget. If you’re considering a new landscape project or want to enhance your current one, it’s important to understand the difference between hardscaping and landscaping.
Cost
Understanding the difference between hardscaping and landscaping can help you get the most out of your outdoor space. Landscaping includes trees, bushes, flowers, bulbs, dirt, and mulch. On the other hand, Hardscaping is a set of landscaping features made with non-living materials like concrete, stone, brick, or other hard and sturdy weather- and load-bearing materials. Examples of hardscaping are walkways, driveways, retaining walls, and stairs. Water features like fountains, pools, and man-made streams are often part of a hardscaping design. Because these features need to keep water inside, they are designed with a barrier instead of draining away into the ground. The use of hardscaping also can fix grade issues in the landscape that could cause problems for the rest of the property. A well-designed hardscape project can include retaining walls, pathways, and stairs that make your property much more functional.
Maintenance
Hardscaping and landscaping are the two main types of exterior maintenance that you will need to keep up with. The difference is that hardscaping uses more artificial construction materials like bricks, stones, tiles, metals, and concrete, while landscaping relies more on natural greenery. In both cases, maintenance is crucial to maintaining the aesthetics and value of your property. It can also help keep unwanted growth like weeds, mold, and mildew from affecting the look of your hardscaping. When it comes to hardscaping, you will need to check for cracks and other signs of damage, especially in areas where traffic occurs. Those small hairline cracks can quickly become much larger and more costly to repair, so fixing them before they get worse is best.
Curb Appeal
Curb appeal is a key factor in the sale of your home. Not only can it increase your property value, but it also boosts the number of people who are interested in viewing your home. One of the best ways to improve your curb appeal is through landscaping. This can be done easily by adding flowers, trees, and other decorative shrubs around your home. You can also enhance your landscape with hardscaping features like patios, decks, and stonework. Although hardscaping is more expensive than landscaping, it can significantly increase the value of your home. The key is to ensure that your hardscaping compliments your landscaping so that the entire yard looks beautiful from any angle.
Design
Hardscaping and landscaping can add beauty, style and value to your home. They can also make the outdoor space more functional. There are many things to consider when designing a hardscape. You must take into account the size of the space and your budget. You can also determine what features are necessary and what you want to include in your design. For example, if you have sloping ground, you may need to create a retaining wall to help level it off.