Are you perfectly satisfied with the state of your backyard or garden? If not, or if you’re thinking in any way of upgrading the look of your outdoor property, you should be considering hardscaping as a way of opening up creative options for your backyard space.
What is Hardscaping?
These are man-made structures, like concrete floors, fences, or walls, that are deliberately designed to integrate with the natural “softscape,” such as trees and flowers. A hardscape might be as functional as driveways or garage floors, as practical as concrete floors on a patio, or be as beautiful as elegant pool designs and romantic brick walkways.
Why Hardscape?
There are a lot of reasons to consider adding hardscaping elements to the backyard. For one thing, they can improve aesthetics. A hardscape structure can hide an unsightly HVAC unit, for example, or hide an unsightly yard in an adjoining property. The Houzz 2016 Landscaping and Garden Trends Study found that 51% of people wanted to put in pathways around their homes, which is largely for looks and convenience. About 63% of people are looking to replace unsightly grass with hardscaping elements that always look good.
Another good reason for hardscaping is to meet yard-specific needs of some kind. This would include drainage, or retaining walls to stop pooling water. Hardscape concrete floors can actually be a way to level a yard or provide patio space that transforms an unusable area of yard into something.
People also use hardscape to add value to their home in some way, either in curb appeal for potential buyers, or simply for their own enjoyment. Homes with great landscaping often sell for as much as 10% more than equivalent homes without any thoughtful design. And there are various types of functional outdoor space that can allow people to enjoy the area more, such as an inground pool or concrete floors poured for outdoor dining spaces.
What Can I Really Do With Hardscaping?
The possibilities are nearly endless, limited only by imagination. Contact a hardscape design company and let them give you design ideas and show you the enormous variety you have to choose from, such as different types of decorative concrete. A walkway may enhance enjoyment of a beautiful garden, or simply make it easier to get around the yard. Decks, patios, and other outdoor living spaces can include refrigerators, stoves, and counter space to let you turn an outdoor cooking area into an amazing dining experience. Water features and pools vastly increase property re-sale value and can make your backyard a place everyone wants to spend time in.
Hardscaping is a great choice for improving your property and your own enjoyment of it. The landscaping industry in general is expected to see nearly 6% growth annually through 2019, and that’s a lot of homeowners improving their property value. Don’t get left behind: look into how redesigning your backyard space could improve your property and your lifestyle.
