The house, renovation, extension is looking perfect, now we need to tidy up the outside. There are 2 stages of landscaping. Hard landscaping and Soft landscaping. Landscaping can feel almost like you are back at square 1, but you are not. Try to get all that energy back to make sure you have enough left to do the same brilliant job in your garden and frontage as you did on the rest of your project. Again you will now probably get some more member of your crew specific for making sure your grounds look awesome. Let's look in a little more detail at the 2 types of landscaping.
Hard landscaping refers to the use of non-living or durable materials in landscape design and construction. It involves the installation of permanent features such as paths, driveways, walls, patios, decks, pergolas, fences, water features, and other structures that define the layout and function of outdoor spaces.
Examples of hard landscaping features include:
Patios and Decks: Outdoor areas surfaced with concrete, stone pavers, brick, or wood decking, providing spaces for dining, entertaining, or relaxation.
Paths and Walkways: Paved surfaces connecting different areas of the landscape, often made of concrete, stone, gravel, or brick.
Walls and Retaining Structures: Structural elements made from materials like brick, stone, concrete blocks, or timber, used to define boundaries, create terraces, or retain soil.
Water Features: Fountains, ponds, waterfalls, or streams constructed from materials like stone, concrete, or metal, adding visual interest and sound to the landscape OR if you are blowing the budget SWIMMING POOLS 😂
Fences and Screens: Structures built to provide privacy, security, or visual screening, made from materials like wood, metal, or composite materials.
Pergolas and Arbors: Open structures constructed from wood, metal, or vinyl, providing support for climbing plants and creating shaded areas.
Outdoor Kitchen and Cooking Areas: Built-in grills, countertops, sinks, and seating areas constructed using durable materials like stone, brick, or stainless steel.
Soft landscaping refers to the use of living elements in landscape design to enhance the beauty, functionality, and sustainability of outdoor spaces. Unlike hard landscaping, which involves non-living or durable materials like stone, concrete, and metal, soft landscaping focuses on plants, trees, grass, and other organic elements. Soft landscaping elements add color, texture, fragrance, and natural beauty to outdoor environments.
Here are some common features and components of soft landscaping:
Plants: This includes trees, shrubs, flowers, groundcovers, and ornamental grasses chosen for their aesthetic appeal, seasonal interest, and suitability to the site's climate and conditions.
Flower Beds and Borders: Flower beds and borders are areas planted with a variety of flowering plants, perennials, and annuals to add color, texture, and visual interest to the landscape. They can be arranged in formal or informal designs to complement the overall style of the garden.
Lawns: Lawns are areas of grass that provide open space for recreation, relaxation, and aesthetic enjoyment. Soft landscaping may involve the installation, maintenance, and care of lawns through practices such as seeding, sodding, mowing, fertilizing, and irrigation.
Hedges and Screening Plants: Hedges, shrubs, and screening plants are used to define boundaries, create privacy, and screen undesirable views. They can be shaped, trimmed, and maintained to form natural barriers and partitions within the landscape.
Groundcovers: Groundcovers are low-growing plants that spread horizontally to cover the ground and suppress weeds. They are often used as alternatives to turfgrass in areas where mowing and maintenance are impractical.
Container Plants: Container plants, such as potted flowers, herbs, and small shrubs, add versatility and flexibility to soft landscaping by allowing for mobility and easy changes in arrangement. They can be placed on patios, decks, balconies, or other outdoor spaces to create focal points or accents.
Water Features: While water features like ponds, streams, and waterfalls are often considered part of hard landscaping, soft landscaping can include aquatic plants such as water lilies, lotus, and cattails, which enhance the beauty and ecological value of water features.
Comments