Landscaping is great. But the best landscaping does not happen in an uncontrolled environment with no edges, no containment, and no structure. With such a yard or lawn, you will be constantly fighting against nature to maintain messy edges, hold back water damage and erosion, as well as having to constantly fight off bugs and other pests. The answer to the natural wildness of an untamed yard is hardscaping.
What is Hardscaping?
Hardscaping is every permanent feature of your yard that is solid, lasting, and inorganic. Hardscaping includes decks, paths, walls, fences, gazebos, pools, and the like. It's a fantastic way to add shape to your yard, to hem in the wildness of certain plants, to add much-needed style, and to transform your yard into an area that is accommodating to your needs and desires as a living space.
The Benefits of Hardscaping
The most important benefit of hardscaping might be that it makes taking care of your yard easier. But that's just the start. It also helps you conserve water; with fewer plants, you'll be able to water less. Hardscaping can also help to keep water from rapidly seeping away from your property and can guide traffic, helping your guests to avoid walking on plants and things you would rather that they not walk on. It also helps guests know where to park. Hardscaping gives you the option to create solid or semi-solid shade, add an outdoor kitchen, pool, sun deck, BBQ area, or an all-of-the-above area and more. In short, hardscaping is a gentle way to tell mother nature, and your neighbors, "This is my area. You can have everything else."
Hardscaping applications range in complexity from simple and small, to large and complex. Simple hardscaping ideas incorporate things like wood chips, rubber mulch and mats, bricks, stone steps, flagstones, tile, river rock, and more.
But today, we want to talk about larger projects that aim to transform your yard into a permanent capital asset for your home, an extension of your living space.
9. Hardscaping Ideas to Make Your New Delaware Home a Castle
1. Fireplaces & Firepits
When the weather grows unpleasant, you can create a bubble of heat and light that will draw everyone near. Imagine watching the snow gently fall against the backdrop of night around your patio roof, as you enjoy an evening meal, insulated by the heat of a roaring fire. Firepits are a great way to draw a crowd to huddle around and share stories any time of year.
2. Sitting Walls
A sitting wall is a great addition along the perimeter of any kind of outdoor installation. A nice sitting wall will add value to any hardscaping structure, whether it's a basketball court, a BBQ area, gazebo, or pool. Sitting walls will also provide welcome shape to your yard, tidily containing any organic landscaping features.
3. Lighting
Lighting is always a valuable asset after the sun goes down. But beyond the obvious utility of being able to see, you can use lighting to add style to your yard, provide direction to traffic, and highlight the features you're most proud of. Also, many modern lighting features are solar-powered and can be incorporated into smart home systems.
4. Walkways & Pathways
Add valuable shape and style to your yard with brick, concrete, or tire paths or walkways. These types of assets look great, help retain water, and they are a wonderful way to help folks to avoid stepping on things you would rather they not step on.
5. Outdoor Kitchens
Outdoor kitchens are a growing trend and with advanced outdoor cooking utilities, it's more doable than ever. Modern outdoor grills, brick ovens, and the like are well suited for permanent installation outdoors. Install your outdoor cookery, build a semi-protective patio roof, and you'll enjoy cooking outdoors any time of year.
6. Outdoor Entertainment
Like outdoor cooking appliances, weatherproof flat-screens and sound systems now exist which can be safely used and left outdoors. That means you can transform your backyard into a permanent full-spectrum audio/video entertainment theater.
7. Pool Decking
Of course, there's no surer bet than an in-ground pool and a sun deck. Even when the weather drives you indoors, you'll look out your window with pride at your beautiful deck. With a beautiful pool deck you won't need to leave home to enjoy a nice swim, come summer time.
8. Hire a Contractor to Install a Pool
The beauty of installing a pool is there's no expectation to build it yourself. After saving up for a few months, you can call in a contractor to install your pool. All you have to do is provide the deck chairs and choose your favorite style of sandal.
9. Sunken Hot Tub
Hearkening back to the late 1970s, there's nothing better for you and your closest friends to enjoy drinks and conversation in than a below ground hot tub. It's perfect for romantic times and ideal for party scenes or simply relax by yourself and let the tensions melt away. This is one installation you'll never regret.
Here at First Class Lawn Care in Wilmington, DE, lawn care and landscaping is our first love but high-quality hardscaping is just too good to ignore. Get in touch today to talk about your hardscaping dreams, and make them a reality.