What is hardscaping?

Hardscaping is the design and installation of non-plant elements such as patios, walkways, walls, pergolas, fencing and lighting in an outdoor area. These elements can help resolve many issues on your property and in your life.

Here are some common problems that can be solved by adding a hardscaping feature to your home:

1. Poor grading or drainage: Hardscaping features like retaining walls, tiers, or steps can be a functional and elegant fix for a drainage nightmare.
2. Lack of shade or privacy: Adding a pergola is a great way to create the perfect amount of shade from the harsh summer sun. Pergolas, fencing, and stone walls can also help create a peaceful getaway from road noise or noisy neighbors.
3. Too much maintenance: Hardscaping doesn’t need pruning or watering so, it’s a great way to reduce time, and money, spent on maintaining your landscape.
4. Lack of entertaining space: Patios, built-in fire pits, seating walls and outdoor kitchens can all be used to expand the square footage of your home’s living space. These outdoor areas are perfect for entertaining guests, spending quality time with your family or just relaxing and enjoying nature.
5. Poor flow of traffic: Walkways, steps and stone paths can be used to keep the flow of traffic going in the direction you want it to. This helps keep people from traveling through flowerbeds, grass or other areas you don’t want them to.
6. Short usability period: If you already have a patio, but feel that you don’t get enough use out of it consider adding a fireplace or built-in fire pit. This allows you to use your outdoor living space during the cooler weather months. It also creates a comforting atmosphere where you and your guests can relax and enjoy the warmth from the fire. Plus, your children will love being able to roast marshmallows in their own backyard!
7. Bland looking landscape: Installing a hardscaping feature into your existing landscape creates variety and contrast. Using the right colors and textures, your hardscaping can make your current landscape look vibrant once again.
8. Poorly functioning outdoor space: Using specific features like built-in seating, retaining walls, and pergolas, you can design separately functioning areas while still creating an elegant and unified outdoor living space.
9. Lack of curb appeal: Your front walkway guides you home and creates a first impression for your guests and visitors. Consider adding or renovating your existing walkway to add curb appeal and create a beautiful entrance that leads you to your front door. You can even add pillars or steps to enhance the experience!
10. Low property value: A beautiful hardscaping design is a great way to help you enjoy your home while you’re living in it, but did you know it can even help once you’re ready to move? Hardscaping features can increase your property value and help your home stand out from the rest of the market. One recent study even suggested that hardscaping projects can deliver a return on investment as high as 150 percent!

If you’re considering adding a hardscaping feature to your home, please give us a call or schedule an appointment with one of our sales staff to see how we can help you plan, design and install your next project!

Here are a few hardscape designs created by the Indian Run Landscaping design staff…