A landscape installation can increase your property’s curb appeal and boost its value by up to 20 percent. However, it requires a thoughtful process to curate the perfect balance of hardscapes and softscapes. Plants should be resource-efficient, requiring less water and fewer chemicals. Lighting should highlight key features without overpowering the garden.
Hardscapes
In addition to providing functionality, hardscape features add design elements that enhance the beauty of your outdoor landscape. Whether it’s an inviting patio for relaxing with family and friends, a barbecue pit for grilling your favorite meats and veggies or a pond or fountain that creates a peaceful and tranquil environment for your backyard, hardscapes allow you to make the most of your outdoor living space.
In contrast to softscapes, which focus on plant life, hardscapes bring both form and function to the landscape. For example, retaining walls can stabilize slopes and prevent soil erosion while providing an attractive way to level out yards. Hardscapes can be built with several materials to complement your property and taste. For example, brick structures are durable and can keep their color for years, while stone provides a more natural look. Concrete is another versatile option for building patios, walkways and driveways, and it’s one of the most affordable options.
Structures
While many homeowners prefer to concentrate on the interior while making upgrades, the exterior landscape may also have a significant impact. A well-maintained and aesthetically pleasing yard is a wonderful first impression for guests, neighbors and potential buyers. Outdoor landscapes also provide a natural retreat for you and your loved ones to relax, refocus and enjoy the beauty of nature. From a simple paver patio to an outdoor kitchen and fire pit, numerous options exist for creating the perfect ambiance for relaxing with a book or entertaining friends and family. Structures are a major part of landscape design and include structures like retaining walls to create tiered pathways or seating areas, pergolas or arbors to add shade and unique touch, and more. They can be used for practical purposes, including preventing erosion from elevated soil and lowering the demand for pricey water management systems. Structures can also be a beautiful focal point for the landscape, like this pond with a waterfall or this stunning bridge that offers the property a dramatic and unique look.
Lighting
Lighting highlights the details of your design and creates an inviting ambiance. It also adds value to your property by increasing the usability of in-demand outdoor spaces after dark. Most landscape lighting is low voltage, using a transformer to reduce 120-volt household current to one-tenth of its power. It makes it safer to work with and less expensive to operate. You may also make various effects, such as a soft glow covering a low garden wall or dreamy moonlight reflected from a tree canopy. Upward-facing bullet lights illuminate a front porch column, highlight a doorway’s deep eaves or dormers and draw attention to prized trees in the yard. Floodlights and spotlights illuminate larger areas, while in-ground well lights provide a soft, elegant glow. These can be used in a minimalist approach that showcases only your lawn and landscaping features or a statement approach that lets everyone notice your gorgeous property.
Softscapes
Softscape elements include the living parts of your landscape, like trees, flowers, grass and shrubs. They also have other aspects that fall under the umbrella of gardening, such as weed control and mulching, mowing, trimming, grading and planting. A well-planned landscaping installation Memphis TN can create a beautiful contrast to the hardscape features of your yard and can even be used to hide or cover up less appealing elements. Softscapes can add various colors throughout the year, depending on when plants bloom or fade.
In addition to adding color and texture, softscapes help to cool the yard by absorbing the sun’s heat. They can also soften the look of any hardscape structure and make the space feel more inviting and relaxing. Unlike hardscapes, softscapes are less expensive to install and can be easily changed if you want a change in your landscape design. It gives homeowners a lot of flexibility and creativity regarding their outdoor spaces.
