When things feel just a little too overgrown and unnatural, hardscaping introduces a whole new way to design your backyard.
We are all familiar with landscaping, but have you ever looked to hardscaping when considering options for beautifying your backyard? Hardscaping can best be described as the materials used within and around the landscaping of your backyard—like concrete, brick, stone, wood, and metal—to enhance the natural environment. With hard materials, you can create patios, gravel paths, wooden fences, decks, and even stone steps. The opportunities are endless!
Hardscaping is practical…
The practical reason for hardscaping your backyard is to provide good drainage and to minimize runoff during rough weather conditions, especially in states like Florida. However, make sure not to go hardscape crazy as too much hard material can make your backyard water-resistant and dry, creating a higher temperature around your home
.…but it’s also just pretty
Hardscaping helps transform your backyard to encourage more use and enjoyment of your backyard. Imagine sitting out on your gorgeous deck or entertaining on a quaint patio with a view? Incorporating some hardscaping will allow your backyard to serve as an extension of your home.
How do you imagine using your backyard?
In order to think of a hardscape design that’s perfectly suited to you and your family, start with your imagination. First, imagine what you want your backyard to be used for most. Entertaining friends, perhaps? Or as a little oasis to escape the hustle and bustle of your busiest, most stressful days? Then think of a place that stimulates you—maybe the garden outside of the quaint Bed and Breakfast you stayed in once, or just a photo you saw in a magazine. Next, choose the feature within that image that made an impact on your senses and tries to incorporate that into your hardscape design.
Good hardscaping follows nature’s guidance
When evaluating your options, it’s best to work with what you already have. If there’s a natural forest or other greenery that surrounds your home, create a design around it. For example, a garden with stones and overhangs that meld together with the natural backdrop helps to give your backyard a more cohesive feel. You don’t want to compete with your surroundings; you want to complement and enhance them. So if vines take residence along your walls, consider a neutral stone patio to provide a timeless look that won’t distract from the natural color and beauty of the vines.
Spend time back there while you’re in the planning phase
Whether you’re planning on hardscaping your entrance or your backyard, try to look at it as objectively as possible. Stand in front of your current space and consider what you would do better if this were the first time you were viewing it. What do you like best? What could do you without? While there’s never a wrong answer, taking a step back and evaluating the space with some detachment can help bring about the best ideas. Spending some time back there looking at what nature has provided will ultimately inform the design choices you make, so take as much time as you need!
Developing the perfect backdrop for your front or back yard can be hard. But if you’re going to put your energy into creating an amazing outdoor space, make sure you plan a mosquito misting system into your hardscape. You don’t want to create something you’ll never be able to enjoy. Platinum Mosquito Protection sells, installs and services outdoor automatic misting systems for protection against these kinds of pests. Contact us today for a FREE onsite consultation.