Hardscaping

Hardscaping incorporates several design elements to enhance the appearance of your yard. It provides a fluid continuity from your home's interior to the yard and from your yard to the surrounding landscape. The solidity and permanence of hardscape also offers an aesthetic contrast to the vulnerable and transient vegetation. We sh­ould note that under its strictest definition, hardscaping encompasses all deliberately positioned inanimate outdoor surfaces. This includes public sidewalks, streets and even parking lots. Nevertheless, designers typically use the term to refer to home landscaping, and that is what this article mainly focuses on. General principles and materials, however, apply to all types of hardscape. Like urban, lawn hardscaping isn't just about aesthetics. It serves some very useful and practical functions. We'll start by looking at some of these before we go into the details of artistic design.­