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Building a home isn’t just about getting the interiors into place. Your outdoor space can be a wonderful stage for you and your family if you design it well. Landscaping comprises of many different things and opens many possibilities to how you want your yard or garden to look. Let us scan over some basics before we go into the design ideas.
What is Hardscaping?
For homeowners looking at outdoor renovation and makeovers, there are a few basics that they need to be aware of. Alan Lander from Hydro Dynamics Corporation explains that hardscaping is a form of landscaping that deals with features like rock gardens, patios, walkways, water features, and stone walls.
Hardscaping deals with the area of your property that needs to be built or manipulated from its original, natural form. Once you have a blueprint of what you want the space to look like, hardscaping begins with the ground leveling to get rid of unwanted undulations. Then you need to identify the areas where you want your features to be built – this may include some foundation work depending on what you plan to put into place.
Some Great Landscaping Ideas
What is a memorable summer without some outdoors time? And we’re not just talking picnics by the lake and camping with the kids – you can have your recreation at your doorstep with a well-planned outdoor living area.
Think summer house with all the modern amenities – and landscapers are the best folks to help you make this idea a reality. Whether you want your basic BBQ set-up or even add an entertainment center to catch the summer sports seasons with the old gang, anything is possible with a smart blueprint and a bit of imagination.
Multifunction is the key term when we move on to our next landscaping idea. Imagine a fish pond that can be used as a fire pit in the winter (save the fish, take them indoors). The aforementioned BBQ set-up can be further elaborated upon with an outdoor kitchen template. Next time you call your friends over – there’ll be no mess indoors.
You can get a little artistic with your landscaping. Garden gnomes are timeless but there is also stonework and fountains. Water is always a soothing element – you might have just created your favorite after-work spot.
Responsible Landscaping – The Way to Go
When you are finalizing your landscaping plans, try to keep it as green as possible. Incorporate natural shapes by building around them – it looks better too! Concrete is losing its position as a material of choice – the aesthetics are quite restricted and it does have a rather strong ecological footprint. Stone is making a comeback – you have natural options and specialty stones like cast veneer stone for fireplaces and Bristol stone for pools and patios (it does not heat up too quickly). There is another golden rule for sustainable homes that should be on top of the list – harvest and reuse your water.
Building a home entails a lot of work and thought – landscaping is an integral part. Use these tips and dig deep into this fascinating discipline. Make your dream house a reality.
