Landscaping is a term that most people are already familiar with, but it has some subcategories that aren’t as well-known such as hardscaping.
Hardscaping Vs Softscaping
In order to have a complete understanding of landscaping as a whole, we’ll need to make the distinction between softscaping and hardscaping.
Hardscaping
Hardscaping refers to the management or design of structures or walkways for the purposes of either decoration or functionality. Popular examples of hardscaping include concrete pavements, stone or wood patios, driveways, steps and fences.
Softscaping
Softscaping refers to the management and landscaping design related to foliage, plants and other organic matter.
In short, the easiest way to remember the differences is that softscaping deals with plants and hardscaping deals with inorganic objects, typically bricks, stone and wood.
Hardscaping in North Kingstown is an Important Element of Landscaping
As the name implies, hardscaping is more difficult than softscaping. Installing a new custom stamped patio, outdoor fireplace, or outdoor kitchen requires the work of a professional mason. Especially if you want these hardscaping elements to stand up to the Rhode Island winters.
Hardscaping is a very vital aspect of landscaping because it can transform an average looking property into a beautiful sight on your property.
Property Value
Hardscaping is a fantastic way to increase the overall value of your home and property. With the right amount of well paved driveways, a luxurious patio and stone walls/pillars, the curb appeal of your house can increase dramatically. This makes hardscaping a valuable option when planning to put your home on the market. Hardscaping is also a great way to attract buyers faster and make a sale easier.
Navigation
It’s also important to note that hardscaping can make navigating through your property a lot easier. A lot can change with a single well-placed walkway that makes it easier to spend time in your yard or property.
Entertaining
Hardscaping adds aesthetics to your home that give it character and charm. Even if you don’t want to sell your property, an outdoor fireplace or a stone fountain can make your residence look more relaxing and inviting and become the centerpiece of entertainment.
Hardscaping Design & Benefits
One of the great things about hardscaping is that you can get creative with it, as long as your property allows for it. Stone paved walkways can be created with a variety of unique designs and patterns that fit your tastes, or you can customize a fountain to be either stone or ceramic.
While hardscaping is often associated with these aesthetic design choices, one of the unsung benefits of hardscaping is how practical it can be. If you live on property that has poor quality soil or slopped ground, hardscaping can take these problems into account to improve the drainage of the area.
Because stone materials are great at absorbing heat from the sun, they can act as a natural way to dry the surrounding soil faster. This is just one of many ways in which you can get creative and strategic with your hardscaping decisions. The materials chosen, as well as the locations they are placed in all serve a purpose to improve the functionality of your property.
Hardscaping is not only good for improving drainage but can also be used to better handle mildew. The right kind of hardscaping can even be used to better barricade pests out of your property, whether they be foxes, possums or raccoons.
Contact Us
Improve Your Outdoor Living with Our Hardscaping Services
Hardscaping can be a laborious process so it is important that you work with masons and landscapers who will offer the craftsmanship you and your home deserve. Whether you are looking for a new fountain, fence, water features or terrace, Set In Stone’s landscaping and hardscaping in Rhode Island is guaranteed to satisfy.
So if you’re curious about the benefits that hardscaping has to offer then feel free to contact us today so we can help you achieve the outdoor living space of your dreams.
