Hardscapes and Softscapes

Mike Sperber of Nature’s Guardian Inc.

Hardscapes consists of the non-living elements of landscaping, such as a brick patio, a stone wall, decks or a arbors or pergolas walkways. also include water features, like ponds and fountains. Softscapes are live horticultural elements that are fluid and changing as they mature. Softscaping can include, flowers, plants, shrubs, trees, flower beds, and maintenance such as weed/pest management, grading, planting, mowing, trimming, aerating, spraying. The ideal landscape is a balance of both hardscape and softscape to create a visually attractive outdoor environment.  

A little goes a long way when planning outdoor projects. Even little changes can have a big impact on the aesthetics of your property.

Balancing the surface area of hardscapes and softscapes is equally important. For example, a large stone surface can seem intimidating if not balanced by an equal amount of greenery. A small patio can seem lost and overwhelmed in the landscape if surrounded by large spaces of lawn, trees and plants.

One way to soften your hardscape and create balance is to blend it into the surrounding landscape by placing plants in key points. Raised beds and retaining walls are ideal for edges of patios. Planters placed on steps, the tops of pillars, or along the top of low walls can soften hard lines of hardscapes and creating an inviting appearance.

Focal points and accents can be added by mixing of color, textures and material in your landscape.

Suggested focal points such as fire pits, water features and rock features are an excellent way to achieve this.  This is a great way of ensuring unity and achieving a landscape that flows visually from one area to another.

So when planning your outdoor projects, focus on a achieving a cohesive design that is functional and beautiful. Consider low maintenance materials and plants keeping in mind the eventual mature size of the plants.

At Nature’s Guardian, our experienced team of professionals will help bring your vision to life. We pride ourselves on creating outdoor living spaces to not only meet your expectations… but exceed them!