A key benefit of adding hardscape to your home is improving the functionality of your outdoor space. Yes, hardscaping projects often add spaces for lounging near an outdoor fireplace or outdoor dining next to an outdoor kitchen, but adding a few unique landscape elements can create a true backyard haven for rest and relaxation. The right hardscape design can also naturally incorporate elements to promote preferred activity, such as gardening. Taken together, the right hardscape adds functionality for outdoor living and increases the value of your home.
Enter through this arbor way and be amazed by the beautiful pink flowers in bloom. Hydrangea trees are a beautiful addition to any landscape, but make sure to prune them properly and at the correct time of year.
Fieldstone Walkway
Fieldstone walkways create a natural, elegant, and easy to follow front yard entrance way. Flat fieldstone is the most natural looking stone and when installed correctly, can become a smooth surface to follow along. Often, fieldstone comes in varying heights and widths and therefore finding the correct stone is very important for creating a smooth walkway. Front entry walkways are very important for curb appeal and adding an edged garden bed with various plants and shrubs will enhance the natural look of fieldstone.
Woodland Garden
A client of Moodscapes was struggling for years trying to get lawn to grow in a section of their backyard. The area could not get enough water from the ground and the grass always ended up dying. It was built on a large tennis court many years ago and was located in a very shady area. We decided to take a new approach and create a woodland garden with stepping stones throughout. In the end, the project created a space for the whole family to sit, converse and enjoy. This created a solution to the ongoing issue of not being able to use their backyard, through a combination of hardscape and landscape.
You’ll have multiple options of materials for your hardscape project. Typically, these are: man-made, natural and repurposed hardscape materials. A professional landscape design company can help you determine the right choices for your space.
Man-Made Hardscape Materials
These materials include concrete, brick, pavers, and asphalt. Man-made materials will often be used in brick patios, walkways, and fire pits. Many homeowners are interested in engineered hardscape materials for their projects for their durability and cost-effectiveness. They also allow for greater design possibilities than other types of materials with patterns, finishes and more.
Natural Hardscape Materials
Wood is a natural material that can be involved in hardscape design elements like decks and pergolas, although it will require regular maintenance. There are also natural types of stone to use such as bluestone, slate, or flagstone.
Deciding on the type of stone to use in your hardscaping project is much more involved than simply making a trip to your local garden center and picking a set of beautiful pavers.
There will be stone that you think looks fantastic, but is out of your budget, or may not quite fit in the space you’re planning. On the other hand, a stone that you don’t enjoy as much aesthetically could be well within your budget and match the required functionality perfectly.
A few common types of natural stone to consider for your hardscape include:
Peastone
This versatile stone, also known as pea gravel, is often used in commercial settings, but for the homeowner, it is easy on the budget. Peastone is around an eighth of an inch in size and smooth in texture, so setting a solid foundation of compacted soil and stone dust and surrounding the area with a steel edge is important for keeping it in place.
Creating a solid landscape design for your yard requires more than just laying down sod and putting in new plantings. To achieve a well-designed, cohesive space, it is important to incorporate hardscaping elements alongside the organic ones.
When looking to achieve a balanced, peaceful yard, remember that hardscaping is just as important as natural features. These man-made components, such as walkways, patios, and divider walls, are an important part of the perfect outdoor living space. Hardscape features can add a great complement to your organic space, but creating them comes with a whole different set of concerns than building a vegetable garden or flower bed.
The countdown is on to our favourite time of the year! Decorating the garden can definitely be fun family time, with many of us loving to decorate our gardens with lights and Christmas decorations. Here a few things to keep in mind with your artificial lawn and keep you inspired this Christmas:
Pegs, stakes and sharp objects Some decorations need to be secured to the ground to ensure they don’t blow away, however, if using pegs, pins or even stakes, do not pierce the lawn as this will damage your artificial lawn by causing rips and tears. However, don’t let this limit you in decorating, you can always secure these items by pegging them down in garden beds, or filling large display ornaments with sand etc. to weigh them down.
Every landlord knows that one of your biggest expenses is maintenance. Often repairs can be unavoidable, but the money and time you spend on lawn maintenance is definitely a cost you can cut. Artificial lawn is an incredible investment that will pay off each and every day. For townhouses or rental properties with a small garden, your investment will be minimal and will likely pay off immediately. Costs on equipment such as lawnmowers, weeders, and edge trimmers will be cut out of the budget straight away. Long-term costs like fuel, oil, and equipment upkeep will continue to amass long after you lay down your new artificial lawn. Artificial grass doesn’t require any more maintenance than picking up a few twigs at a residential property. Not to mention it will look like a well maintained natural law year-round.
Going green with an artificial lawn from Lawrence Lawns The landscape of a rental property, town-home, or other commercial residence is the first attribute that is noticed by any potential resident. Whether it is in person, on Rightmove/Zoopla or on Google Maps, those searching for a home will dissect every last detail that they can. How green is the grass? Is the lawn well-kept? Are there patches of dirt, ruts, or holes in the ground? Even if you keep your garden in tip-top shape, heavy rainfall can turn it into a muddy waterlogged mess, and your listing will be judged by its cover before potential clients even view the property. In this blog post, we’ll discuss how an artificial lawn can play a crucial role in increasing rental desirability, decrease costs, and keep tenants happy where they’re at.
Moodscapes transformed a small city yard from an ordinary into an impressive entertaining space.
The family had an extension added to their backyard, as the existing conditions of the yard weren’t ideal, with lots of unhealthy plants throughout. The construction of the extension left quite a bit of debris, leaving the homeowners with a lot of cleaning and shaping up to do. Their main concern was to increase their space while making their backyard a great environment for kids, as well as making the space super eco-friendly, complete with native and edible plantings. Additionally, the family wanted to install a sitting area for entertaining, as well as plantings for privacy.
Moodscapes helped this family to achieve their goals by first clearing the backyard of all unwanted materials, including dead and unwanted plantings, concrete walls, and anything that could be dangerous for the children.
Next, the soil, which had been completely compressed from prior construction, was improved. The improvement was made by adding the correct organic matter and minerals necessary, as indicated by a soil test.
A small patio of pavers was included for a sitting and entertainment area. This was surrounded with edible plants, including blueberries and vegetables. Ornamental trees, including a Amalanchier Oxydendorn and a Japanese Maple, were planted for shade. Native shrubs and perennials were planted throughout the yard to create privacy.
An organic lawn was installed to ensure the safety of the children and the family’s dog, providing a safe playground area. Also included was a garden where the children can learn about planting and growing perennials, vegetables, and herbs. This variety in the children’s garden gives them a full sensory experience, allowing them to be surrounded by the sights, tastes, smells, and feeling of a great variety of plants.
The collaboration between this family and Moodscapes led to the creation of an impressive family fun area, allowing them to enjoy using their backyard in a safe and eco-friendly way.
Entertaining outdoors is a great way to utilize your backyard to its fullest extent. Sharing your personal oasis with loved ones allows you to show how much you care for them and for your yard!
Cultivate your landscape design so that it is inviting, providing a full sensory experience for your guests. Having a variety of plants to look at, smell, taste, touch, and even hear rustling in the wind, will engage your friends and family on another level.
Having a wide variety in your landscape, with varying heights, widths, and depths, can increase the visual interest in your backyard, and can even make it look larger. A professional landscaper can offer tips on what to plant, and when.
Adding many types of trees, shrubs, and perennials in a space adds tons of beauty, and even a very small space can include a wide variety with an efficient planting plan implemented by a design firm. For example, consider starting off with a couple of larger trees, which will add height and create privacy. Dogwoods like the Cherokee Princess Dogwood have great height and gorgeous flowers.
It’s important to select plants with varying seasonal interest so that you can enjoy your garden throughout every season. For example, fothergilla is a good choice, as they exhibit fiery shades in the fall. White astilbe and yellow ligularia offer early summer blooms to start the season with color. For easy care and year-round interest, choose a low-maintenance ground cover that corresponds to your planting zone.
One of the many satisfying ways of utilizing your outdoor space is by entertaining your family, friends, and neighbors. Hosting gatherings in the fresh air of the garden that you care for throughout the seasons can be fun and very rewarding.
How to Design Your Outdoor Entertainment Area
A backyard should be both beautiful and functional. You can achieve both by thinking through the design (or redesign) process, starting with your hardscape. Contacting a professional landscape design firm is a great first step, as they will have the expertise and resources to make this design process smooth and stress-free.
When planning your outdoor entertainment space, you’ll have many different options for designing and building a hardscape, customized to your unique landscape.
When planning your outdoor living space, it’s important to consider the types of entertaining you plan to do there. While you’re establishing your vision and goals, you’ll find there are many different entertainment area ideas, such as:
- A full outdoor kitchen, complete with and a grill, cooktop, refrigerator, storage, sink and countertops
- A backyard patio with a pleasing ambiance for alfresco outdoor dining
- A seating area with comfortable patio furniture such as sofas topped with comfy pillows and surrounded by an outdoor TV
- A fire pit for roasting marshmallows for s’mores
- A stamped concrete pool deck, surrounding an in-ground swimming pool
Whatever backyard design you choose, you should create good flow in your outdoor entertaining space by considering all of the spaces you wish to incorporate in your backyard. Paths and natural stone walkways should be planned and installed thoughtfully based on the location of your sitting areas, focal points in your yard, and the entrance to your home.