You can design the most beautiful backyard landscape imaginable and not be able to fully enjoy it without an equally well-designed hardscape. Hardscaping leads you through your outdoor living space and adds visual strength and a sense of permanence to your backyard. Hardscaping can also help you fully develop an outdoor living or kitchen where there was once only a few chairs or a barbecue grill. However, as with any home improvement project, there are some basic principles you need to be aware if you want to create a professional-looking hardscape design. Start with these tips, then visit a hardware store and rockery in San Jose for more information.
Consider the Entire Outdoor Space
When designing hardscape features for your backyard, consider the look and feel of the entire area to create a cohesive hardscape design that complements the existing landscape. In addition to the types of trees, shrubbery, and plant life, consider the shape and “flow” of your backyard so your planned hardscape elements blend in naturally and add to the feeling of the outdoor living environment instead of detracting from it.
Keep a Flowy, Curvy Design
One way to maintain a natural, balanced look with hardscape features is to avoid very linear installations. Natural stone walkways, for example, should bend and curve with the rest of your yard instead of dissecting it into square or rectangular area. Curves and flowy shapes will help create a graceful transition between the hardscape and landscape features of your yard.
Complement Hard Stone with Soft Greenery
If your backyard is bare to begin with, make sure to incorporate lots of “green” elements around your hardscape features to soften the look and feel of the stones, boulders, or bricks you choose. You can find lots of great plants, flowers, and shrubs at your local nursery that you can use to complement and soften your new hardscape features.
