Wait…What’s Hardscaping?

Hey there! 

Today I wanna talk about a question I get a lot from my clients, which is: what in the bejeezus is hardscaping??

If you’re not familiar with the term ‘hardscaping’, don’t worry! It’s preeeeeeeetty dang simple. 

Plus, I guarantee you already know what hardscaping is -  you just use a different word for it. 

Ready to get into it?

Hardscaping is simply… all the hard parts of your landscaping. 

The technical definition (taken from good ol’ Merriam-Webster) states that hardscaping refers to the structures (such as fountains, benches, or gazebos) that are incorporated into a landscape. 

Other common hardscaping elements are patios, retaining walls, fire pits, walkways, and driveways.

Pretty straightforward, right?

Ok Dakota, we hear you. Easy enough to understand. Question though: if hardscaping exists…how about softscaping? Is that a thing, too?

To that I say: 

Yessssss my friend, softscaping sure is a thing. 

If hardscaping refers to all the hard elements of your landscaping, then (very logically), softscaping refers to all the soft elements. 

Grass, flowers, shrubs, trees. 

In other words, if it’s alive and can grow, it’s softscaping. Otherwise, it’s hardscaping. 

The best landscaping achieves a harmonious balance between hardscaping and softscaping. 

Too much hardscaping without the balance of softscaping can make your outdoor spaces feel cold and impersonal. 

And conversely, tons of softscaping can feel overwhelming and chaotic, unless you’ve got the proper hardscaping to balance it out and provide order.

So let’s talk timing: 

If you’re in Southern Indiana, it’s a good idea to schedule your hardscaping projects in late fall or early winter. 

That way, your new hardscaping feature (say for example, a patio) is ready for you to enjoy when the weather gets nice. 

And if you’ve been thinking about doing a hardscaping project, it’s never too early to start having conversations with your hardscaper. 

A good hardscaper will take the time to talk you through your options and make sure you come up with a design and choose materials that help create that beautiful outdoor space you’ve been craving, while staying within your budget. 

Alright folks! That about covers hardscaping. 

Signing off for now, but y’all know the drill. 

Give me a call or shoot me a text if you’ve got any questions about a hardscaping project, and I’ll be happy to come out and talk through your options with you. 

In the meantime, head over to our hardscaping gallery to see what D.B. and the crew can do for you!