Hardscape landscaping 101: 9 ideas, benefits and tips

Do the flowers and shrubs in your yard need some extra oomph? If so, hardscape landscaping could be the way to go.

Hardscape landscaping can add beauty and functionality to your space and emphasize the beautiful pops of color you've planted. Hardscaping can also be a way to add walkways, seating areas and more for the best ways to enjoy your home.  

Keep reading for more information about hardscape landscaping, its benefits, materials you can use, ideas and more.

What is hardscape landscaping?

What is hardscaping, exactly? And what is hardscape versus landscape?

Hardscaping refers to any of the nonliving elements – the non-plant or garden elements in the exterior of a home or in your landscape. Note that hardscape elements don't just include items like patios or pavers – they also include features like ponds, fire pits, pergolas and water features.

Hardscaping is part of your landscape design – think of the landscaping as the whole pie, and hardscaping as a piece of the pie.

Learn more about patio design ideas.

Hardscaping vs. softscaping

It's easy to pick out hardscaping in a landscaped property. Hardscaping might include pavers, fences, patios, water features, rocks and more. We'll walk through types of materials used in hardscaping and potential hardscape ideas later on in the article.

Softscaping, unlike hardscaping, includes the grass, shrubs, trees and plants on your property – in essence, anything that has roots in the ground.

Common materials in a softscape lawn include:

• Grass: You might think of grass as the green stuff that grows on lawns, like fescue or buffalo grass. However, you can add ornamental grasses to your landscape as well, such as feather reed grass or fountain grass, with their showy plumage and tall fronds.
• Bushes/shrubs: Shrubs and bushes, such as hydrangeas, barberry, weigela and boxwood, can increase curb appeal when mixed with a variety of other plantings and grasses. They can also reduce soil erosion and drain water away from your house when it rains.
• Trees: Trees add shade, increase property value, add beauty, reduce flooding and soil erosion. They're like the kings of the yard, and every softscape lawn deserves trees to round out the bunch.
• Flowers: Flowers create seasonal interest and add a great pop of color to a softscape. They often complement the other features you've added to your landscape or become the showy centerpieces of your overall creation.

Benefits of hardscapes

Believe it or not, the benefits of hardscaping go far beyond just a "place to sit" outside. Hardscapes can also increase curb appeal, reduce lawn maintenance, boost home value and more.

Increases curb appeal

Hardscapes increase curb appeal, which is a huge benefit for your home, particularly when you plan to sell. It's also a great way to tap into unused space and offer a welcoming space for people who visit your property.

Reduces lawn maintenance

Hardscape landscaping prevents you from having to maintain certain areas of your lawn. For example, if you put a patio in your backyard, that's less that you'll have to mow or take care of as part of your home maintenance plan.

Boosts home value

Hardscaping can also boost home value! You may not plan to sell your home now, but what about later on? You can see a 20% – 30% boost in home value, depending on the type of hardscaping you choose to implement.

Privacy

A screened gazebo or other hardscape element can provide you with the ultimate in privacy. If you live in a neighborhood and want to keep privacy at a maximum, adding a hardscape can help you preserve your privacy.

Erosion control and drainage

Hardscaping can also help with erosion and drainage issues. For example, a retaining wall can keep soil in and provide structure and stability. It can also help affect the speed and/or direction water flows, flowing water away from your house.

Personalization

Materials used in hardscape landscaping

Popular materials used in hardscape landscaping include these popular materials, including but not limited to:

• Stones: Stone adds interest and texture to many areas. You can choose different types of stone for different looks on your property, from slate to limestone or flagstone. Don't forget that you can also use small, loose stone in your hardscape designs.
• Bricks: Brick can add a colorful, timeless look to patios, driveways, sidewalks and more.
• Concrete: Ultra-durable concrete can take on any shape for outdoor flooring, walkways, retaining walls and more. It can also form textured or smooth surfaces.
• Pavers: Many homeowners like to use pavers made of natural stone, brick, concrete and more for walkways, patios and other gathering spaces.
• Wood and faux wood: Whether you create a wooden arbor, a pergola, a wooden walkway or deck, you can tap into a lot of options to implement wood into your hardscaping.
• Metal: You can use metal in a variety of ways, including garden bed edging, sculptures or even metal retaining walls to arrange your space the way you prefer.

9 hardscaping ideas for your home

As you can imagine, endless hardscape ideas exist. You can look into many different options online or through a designer. Learn more about landscape designs.

1. Fire pits

Whether you make them yourself or have them created for you, fire pits can add a great attraction to your hardscape. Fire pits allow you to cozy up on chilly nights and provide an ambience that softscape just can't offer. Learn about your area's regulation on fire pits first – you want to ensure you're allowed to have one in your yard.

You can choose from a variety of fire pits, including woodburning, gel fuel, propane and natural gas. You can also opt for a prefab fire pit, fire pit kit or build one from scratch.

2. Walkways

Walkways lead you from one place to another. Think of them as stairways and hallways outside, leading you to flower beds, the driveway and more. You can create walkways using all sorts of materials, including pavers, bricks, stone, concrete and even wood.

3. Retaining walls

Retaining walls hold soil behind them, typically on properties that have a significant slope. You can use them to build your lawn up to create a more gradual, usable surface. Homeowners use a wide variety of materials for retaining walls, including concrete blocks, treated timbers, rocks, boulders or poured concrete.

4. Decks and patios

Decks can be elevated, attached to a house or freestanding. They can have one or multiple levels and allow you to extend a living space outdoors. Homeowners typically construct decks out of different materials, including wood and composite.

Patios, on the other hand, extend out of the back of the house, into the yard. They typically contain concrete, brick or pavers.

You can personalize decks and patios with furniture, grills, fireplaces, container gardening and endless other options.

5. Gazebos and pergolas

Gazebos and pergolas are both outdoor structures that offer shade. However, a gazebo offers full coverage from the sun, while a pergola lets sunlight come in through a slatted roof. Pergolas often feature climbing plants, like grapevines. Gazebos and pergolas can both offer outdoor dining and relaxation spaces to elevate your backyard experience.

6. Water features

Did you know that water is a hardscape feature? Water features, such as waterfalls and water fountains, include reflecting pools and koi ponds and other outdoor features. They can add a special touch to your backyard. Water features typically contain rock and softscape features.

7. Driveways

You can even make a statement with your driveway! Consider opting for a wide range of hardscaping, including asphalt, concrete, brick, gravel, stamped concrete and pavers. Driveways lead people toward the first impression of your home, so why not choose the right type of driveway for showstopping first views?

8. Outdoor kitchens

Who doesn't love an outdoor kitchen?

Can you already picture all the delicious outdoor meals and memories you'll make when you put in an outdoor kitchen? Complete with a grill island, seating, countertop prep space, fire features, a patio and more, you can create a dream outdoor kitchen that fits your vision.

9. Walls and fences

Hardscape landscaping maintenance

Maintenance for hardscape landscaping doesn't involve trimming, mowing and planting, so hardscapes can give you hours of your life back each week. However, you do have to watch for cracking, erosion and damage to pavers, pull weeds in retaining walls, remove standing water and maintain pumps for water features.

Maintenance could also involve:

• Cleaning stains and spills
• Clearing dirt and leaves
• Adding a weatherproof sealant or stain to wood structures

You may need to invest in cleaning supplies, a power washer, scrub brushes, a broom and squeegee and sealants.

Tips for using hardscape landscaping in your home design

Next, let's look at some helpful tips for using hardscape landscaping in home design:

• Mix in greenery: Mixing in greenery, particularly when you layer your landscape with trees, shrubs and ground cover, can give your landscape depth. Consider planting taller trees in the background, adding medium-sized plants in the foreground, then smaller ground cover in front.
• Improve yard drainage: It's important to have adequate yard drainage so you don't end up with larger problems with your home's structure, including foundation issues. Hardscapes, such as retaining walls, can help drain and control water.
• Plan for movement: Where would you like to direct people around your house? All hardscaping should be intentional, so consider how you want visitors and your family to move strategically outside your home, and where you want them to "land," whether at a patio, deck, gazebo or water feature.

A landscaping professional can help you determine the best way to create flow, add plants, improve drainage and achieve other goals and hardscaping ideas.

FAQs on hardscape landscaping

Still have questions about hardscape landscaping and outdoor living? We'll answer a few more questions you might have.

What is the least expensive hardscape?

If you're on a budget, you can create a hardscape that meets your dollar-for-dollar requirements. The least expensive hardscapes in an outdoor living space include concrete, pea gravel, pavers, brick and stones. 

What happens if a hardscape project disrupts too much soil?

Overdoing your hardscape project can cause soil erosion, causing the soil to deteriorate. When erosion occurs, topsoil and its organic matter, including good microorganisms and nutrients, washes away.

Disrupting the soil can cause other problems, including pools of water in your yard, mudslides, exposed roots, soil on pavement and other signs of runoff.

How do you keep weeds out of hardscapes?

Ah, weeds. They're the bane of most gardeners' existence. However, you can add a weed barrier before hardscaping, fill spaces between stones with polymeric sand or apply a patio sealant to eliminate them. To manage weeds as they come up, you can use a weed torch to kill them, opt for a vinegar or saltwater treatment or use a weed killer.

The bottom line: Hardscape landscaping can make the most of any outdoor space

What is hardscape landscaping and what does hardscape mean?

In short, it's the outdoor living equivalent of creating your living room or basement – a place where you can relax and enjoy your home (the outdoor part of your home, that is).

Consider your budget, the types of hardscaping you want, and how you'll mix softscape features with your hardscaping. A landscape designer can help you iron out the best way to accomplish everything you want in your outdoor space.