From pool parties to birthday bashes to cookouts, spending time outdoors with friends and family is one of the best parts about living in California.
Early spring is the time of year that many of us Californians spruce up our yards and prep for more time outdoors when the weather starts to warm. Hardscaping is the backbone to an enjoyable and beautiful yard, and adding hardscaping is a great way to stay water-wise and create an outdoor space you love.
In landscape design, hardscaping is the use of man-made elements like pavers, decomposed granite, or bark— essentially everything that is not vegetation. This can be used to create beautiful and functional spaces like dining areas, fireplaces, and walkways. Adding a hardscape design to your yard can increase property values, expand the amount of space around your home to enjoy year-round, and saves water.
Here are four reasons to consider adding hardscaping to your outdoor design:
Save Water
By replacing even just a portion of the lawn or other landscape features with hardscaping, you can significantly reduce the amount of water you use for irrigation. This method of drought-tolerant landscaping decreases your outdoor watering while also eliminating weeds and your need for a lawn mower.
Create Functional Spaces
Combining hardscape materials like gravel or pavers is a great way you can create a functional outdoor space while saving a huge amount of water every day. Ask yourself – Do I really need all this grass? Can I convert a section of my lawn to decomposed granite, gravel, or a patio area? Instead of having a patch of decorative grass, you can make the area a functional space to visit with friends or family and increase the use of your backyard. Gravel, decomposed granite and pavers allow rain to soak, helping the soil stay moist longer.
Reduce time Maintaining Your Outdoor Space
Most hardscapes require very little maintenance once they are installed. There’s no need to mow a lawn, pull weeds, fix sprinklers or combat plant pests. Just clean with a broom!
Increase Curb Appeal
When you upgrade to a yard with added hardscape, you can improve your home’s curb appeal and even increase property value. One study suggests that these in-demand landscaping features can deliver a return on investment as high as 150 per cent!
Hardscaping projects may seem intimidating, but there are resources to help! Check with your local water agency to see if they are currently offering landscaping classes, consultations with a landscape architect/designer, or turf conversion rebates
