Hardscaping

Creating your own homey space doesn't just mean decorating the interior of your home. It also requires putting some effort into improving your backyard. Hardscape is the structural area of your backyard (walls, decks, patio, fountains, statues…) as opposed to the softscape, which includes the greenery & plants. There are many hardscape designs and techniques to choose from for your patio and backyard that can fit a variety of budgets.

When completly re-desining and entire backyard (hard and softscape) First, complete the hardscaping. It's easiest to work on hardscaping projects when you don't have a lot of plants in the way -- plants that could easily be damaged, as well, in the course of your hardscaping projects.

Depending on your style and needs, you can use a variety of hardscape features in your backyard. Possibilities include:

• a greenhouse, an outdoor kitchen, complete with a barbeque and sink, a patio, a pool, a terrace, arbors, brick or cobblestone walkways, fences, fishponds, lighting, such as a row of garden or landscape lights, seating, such as benches and lounge chairs, trellises, water features, such as fountains or waterfalls.

While this list is certainly not comprehensive, it does outline some of the key hardscape features that you can include in your backyard. Considering all of the options can help you create the backyard of your dreams!

As you start choosing key features that you want to install, keep in mind what each requires for installation. Although putting in some features, such as an arbor, may be relatively easy, others, such as pools and fountains, require significantly more work ahead of time.

You can make hardscape improvements for as little or as much money as you have. If you are working on a limited budget, keep in mind that all backyard details do not have to be done all at once. Instead, you can plan your hardscape improvements in phases, installing various phases, as money becomes available.

Buying cheaper versions or getting less of certain items is another way to cut on the price. For example, instead of installing a $3,000 fountain, you can create $100 pond and still get the enjoyment out of having a water feature in your backyard. Another idea is to have a narrower path made of bricks, rather than a wider one with rare stones. If you use your imagination, you can create many things of true beauty for just a little cost.