What is the difference between hardscapes and softscapes?

Hard landscaping is the non-living elements of the landscape made of stone, bricks, concrete or metal. Soft landscaping is living elements such as soil, trees, flowers, grass, and shrubs. A well-balanced landscape design will include an attractive combination of gardening elements and gentle landscaping. The outdoor living space offers an oasis in which to enjoy life.

Your exterior design must include both hard landscape and soft landscape elements to make it a comfortable place. The difference between the two is quite simple. Gardening elements are non-living things, such as pavers, rocks, concrete, fences, doors, fountains, and more. Soft landscape elements are living things such as grasses, flowers, vegetation covers, shrubs and trees.

You should consider the following differences between the two when designing your outdoor spaces. While the hard landscape is more permanent, a soft landscape can be changed at any time. It can be as simple as planting a seedling and caring for its growth or as complex as experimenting with different landscapes from year to year. Given the abundance of perennials and annuals that can be planted, you have the option of trying different designs for your garden or overall landscape.

While they can be replaced, letting them grow is cheaper. You start with the harsh landscape that creates the boundaries and shape of your landscape design. Since the hardware functions are a bit more technical, they usually require the help of professionals. An expert landscape architect will be able to help you decide which hard landscape features work with your outdoor space, along with the soft landscape features that will complement them and add color and life to your garden.

A front yard with a lot of hard scenery could have a circular paved road, similar to a hotel. A design that focuses mainly on rocks, gravel, a large paved road and other stone features is the exaggeration of the harsh landscape, which is difficult to see. As the name suggests, hardscaping refers to hard elements of landscaping, such as pavements, walkways, wall coverings, while soft landscaping involves more living elements such as soil, trees, flowers, grass and shrubs. Instead of letting that grass continue to die and depress everyone who drives or passes by it, think about incorporating at least a couple of forms of harsh landscape in your front and back yards.

Flower pots and raised pedestals (hard landscape) with potted gardens (soft landscape) attract attention upwards and save space. With intelligent planning, even the smallest patio can be well designed and incorporate areas of hard and soft landscape. Gardening elements add dimension, functionality and improve the visual appeal of outdoor areas. Stone paving installers in Alpharetta will remind you that installing in hard spaces is generally a long-term decision.

Some hard landscaping serves only the purpose of creating a well-defined area for planting or scraping. To better understand how to design a landscape, the two main elements that make up outdoor living spaces are known as hard landscape and soft landscape. A hard landscape encompasses all the inanimate elements of a landscape, including cobblestones, bricks and concrete. A facade or backyard with an overly harsh landscape can look like a hotel or any commercial property, creating a cold, barren environment that makes relaxation a challenge.

Hard landscaping is a benefit for a garden because it reduces potential erosion and keeps the soil intact.