Nabor Landscaping

Hardscape – What Does That Mean?

Hardscaping is a term that is usually used by most people to describe anything used in an outdoor space design that is made of natural materials, but not living materials such as trees, shrubs or other plants and grasses. “Hardscape” can include a large number of things. Concrete walks, stone pathways or drives, retaining walls, and wooden decks are a few examples. Hardscape is also sometimes used for surface drainage solutions, french drains are an example of this.

Generally it’s going to be any kind of concrete or masonry items whether it be materials like pavers, stone, natural rock, or concrete patios.


Landscape

Most people are more familiar with the term “Landscape” or “Landscaping”. These terms would refer to all your softer living materials. Plants, turf or sod grasses, and organic ground covering materials of many types can be considered landscaping.


Landscaping and Hardscaping and How They Work Together

Even though most hardscape is somewhat more utilitarian or serves a specific purpose, your design should use them together to accent and compliment each other.

You generally want to mix hardscape and landscape together. It helps to bring out the characteristics and the beauty of the plant materials used and give the lawn and landscaping some shape and variety of texture, with more of a three dimensional look.

Depending on each individual situation, we can easily find ways to use them together or separately while creating the most functional outdoor spaces possible.

Landscaping and Softscaping, and How They Work Together

Softscape refers to the elements of a landscape that comprise live, horticultural elements. Softscaping can include, flowers, plants, shrubs, trees, flower beds, and duties like weed/nuisance management, grading, planting, mowing, trimming, aerating, spraying, and digging for everything from plants and shrubs, to flower beds. Wheel barrows and manual tools like rakes, shovels, picks, and gas power tools are commonly used. This is a term that has been popularized in recent pop culture (2006 onwards) on television shows. The purpose of softscape is to lend character to the landscaping, create an aura, ambience, and reflect the sensibilities of the inhabitants.

The term softscape stands in contrast to hardscape which represents inanimate objects of a landscape such as : pavers, stones, rocks,planter boxes, arbors , water feature as well as structures of wood and natural stone and concrete, like: retaining walls, patios, fences and decks, pergolas, stairs, Etc..

Xeriscaping Principals

1. Plan and design: Create a diagram, drawn to scale, that shows the major elements of the landscape, including house, driveway, sidewalk, deck or patio, existing trees and other elements. Once a base plan of an existing site has been determined, the creation of a conceptual plan (bubble diagram) that shows the areas for turf, perennial beds, views, screens, slopes, etc. is undertaken. Once finished, the development of a planting plan that reinforces the areas in the appropriate scale is done.

2. Soil amendment  – Most plants will benefit from the use of compost, which will help the soil retain water. Some desert plants prefer gravel soils instead of well-amended soils. Plants should either fit the soil or soil should be amended to fit the plants.

3. Efficient irrigation: Xeriscape can be irrigated efficiently by hand or with an automatic sprinkler system. Zone turf areas separately from other plants and use the irrigation method that waters the plants in each area most efficiently. For grass, use gear-driven rotors or rotary spray nozzles that have larger droplets and low angles to avoid wind drift. Spray, drip line or bubbler emitters are most efficient for watering trees, shrubs, flowers and groundcovers. If watering by hand, avoid oscillating sprinklers and other sprinklers that throw water high in the air or release a fine mist. The most efficient sprinklers release big drops close to the ground. Water deeply and infrequently to develop deep roots. Never water during the day to reduce water lost to evaporation. With the use of automatic sprinkling systems, adjust the controller monthly to accommodate weather conditions. Also, install a rain sensor to shut off the device when it rains.

4. Appropriate plant and zone selection: Different areas in a yard receive different amounts of light, wind and moisture. To minimize water waste, group together plants with similar light and water requirements, and place them in an area that matches these requirements. Put moderate-water-use plants in low-lying drainage areas, near downspouts, or in the shade of other plants. Turf typically requires the most water and shrub/perennial beds will require approximately half the amount of water. Dry, sunny areas support low-water-use plants that grow well in our climate. Planting a variety of plants with different heights, color and textures creates interest and beauty.

5. Mulch: Mulch keeps plant roots cool, prevents soil from crusting, minimizes evaporation and reduces weed growth. Organic mulches, such as bark chips, pole peelings or wood grindings, should be applied 2 to 4 inches deep. Fiber mulches create a web that is more resistant to wind and rain washout. Inorganic mulches, such as rocks and gravel, should be applied 2 to 3 inches deep. Surrounding plants with rock makes the area hotter; limit this practice.

6. Limited turf areas: Native grasses (warm-season) that have been cultivated for turf lawns, such as buffalo grass and blue grama, can survive with a quarter of the water that bluegrass varieties need. Warm-season grasses are greenest in June through September and straw brown the rest of the year.

Native grasses (cool season) such as bluegrass and tall fescue, are greenest in the spring and fall and go dormant in the high heat of the summer. New cultivars of bluegrass, such as Reveille, and tall fescue, can reduce typical bluegrass water requirements by at least 30 percent. Fine fescues can provide substantial water savings and is best used in areas that receive low traffic or are in shady locations.

Use the appropriate grass and limit the amount of grass to reduce the watering and maintenance requirements.

7. Maintenance: All landscapes require some degree of care during the year. Turf requires spring and fall aeration along with regular fertilization every 6 to 8 weeks. Keep the grass height at 3 inches and allow the clippings to fall. Trees, shrubs and perennials will need occasional pruning to remove dead stems, promote blooming or control height and spread. Much of the removed plant material can be shredded and used in composting piles.

• .....Lowered consumption of water: Xeriscaped landscapes can reduce water use 60% or more compared to regular lawn landscapes.
• .....Makes more water available for other domestic and community uses and the environment.Reduce Maintenance: Aside from occasional weeding and mulching Xeriscaping requires far less time and effort to maintain.
• .....Xeriscape plants in appropriate planting design, and soil grading and mulching, takes full advantage of rainfall retention.
• .....Less cost to maintain: Xeriscaping requires less fertilisers and equipment, particularly due to the reduced lawn areas.
  
• .....Reduced waste and pollution: Lawn clippings can contribute to organic waste in landfills and the use of heavy fertilizers contributes to urban runoff pollution. educe fertilizer use (phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium) that help grow harmful algae.

Trust Our Experts

If you want to have a great looking yard and healthy landscaping, trust the experts at Nabor Landscaping for masonry and custom stone retaining walls, patios, stone steps and edging, and lawn drainage system design and installation. We provide design and installation services for all types of landscape constrution and lawn sprinkler irrigation systems, as well as controller repair or replacement and sprinkler head repair or replacement throughout the Coachella Valley.

Talk to us today about your needs. We know how to design and install great hardscape and landscape installations throughout the Coachella Valley area for your individual property’s best look.