How to Create a Beautiful Hardscape

Hardscaping your yard is a wonderful way to add personal touches to your property. It is also an excellent way to prevent erosion and incorporate steep slopes or hills into your landscape. Here are a few things to consider when planning your hardscape for an end result you and your family will enjoy for years to come.

• Create a plan – Before beginning any landscaping project, it is crucial to have a detailed plan.  Consider how the hardscape will impact drainage as well as any plans you might have for future expansion. Your initial plan should not inhibit future projects but should offer opportunities to expand upon a well thought out design. 
• Blend with other projects – If this hardscape is an addition to an existing feature, be sure that you are able to blend the two so that there is no disruption in the flow of the design. It is important to remember, however, that you do not need to match the materials from one design to the next, but rather aim to create a proper harmony between the spaces.
•  Do not fail to prepare – Preparing the base of your hardscape is crucial to the final outcome. Create a firm foundation in which to build your project.
• Create highlighted areas - Use unique plants, distinct structures or focal points such as fountains, fire features or garden ornaments. This allows you to highlight particular areas of your design.
• Consider the end user – Take some time to think about who will be using the space. A hardscape design for empty nesters might be significantly different than one for a young family.
•  Create unity among hard and softscapes – Consider visual planes when selecting plants. Think about the overhead view, the vertical view as well as the ground view. Use similar shapes and structure in your garden to add to the continuity of the view.
•  Think about the small details – In addition to the visual details, consider the scents of the plants in your landscape as well as the sounds of your hardscape design (water features, wind chimes, etc.).

When in doubt, contact the experts at Lafarge Fox River Stone to help you create the hardscape of your dreams. We have been serving both homeowners and businesses in the Elgin and surrounding Illinois area since 1934 with a wide range of decorative stones and landscaping products!