When someone walks to the front or back of your home,Thoughts And Considerations For Small Backyard Landscapes Articles they might see a beautifully landscaped garden. Flowers and plants abound, the garden may look like an attentively manicured paradise.

There is an critical foundation that holds all of this flora together. It includes the pathways, walls, terraces and patios. Together, these structures constitute hard landscape. Hard landscaping is an important part of the structure of any landscape architecture. Aside from being attractive, hard landscape should be functional and sturdy. It visually unites the building and the rest of your garden plans. There are six elements to remember with your hard landscaping design. Budget As hard landscaping is generally the costliest part in constructing a garden, an accurate budget should be prepared. Estimates for the materials can be obtained for various suppliers to ensure a cost effective source. Beyond the materials, the budget should include substrate material, finishing products and sealers and labor costs. Budgets can change so it’s important to have good landscaping ideas that consider all of the necessary costs. Quality It is very important to use material of high quality particularly in areas of high traffic. Natural wear and weathering will occur over time and will further be accelerated with seasonal changes. In cold weather climates, foundations should be considered to minimize frost damage. For a better perspective, analyze using landscape pictures to help with the design quality. Drainage In the same way, care should be given when design hard landscapes when they are placed close to existing houses. Paved areas near the house should be built with a slope in a gentle angle away from the structure. This will ensure that rainwater is drained away from the house supports and prevent flooding close to the foundation. Drainage is an important part of landscape management. Space Any design project needs to remember the size and location of the plan- this is particularly critical with hardscaping. As hard landscapes are physical in nature, you need to analyze the flow around and near the hardscape as it relates to the space for sitting, walking, eating or entertaining outside. For example, decks and patios require a minimum of 10 sq. ft. per person while pathways should be at least 3 ft. in width. Landscape designs ensure that space and function seamlessly flow together. Structure Position Another important consideration is the positioning of the landscaping structures. For example, terraces and decks should be placed near the house for Grounds Maintenance easy transition to the garden. A landscape architect will tell you that they should not be installed near big trees so as to prevent potential damage caused by growing roots. Pathways should be arranged carefully so that they will guide visitors around the most interesting spots in the garden and encourage a natural flow through the surroundings. Maintenance Hard landscapes need to checked periodically and maintained to retain its beauty and quality. Wooden fences, for example, must be painted regularly to maintain appearance but also to deter unnecessary wear. In certain geographies, spraying is needed to repel insects, like termites. Other hard landscapes could pose safety hazards if not properly maintained. As an example, loose or decaying bricks or pavers need to be replaced immediately. Don’t let your garden plans become derailed from poor mainteance practices. Just like the flowers and plants in a garden, the structures in hard landscaping greatly adds to the overall beauty and functionality of the garden. Whether your landscaping ideas comes from landscape pictures or your landscaping concept is created from other experiences, hardscaping should be treated with the same level of love and attention.

Landscaping Pictures are Worth a Thousand Words.