Hardscape design often requires more site work than a typical landscaping project. While hardscape does not typically involve building large structures, remember that you are constructing something that requires a solid foundation if it is to last. It may be necessary to spend time leveling the ground and/or laying in foundations to create the right base for the project.
As with landscape projects, you will need to consider which hardscape materials are the right fit for your space — both in terms of budget and aesthetics. The color of your home’s exterior, existing plantings (or new ones you’ve planned), and surrounding softscaping elements like soil, mulch or water features are all important to think about. A material you love for its looks may not provide the right functionality, or may be over your budget.
Hardscape projects also need to take into consideration the size of the space and the balance you hope to achieve between man-made and organic spaces.
Perhaps you want to create a hardscape that takes up the bulk of your outdoor space and minimizes the need for lawn care. Perhaps you want to think of hardscape solely as transitional space between indoors and your yard. Hardscape can also improve accessibility to your home and its outdoor spaces.
Ensuring sufficient play space for children and pets or for the amount of entertaining or gardening you hope to do must also be part of the design process.
Hardscape refers to the man-made components of a landscaping project, such as walkways, retaining walls, outdoor kitchens, patios, fireplaces, fire pits, divider walls and even driveways. Hardscape can transform a basic yard into a functional — and beautiful — outdoor living space. Hardscape can be used to create natural points of connection and flow from your home into the outdoors. Think of a walkway leading from a side door to the backyard, or a patio near the kitchen that becomes the perfect space for outdoor dining.
Hardscaping can also assist in creating separate oases within a larger yard, such as a built-in fire pit or small patio to establish a space for lounge chairs.
When done thoughtfully, hardscape can add value to your home by improving its curb appeal and increasing usable space on your property.
Creating a solid landscape design for your yard requires more than just laying down sod and putting in new plantings. To achieve a well-designed, cohesive space, it is important to incorporate hardscaping elements alongside the organic ones.
When looking to achieve a balanced, peaceful yard, remember that hardscaping is just as important as natural features. These man-made components, such as walkways, patios, and divider walls, are an important part of the perfect outdoor living space. Hardscape features can add a great complement to your organic space, but creating them comes with a whole different set of concerns than building a vegetable garden or flower bed.
Have all those glittery and tinsel decorations you have carefully placed around the garden created shimmery dust all over your artificial lawn? Do not stress, a quick hose down is all that is needed to clean the area back up again without creating a muddy mess!
Power tools Hanging up lights and decorations or just maintaining the garden fence before you begin to decorate may require the use of some power tools. Power tools often generate a decent amount of heat so make sure that you don’t leave them on your artificial lawn as they may cause synthetic turf to melt.
The countdown is on to our favourite time of the year! Decorating the garden can definitely be fun family time, with many of us loving to decorate our gardens with lights and Christmas decorations. Here a few things to keep in mind with your artificial lawn and keep you inspired this Christmas:
Pegs, stakes and sharp objects Some decorations need to be secured to the ground to ensure they don’t blow away, however, if using pegs, pins or even stakes, do not pierce the lawn as this will damage your artificial lawn by causing rips and tears. However, don’t let this limit you in decorating, you can always secure these items by pegging them down in garden beds, or filling large display ornaments with sand etc. to weigh them down.
Aesthetically, an artificial lawn looks as green, well-trimmed, and natural as the ordinary, well-maintained lawn next door, but the effort and cost are dramatically reduced. It’s nearly impossible to tell the difference visually, and each blade is reinforced with comfortable, strong padding to keep your artificial turf feeling soft to the touch. Most importantly, today’s artificial grass is durable. It can last well over 15 years with minimal maintenance, making it a great long-term investment for any home community or rental property. For more information on how artificial grass can benefit your home, rental property or business, contact us today!
A great way to sell your rental property to tenants is to let them know that they’ll never need to mow their lawn or go to great lengths to keep their grass green. For tenants with families, modern artificial lawns meet and exceed expectations. Children and adults alike will never have to worry about uneven landscapes, holes, or divots that can become a safety hazard and cause falls or other injuries. Parents will also be happy to hear that artificial grass has incredible draining capabilities that will prevent puddles and mud. No more pets or kids dragging mud through the house or kicking muddy shoes off onto the carpet. Artificial lawn is also perfect for small gardened homes, especially pet-friendly residences. It creates a small, virtually maintenance-free area for pets to play, and pet-waste cleanup is easy—just scoop as you would on any other grass, and give it a hose down. The antimicrobial fibres within each blade of grass ensure that your yard stays odour free. Whether you or your tenant is paying the water bill, artificial lawn helps to keeps the cost down. During the summer season, the bill can really start to add up and that’s if there isn’t a hosepipe ban. By conserving water, you’ll help sell the property to prospective renters, help save the planet, and save on time and cost!
Every landlord knows that one of your biggest expenses is maintenance. Often repairs can be unavoidable, but the money and time you spend on lawn maintenance is definitely a cost you can cut. Artificial lawn is an incredible investment that will pay off each and every day. For townhouses or rental properties with a small garden, your investment will be minimal and will likely pay off immediately. Costs on equipment such as lawnmowers, weeders, and edge trimmers will be cut out of the budget straight away. Long-term costs like fuel, oil, and equipment upkeep will continue to amass long after you lay down your new artificial lawn. Artificial grass doesn’t require any more maintenance than picking up a few twigs at a residential property. Not to mention it will look like a well maintained natural law year-round.
Going green with an artificial lawn from Lawrence Lawns The landscape of a rental property, town-home, or other commercial residence is the first attribute that is noticed by any potential resident. Whether it is in person, on Rightmove/Zoopla or on Google Maps, those searching for a home will dissect every last detail that they can. How green is the grass? Is the lawn well-kept? Are there patches of dirt, ruts, or holes in the ground? Even if you keep your garden in tip-top shape, heavy rainfall can turn it into a muddy waterlogged mess, and your listing will be judged by its cover before potential clients even view the property. In this blog post, we’ll discuss how an artificial lawn can play a crucial role in increasing rental desirability, decrease costs, and keep tenants happy where they’re at.
Moodscapes transformed a small city yard from an ordinary into an impressive entertaining space.
The family had an extension added to their backyard, as the existing conditions of the yard weren’t ideal, with lots of unhealthy plants throughout. The construction of the extension left quite a bit of debris, leaving the homeowners with a lot of cleaning and shaping up to do. Their main concern was to increase their space while making their backyard a great environment for kids, as well as making the space super eco-friendly, complete with native and edible plantings. Additionally, the family wanted to install a sitting area for entertaining, as well as plantings for privacy.
Moodscapes helped this family to achieve their goals by first clearing the backyard of all unwanted materials, including dead and unwanted plantings, concrete walls, and anything that could be dangerous for the children.
Next, the soil, which had been completely compressed from prior construction, was improved. The improvement was made by adding the correct organic matter and minerals necessary, as indicated by a soil test.
A small patio of pavers was included for a sitting and entertainment area. This was surrounded with edible plants, including blueberries and vegetables. Ornamental trees, including a Amalanchier Oxydendorn and a Japanese Maple, were planted for shade. Native shrubs and perennials were planted throughout the yard to create privacy.
An organic lawn was installed to ensure the safety of the children and the family’s dog, providing a safe playground area. Also included was a garden where the children can learn about planting and growing perennials, vegetables, and herbs. This variety in the children’s garden gives them a full sensory experience, allowing them to be surrounded by the sights, tastes, smells, and feeling of a great variety of plants.
The collaboration between this family and Moodscapes led to the creation of an impressive family fun area, allowing them to enjoy using their backyard in a safe and eco-friendly way.
Entertaining outdoors is a great way to utilize your backyard to its fullest extent. Sharing your personal oasis with loved ones allows you to show how much you care for them and for your yard!
