Planning is Everything: Establish a Hardscape Plan from the Starts

Whiz-Q Stone: Build the Lifestyle of Your Dreams
Too many times do I see homeowners distressed over their hardscaping needs. They come into Whiz-Q with multiple questions and concerns. Where to put the patio, what shape to make the flowerbeds, how tall to build a retaining wall. These are just a few of the questions that come into the minds of do-it-yourselfers as well as contractors that I speak to on a daily basis.
No matter what the project is, I always recommend establishing a hardscape plan before any shovel hits the dirt. By establishing a hardscape plan, you will be able to map out your entire project giving you a master plan to work off of. Even if the project is broken into several phases and completed over a period of time, it is still a good practice to work toward a common plan. By working on a master design, you will ensure that as your project progresses and will not reconfigure or re-do any previous phases.
A contractor friend of mine wrote an article explaining what hardscape design is and why it is necessary:

Hardscape design professionals generally do almost everything that a traditional landscaper does -- getting dirt under their fingernails on a daily basis -- but they add another element on top of the usual topiary, garden, and lawn details.

Hardscape design is exactly what it sounds like: making and executing a plan to use 'hard' materials such as concrete, brick, timber, metal (usually iron or copper) and the like to beautify an environment. Some hardscape design professionals also readily incorporate water features into their designs, as most fountains and such are 'hard' materials in the first place.

Landscaping makes most Americans think of cut grass, immaculate flowerbeds, and trimmed bushes arranged under trees whose leaves are meticulously raked up and disposed of once a week all autumn long. But as hardscaping becomes more popular countrywide (not only because it's new and different, but because it's easier to maintain as well) the idea of what it means to have your house 'scaped' is changing rapidly.

Hardscaping doesn't stop there, however -- many hardscape design professionals will also readily draw up plans for a patio, a barbeque pit, a deck, walkways, decorative retaining walls, exotic fences and gains, and even artistic sculptures as well! The applications of hardscape design are as varied and beautiful as any live garden -- just more permanent. But don't think that hard means large -- hardscapers will just as readily put together small details in an otherwise 'soft' environment. For example, having a Japanese-style concrete lantern or a copper Foo dog set up to grace your backyard is right up a hardscaper's alley.

Of course, any real project is going to have both hardscaping and 'softscaping' elements. Many hardscape design professionals started as traditional landscapers, so they can address both elements easily, but if you're working with a dedicated hardscaper, you may need to call in a more traditional landscape designer and have the two collaborate.

The first big question they need to answer is 'what comes first'? If you begin with the landscaping, the hardscaping itself -- which can be fairly intensive- labor and equipment wise -- can damage the plants and soft terrain. For this reason, starting with the hardscaping is usually wiser.

Once that decision is reached, it's time to design. Most people find that it's aesthetically pleasing to use the hardscape design elements to contrast either the building itself or the softscaped areas. As most modern houses are rigid, straight lines with somewhat visually harsh elements, hardscaping design professionals often suggest gentle, curved lines and rounded corners to contrast the house itself. In a natural, highly landscaped environment, however -- especially one that conceals the house from view -- it may be more effective to utilize straight lines and right angles to separate the hardscaping from the natural world around it.

So no matter what your project entails or what you are trying to create, by planning your outdoor area on paper first and establishing a hardscape design plan, your project will not only look amazing, but you will spend less effort and have less headaches in the completion process.

Remember as always, if you are looking for design help, inspiration for your outdoor room, or you just need some assistance planning, choosing product or installation methods, please do not hesitate to give Whiz-Q Stone in Fort Worth, Texas a call or visit our website at www.Whiz-Q.com.

Until next time,

Derek Whisenand
Hardscape Specialist