Hardscaping In Los Angeles
For the most part, we can say with confidence that we all know what “landscaping” is… but what, exactly, is hardscaping? And What does hardscaping in Los Angeles look like? This article will shed some light on the subject- providing beautiful examples of successful hardscapes, as well as information to help navigate this trade, in sunny Southern California.
By literal definition, hardscaping is “the nonliving or man-made fixtures of a planned outdoor area”. This description is somewhat vague, but the benefit of its blanket definition is that hardscaping has seemingly endless possibilities. Today’s designers truly push limits of design and function and the results can be pretty spectacular.
How about some examples?
Hardscaping can include (but isn’t limited to):
- Walkways
- Ponds or water features
- Retaining Walls
- Statues
- Patios
- Stairs
- Built-in benches
- Stones
- Fire Pits
And plenty more. Basically, anything not living or planted in the ground that makes up the layout or structure of the area. Usually, hardscaping is done first, and then landscaping elements such as plants and grasses are put in the spaces designated by the hardscaping.
What About Functionality?
In fact, hardscaping in Los Angeles provides the majority (if not all) of the functionality of any outdoor space. Hardscaping provides paths to walk when traveling through the outdoor area, it provides a places to sit, a space to entertain guests, a place to park cars, walls to contain land and prevent erosion, stairs to make terrain more easily navigated, drainage to prevent flooding, structures to plant natural vegetation, not to mention a way to add incredible style to any outdoor space, and much, much more.
How do I know what I should get?
Designing a landscape theme is really a lot like writing a paper or proposal- you have to first sit down and pick a topic that is relevant to you, brainstorm, do a little research, and finally, put those ideas into physical form. The first questions you should ask yourself are:
- What purpose do you want our outdoor area to serve?
- Is the space centralized around a focal point? Like a pool, patio, barbeque, or seating area?
- What are your design “must-haves”?
Take some time to think about your space (we highly suggest sketching out a general shape! You don’t need to be an artist to get ideas down!). Go to local home and garden stores and think about materials and colors you may be interested in utilizing, such as the color of pavement, whether you want paved walkways or loose gravel, the types of flowers that appeal to you, etc.
Once you have all of these ideas and examples in mind, contact a professional. They can help to make sure that your design is functional and cost-effective. They can help you with logistics, and a good professional will have a portfolio from which you can draw inspiration. Together your design will slowly take shape and when it comes to fruition, with the right contractor, you can expect some incredible results that can transform your outdoor space from a yard… to a private paradise.
Hardscaping In Los Angeles, by All County Landscape Hardscape:
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