Clever ‘hardscaping’ makes the grade
Consider hard surfaces before designing yard
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a new garden: lawns, plants or trees, perhaps? Many people approach a new garden or landscape renovation thinking about the green spaces they have to fill. But landscape designers take a step back, considering overall layout and the more permanent structures that will need to be in place, known in the industry as the hardscape.
“Hardscaping is the basis for everything,” says Ray Evenson, owner of West Coast Modernscape in Vancouver. “You have to establish what you are doing with your hardscape before proceeding with the garden or any other kind of backyard project.”
Basic property elevation grades, drainage and the need for retaining walls are often the first opportunities for hardscaping. Driveways, patios, decking, paths, walkways, fencing and gates, water features, edging and privacy screens may also factor in.
Evenson suggests taking a bird’s-eye view when sketching out these preliminary considerations and features.
“When you do a job, you should see if from the top looking down, trying to understand where everything’s going to go, while establishing your grades,” Evenson notes. “It’s all got to be decided first and foremost, before you actually do any kind of landscaping whatsoever.”
Landscape designer Rob Spytz of Rob Spytz Design Studio considers functionality first and prioritizes hardscaping in terms of how the space will be used by his clients on a daily basis.
“Typically, the hard surface is the starting point and then the planting is used to soften it,” Spytz notes.
Integration of hardscaping is key to creating an overall harmonious environment, according to Spytz. To do this, he likes to reinforce architectural details that come from the house and bring them into the landscape.
“As you move through the outdoor space you should feel that there is a cohesive overall design,” Spytz says. “Depending on the house or the client, I also like to add small details that may make the space unique from the neighbours.”
Both designers favour natural stone as a basic hardscaping material, while noting that it takes real craftsmanship to lay it down well. A trained stonemason is advisable.
“I am a stonemason by trade so I’m a little biased, but stone is a natural product that blends well into most landscapes,” Evenson says. “And if done properly, it’s absolutely timeless.”
Spytz also employs basic contemporary concrete surfaces with saw cuts to give a unique tiled appearance. Paving stones and bricks, patio slabs, iron works, cedar decking and other lumbers round out typical hardscaping materials in the landscape industry.
“Choose your (hardscaping) materials wisely; ask about lifespan and maintenance,” Spytz suggests.
Given the importance of hardscaping components and the materials and labour involved in constructing them, it’s not surprising that these features are often the most expensive portion of any new landscape design and installation.
However, even hardscaping can be over utilized. Don’t get carried away and let hard surfaces completely rule your garden, especially in smaller lots and urban scapes, Spytz cautions. A mix of hard and soft features and plantings is not only more pleasing, but also more eco-friendly.