Xeriscaping and hardscaping

The new word in landscape design doesn’t have to scare you. Xeriscaping is a fairly simple design and construction technique that can help homeowners save cubic yards of water and money over the long term.

Contact the landscape design experts at ” Captain Handy” for advice on how to improve your yard, garden or recreation area, and learn about new methods and practices in modern terrain design and micro landscaping.

Xeriscaping – a method of landscaping with limited use of sod grass, creating an environment that thrives without frequent watering. You don’t have to sacrifice the beauty of your garden or lawn to achieve this effect.

Seven basic principles of xeriscaping have been developed over time, but just a couple of them are enough to significantly save water use for irrigation and watering plants on the property without a significant investment of labor or money.

Planning and designing

Proper xeriscaping requires a thoughtful plan. Determine the conditions that will affect water use, such as sun and wind exposure, as well as the slopes and irregularities of the site. Group plants that require large amounts of water and plants that need less water, watering them separately. This way you can plan your water consumption better.

Soil Improvement

Use soil covers such as compost, peat moss, or manure to improve heavy clay or sandy soils and retain moisture and nutrients in the soil.

Appropriate plant choices

Low-water-use flowerbeds can withstand periods of drought and high temperatures with minimal irrigation. There are many attractive and hardy flowers and shrubs available at most garden centers in a wide range.

Practical lawn areas

You don’t need to remove your entire lawn, but consider removing areas of turf that are impractical or difficult to maintain, such as narrow strips or grass on steep slopes.

Efficient irrigation

Use the amount of water you need to irrigate with minimal wastage. If you have an automatic irrigation system, adjust the frequency and duration of irrigation according to weather conditions and the changing seasons.

Proper care

The amount of work, for xeriscape front yard, depends on the amount of water.

Overwatering contributes to:

• poor plant growth;
• leaching of fertilizers;
• problems with insects and diseases;
• weed growth;
• requires increased attention.

If water is effectively applied and xeriscaping principles are used, less time is needed for garden maintenance and work.

Using hardscaping techniques in combination with xeriscaping on a plot

There is much more to creating the perfect xeriscaping than planting a few succulents and drought-tolerant grasses. With landscaping professionals, we are now focusing on creative approaches in incorporating hardscape into site planning – not just pouring tons of concrete.

Hardscape refers to “hardscape landscaping” techniques in man-made environmental structures that are incorporated into the landscape. Can include paved areas, driveways, retaining walls, sleepers, stairs, walkways and any other landscaping made up of hardwearing materials such as wood, stone, concrete, etc. – Wikipedia says.

Don’t limit yourself to a traditional approach to landscape design. Let the landscape architects at Captain Handy show you what you can really do with any area on your property.  Our professionals are landscape design professionals in Ontario and Toronto.  Check out our favorite creative options in hardscaping.

Retaining walls

First of all, the most common thing in hardscaping is the use of rocks and cement for retaining walls. Retaining walls can help you zone hilly areas of your land, create unique topography on flat areas.

Using hardscaping in projects allows Captain Handy landscapers to unlock more of the site’s potential, create interesting views and stunning vantage points.

Often we find that customers enjoy laid brick or natural stone for a greater “cottage feel. Others use concrete in wall structures and tile on sidewalks and driveways. The skill of talented hardscaping designers is that you can create any vision of landscape in reality.

When you think about the difficulty of implementation, you probably see a specific design.

Even though there are many variations in this design, you may find that there are all sorts of hardscaping options for you. The combination of the retaining wall and sidewalk makes for a rich and finished front yard. In addition, we often find that over-sized stone creates a natural landscape, even though the entire ensemble is man-made.

The beauty of hardscaping is that your landscape can vary greatly from area to area, and you can make all kinds of changes by playing with shapes, volume, and combination of materials. The drought tolerance of an artificial landscape doesn’t require sacrificing function at all.

Patio in hardscape design

When setting up a patio or patio with hardscaping techniques, you can use concrete, wood, stone, tile and other man-made and natural materials. Many of our customers, look at how they can furnish a large organized patio. Since this type of hardscaping is great for entertaining, for many customers it is usually not a problem.

With small yards, large patios can be the best choice in planning with a xeriscape design. Potted plants on top of a concrete or paved brick patio object are popular during the dry seasons. Without sacrificing your water bill, you can create a beautiful garden or large multipurpose space.

Focus Points

Focal points are our favorite part of landscape design in hardscaping. Using cement or pavers, you can create bird baths, secret gardens, outdoor fireplaces and more. Using natural stone and other available materials can help make any landscape, from a simple small backyard, to a square or large garden.

Here we’ve covered the basics of hardscape and xeriscape design. With our help now you have all opportunities to turn your yard into a cost-effective, beautiful, modern and practical landscape that will please the eye from year to year and will save money on care and maintenance.

Contact the experts, designers and architects at Captain Handy for advice on landscaping your yard at the phone numbers and addresses posted on our website.

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