Part of creating an atmosphere of curb appeal for your home or business property is deciding where your focus should be on: hardscaping or greenscaping your surroundings. Our post below covers the pros and cons of each aspect of such a curb appeal project, and hopefully, it will make your decisions ones that will give you the lawn and surrounding area of your dreams.
Hardscaping:
Comprised of utilizing rocks, stones, concrete, wood and other man-made or natural materials, this form of decor for your lawn is readily used to enhance the visual and environmental impact of your lawn. Some examples might be patio walkways, retainer walls, cement driveways and even Cedar gazebos or wooden decks in the back yard.
1- Costs
Typically, the hardscape route costs less to maintain than does greenery.
2- Maintenance
As a rule, this requires little labor. However, in the case of using wooden decks or a gazebo, staining may be needed. Maintaining hardscapes involves little work. The same goes for laying gravel on a driveway, but it does have to be replenished from time to time with the crushing weight of cars running over the gravel.
3- All Creatures Great And Small
If you’re looking to deter wildlife, especially bees, from setting up a homestead on your home property, then going with a hardscape mindset is the route for you.
4- Water Consideration
While it doesn’t necessarily require water, per say, hardscapes will need some kind of drainage system to avoid accumulated pools of water or worse yet, minor flooding. Either of both conditions can lead to an eventual mosquito infestation and breeding ground.
Greenscaping:
Involving the creation of a sustainable landscape from the soil up, this can be as simple as laying new sod soil, adding passive solar power such as planting a tree at the right angles or even creating a yard with recyclable rain water run-offs.
1- Costs
In contrast to hardscaping, greenscapes are relatively inexpensive to begin; however, there is a maintenance cost for nurturing and replenishing the green landscape: yard cutting, fertilizing, pruning and other costs that add up over time.
2- Maintenance
If you enjoy weeding, mowing, planting and uprooting annuals, composting, the laying out of mulch and regular watering expenses, then focus on the green aspect of curb appeal. If not, look to focus on more hardscape alternatives.
3- All Creatures Great and Small
If you are truly ecology-minded, then going all the way with greenery serves as a beacon for wildlife in general. Small deer and snakes are not the only ones that will be attracted to your lawn. Eighty-five percent of small creatures are simply bugs and insects, some of which are beneficial to sustainable gardening while others are not.
4- Water Consideration
Choosing which native plants go best with the associated regional water conditions will help determine which plants are the best choices for your curb appeal. The same goes for grass lawns. Is St. Augustine grass the way to go for you or not?
The Final Outcome
All this being said, both types of landscape, hardscape or greenscape, blend well and even work to a homeowner’s and environment’s advantage. However, sometimes, minimalist is better, and sometimes it isn’t.
If it’s visual appeal you are looking for, and environmental impact at the same time, then start off slowly and enjoy the journey as you discover which platform works best for you and your home or business property.