What is the Difference Between Landscaping and Hardscaping?

landscaping vs hardscapingBlue Landscaping and Contracting Group and Blue Outdoor Solutions each have their own specialty. The former is landscaping, and the latter is hardscaping. But what does that mean exactly? The average customer doesn’t have a background in what we do. Because of this, the terminology can seem very foreign. Let us make clear the distinctions between these two skill sets.

Landscaping vs. Hardscaping

Most people are familiar with the term “landscaping.” It’s most commonly used to describe the outdoor design of our home or commercial property. However, it is actually more specific than that. Landscaping refers to services related to the vegetation and other living materials used to design your outdoor property. This can include (but isn’t limited to):

  • Trees
  • Shrubs
  • Plants
  • Turf grass
  • Sod grass
  • Organic ground covering materials
  • And more…

Hardscaping is essentially the opposite. It refers to the masonry or concrete additions to your landscape. It can use natural materials made out of things that were once living, but have now been formed into inanimate materials, such as wood planks.

Hardscaping includes your driveway, walkways, retaining walls, decks, drainage, and much more. Consider it the art of construction and masonry that is incorporated into your landscape.

Finding Synergy Between the Two

You’ll often find that landscaping and hardscaping go hand-in-hand. They’re used together to bring synergy, life, and ambiance to an outdoor area, while also giving it functionality. It takes a trained and artistic eye to find the right design, which is what Blue does on a daily basis.

Hardscaping and landscaping have a balance, and the approach to finding that balance is different with every design. Professionals like ourselves take in the natural layout, bringing out its most aesthetic features while aligning it with the proper aesthetics and functional elements.

Keep in mind that there is more to consider than just what looks good, too. Because we work with living elements as well as constructed ones, it is crucial that the living selection is suited to thrive within the environment it’s planted in. The climate, amount of natural sunlight, and soil are all deciding factors into what is planted and how.

If you or your Southwest Florida business is in need of landscaping or hardscaping services, give Blue at call at 239-566-BLUE. We’re here to serve you!