Decorating a house is an art and not everyone is an artist. Constructing a house requires expertise in many fields. That’s why people hire construction companies like Landtech Scenery Inc who are not only good at what they do but also provide specialized services.
The best and the most complicated part of a house is the outdoor area. The outdoor living space is complicated and must be tackled in a balanced way. It should be equal parts soft landscape and hard landscape.
A good outdoor living space has both soft landscaping and hard landscaping. You can not get a perfect look while maximizing only one. That’s why the importance of hard landscaping and soft landscaping is almost equal in your outdoor living space.
Reasons To Balance The Use of Hard and Soft Landscaping
To understand the broader spectrum of the application of both soft landscaping and hardscaping, read on:
Why Softscape:
Softscape is the natural part of the landscape. All of the living parts of your landscape cover this area.
When we talk about soft landscaping we think of adding greenery of every type. Shrubs, trees, flowers, and fruits everything that grows comes under soft landscaping.
But why is it so popular and has an equal part in landscaping? Any part of the house comes together when the non-living structures (walls, stones, paintings, furniture, etc) come in contact with the living part (humans, plants, pets, etc). And to balance this ratio we need a good amount of soft landscaping.
A good interior or exterior designer knows how to balance both without disturbing the basic look of the house.
Advantages
There are a lot of advantages of soft landscaping and the most common one is the restoration of nature. Softscaping is a great opportunity to add nature to your life. The mix of different plants and where to buy which one is the art and only an artist can achieve that.
Another advantage of soft landscaping is that they are cheaper. Plants and their other varieties can easily be bought into a broad range and that’s the beauty of it. You can add any plant cheaper or costlier it will give you the same soothing and aesthetic look. Plus maintenance of the plant is cheaper, and the tools and elements it requires for their maintenance are cheap.
The biggest advantage of soft landscaping is its variety. There are unlimited options in plants from fruits to veggies to ornamental. There are hundreds of options. The combination of plants should be made keeping in mind all of the seasons. If you wish to add a good amount of soft landscaping into your outside living spaces make sure to mix and match and never add those plants together which might die in one season.
Disadvantage
One of the biggest disadvantages of soft landscaping is that you need to keep maintaining it throughout the year. The plants need constant attention and even though the maintenance is cheap it is continuous and exhausting.
Another disadvantage is that you need to keep changing the plant as per the season. Even though you use a combination of plants, there will always be some plants in a season that need to be replaced. It is a detailed process and needs expertise and time.
The last and most important disadvantage is that the soft landscaping is a house of many unwanted elements. It can attract a variety of bugs and insects that can enter your house through your slippers or just by air.
Why Hardscape:
A hardscape is anything unnatural or non-living in your outdoor living space. It can be anything from your patio furniture to your deck to decor pieces. It can be any wall design, stone art, or fountain. Anything that is man-made is part of the hard landscaping.
When you are done with soft landscaping you need furniture and other elements to make your outdoor living a place where you can spend time comfortably. For that, you need different elements. These elements can be sports activity spots( swimming pools, basketball courts, etc) or a relaxing spot (a patio, chairs, sofas, and outdoor swing).
The hard landscaping adds a modern and elegant touch to your outdoor space and makes it appealing.
Advantages
Hard Landscaping is long-lasting. You do not need to change your hard landscaping elements every month and once installed it can last up to years.
Another advantage is that the hard landscaping does not need regular maintenance. They can be repaired or maintained once a year and will work smoothly.
The variety in the material of the hard landscape is one of the biggest advantages. There are different types of materials for every element. You can never go wrong with the deck wood or swimming pool color. The choices are endless and can easily be matched as per your preferences.
Disadvantages
One of the biggest disadvantages is that it costs a lot. Hard landscapes are a lot more costly as compared to soft landscapes. And that’s why there are limited options to keep in one place.
Another disadvantage is their maintenance. Even though the maintenance is not that regular as compared to the soft landscape when it appears it takes a lot of time and money.
Another disadvantage is that the hard landscapes are hard to change. Once you get a swimming pool or a deck or a patio you have to use it for years until you replace it.
Conclusion
Both hard and soft landscaping adds great value and beauty to your outdoor living space. If you want your outdoor living space to be chic and functional you must include all of the elements. The need to invest in a good outdoor living space company is also there. Hire Landtech Scenery Inc so that you can be satisfied with your outdoor living space. A good balance between both hard and soft landscaping will help you get good value in the future and pleasant space for the present.
