When we speak of landscaping most of us think of shrubs, trees, and plants. But hardscape structures can be a significant part of a residential landscape.

And deciding what to add and what to build can be as enjoyable as the feeling of looking out at what you've accomplished later when it's all done. But how do you get it done?

Why Hardscape Projects are Great for Your Backyard

When it comes to landscaping design there are really two main elements: softscape and hardscape.  Simply put, softscape is all the green, living, organic components of your outdoor space, including your lawn grass.

Hardscape elements, on the other hand, are the, well... hard things like rock, gravel, stone, and other non-organic items you might add like water features or benches and walls.

As one commercial nursery has noted,

Hardscape projects are an essential part of landscaping. They are often very utilitarian, and they can be made to be quite attractive. Additionally, hardscape elements decrease the amount of space in the landscape that needs active and frequent care, allowing you more time to enjoy your yard. In addition to this, carefully planned and placed hardscape features can also save you money in maintenance costs.

So, what are some of the top DIY hardscape projects for backyards?

Three Top DIY Hardscape Projects for Your Backyard

While these are just a few of the myriad of upgrades, additions, and improvements you can make in a backyard space utilizing hardscape materials, these are some of more popular and lend themselves well to being "do it yourself" projects.

1. Rock Gardens

Even though many rock gardens include softscape elements like shrubs or flowers, the typically require less attention than flowerbeds. In terms of design, they can create visually bold elements that serve to create borders and textural contrasts.  In addition, they can be useful for dressing up odd corners and entryways,  places too small for grass.

2. Stone Paver Patios

At first glance this might seem a bit ambitious for most homeowners, but modern pavers are designed and manufactured for ease of installation. And a patio need not be extensive to serve a utilitarian as well as aesthetic purpose.  The variety of styles, colors, textures, and materials that are available for patios and paved walkways makes this a creative choice, as well. 

3. Retainer Walls

These, too, need not be terribly tall nor long to accomplish a functional yet visually appealing role in your backyard setting. Small walls can be built to set off flower beds or to create deeper and protected planting areas. A common use of stone retainer wall blocks is to create a protective and decorative "ring" around large trees in your lawn.

In addition to these projects, hardscaping elements can include firepits with a decomposed granite (DG) or crushed gravel bed laid underneath and around it, lighting fixtures that are mounted on fences or in the ground, and large cement or stone planters to accentuate corners and edges of different spaces. 

The possibilities are really only limited by your time, your budget, and the level of effort you choose to put into it. 

And, with that in mind, we put together this handy checklist guide for building a simple tree ring retainer wall for that big tree in the middle of your yard.

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Taking Your Backyard Improvement to the Next Level with Hardscaping

Hardscaping elements incorporated into your backyard (and front yard!) landscape can do wonders not only for the overall appearance and ambience of your outdoor spaces, but for problem areas.

For example, uneven lawn areas can be "leveled" out with the addition of a small patio. And a few strategic retaining walls can help minimize erosion from water runoff. 

Another great benefit is expanding the usability of your backyard space. Playing on the grass is all well and good, but it doesn't lend itself to much else, especially for the adults. Fire pits, outdoor lighting, and patios mean that your yard is still accessible into the late hours of the night.

And, just as importantly, as one outdoor service's website emphasized,

More hardscaping means less grass. Stones and concrete don’t need to be cut or watered, which means you can spend less time maintaining your landscaping and more time enjoying it.

Got Landscaping Debris? Call Junk King for Your Yard Waste Removal

After you complete your DIY hardscape yard improvements you'll likely have some mounds of sod, dirt, various clumps of plants, and other organic debris.

Not to mention the hard stuff like masonry or concrete rubble, chunks of broken stone or brick, and all the packaging trash.

Fortunately for you, getting rid of it all doesn't have to be another DIY project.

 Junk King can provide you with safe, affordable, and eco-friendly yard waste removal and easily dispose of all your outdoor debris and and other junk items.

And, if you need our services several times during your backyard renewal project, or just once after you're done, our junk hauling professionals will get all the junk and debris out of your way so that you can enjoy your beautiful outdoor space.

We will be at your house on time, as promised, so make the call today!

Our team is fully insured and well-trained, so you can trust them to get rid of your unwanted items in a professional and courteous fashion.

And one of the best things about hiring Junk King is that we recycle as much of the material we pick up as possible. This is proof of our commitment to being an eco-friendly removal service.

So, book an appointment online or give us a call today at 1-888-888-JUNK (5865).