There are a number of ways you can increase the appeal and functionality of your yard with hardscaping. Hardscaping can help limit water needs for the landscaped area, decrease erosion and limit the overall maintenance necessary to keep the property looking its best. Pantano’s interactive displays can help give you hardscape design ideas that would work well in your yard, including everything from patios to driveways and walkways.

Driveways and Walkways

Among the more typical hardscaping projects, using paving tiles to form driveways and pathways is a great way to add interest to a yard and give people a clear idea of where they should and shouldn’t be walking. These pavers come in a wide variety of designs, shapes, colors and sizes to make it easy to get the look you’re after. Once installed, these walkways will last for years. Consider a walkway from the edge of the driveway to the front door or from the back door or deck stairs to other areas of interest in the backyard. Walkways will make the garden more accessible to family members and guests.

Patios and Pool Surrounds

Expand your living area into the outdoors by adding a patio or pool surround. These hard surfaces make it easy to put outdoor furniture in a handy place, making it more likely people will spend time eating, hanging out or just relaxing outdoors. The patio can be made using concrete, pavers, stone, brick, gravel, wood or composite materials. Make the patio even more useful and enjoyable by adding a firepit with built-in stone benches for seating or an outdoor kitchen including a brick oven or fireplace.

Walls and Steps

Those who have yards that are hilly may want to consider hardscaping projects involving retaining walls and steps, which can give you a multi-level yard with more usable flat space. Each level can have a different purpose. For example, the lower level could contain gardens, while an upper level has a patio with seating so people can sit and enjoy the view of the beautiful gardens below. People who really love their privacy could also put up a stone or brick wall around their yard to help keep others out and limit what they can see from outside the yard.

Water Features

Hardscaping can also be used to help create water features in the yard, such as fountains, ponds and pools. To make these features even more enchanting, it’s possible to add LED lighting that will make them shine even after dark, giving you a good return on your investment. Many people find it peaceful to watch waterfalls or look at fish in ponds, making this an attractive addition to any landscaping project. With the right design, many of these water features will need very little maintenance to keep them looking their best. The main maintenance is to add cleaners and perhaps change a filter every now and then for those water features that don’t feature fish or plants. Some water features can be made self-cleaning with the use of the right design, plants and fish.