What is Hardscaping?

Natural Green specializes in both Softscaping and Hardscaping landscape design and installation. If you are unfamiliar with these terms, you have come to the right place. Hardscaping describes all of your non-living elements in your yard like landscape rocks, crushed shells, boulders, stepping stones, cement areas, bricks, and metal objects. While Softscaping is all of the living things in your landscape like shrubs, trees, flowers, palms trees, grass, and soil.

Crushed Shells

Crushed seashell is most commonly used for paths and driveways. Crushed shell is affordable, it looks natural, it lasts for years with little maintenance, and makes your landscaping a beautiful beach getaway. The main shells used are comprised of oysters, clams, and scallops. Shell is a great alternative for areas of your yard that does not have an irrigation system installed.

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Benefits of Hardscaping

  • Natural low maintenance alternative to grass that saves you money over time
  • Sustainable when they come from a sustainable harvesting operation
  • When installed correctly, they provide an excellent source of drainage
  • When used for driveways they will pack in nicely to form a great alternative to gravel or cement
  • Learn more about Hardscaping in our Hardscaping guide.

Landscape Rocks

Landscape rocks come in many different colors, making them a great choice for creating a certain style that you are looking for. The most commonly used are white rocks, river gravel, crushed stone (usually granite), and lava rock. Landscape rocks can be used for walkways or decoration in rock gardens. Both crushed shell and landscape rock can easily be divided into your landscape by using landscape edging / border that creates a unified look. Landscape edging will prevent your rock and crushed shell from spilling over into your grass or mixing with other landscape areas. Edging can be made out of wood, stones, bricks, or plastic.

Walkways

Stepping stones can also be placed throughout your hardscape and softscape areas to create neatly designed pathways. Adding stepping stones to your landscape will create a unified garden feel as you walk in your yard. By adding crushed shell or rock in combination with stepping stones, is a great alternative to a cement walkway/sidewalk because water can easily drain.

No matter the size of the job Natural Green is happy to help you with your Hardscaping needs.

Have questions? Contact us to schedule a free landscape analysis.