A Builder’s Guide to Landscape Gardening with Neograss

This article from Neograss looks at how builders are ideally placed to help turn homeowners’ gardens into their specifically designed outdoor space through terracing, ornate walls, pathways and much more.

Using building skills to create the ideal garden hard landscaping

Builders are ideally placed to help homeowners turn their garden dream into reality; aesthetic walls, permanent brick barbecue areas, patios and split-level areas are all within the remit of most capable builders and can make for interesting and rewarding work.

Hard landscaping

Landscape gardening expert builders can help turn a design into a reality. Alternatively, for home owners who know what they want, the builder can take care of what’s known as the ‘hard landscaping’ aspect of garden design and implementation.

As its name suggests, the ‘hard’ landscaping concerns itself with the more structural aspects of a garden or outdoor area, such as pathways, walls, decking and paving. The ‘soft’ landscaping is basically growing matter such as plants, shrubs and trees – very much the domain of the expert gardener.

Gardens becoming more important

There was a time when a garden might have just been a piece of ground with maybe a lawn and a flower bed or two, and everyone’s gardens looked more or less alike. Now though, the garden is increasingly seen as an extension of the home and more time is spent in it – enhanced by bespoke design where homeowners create an area to suit their lifestyle.

For example, for those keen on plenty of outdoor entertaining, the accent might be on creating a large, permanent barbecue area and a covered space to sit at an outdoor dining table.

On the other hand, those who seek to create a relaxing oasis might go for discreet pathways and maybe a water feature with plenty of cover provided by trees or an ornate wall for privacy.

Expert help needed

To create these specific garden areas takes expert help usually in the form of an experienced designer allied to a builder who can create the ornate wall, barbecue, pathway or combination of them.

Some examples of work that hard landscaping builders can help with:

Steps and walls 

Not just any old wall but perhaps one designed in keeping with the garden in terms of style. Steps can give an aesthetic benefit and provide a practical way to access the garden.

Pergolas, gazebos and arbours

Various design styles to create a focal point along with a practical, covered outdoor area.

Terracing

An outdoor area perhaps paved over or maybe using some decking is a popular landscaping option.

‘Zonal’ gardens

Creating a multi-purpose garden is popular; for example, a discreet screened off area for quiet relaxation and a shady area for children to play in.

One useful way of adding some greenery to areas whether zonal or in smaller spaces or areas where real grass is either difficult to lay or won’t thrive (in shaded areas for instance) is using artificial grass.

Various grass types, whether the ‘bowling green’ look or a coarser type, can be specified and laid quickly and easily. It can instantly create the finishing touch to a garden landscaping project without having to wait several weeks or longer for ‘real’ grass to become established.

Artificial grass can also be one element of a low maintenance garden; one reason some people go for more hard landscaping is to lessen or remove entirely the need for gardening as in mowing grass and tending to plants.

Shrubs that require less tending and even artificial plants along with fake grass can help create the ultra low maintenance garden.

Paths

Various types of stone in a multitude of finishes are available, and paths are a popular way of adding some aesthetic interest to a garden area along with the practical benefits of accessing the space.

Raised planting beds

An increasingly popular idea to create visual interest by planting at different heights. Various materials can be used to create raised beds such as wood, brick or stone.

Front gardens

Many front gardens are ripe for some landscaping no matter how tiny they may be. Creating some hard standing is one option as is more use for artificial grass; that difficult to mow postage stamp area can be replaced with a patch of fake grass and maybe an attractive paved border.

Interesting and varied work

No one garden is quite like another when it comes to creating a bespoke space for a homeowner, so it can make for some interesting – not to mention profitable – work for builders interested in developing trade in the hard landscaping area.