December 2018 – Land Design Landscaping

By sbpogge Uncategorized retaining wall

Does my Rochester, IL home need a retaining wall?

Everybody loves fancy landscaping, but having your home done in the style of a million-dollar mansion costs a lot of money. That’s why it’s important to narrow down your landscaping choices to the things you really need.

Have you been thinking about getting a retaining wall? A lot of people who don’t think they need one actually do. Here’s how you can know whether or not you need a retaining wall for your Rochester, IL home.

What Do They Do?

You’ve probably seen retaining walls in fancy landscaping of houses on hills, but did you know they actually serve an important purpose? As you put more weight on a sloped surface, such a house, a driveway, and parked cars, you need to add something to keep the slope from collapsing. Retaining walls essentially prevent the effect of gravity to keep this from happening. It can also help redirect water runoff and make a chunk of land more usable.

In addition to this, retaining walls can be used as a stylish addition to your home. They come in a variety of styles and have a nice, clean look that’s great for accentuating gardens and fences.

Do I Need One?

Whether your Rochester, IL property needs a retaining wall or not depends on many factors. As the biggest purpose of a retaining wall is to add reinforcement to a piece of land, an unstable piece of land is the number one qualifying factor for a retaining wall.

If you have a sloped piece of land that has problems with erosion, adding a retaining wall can keep the soil from eroding too much. For homes that are on a soil fault line, a retaining wall can serve as protection in the event of an earthquake or some other natural disaster.

Retaining Wall Options

You have a lot of options when it comes to retaining walls, each with their own benefits. Wooden retaining walls are the cheapest of the bunch, but they don’t last as long as other options. Poured concrete or natural stone retaining walls will last quite a bit longer, but you’ll have to make a larger investment upfront.

If you’re still wondering whether or not you need a retaining wall or you’re ready to have one installed, call the landscaping experts at Land Design Landscaping.

By sbpogge Uncategorized hardscapes

What are hardscapes? How do I add them to my Springfield, IL home?

Find out what hardscapes can add to your landscaping

When you think of landscaping, you probably picture healthy green grass, towering trees, tidy shrubs, and colorful flowers. While these elements, referred to as softscapes, are an important part of landscaping, they don’t provide the whole picture. Hardscapes provide an equally important aspect of landscaping, adding a sense of balance and giving your outdoor space an anchored appearance. Here is everything you need to know about adding hardscapes to your Springfield, IL home.

What Are Hardscapes?

As the name suggests, hardscapes are the hard, inanimate elements of landscaping. These include walkways, pavers, retaining walls, gazebos, decks, driveways, and more; generally speaking, if an element of your landscaping isn’t a living thing, then it’s likely hardscape. Hardscapes can either be manmade, such as an outdoor structure like a pergola, or natural, like stone. Hardscaping enhances your yard’s usability and privacy while providing needed balance to your softscaping elements.

Adding a Hardscape Feature to Your Yard

As with any landscape feature, before you add hardscape, you want to consider the form and function you ultimately want it to achieve. Generally, hardscape elements serve a purpose, providing a bridge between a larger structure, such as a house or a garden shed, to a smaller landscaping element like a garden or a pond. Therefore, you should think of hardscapes as transitional elements, rather than as focal points that get all the attention.

It’s important that the hardscaping element complements and blends in with your outdoor décor. When it comes to choosing a hardscaping element, let your existing architecture be your guide. For example, a granite retaining wall would look out of place next to a rustic cabin dwelling, and an elaborate fountain would provide an unwelcome contrast to a quaint beach cottage. Choose materials and styles that will fit in and enhance your outdoor space.

Creating an inviting outdoor space that reflects and accommodates your needs and lifestyle requires experience and knowledge, and striking the right balance between hardscaping and softscaping elements can be a big challenge. At Land Design Landscaping, our experts are here to help you choose the hardscaping and softscaping solution that will increase the beauty, comfort, and value of your Springfield, IL home.

Month: December 2018

Does my Rochester, IL home need a retaining wall?

What are hardscapes? How do I add them to my Springfield, IL home?