Landscape construction transforms barren or unused land into a beautiful garden featuring various trees, flowers, fruits, vegetables, and shrubs, turning the area green and productive.
It includes structures such as canopies, gazebos, latticework, pergolas, ponds, and irrigation equipment. Landscape construction is mainly divided into two broad categories: hardscapes and softscapes.
Both components work together to create a functional and attractive landscape.
Soft Landscaping: Plant Components in Agricultural and Garden Landscapes
Soft landscaping refers to the plant components of landscaping. It involves using plants of all categories palms, trees, shrubs, grasses, herbaceous plants that naturally fit into the landscape.
Planting indigenous species ensures integration of structures into the natural environment, maintaining a natural appearance among other benefits plants provide.
This type of landscape construction mainly includes setting up and sowing plants, trees, herbs, shrubs, and various small ornamental grasses and colorful trees. Installing these plants in gardens enhances beauty.
It also involves analyzing the architecture, planning, and determining a suitable landscape design using flower beds, lawns, yards, or gardens for residences and estates.
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Key Features of Soft Landscaping
Some important features of soft landscaping include:
1. Lawn and yard areas,
2. Trees, shrubs, and vines,
3. Accent plants and flowering plants,
4. Garden and flower beds.
Hard Landscaping: Non-Plant Elements in Agricultural Landscape Construction
Hard landscaping involves the use of non-plant materials in developing a landscape. Examples include walkways, driveways, patios, decks, walls, ponds, fences, pergolas, steps, landscape lighting, water fountains, furniture, and containers for potted plants.
These features, alone or combined, create the ground, vertical, and overhead planes within a landscape, defining outdoor living spaces.
Hardscapes complement the plant components to fulfill design and functional needs.
In this form of landscape construction, the main work involves setting hard stones, pavements around gardens, fences enclosing the area, and barbeque areas made of stones.
It also includes water features such as fountains, dry riverbeds, and waterfalls. This type of construction is increasingly common.
Hardscape materials impact the environment positively; porous materials allow water to soak into the soil, while pavements and retaining walls reduce water runoff and prevent contaminants from entering streams.
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Common Hardscape Features in Landscape Construction
Some popular hardscape features include:
1. Retaining walls made from natural stone, wood, or concrete blocks that provide both function and aesthetic appeal,
2. Interlocking driveways that are durable and visually attractive, designed to match property architecture,
3. Stonework that enhances property appearance and functionality with low maintenance and long-lasting benefits,
4. Sod installation that smooths surfaces and creates beautiful spaces suitable for outdoor activities and games.
Although landscape construction is straightforward, it requires patience and time. Transforming barren land into a beautiful garden involves more than planting shrubs, trees, and mowing lawns.
It includes services such as sod installation, retaining walls, and driveway interlocking, which enhance curb appeal and increase the value and functionality of agricultural and residential properties when executed properly.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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