Masonry and Hardscapes – The Path to a Beautiful Yard
While the trellis covered with roses is still a beautiful hardscape for the yard, intricate hardscapes now enhance the appearance of your yard and the curb appeal of your home. Hidden gardens with statues, seating and masonry create interest areas but also places for a peaceful retreat.
Stone and masonry add their own dimension to the colorful surroundings of the yard and garden. If you don’t have a flower garden or blooming bushes, the masonry becomes the accent of color in what would otherwise be a drab appearing yard.
Imagine the peace and tranquility, which comes from sitting in your quiet yard and listening to the sounds made by pond with a waterfall. Water features made with combinations of natural stone and brick create a peaceful environment and take you away from all the troubles you experience throughout the day. The addition of brick pathways to this miniature paradise that’s a pleasure to the eyes, the senses and the spirit add continuity to the focal point of this type of hardscaping.
Masonry patios are not only interesting and add to the beauty of the home, they are functional also. The addition of stone and masonry turns unused space of the backyard into a valuable addition to the worth of your home. An outdoor fireplace or fire pit is not just a focal point for your yard but provides a place where the family gathers and friends feel comfortable.
Another popular item that many backyard patios include is a gourmet kitchen. Outdoor cooking is far more sophisticated than simply bringing out the charcoal grill. It now includes more modern cookware with stone countertops and built-in refrigerator units. These outdoor cooking areas make trips to the kitchen unnecessary. Imagine putting on your food in the oven and sitting back in a comfortable chair soaking in the beauty of Mother Nature and your back yard. These types of outdoor kitchens are now becoming more popular than ever.
Retaining walls and decorative walls not only enhance the focal points of the land but also bring an air of elegance to the entire landscape. You can highlight small garden areas by raising them above the lawn and enclosing them with a retaining wall.
Adding drama to the front yard with a stone or brick walk way and large bricked entryway gives additional value to your home while providing an area to display gardens, potted plants and statuary. It also ensures that the water drains properly away from the home and helps prevent soil erosion as it does.
If you live in a dry warm area, brick walls and heavy masonry create wonderful sun shelters and help absorb the heat as they radiate coolness back toward your home. You’ll find these types of walls help to keep your home cooler when the weather is unbearably hot.
No matter what your weather or location, you’ll find that adding hardscapes to your home improve not only the value of the house, it improves your enjoyment of it. It helps turn a place to live into your own private retreat.
