Is fencing a hardscape?

Hard landscaping can include almost any type of decorative or practical structure in a landscape, from entrances to fences and benches.

Landscaping

refers to elements of a landscape that are not alive, such as roads, walls, and fences. Outer attractiveness is beneficial in a number of ways. Exterior appeal can make a home more attractive to prospective buyers and provide current homeowners with a place to which they want to return home.

In its study of the value of outdoor remodeling projects, the National Association of Realtors found that standard lawn care and general landscape improvements were more attractive to buyers, as well as those most likely to add value to a home. We've explored the pros and cons and design details of stake fences, pig wire, wrought iron, painted fences, and deer fences. Perhaps privacy is your biggest concern. Or match the style of your home.

Hardlandscapes are the non-living elements of your garden. These can include everything from patio surfaces to retaining walls and even pergolas. Landscaping has two main categories, and hardscaping is one of those two, while soft landscaping is the other. The old expression “Good fences make good neighbors” is true, but it's only half the story.

This strictly refers to the perimeter fences that surround a house. But fences play a more diverse role in landscaping, as they help solve problems and create opportunities within a home. These interior fences can be called partitions, because they work just like interior walls to enclose a space, such as a pool orchard. However, dividing fences also help to define space in a more open way, to improve site security and to control views.

The tools and equipment needed to install fences or retaining walls are practically cousins of the tool belt. When installed separately or in combination, fences and retaining walls with hard gardens give structure and direction to the courtyard, both literally and figuratively. Fencing, another form of gardening, is essential for establishing property boundaries and adding privacy. Similarly, hard-garden fences provide privacy and security without sacrificing beauty or making your garden feel claustrophobic.