What Does Soft Landscaping Mean In Construction?
What Does Soft Landscaping Mean In Construction?
Soft landscaping in construction refers to the living elements of a landscape, such as trees, flowers, grass, shrubs, and other plants. It also includes aspects of gardening such as soil, mulch, and weed control.
Soft landscaping elements are typically used to soften the landscape and add texture, character, and structure. They can also help reduce pollution and improve watershed health.
Hardscaping, on the other hand, refers to the hard, unmovable elements of a landscape such as concrete, bricks, and stone. These elements provide structure for the soft-scaping elements and create an outdoor living space.
What Is The Difference Between Soft And Hard Landscaping?
Hard landscaping refers to the hard features of a landscape design such as walkways, patios, retaining walls, firepits, and driveways. These elements are typically made of stone, bricks, concrete, or metal.
Softscaping is the living elements of a landscape design such as soil, trees, flowers, grass, and shrubs. A well-balanced landscape design will include an attractive combination of both hardscaping and softscaping elements.
Hard landscaping is an essential part of landscaping overall because it provides practical solutions to meet the needs of a space. Soft landscaping helps to create an inviting space by adding color and beauty with plants.
When aspects like these have been duly considered, then it will be possible to determine what soft and hard landscaping elements are needed for a successful garden redesign.
What Are The Benefits Of Soft Landscaping?
Softscaping is an important part of landscaping as it enhances the look of the outside of a home and helps to maintain the ecological balance and integrity of the natural environment. Softscapes include horticultural elements such as flowers, shrubs, soil, trees, and other plants.
These living aspects can help to sequester carbon through plant roots and resulting soil microbiology, as well as address issues related to soil management, wildlife integration, and pest control.
Softscapes also provide natural beauty and ecological engagement, making them an important part of creating a sustainable landscape.
In contrast to softscaping, hardscaping refers to the heavier or “hard” elements in landscape design such as retaining walls, stone work, patios, driveways and walkways.
Hardscaping helps to prevent the absorption of water and erosion of soil, while also providing aesthetic benefits when combined with softscape elements.
Hardscaping is also beneficial because it is made from natural products with no ecological consequences, allowing homeowners to increase their yard’s sustainability without negatively impacting the environment.
What Are The Types Of Soft Landscape?
Types of soft landscape include trees, hedges, bushes/shrubs, grass, flower beds, and climbers.
Softscape is the living elements of a landscape such as plants and flowers, while hardscape refers to the non-living elements such as concrete, bricks, stone, gravel, paving stones, retaining walls, pavers for paths or patios, outdoor kitchens, water features, gazebos, decks and driveways.
A successful landscape design typically combines both hardscape and softscape elements in order to create an inviting and practical space that can be enjoyed by all.
What Is the Soft Landscape Maintenance
Softscape maintenance involves the planting and ongoing care of living elements in a yard, such as trees, bushes, flowers, shrubs, grass, ivy, vegetable plants, moss and cacti.
This includes watering every other day for approximately 30 minutes, weeding, trimming bushes and trees, mowing the lawn, fertilizing and setting up a sprinkler system to water the plants.
It also involves removing trees if they die or become infested. If annuals were planted instead of perennials, part of the maintenance will involve re-planting them. Properly caring for planted areas will protect investments well into the future.
