Is a Hardscape Really an Easy Scape?
Apr 29th, 2010 by Kathy
As we all know, conserving water is essential for keeping our planet healthy and sustainable for generations to come. In most of this nation’s locations, people can do this with little or no sacrifice. However, those in drought-prone regions, where curtailing usage is necessary (and, in some cases and places, mandatory), are doubly challenged, as they try to make the most of the little that they have, while constantly looking for ways to save even more.
Of course, there are millions of people, all over the country, who would gladly cut back on the water – and the work – that it takes to maintain their lawns and gardens. Like everyone else, they’d prefer spending the summer cooking out on their grills, eating at their picnic tables, and relaxing on their porch swings, hammocks, porch gliders, and Adirondack chairs, to planting, mowing, watering, and weeding.
For most people, though, it’s not just the effort that’s required to keep up a lush lawn and a gorgeous garden that can be bothersome. Often, it’s the added headaches caused by destructive wildlife and wild weather that bother some. So, over the past several years, one method that has become popular for escaping landscaping is hardscaping. Indeed, whether it’s because of a lack of water, time, or patience, millions of people, tired of tearing out their hair, have been tearing out their lawns and gardens, and replacing them with concrete and stone.
Certainly, these no-mow yards have been getting quite a lot of press lately. In many places, they are touted as being the ideal fix for those who want a beautiful yard, without doing much yard work. Furthermore, they can be very attractive, as there are nearly as many choices in the colors, textures, sizes, and shapes of stones, as there are in flowers, shrubs, trees, and mulches.
However, even if this idea appeals to you as being the perfect remedy for your situation, take the time to weigh the pros-n-cons (or, backward, as I prefer, the snoc-n-sorp), before you go out and bulldoze your yard. Among the factors to consider is that a hardscaped lawn won’t eliminate all of your headaches; it may just bring you some different ones. For example, it can be a nightmare if any underground water, gas, or electrical lines break, or need to be repaired for any reason, as it’s far more expensive to tear up concrete than sod. You may also experience problems from the runoff of water that cannot be absorbed into the ground.
You should also take your local weather into account, if you are thinking about laying cement over a large area. If you live in a cold climate, the constant freezing and thawing can cause concrete to crack. You may end up having to treat it with special sealants every year; and even then, there’s no guarantee that this will completely prevent it from cracking.
So, just like everything else, hardscaping has its advantages and disadvantages. For some, it may be just the right fix (in which case, I guess, it would become easy-scaping!), while, for others, a no-mow is a no-go. Remember, nothing is set in stone – uh, that is, until you actually set it in stone!
Yours Outdoors,
Kathy
