Changing weather conditions and a busy work schedule prompt homeowners to move away from meticulous landscapes in favor of useful and weather-resistant hardscapes. While the two often co-exist, it’s easy to design your lawn to highlight one over the other. However, only having stones in it will not be an example of a well-designed lawn.
Here are some balanced design ideas you can try:
Use Natural Stone to Define Edges
Your lawn does not have to be a wide expanse of carefully trimmed grass to be considered beautiful. You have the option to keep grass patches to the sides, using natural stone to define paths and mark where the grass ends. With this design idea, you can come up with any kind of pattern, such as spirals or winding walkways, as long as you have the appropriate size of stones and tiles to use. Carefully trim them for curves and turns so that the finished lawn will look professionally done.
It would also be best to have hardscaping materials delivery scheduled within the same week if you are buying from different sources around Utah. This way, you will have everything ready before you start the design, which means you can lay out everything and see if you have enough of each hardscaping material to cover your lawn.
Add Stairs to Divide Outdoor Areas
Your lawn can look like one wide, continuous space or it can be sectioned off into different areas. This is ideal if you love to entertain guests. One area might be for outdoor barbecues, with the outdoor grilling equipment and the dining table ready to accommodate everyone. Another area might be for relaxation, and this is where your beloved plants could all be concentrated.
These areas can be connected by steps, which are a great addition if you are building on the uneven ground. After leveling everything, you can have different heights that make it look like you have more space to spare.
Select Contrasting Textures
You may decide to use more hardscaping materials than grass to limit the amount of maintenance you have to do on the weekends, but this doesn’t mean your lawn should look boring or uncomfortable. You will find more joy in the design of your lawn if there are different textures to highlight. For instance, small, round pebbles will look good against rectangular stone tiles. Different colors will also add depth to the overall design. Whether you’re choosing to go with a natural look or you want a bolder palette, it’s always a good idea to go with two to three shades in the same color family. The uneven surfaces of stones also add to the appeal of your lawn but take care that they do not cause accidents if someone is unfamiliar with them. As a general rule, choose the smoothest surfaces on pathways and leave the jagged stones to the side where they will be valued more for their visual appeal.
No one can blame you for wanting a maintenance-free lawn. Thankfully, your options are not limited to overgrown grass or no grass at all.