Happy New Year to all our customers and friends (pardon the redundancy)!
We are kicking off the year with a yard and garden tip – hardscape (the industry generic term for patios, walkways, outdoor grilling areas, retaining walls, and the like) is not an expense, but an investment in your home. From several recent projects, notice how these hardscape installations enhance the visual appeal of the landscape, but also its usability:
Here is a great article from Total Landscaping Care on this topic, which we recommend highly to those of you considering upgrades to your landscape.
The money quote:
When clients decide to make changes or additions to expand their outdoor living spaces, there’s going to be a cost, and adding hardscapes is no exception. The important thing to keep in mind is that installing hardscapes will have a positive effect on the value of the home in the future. The investment customers make in hardscaping today will pay off in the long run by increasing the resale value of the home.
The article goes on to list some specific hardscape additions that improve the value of your home, all of which Ben’s Creek Nursery can install for you:
Patio – Probably the most popular type of hardscape, the patio is very much the desired element. A patio adds to the living space of a home, increasing the resale value. It’s a great place for friends and family to gather and spend time together, especially when it includes seating, flower beds or other planters, a water or fire feature or some other design elements.
Fire feature – A fire feature can be as simple as a stone fire pit or as opulent as an intricately designed fireplace. These are highly desirable amenities for many homebuyers. Well- constructed fire features can last for years and will provide enjoyment in cooler months of the year.
Outdoor kitchen – One of the most appealing and valuable hardscapes that modern homebuyers look for is the outdoor kitchen. Because these kitchens often include built-in grills, seating and dining areas, you are truly able to expand your living area to the outdoors. An outdoor kitchen makes it easy to host gatherings because the guests aren’t separated from hosts as meals are being prepared.
Water feature – Hardscape water features can include fountains or ponds that will add tranquility to any outdoor area. These features, like the others listed, can be designed and constructed as simple or as intricate as your customer would like. Even the simplest of fountains will provide the calming sounds of trickling water. Intricate water features may have columns, lights, fish or complicated tile patterns or stonework.
For a bit more on the Outdoor Kitchen mentioned in the article, check out this post we did on Outdoor Living and the various patio options available.
Read the whole thing, and then contact us for your Hardscape needs!
