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Lectures in Landscape and Urban Design

Hardscape and Softscape:

Beautiful landscape designs incorporate hardscape and softscape. While
these two elements are completely opposite of each other, a delicate balance
of both creates harmony.

Hardscaping is the non-living landscape elements made of stone, bricks,
concrete, or metal. Soft-soaping is the living elements like soil, trees,
flowers, grass, and shrubs. A well-balanced landscape design will include
an attractive combination of both hardscaping and soft-soaping elements.
Hardscaping is the foundation for soft-soaping.

When created with an eye for detail, the blend of the two will capture
elements of art, botany, and architecture, to create landscape design magic.

1. Hardscape

Hardscape is the “hard” features in your landscape. It is the heavier,
unchanging, inanimate objects
comprised of gravel, paving, stone
and wood. Hardscape elements
include:

• Walkways
• Patios
• Driveways
• Retaining Walls
• Swimming Pools
• Water Features

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Dr. Sherein El-Shahat