Landscape5 min read
Landscape and hardscape design: how a backyard actually comes together
Garden layouts, patios, retaining walls, outdoor kitchens and fire pits — how landscape and hardscape work together in an East Bay backyard.
Transforming a backyard is not one trade. Hardscape sets the structure — where you walk, sit and cook — and the planting softens and finishes it. Getting both drawn together is what keeps a yard from looking like three separate projects.
Landscape: the living layer
- Custom garden layouts built around how you use the yard
- Climate-appropriate, low-water plant selection
- Drip irrigation and real drainage solutions
- Outdoor lighting for ambiance and safety
Hardscape: the structure
- Patios and walkways that connect the house to the yard
- Retaining walls and stone features for grade and stability
- Outdoor kitchens and barbecue counters
- Fire pits and defined seating zones
Why one contractor for both
Drainage, conduit, gas and irrigation all have to be in the ground before the pavers go down. When one licensed builder owns the whole sequence, nothing gets opened back up later.