Hardscaping is the use of hard materials such as rock,
stone, concrete and pavers. These hard materials are what bring value to
your landscape design. Hard materials like these are the things that
require no replacement. As great as this seems to be, to have a Florida
friendly garden, you still need other elements.
Is hardscaping the remedy?
If you are having trouble growing grass or plants due to
poor soil composition, or if an area stays wet for long periods of time,
a hardscape may be a good remedy to that problem. Hard materials such
as stone and rock absorb heat from the sun and can dry soil near and
under it. Concrete can do the same thing.
If you look at how fast a wet driveway can dry after a
rain, you will notice that once the sun is back out, it doesn’t take
much time. Next time it rains, pay attention to the street. As the rain
hits the hot pavement, it quickly turns to vapor and goes right back
into the atmosphere. This is good for standing water, but to have a good
balance, you still need plants.
Knowing where to plant
Planting live materials inside of rock areas is not a good
practice and the results are generally not positive. As mentioned
above, rocks can absorb heat and dry the soil, so placing a live plant
in that situation and expecting it to do well is a recipe for
disappointment.
Plants should be in an area that can hold moisture yet
drain well (so the roots don’t rot). Wood mulch is best for ground cover
around most plants, but there are some that can do well inside of a
shell bed. Seashell is another form of hardscape material, and some
plants can actually do well in this environment.
How much is too much?
The purpose of hardscaping is to provide good drainage and
minimize run off. Run off should be routed to planting areas (not storm
drains) so drainage can occur there.
This is the ideal way to utilize a hardscape in your yard. There should always be a balance of
hard and soft materials such as mulch or bark, live plants and maybe a
little turf (if you have to have grass in your yard).
Too much hardscape can lead to a “heat island effect,”
which is when surfaces that were once permeable and moist are now
impermeable and dry, creating an island of higher temperature around the
building. Shade trees are a great way to reduce this risk. Proper
planning is also a great way to reduce the chances of causing this
effect. Like any other improvement project, if you fail to plan, plan to
fail.
