Homeowners in Omaha are always looking for ways to enhance the look, feel, and use of their beautiful yards by achieving the perfect balance of landscaping, softscaping, and hardscaping. These three elements not only make your yard look more attractive but can also add value and functionality to your home and yard. Before we can appreciate the different hardscape options in Omaha, NE for homeowners, we need to understand what hardscaping is.
Hardscape Options for Yards in Omaha, NE
What is Hardscaping?
Hardscaping includes decorations or structures in a landscape. In other words, hardscaping is all the non-living elements in the landscape. Hardscaping is an important part of any landscape design as it injects organization into the natural area and its features. Patios, walkways, retaining walls, and fire pits are the most common examples. For a side-by-side look at the two, read our post on hardscaping vs. landscaping.
Common Hardscapes in Omaha
Stone Walkways
Including a stone walkway through your yard and around your home is a simple and effective hardscaping option. Stone pathways can make the yard more visibly attractive with colorful vegetation around it. Not only does a stone walkway increase attractiveness, but it also creates functionality as well. Stone walkways help create a space that people can walk on to admire the yard without having to walk on the grass. In our climate, a walkway needs a compacted gravel base so frost does not heave the stones out of level. Our post on how freeze-thaw cycles affect hardscapes explains why.
Paver and Stone Patios
A patio is the hardscape most homeowners start with, because it turns part of the lawn into a place to eat and sit outside. Concrete pavers and natural stone are the two most popular surfaces. Pavers come in more colors and patterns, and single pavers can be lifted and reset if the ground shifts. Natural stone usually costs more and gives each patio its own look.
Size the patio around how you plan to use it. A table for six needs roughly a 12 by 12 foot area, and a fire pit with chairs needs a little more. If you are deciding between a raised deck and a patio at ground level, our deck vs. patio comparison walks through the tradeoffs.
Retaining Walls and Seat Walls
Retaining walls hold back soil on a slope and create level ground for a lawn or a patio. On Omaha’s hilly lots, they often manage runoff as well. Shorter seat walls built along a patio edge add seating without more furniture.
Block and natural stone are the main material choices, and both need drainage behind them to last. See our retaining wall services for the wall types we install.
Covered Outdoor Areas
If you are able to, it is worth the investment to create and cover an outside area with a roof that has open spaces. The open spaces help enable viewing of the spectacular yard. Covered areas that people include in their landscape designs include patios, pergolas, and tranquil tea gardens. Covered outdoor spaces provide an area for individuals to spend time outside while also having protection from weather elements on rainy or hot, sunny days. A pergola also makes a patio more comfortable in summer, which we cover in our post on how a pergola keeps an outdoor space cooler.
Outdoor Dining Sets
Many homeowners will include a dining set or table in their backyard so they can enjoy a pleasant outdoor dining experience. Outdoor tables are made to withstand weather elements, so they are easy to maintain and clean. Some yards are great for smaller covered spaces with a smaller seating area. You can include a smaller table in this outdoor space that is great for gathering around. No matter how big or small the covered area is, you can still create an enjoyable and comfortable space to spend time with friends and family outdoors.
Bonfires/Fire Pits
A great hardscape option to include in your landscape is a bonfire with an area to sit around it. While you can use a bonfire at any time of the day, when the temperature drops at night, a bonfire is an amazing way to keep everyone comfortable and warm. A built-in fire pit can burn wood or run on gas. Our guide to gas and wood-burning fire pits compares the two.
Landscape Lighting
Lighting is what lets you use a patio or walkway after dark. Path lights make steps and edges easier to see, and a few uplights on a tree or a stone wall give the yard depth at night. Low-voltage LED fixtures use little power and are simple to add while a hardscape is being built, since the wiring can run under the base.
See our landscape lighting ideas for more options, or our tips on winter landscape lighting for the darker months.
Combination of All
There are so many hardscaping options to choose from. Take time to plan how you want your landscape to look. Also, consider how you want to use your outdoor area before starting any projects.
Additional Reading: Landscaping Water Feature Guide
Antler Country Landscaping – Hardscape Contractors Omaha
Antler Country Landscaping was incorporated in 1997 and over the years has grown to offer professional landscape services, lawn care, and outdoor living spaces. We design and build patios, retaining walls, fire pits, and water features for homes and businesses across the metro. Our mission is to enhance your outdoor experience. Contact us to learn more about our Omaha landscaping services.