Hardscapes are that part of the Landscape that doesn't die. Softscapes are the plants that do die. So hardscapes are your fences, walls, walkways, driveways, patios, patio covers / pergolas, decks, gazebos, greenhouses, trellises, dog runs, outdoor kitchens, outdoor living areas, water features, storage sheds, clothes lines (remember those?), retaining walls, fireplaces and fire pits, BBQ stations, stonework, brickwork, concrete, etc. We are skilled in building most examples of these projects.

Large scale hardscape projects such as swimming pools, tennis courts, separate garages, and other buildings should be installed by specialized builders, and we can work as your contractor if you wish.

With the personal awakening of limited water supplies in our North Central Texas area during the La Niña years of 2010 & 2011, you may be searching for ways to cut back on watering use. And you should be thinking of conserving water. Our water supply will be subjected to greatly increase demands from populating growth, with less ability to increase supply. There are only a few more places in Texas' river systems to build more lakes. So one of your first thoughts may be to get rid of the lawn. This may be acceptable for small, zero lot homes or condos, but for most neighborhood homes, this is not necessary or aesthetically pleasing.

The lawn has been around since the 16oo's. There must be a reason. I think it's the innate artistic appreciation we all have of what looks good. And lawns must look good to a few of us, as there is a lot of space devoted to lawns in the U.S. Artists such as painters, and photographers, need a canvas with a background / foreground to display their subject in proper perspective. A lawn does this, as you can tell while driving down a street looking at the set back homes' architectures and landscapes. You need this even if you are sitting on the patio looking across your yard at different landscaped areas. The lawn gives distance or perspective, separation, and organization to these areas. The bottom line is, lawns look good, and they make us feel good.

Some think there is a practical value to lawns, and there can be with a properly prepared and maintained organic lawn:

"Turfgrasses are the primary vegetative covers… . Healthy grass is an aesthetic asset, and a growing body of scientific evidence points to positive environmental and health contributions from lawns and other turfgrass areas. While turfgrasses are typically thought of for recreation and aesthetic value, they also provide a valuable environmental service by preventing soil erosion, the most common water polluting agent in Georgia, from wind and rain. Furthermore, turfgrass as a permanent vegetative cover can reduce runoff from rain-fall, improve soil absorption and infiltration of water, and filter contaminates from polluted (rain) water."
(http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/B1329/B1329.htm)

So while getting rid of your lawn all together is too extreme in most cases, reducing its size can be very effective in reducing water use. This can be easily done, in a very appealing manner, and as a valuable investment to your property, with hardscaping.

We can utilize your plans and ideas, or we can coordinate with designers, architects, plumbers, electricians, and other tradesmen if necessary. Your home can look better, be more water efficient, and gain more property value than before.