Choosing Landscape

Construction Materials
(Hardscape)
 Your selection
should be based on:
 Quality
 Durability

 Cost

 Long-term maintenance requirements

 Earth/Soil

 Can be graded into any 3-dimensional

shape > sculpted to the form you desire:
berms, mounds, etc.
 Rock
 “Rock” could be boulders, cobbles, stone
and gravel as paving, for building walls as
groundcovers and surfacing.
 Can be used in its natural state or as cut
stone, sawed stone or polished stone. It
is more expensive than most artificial
materials but it is very durable, with
interesting texture.
Transportation costs can be higher than the stone itself!
 Rock
 Its appropriateness depends on how well
one uses it in relation to the site and to
other landscape materials.
 Guideline: natural rock should be placed
as nearly as possible to the position it
occupied in nature.
 Emphasize horizontal dimensions - they
should give an impression of stability.
Chinese-style garden
 Flagstone has horizontal layers that can be
split into large, flat slabs. It is most
suitable for paving patios and walks and
comes in various colors.
 Fieldstone is composed of irregular blocks
of uncut stone of various sizes found on or
under the earth.
Flagstone
Examples of flagstone applications
Formal pattern
Using fieldstone in informal and formal applications
 Granite is a very hard, strong and durable. Its
texture can be fine or durable and may be found
in various colors but is most often gray. Granite
pavers, also referred to as cobblestones or
granite setts, are quarried and are set in
mortar/sand mixes.
 Pebbles are small stones, rounded by the action
of water. They can be used as a textured
ground cover.
 Gravel results from the disintegration of rocks or
blasting. It is relatively inexpensive but it is
hard to confine, difficult to walk on and may
present a glare problem.
 (Alternative loose aggregates: bark and wood
chips)
Granite Pavers
Pebbles
Gravel – in several colors
Using rock in the landscape
 Concrete
Concrete is an inexpensive form of paving but it
can be dull and uninteresting. A large expanse
of concrete can be visually overwhelming as
well.
There are several ways to finish the surface of
concrete:
 Colored

 Jointed

 Exposed aggregate

 Stamped
Available
concrete
colors
Colored, jointed concrete
Exposed
aggregate
concrete
Stamped concrete applications
 Manufactured Masonry Units
– brick, concrete blocks
& precast concrete pavers
Manufactured in standard sizes
 Brick is hard-burned clay. It comes in a standard size
except for paving brick which is ½ as thick.
 It is solid, durable and can be laid in a variety of
attractive patterns. Laid on sand, they can be slightly
uneven and are subject to frost action but can be easily
reset.
 Textures and colors vary.
 Avoid too busy patterns that can dominate a landscape.
 Concrete blocks are composed of Portland
cement, aggregate and water.
 Patio block is made of similar material and
is available in a variety of sizes and
shapes.
 Concrete pavers come in various textures,
colors, sizes, shapes and thicknesses.
Some are interlocking and sometimes
different shapes can be combined to make
interesting patterns. They are used for
patios, walkways and driveways and are
set in mortar or sand.
Examples of paver patterns and colors
 Wood
 Its abundance and low cost make it a
practical selection for hardscaping and its
color, texture and grain patterns add a
natural richness to the landscape.
 Wood can decay as a result of fungi and
insect attack but there are methods of
preservation treatment
 Asphalt
 The most common landscape surfacing
material for walks, parking areas and
driveways.
 Its main appeal is its low cost and quick
installation.
 It can get hot in the summer, however and
requires regular resealing.
Stamped asphalt