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GLT's Grow: Develop A Soft Spot For Hardscaping

London Looks
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Flickr via Creative Commons

Not every yard is all grass and plants.  Hardscaping is often an important part of the landscaping equation.

  • Add hardscaping to your yard and you add value to your property, said Patrick Murphy, host of GLT's Grow.
  • Walkways, driveways, retaining wall and patios are the most common hardscaping additions.
  • Log cross sections make excellent alternatives to concrete walkways.  White Oak is a good bet.
  • Trending right now is tumbled industrial glass for walkways.  No, you won't cut your feet if you walk barefoot on it!  But it is pricey, so you may want to consider it for a limited space, rather than a long walkway.
  • Retaining walls that act as planters help with screening, if you need that.
  • For your driveway, try turfstone in geometric shapes and put together a grid.  In between the pavers you can can grow grass or some sort of ground covers.
  • New permeable bases for your hardscaping allows you to help nature as these bases clean the water that moves through and returns to  the soil.
Reporter, content producer and former All Things Considered host, Laura Kennedy is a native of the Midwest who occasionally affects an English accent just for the heck of it. Related to two U.S. presidents, Kennedy appalled her family by going into show business.