Your outdoor living space should be the part of your home where you feel most relaxed. It should be an oasis – designed for relaxation and peacefulness. It should be a place of rejuvenation and reflection. Yet, landscapes often get neglected because time is limited; or, you sacrifice time with family in taking care of your landscape. With another outdoor season approaching soon, it’s the perfect time to start planning how best to appreciate your outdoor living space and minimize the work. Here are three masonry ideas for low-maintenance landscapes in Milford and Amherst, NH areas.
Related: 8 LANDSCAPE DESIGN IDEAS FOR SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPING IN HOLLIS NH
Sustainable Planting Beds
One of the hardest parts of maintaining a garden is the physical toll it takes on our bodies. Lessening that height difference can be a game changer. By building a raised planting bed out of natural stone or concrete block masonry, your landscape professionals will give your gardens the best chance. Instead of being threatened by weeds on the ground, a raised bed eliminates the possibility of weed root systems co-mingling with the plants you want to grow. Beds can be designed with automatic irrigation systems to help you focus on other things besides watering plants on a schedule.
Opt for native flowers or locally-grown vegetables to use less water. Native wildflowers can be cultivated just the same as thirsty tulips, for instance. Have your landscape professional plant flowers native to New Hampshire such as Goldenrod and Aster in your planter beds. They are evolutionarily designed to use what your area has to give them. Planting veggies that thrive in this climate also helps prevent loss due to severe weather, such as an early (or late) frost.
Expand Your Patio
In terms of landscaping, patios have always been designed to be a low-maintenance place for gathering. Expanding your patio will pull double duty in giving your home more outdoor living space and minimizing space that needs to be consistently maintained. Paver patios still require maintenance, but nowhere near the same level as a grassy area or one landscaped with flowers.
There are many paver stone varieties that easily fit with any outdoor design aesthetic. Tastefully curating two complementary stone styles can make for an endlessly interesting space that conforms to your needs.
Of course simply expanding your patio will always mean more design and practical options. Consider the option of a second area of your patio that’s slightly elevated or set below your current patio. This clearly defines the two spaces as for different purposes and can easily set different styles as well. For best results, combine these features with a retaining wall that acts as a border between both spaces. By eliminating the slope of a hill, a wall can create more usable space on both sides. And best of all, a strong masonry wall requires hardly any maintenance, and patio pavers (on surfaces you spend most of your time on anyway) also require little upkeep.
Related: 4 MUST-HAVE MASONRY FEATURES THIS WINTER IN HOLLIS AND MILFORD NH AREAS
Use Natural Stone
The sheer longevity of stone masonry is seen throughout the world. The skills of the trade stand strong against forces of nature. By improving a dirt path or set of stairs into a stone path, you can eliminate erosion entirely and depend on those structures for years to come. On the subject of stopping erosion, a retaining wall made from natural stone will improve any landscape. Paving stones, especially when they are sealed, can outlast concrete alternatives. Connect with us to see which natural stones we recommend.
Related: 6 LANDSCAPER-APPROVED TECHNIQUES FOR LANDSCAPING THAT MAKES SMALL YARDS LOOK BIGGER IN AMHERST NH
