The main caution before developing a hardscaping/landscaping plan is to do your research. This can really pay off especially when you consider that a fixed object in the landscape is not going to move easily and most of all you do not want to put in a lot of effort and then have your materials or design fail within a couple of years. So by following these tips avoiding some common mistakes, you can create hardscaping you will love for years to come:

• Anticipate how the hardscape will fit into your long range plans for the rest of landscape before beginning any landscaping. Try to consider the entire area available that is to you for hardscaping before you design an element, even if you are just going to tackle one space for now. Keep in mind that if you do not consider the site comprehensively, it is like building one room of a house, and then a year or so later, a second room. You may decide to put down a patio, and then decide you want a barbecue, pond or walkway and the patio then blocks your plan.


• Do not forget about the drainage-Landscaping experts report that they are often called into fix drainage issues that were not addressed by homeowners putting in hardscape. In fact this is so common that ignoring drainage requirements is reported to happen more then all other errors combined. Keep in mind that you must plan how the drainage will be affected when you place a wall or a patio. If the new object is now blocking the previous path of drainage, you will not be able to just say, "But it was draining great before!" In addition you should also plan runoff so you can capture the water and use it on site, instead of letting it hit that concrete and go down the drainage pipe.


• Have a good balance between plants vs. hardscaping. You will want to have a focal point and a path you want the eye to travel. Use your landscaping to accentuate your hardscape and your hardscaping to accentuate your landscaping materials. This way you will develop a much more harmonious overall picture.


• Make sure the hardscape fits-You cannot just expect to put your hardscape in without knowing whether it will really fit. Keep in mind that to successfully use hardscape, you need to make sure they any pieces are large enough to fit with the scale of the landscape, and bury them deep enough so they look like a naturally-occurring element.


• Do not eliminate all of your lawn. In order for a balanced landscape you will want to include some lawn to soften the edges of your hardscaping. You should also realize that grass is a safer playing surface for children, and a patch will help cool down the landscape on hot, sunny days.


• Mix and match carefully-You should have a retaining wall and steps complement the stonework on your house. Be sure that you select a few materials that complement your home's interior and exterior. You do not want to have to look at a hardscape that is all one color or material. The bottom line is to find two or three materials that are visually creative and coordinate not just with each other but with the interior and exterior of the house.