Softscapes Springfield

What is Considered a Softscape?

The term “softscape” is used in landscaping to refer to the living, growing landscape elements. This commonly includes trees, shrubs, grasses, flowers, and foliage plants. On the other hand, “hardscape” encompasses the static design elements that remain unchanged as time passes, like fences, patios, and retaining walls.

An ideal landscape design incorporates both elements, finding the right balance between the two to create a space that is functional and inviting.

Beyond adding greenery to a space, softscaping, first and foremost, helps soften the hard edges and lines of your hardscaping. It also absorbs unwanted noise from neighbors or roadways, giving you a quieter space. Trees and plants offset heating and cooling costs by shading the sun or blocking the wind, and they also incorporate sustainability into your property.

Different Types of Bed Construction

Not only can Ryan Lawn & Tree add color and greenery to your landscape by planting flowers, we can also construct flower beds and prepare the soil for planting. If you’re limited on space, our experts can create border planting beds along fences and walkways or island beds in the middle of your lawn. We can also build raised beds if you don’t have a yard and are only working with a patio or porch area.

When it comes to designing and building flower beds, you have many available options. In-ground beds can be edged with bricks, pavers, rocks, plastic edging, or timber, depending on your style preference. Raised beds are buildable at different heights and widths and can be constructed from wood, bricks, metal, or composite materials.

Flower Planting

Flowering ornamentals are one of the most commonly requested items in landscape design. These beauties bring color to your yard with blooms and may attract hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. Some may also give off an intoxicating, calming scent that fills the yard and drifts into your home.

If you’re looking for flexible options, stick with annuals like petunias, impatiens, zinnias, or marigolds. These plants only last a season, so you can choose a new color scheme each spring.

Interested in low-maintenance options? Then perennials are the way to go. They’ll come back year after year. Peonies, daylilies, and hollyhocks bring a traditional, almost farm-house feel to your space. Black-eyed Susans, coneflowers, and cardinal flowers are native to the Midwest, requiring much less water, fertilizer, and pesticides.

Tree & Shrub Planting

When it comes to adding trees and shrubs to your outdoor space, you have countless possibilities. They serve many purposes and can add winter interest to your yard for many years when flowers are done for the season.

Bring early spring color to your yard with eye-catching yellow forsythia or late-season interest with striking burning bushes. Shrubs like boxwood and juniper are perfect for creating privacy and reducing noise. Maples, birch trees, serviceberry, hickory, and dogwood offer shade and bring stately height and dimension to your landscape.

Non-Flowering Ornamental Planting

If you’re looking for low-maintenance options or perhaps are creating a rich backdrop of green foliage, non-flowering plants are a great choice. You can create a stunning, elegant planting highlighting texture, shape, and monochromatic colors.

Perennial specimens like hostas, switchgrass, and sedums come in many colors and sizes and regrow every spring, reducing the number of plants you need to replace yearly. Hostas are perfect for shady spots under trees or against your home’s foundation. Switchgrass adds graceful movement as it sways in the wind, and sedums are ideal for sunny, rocky areas.