Escape to the softscape! The average person spends 14 hours outside, and most people spend the majority of their time outside in their backyards.

If you want your backyard to be comfortable and durable, you should consider softscaping. Yet many people don’t know what a softscape is, let alone its benefits.

What is softscaping? How can softscaping help you when you want to sell your house or cut down on your carbon footprint? How can softscaping affect the aesthetics of your yard?

Answer these questions, and you can maximize the benefits of softscaping in no time. Here are six great benefits.

1. Softscaping Increases Your Property Values

Softscaping can help increase property values in several ways. It can make your home stand out from the neighbors, encouraging people to tour your property or pay more.

A 2022 survey of real estate agents found that 99% of agents believe that adding one healthy tree to your yard will increase your property value. A tree can provide natural shade and a focal point for seating and dining.

Grass can also add significant value to your house. People like lawns with lush, green grass. Grass can help regulate the water in your yard, preventing puddles and mud.

However, some plants are unpopular among homebuyers. Ivy and knotweed are hard to maintain and damage homes’ walls. Avoid using these plants.

2. Softscaping Helps The Environment

Landscaping can have significant environmental impacts. Concrete can harm the water cycle, preventing water from entering the ground. Installing rocks and other features in your yard can use up important resources and damage the soil.

Softscaping can restore the soil, allow water and air to circulate through your yard, and improve your access to sunlight. Trees can turn carbon dioxide in the air into oxygen, reducing your carbon footprint.

Find plants that need very little water to sustain themselves. Succulents can grow in rocky or sandy terrain, and they require little more than rainwater. You can also select plants from prairies and Mediterranean climates like rosemary.

3. Softscape Ideas Create Unique Designs

One of the biggest benefits of soft scaping over hard scaping is its versatility. You can plant many different kinds of trees, shrubs, flowers, and other plants in your yard. A tree will produce different colors and textures over the seasons, creating interesting visuals.

You can create your own garden and select any style you want. A Japanese garden highlights your natural landscape. You can grow plants from nearby wooded areas or nature preserves, and you can add water features around shrubs and flowering trees.

English gardens can add lush grass, vibrant flowers, and thick hedges. Take a look at a few English garden ideas and talk to Dell Outdoor about a design you would like to implement. 

4. Softscapes Are Livable Spaces

You can do whatever you want in your softscape. You can add footpaths and walkways in and around your garden, creating an area for walking and exercise.

Underneath trees, you can place seats and small tables to entertain your guests. You can also hang a hammock to lounge in the shade.

Hedges along the edges of your yard can act as privacy screens or walls. Select ones with thick branches and leaves that prevent people from looking into your yard.

If you live in a windy area, you can install a windbreak by growing a row of shrubs to block the wind. Look at weather maps and see which direction most of the wind comes from. Plant some shrubs and then put a work table behind them so you have a secluded place to sit.

5. They Invite Nature To Your Yard

In and of itself, planting softscape elements in your yard will create a natural aesthetic. But you can go the extra mile and plant trees and plants that attract birds and insects.

You can attract wildlife to your garden by planting deciduous trees such as mulberries, spruces, and crabapples that attract birds in the spring and summer. Hanging birdhouses or installing a bird bath beneath the tree can further enhance their appeal. Plant phlox flowers, coneflowers, and lantana plants are good for attracting butterflies, while butterfly weeds and poppies are good for attracting bees. With some effort, you can create a wildlife-friendly garden that adds beauty and joy to your outdoor space.

6. They Are Easy To Maintain

Softscapes are often perceived as difficult to maintain, but this is a misconception. Choosing the right plants is crucial. Trees, for instance, are easy to maintain because they can draw water from the soil using their roots. Overwatering is not necessary, and trees can grow to be large within a few years.

Drought-resistant plants like succulents have evolved to use very little water. As long as it rains in your area every once in a while, you do not need to water your plants.

Transform Your Backyard With Softscapes

Imagine a lush and vibrant oasis right in your own backyard, filled with blooming flowers, green plants, and even trees. Softscapes are the perfect way to transform your outdoor space into a natural haven that you can relax, work, and play in. 

To create your dream softscape, it’s important to work with an experienced company. Dell Outdoor is the premier choice for North Jersey Residents. We have the expertise and creativity to design and build a custom softscape that meets your unique needs and preferences. Don’t wait to install your very own softscape. 

Schedule your free consultation or give us a call today to start enjoying the beauty and benefits of nature in your own backyard with