Utilizing outdoor living spaces expands a home’s useful area and allows for increased dining and entertaining opportunities throughout the year!

Outdoor living trends, coupled with increasing environmental awareness, have sparked a trend of creating sustainable, drought-tolerant spaces that allow homeowners to enjoy they beauty of their surroundings while minimizing their ecological impact.

Two of the most popular current trends for creating sustainable and beautiful outdoor spaces are xeriscaping and hardscaping. Keep reading for more information on why so many green building experts are excited about these methods, including our team of Sonoma County fine home builders at Annadel Builders, Inc.!

Xeriscaping

The term Xeriscaping originates from the Greek word “xeros”, which literally means dry. Xeriscaping describes an approach to landscaping in which water conservation is the primary objective.

Xeriscaping conserves water by principally utilizing native plants that have already adapted to the local climate. Once established, these plants require little to no extra water in the summer or care in the winter as they are already well adapted to their habitat. Switching to a “xersicape” can cut outside water usage by 50-75% while reducing the maintenance required to sustain your landscape. In addition to reducing maintenance and water usage, utilizing native plants in your landscape can attract and benefit local wildlife by promoting an eco-friendly environment.

While some see xeriscaping as being limited to gravel and cacti, there are actually many drought tolerant native plants, succulents, and ornamental grasses that can add beauty and color to a home’s outdoor space, all while conserving water. A properly designed and executed xeriscape is a wonderful—and low maintenance—way to add beauty, color, and usability to a property’s outdoor spaces.

Hardscaping

Hardscaping is a great way to add maintenance-free beauty to an outdoor space. Hardscape structures, such as stone pathways, boulders, decks, and fire pits, add both usability and interest to outdoor spaces, while decreasing the landscape’s water usage.

A recent real estate market study shows that 80% of homeowners want a landscape that includes hardscaping features that will enhance the beauty of their home and create an easier-to-maintain yard.

Some of the most highly sought-after hardscaping features include:

  • Outdoor water features
  • Walkways and pathways
  • Retaining walls
  • Fireplaces and fire pits

Popular hardscapes utilize: boulders, sand, wood, pebbles, and brick and other natural materials that complement the natural beauty of the outdoor space while remaining low maintenance.

At Annadel Fine Home Builders, we understand the importance of every aspect of your home. As part of our building process, our Napa County green home builders excel in facilitating the creation of finely crafted outdoor spaces that are both drought tolerant and beautiful.