Lawn vs. Hardscape

Aesthetic Desires

• Lawns can be a pleasing sea of green, but they require weekly maintenance to stay that way. Depending on personal taste, a hardscape may be even more attractive but, at the least, there are a lot of options to choose from. Lawn grasses, on the other hand, all look more or less the same. The beauty and variety in a hardscape is limited only by the imagination of the designer. They can take the form of custom-built wood decking or a paver patio with an artistic, patterned design and extra features built right into it -- outdoor kitchens, water feature and fire pits, to name a few.

Functional Purpose

• Lawns can tolerate a fair amount of foot traffic, but if they are walked on constantly, the grass will wear away, leaving bare earth. For areas of concentrated activity, like family gatherings or outdoor hobbies, a patio or deck is usually the way to go. Hardscaping can also include parking areas, which is not recommended for grass. Where lawns really shine is as a play surface -- whether for children or pets -- because of their softness for rough-and-tumble sports and games.

Associated Costs

• Even the most basic hardscape will always be more expensive per square foot than installing the most premium sod. Plus, grass can grow on a moderate slope, while hardscape, other than decking, requires flat ground. The grading and retaining walls that must be built to make a sloped area suitable for hardscape drive up the cost even more. The costs of a lawn do add up over time, however, if maintenance is factored in. Lawns need mowing once each week to look really sharp, while hardscaping may only need annual cleaning or refinishing every few years.

Environmental Ramifications

• For resource-conscious gardeners, lawns don't rank very high in terms of environmental friendliness. This is because they require so many inputs to maintain -- fuel for equipment, water, fertilizer and possibly herbicides and pesticides as well. Hardscapes use energy in their manufacture and distribution, but once installed, inputs are minimal to none. Lawns, however, may also be grown with much fewer inputs, depending on the aesthetic values that can be accepted. Lawns soak up stormwater runoff too, while most hardscapes are impervious surfaces that channel the water away through a drainage system. If the water is drained into a natural waterway, it can contribute to flooding and pollution downstream.