Home / Guides / Outdoor living / Landscaping & hardscape

Outdoor living guide

Landscaping & hardscape: how to choose

Plan planting, lawns, irrigation, patios, and retaining walls around your site's climate, drainage, water use, maintenance, and budget.

Lifespan, DIY and permitsDIY: moderate11 brands8 cost linesUpdated Nov 2026

Decide these first

  1. How will the yard be used for play, entertaining, gardening, shade, or access?
  2. What are the site's sun, soil, slope, drainage, and regional climate conditions?
  3. How much irrigation, mowing, pruning, and seasonal cleanup can you maintain?
  4. Which work needs permits, utility marking, drainage design, or a qualified installer?

Specs that actually matter

TermWhat it meansLook for
Compacted paver baseA compacted aggregate layer beneath pavers that supports loads and helps limit settling.CMHA suggests 4-6 in for pedestrian areas; base depth depends on soil and use.
Bedding sandA thin, even setting course between the compacted base and concrete pavers.Use a nominal 1 in layer; never use bedding sand to fill base depressions.
HydrozoneA landscape zone grouping plants with similar irrigation needs.Separate turf and shrubs into zones matched to their water demand.
Retaining-wall drainageDrainage and reinforcement design that manage soil pressure and water behind a wall.Have a qualified designer size taller or loaded walls for site soils and drainage.

Good, better, best

Good

Mulch, modest planting beds, and region-suited plants refresh a yard without major excavation or structural work.

$30-120/cubic yard for installed mulch

Better

Sod, irrigation, trees, or a simple patio add function; coordinate grading and water delivery before planting.

$950-4,300 for sod installation; $2,000-5,800 for patio installation

Best

Integrated hardscape, drainage, lighting, and planting create a coordinated outdoor plan but require more design and site preparation.

$3,250-9,000 for retaining-wall construction; larger plans cost more

What it costs

ItemUnitTypical US rangeSource
Flower-bed installation
National project range; bed size, plants, and soil work change scope.		project$800 to $3,000Angi
Tree planting
National range; tree size and access drive variation.		each$120 to $2,500Angi
Sod installation
National project range; area and site preparation affect price.		project$950 to $4,300Angi
Mulch installation
Angi's installed range per cubic yard.		cubic yard$30 to $120Angi
Patio installation
National project range; material, layout, and site preparation change price.		project$2,000 to $5,800Angi
Retaining-wall construction
National project range; wall height, reinforcement, and drainage affect scope.		project$3,250 to $9,000Angi
Irrigation installation
Angi's reported range per square foot; confirm system scope with a local quote.		sq ft$2.5 to $4.5Angi
Artificial turf installation
Angi's reported installation range per square foot; verify preparation and product quality.		sq ft$2 to $8Angi

Calculators

Mulch, soil and gravel calculator

Cubic yards and bags for beds and paths.

Results

Mulch, soil and gravel calculatorPlant spacing calculator

Major brands and where to buy

Links go to each manufacturer. Tier is a rough price position, not a quality score.

BelgardConcrete pavers, walls, and outdoor living productsMidUnilockConcrete pavers and retaining-wall systemsPremiumTecho-BlocDesign-focused pavers, slabs, and wallsPremiumKeystone HardscapesPavers, permeable systems, and retaining wallsMidNicolockConcrete paving stones and wall systemsMidPavestoneConcrete pavers, retaining walls, and edgersValueRain BirdResidential irrigation and water-saving controllersMidHunter IndustriesIrrigation controllers, sprinklers, and drip systemsMidToroLawn equipment and landscape irrigationMidProven WinnersTested flowering plants, shrubs, and perennialsMidMonroviaRegionally grown shrubs, trees, and perennialsPremium

Retailers

The Home DepotLowe'sMenardsSiteOne Landscape SupplyAce Hardware

Pitfalls to avoid

  • Choosing plants for appearance alone ignores local climate, mature size, sun, soil, and water needs.
  • Installing turf or plants before correcting grading can worsen runoff and drainage problems.
  • A thin or poorly compacted paver base can settle; bedding sand is not a base repair.
  • Grouping plants with different water needs on one irrigation zone can waste water or stress plants.
  • Digging before contacting 811 risks damaging buried utilities.

Questions to ask a pro

  1. How will you correct grade and direct runoff away from the house and neighboring lots?
  2. What base, edge restraint, and drainage details are included beneath the pavers?
  3. Which plants suit this soil, sun exposure, climate zone, and maintenance budget?
  4. Can the irrigation layout separate hydrozones and avoid watering pavement?

How long it lasts

Paver hardscape can last decades with a sound base; plantings, sod, and irrigation need ongoing care and periodic replacement.

Can you DIY it?

moderate: planting and mulch are approachable, but grading, retaining walls, drainage, and large paver areas need experience.

Permits

Check local requirements for grading, retaining walls, drainage changes, protected trees, and work near property lines.

Ready to hire?

Get up to 3 quotes from licensed, insured local pros.

Trusted resources

From the Journal

Sources

  1. https://www.angi.com/articles/how-much-does-landscaping-cost.htm
  2. https://www.epa.gov/watersense/landscaping-tips
  3. https://call811.com/
  4. https://cmha.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/TechSpec10-ApplicationGuide2022.pdf
  5. https://blog.landscapeprofessionals.org/2026-plant-trends-low-maintenance-regional-and-purpose-driven/
  6. https://www.vectorworks.net/en-US/newsroom/2026-landscape-trends

Get up to 3 quotes from local pros

Free, no obligation. Tell us about the project and we match you with licensed, insured pros.