The Best Plants to Soften Hardscaping Features Like Patios and Walkways

Hardscaping features like patios, retaining walls, stone walkways, paver paths, and outdoor living spaces add structure and function to a landscape. However, if these elements are not balanced with the right plants, they can sometimes feel too harsh, rigid, or disconnected from the surrounding environment.

The good news is that the right combination of shrubs, ornamental grasses, perennials, and groundcovers can soften these hard edges and make your landscape feel more inviting, natural, and visually appealing. For homeowners in Asheville, NC and surrounding areas, blending plants with hardscaping is one of the best ways to create a landscape that looks polished without feeling overly formal.

At Snow Creek Landscaping, we often help homeowners design outdoor spaces where stone, pavers, patios, and walkways flow naturally into the surrounding landscape.

Why Plants Matter Around Hardscaping

Hardscaping gives a landscape shape and usability, but plants are what bring warmth, movement, and seasonal interest. Without plants, a patio or walkway can look flat and sterile. With the right plantings, those same features can feel lush, welcoming, and seamlessly integrated into the rest of the landscape.

Plants can soften hardscaping by:

• Breaking up straight lines and hard edges

• Adding color and texture

• Providing seasonal blooms

• Creating movement in the wind

• Helping patios and walkways blend into the surrounding landscape

• Filling gaps between stones or pavers

• Reducing the “all stone” appearance of an outdoor space

In Asheville’s mountain climate, choosing plants that thrive in Western North Carolina conditions is especially important. Snow Creek Landscaping recommends selecting a mix of evergreen structure, flowering plants, and softer textures to create year-round beauty.

Shrubs That Help Patios and Walkways Feel More Natural

Shrubs are often the foundation of planting around hardscaping. They add structure, fill empty space, and help soften the corners of patios, walkways, and retaining walls.

Some of the best shrubs for softening hardscaping in Asheville landscapes include:

• Boxwoods
  Boxwoods are a classic choice because they provide evergreen color year-round and can be shaped to fit around patios, walkways, and front entryways. Their rounded form naturally softens corners and edges.

• Dwarf Loropetalum
  Dwarf loropetalum offers dark foliage and colorful fringe-like blooms that contrast beautifully with stone and pavers. Its softer, arching shape works well near patios and garden borders.

• Hydrangeas
  Hydrangeas are one of the best ways to soften larger hardscaping areas. Their large blooms and full shape help balance retaining walls, patio seating areas, and stone walkways. In Asheville, varieties like Limelight hydrangea and oakleaf hydrangea perform especially well.

• Spirea
  Spirea is a low-maintenance shrub with soft flowers and a compact shape. It works well along walkways or near steps where homeowners want a neat but colorful appearance.

• Inkberry Holly
  For homeowners who want an evergreen alternative to boxwoods, inkberry holly is a great choice. Its softer texture and native qualities make it ideal for more natural-looking Asheville landscapes.

At Snow Creek Landscaping, we often use shrubs to anchor the corners of patios or soften the ends of retaining walls where stone features can otherwise feel abrupt.

Ornamental Grasses Add Texture and Movement

One of the easiest ways to soften hardscaping is with ornamental grasses. Unlike shrubs, grasses move with the wind and create a softer, more natural appearance around patios and pathways.

Ornamental grasses are especially effective because they contrast beautifully with stone, concrete, brick, and pavers.

Some excellent options for Asheville landscapes include:

• Fountain Grass
  Fountain grass has a soft, flowing appearance that works beautifully near patios, walkways, and outdoor seating areas. Its feathery plumes add movement and seasonal interest.

• Feather Reed Grass
  Feather reed grass is an upright ornamental grass that works well behind retaining walls or along the edges of larger patios. Its vertical shape adds structure while still providing the softer texture and movement homeowners want around hardscaping. Feather reed grass is especially useful for breaking up long stretches of stone or pavers without taking up too much space.

• Blue Fescue
  Blue fescue is a smaller ornamental grass with a compact shape and blue-gray color. It works especially well near stepping stones, walkway borders, and smaller patio areas.

• Switchgrass
  Switchgrass is a native option that thrives in Western North Carolina. It has an airy appearance that pairs beautifully with natural stone and rustic outdoor living spaces.

Because ornamental grasses provide movement and texture, Snow Creek Landscaping often incorporates them into patio designs where homeowners want a softer, more relaxed look.

Perennials Bring Seasonal Color to Outdoor Spaces

Perennials are one of the best ways to add color around patios, walkways, and retaining walls. They bloom during different seasons and can make hardscaping feel more lively and connected to the rest of the landscape.

Some of the best perennial choices for Asheville-area homes include:

• Coneflowers
  Coneflowers provide bright blooms throughout summer and attract pollinators like butterflies and bees. Their upright shape pairs well with ornamental grasses and shrubs.

• Black-Eyed Susans
  Black-eyed Susans add cheerful yellow color and work well along walkways or in front of retaining walls.

• Salvia
  Salvia adds vertical color and attracts hummingbirds. Its purple or blue blooms contrast nicely against natural stone and pavers.

• Daylilies
  Daylilies are easy to maintain and offer bold color throughout the growing season. They work especially well along curved walkways and patio edges.

• Coreopsis
  Coreopsis provides long-lasting yellow blooms and a softer texture that helps balance harder materials like brick or concrete.

By mixing perennials with evergreen shrubs and grasses, Snow Creek Landscaping can create layered planting beds that keep patios and walkways attractive throughout the year.

Groundcovers for the Finishing Touch

Groundcovers are often overlooked, but they are one of the most effective ways to soften hardscaping. They can fill small gaps between stepping stones, spill over retaining walls, or line the edges of walkways with color and texture.

Some great groundcover options for Asheville landscapes include:

• Creeping Thyme
  Creeping thyme is perfect for planting between stepping stones because it stays low, spreads easily, and adds subtle fragrance.

• Creeping Jenny
  Creeping Jenny has bright green foliage that spills beautifully over stone walls and the edges of pathways.

• Ajuga
  Ajuga provides dark foliage and colorful flowers while helping cover bare areas around patios and walkways.

• Sedum
  Sedum is drought tolerant and works well in sunny spaces around stone features. Its succulent-like appearance adds texture and visual interest.

• Creeping Phlox
  Creeping phlox creates colorful spring blooms that cascade beautifully over retaining walls and rock features.

Groundcovers are especially useful for helping hardscaping feel less formal and more connected to the surrounding landscape.

Creating Balance Between Plants and Hardscaping

The key to softening hardscaping is balance. Too much stone can make a landscape feel cold, while too many plants can overwhelm patios and walkways. The best landscapes combine structure and softness in a way that feels natural and functional.

At Snow Creek Landscaping, we recommend layering plants in a way that creates depth:

• Taller shrubs and grasses in the back

• Medium-sized perennials in the middle

• Low-growing groundcovers near edges and walkways

• A mix of evergreen and flowering plants for year-round appeal

• Curved planting beds to soften straight lines

This layered approach helps patios, walkways, and retaining walls feel like they belong within the landscape rather than standing apart from it.

Bring Your Hardscaping to Life

Patios, walkways, and retaining walls are important features in any landscape, but they look their best when paired with the right plants. Shrubs, ornamental grasses, perennials, and groundcovers can all help soften hardscaping and create a landscape that feels more inviting, colorful, and natural.

For homeowners in Asheville, NC and surrounding areas, Snow Creek Landscaping can help design and install plant combinations that make your outdoor living spaces feel complete. Whether you want to soften a front walkway, add color around a patio, or make retaining walls blend into the surrounding landscape, the right plants can make all the difference.