Landscapers glossary

Short, plain-English definitions of the terms you'll meet when choosing a landscaper provider in Spartanburg SC.

What are permeable pavers?: Permeable pavers are modular paving units designed with gaps or porous materials that allow rainwater to pass through and infiltrate into the ground, reducing surface runoff.
What is a backflow preventer?: A backflow preventer is a valve installed on irrigation systems that stops contaminated water from flowing backward into the home or building's potable water supply.
What is a French drain?: A French drain is a subsurface gravel trench containing perforated pipe that intercepts and diverts groundwater away from buildings, foundations, or low-lying landscape areas.
What is a hardiness zone?: A USDA plant hardiness zone is a geographic area defined by average annual minimum winter temperatures, used to determine which plants will survive outdoors year-round in a specific location.
What is a paver?: A paver is a discrete unit of concrete, brick, stone, or similar material installed individually to create outdoor surfaces like patios and walkways.
What is a pre-emergent herbicide?: A pre-emergent herbicide is a weed control product applied to soil before weed seeds sprout, creating a barrier that prevents germination and seedling establishment.
What is a rain sensor?: A rain sensor is a weather-detection device that monitors precipitation and automatically shuts off or delays sprinkler cycles to avoid watering when rain has already fallen.
What is a retaining wall?: A retaining wall is a structure designed to hold back and stabilize soil on a slope, preventing erosion and creating usable land.
What is a transition zone in turf?: The transition zone is the geographic band where warm season and cool season grasses both establish successfully, running through upstate South Carolina.
What is base compaction?: Base compaction is the process of firmly packing gravel or aggregate material beneath pavers, slabs, or other hardscape surfaces to prevent shifting and uneven settling.
What is Bermuda grass?: Bermuda grass is a warm-season perennial turf grass that thrives in full sun and heat, commonly used for lawns and sports fields in the South.
What is core aeration?: Core aeration is the process of removing small cylindrical plugs of soil from a lawn to break up compaction and improve water, nutrient, and air penetration to grassroots.
What is dethatching?: Dethatching is the mechanical removal of thatch, a layer of dead grass, roots, and organic debris that accumulates between living grass and the soil surface.
What is drip irrigation?: Drip irrigation is a watering system that delivers water slowly and directly to plant roots through tubing fitted with drip emitters, rather than spraying water across soil.
What is grading (land grading)?: Land grading is the process of reshaping and leveling soil to create proper slope, establish drainage patterns, and prepare ground for construction or landscape features.
What is hardscape?: Hardscape refers to the non-living, built structures in a landscape such as patios, walkways, walls, and driveways, as opposed to softscape elements like plants and soil.
What is mulching?: Mulching is the practice of spreading organic or inorganic material over soil in planting beds to conserve moisture, prevent weed growth, and regulate soil temperature.
What is overseeding?: Overseeding is the practice of spreading grass seed into an established lawn to thicken turf, fill thin areas, or shift to a different grass variety suited to seasonal conditions.
What is polymeric sand?: Polymeric sand is a sand-based filler blended with polymer binders that hardens between pavers to lock them in place, suppress weed growth, and resist water erosion.
What is sod?: Sod is sheets of living grass and soil harvested from commercial turf farms and laid down to create an immediate lawn surface, as opposed to seeding.
What is softscape?: Softscape refers to the living plant materials in a landscape, such as trees, shrubs, turf, flowers, and groundcover, as opposed to the non-living hardscape elements like patios and walkways.
What is tall fescue?: Tall fescue is a deep-rooted, cool-season grass species that thrives in the upstate South Carolina transition zone and tolerates shade and dry conditions well.
What is xeriscaping?: Xeriscaping is a landscape design approach that reduces water use by selecting drought-tolerant plants, improving soil, and minimizing turf and irrigation needs.
What is zoysia grass?: Zoysia grass is a warm-season turf species with fine texture and dense growth that thrives in hot, humid climates like the Piedmont region of South Carolina.