If the kitchen is the heart of a home, then the garden is the soul. Outdoor spaces are now an extension of the home, and because there are no design rules, it is the place where you can be the most creative with plants, trees, water installations, outdoor kitchens and yard art that create a sanctuary. Backyard landscaping, or hardscaping, projects have become the fastest growing home improvement trend over the last several years.

Pleasanton based K&B Landscape Services has been providing homes with their soul for more 30 years. They are a full-scale landscaping company for both residential and commercial properties.

"Residents in Pleasanton recognize that their landscape and outdoor exterior design is as important as their inside interior design to completing the beauty and comfort of their home," said Michael Kobold, President K & B Landscape Services, Inc.

Just like styles and trends change, so do the materials that are used in landscaping projects. For outdoor living spaces and landscaping the new trends are using sustainable and natural materials and substances that will create an organic look that invites you into the garden or yard.

Landscaping solutions differ for the front and backyard. Designs for the front yard typically create an entryway to the home, as well as provide curb appeal. It is the backyard's design elements that allow homeowners to build a space for gardening, entertaining, cooking, relaxing, and play.

Since water conservation and the environment are issues, clients are electing to install less grass and more hardscape areas, and they are replacing lawn with artificial turf and low water use planting beds.

Landscaping is not just about form and design; it can also be about function that provides an economic bonus. For homeowners thinking of investing in their outdoor space, according to real estate experts, landscape design can add up to 28 percent to the overall value of a home. Planting trees can also save you money on the energy bill and help the environment. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, planting three trees that offer windbreak and shade can significantly reduce heating and air conditioning bills, not to mention reduce your carbon footprint.

The average tree can consume 48 pounds of carbon dioxide per year while releasing as much as a two years supply of oxygen to humans in that same year. As the most effective means of drawing excess CO2 from the atmosphere, trees help to give the earth a healthier climate.

Another trend in landscaping is using sustaining native trees and plants that bring an ecological value as well as benefit bees and birds.

"Pleasanton is such a beautiful area and community. With its rolling hills, open areas and beautiful city planning you cannot help but feel in awe when traveling through it. People in Pleasanton tend to follow suit and take great pride in their yards as they do the inside of their house. They realize that it is an extension of their indoor living quarters," said Kobold.

For more information about K&B Landscape Services, visit their website at www.kblandscape.com.