HARDSCAPE HERO

HARDSCAPE HERO - September 3, 2025

From Farm Roots to Award-Winning Hardscapes: Craig Smith, BR Design Build For Craig Smith of BR Design Build, the path to becoming a Belgard HARDSCAPE HERO wasn’t paved overnight. It was built through decades of grit, problem-solving and a relentless drive to do things the right way. Craig’s journey started on the Eastern Shore, working... View Article

Recent > HARDSCAPE HERO

HARDSCAPE HERO Continues to Grow as New Winners Attend Year-End Ceremony

On October 6th we celebrated Belgard’s 9th Annual HARDSCAPE HERO of the Year award ceremony at The Dominion Energy Center in Richmond, Virginia. The HARDSCAPE HERO program was developed nine years ago to celebrate our contractor partners who go above and beyond to put the Belgard product on display in the most artful and creative... View Article

BELGARD, HARDSCAPE HERO
November 8, 2023

HARDSCAPE HERO | Kevin Butler | The Outdoor Living Company | September 2023

Your home is your sanctuary, so naturally, you need any additions to be exactly what you want. But what happens when you don’t know exactly what you want? When you’re unsure about what kind of outdoor space is the right choice, you call Kevin Butler and The Outdoor Living Company. Kevin has a way of... View Article

HARDSCAPE HERO
September 28, 2023

HARDSCAPE HERO | Luke Walton | Integrity Landscaping Solutions | August 2023

The visionary filmmaker Orson Welles said, “The enemy of art is the absence of limitations.” Luke Walton and the team at Integrity Landscaping Solutions see hurdles thrown at them by the terrain as opportunities to show off their creative chops. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the project that secured them their first Hardscape... View Article

HARDSCAPE HERO
September 14, 2023

HARDSCAPE HERO | Jeff Crandell | Scapes Inc. | July 2023

Sometimes the most impressive projects aren’t those that start from scratch, but rather transformations of existing installations. For Jeff Crandell and the team at Scapes Inc., updating their client’s backyard pool proved to be an exhibition in craftsmanship and secured this month’s Hardscape Hero win. “I think we were able to take a nice backyard... View Article

HARDSCAPE HERO
August 22, 2023

HARDSCAPE HERO | Ray Ditmeyer | Custom Outdoor Solutions LLC | June 2023

In today’s world, it’s getting more and more difficult to fight for people’s attention. Everyone’s eyes are being pulled in a million different directions at once, and hardscaping certainly isn’t immune to this reality. For Ray Ditmeyer and the team at Custom Outdoor Solutions, the goal with every job is to create work that you... View Article

HARDSCAPE HERO
August 1, 2023

HARDSCAPE HERO | Allen Abisia | Creative Outdoors | May 2023

Sometimes, getting back to basics is the key to success. Allen Abisia and the team at Creative Outdoors Inc. take pride in their classic approach to the hardscaping business: just good old-fashioned hard work and word-of-mouth marketing. And no wonder people recommend them, just take a look at the incredible job that won Creative Outdoors... View Article

HARDSCAPE HERO
June 30, 2023

HARDSCAPE HERO | Howard Rose | BCLS Paver Patios | April 2023

Sometimes a little friendly competition is all you need to elevate your work. When Howard Rose’s client told him they wanted a patio to rival the neighbor’s, he literally rose to the challenge and created a space he was so proud of that he submitted it as his first Hardscape Hero project. The difficulty here... View Article

HARDSCAPE HERO
May 22, 2023

HARDSCAPE HERO | Bill Banford | LiveWell Outdoors | March 2023

When March Hardscape Hero Bill Banford realized that his company’s name was keeping his business from growing to the next level, he took a hard look at what he wanted his brand to convey to potential customers. And the lifestyle that Banford wanted to provide for his clients could be boiled down to a pretty... View Article

HARDSCAPE HERO
May 2, 2023

HARDSCAPE HERO | Lonny Arter | Chester River Landscaping | February 2023

With obstacles like unpredictable weather and today’s even more unpredictable supply chain, unforeseen delays are sometimes a part of a hardscape project. But experienced contractors like Lonny Arter of Chester River Landscaping know how to make a silver lining out of that unexpected downtime. In the build that clinched Arter’s fourth Hardscape Hero title, an... View Article

HARDSCAPE HERO
March 29, 2023

HARDSCAPE HERO | Ellis Wiltshire | Rock Creek Innovations | January 2023

If you believe the adage “do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life,” then Ellis Wiltshire of Richmond-based Rock Creek Innovations may be the hardest non-worker in the hardscape business. “I love this industry,” says Wiltshire, because “we have the opportunity to create all sorts of outdoor living spaces.” But... View Article

HARDSCAPE HERO
March 8, 2023