Paving Ideas & Tips
As well as natural stone paving, there are many good concrete products, as well as clay pavers, bricks, cobbles, shingle and now porcelain. A lot of people shy away from mixing different types of paving, but one type alone can sometimes be too overpowering, even in a small space. Breaking up large areas of paving, either by changing the pattern or introducing another product that marries well with the first, can become a design feature in its own right.
Box it in - A hardy box hedge can be a simple way to add more structure to a garden. The traditional hedge is often high, but a low border can help frame a paved area and add a more formal feel. Here, it’s been clipped to the same height as the concrete border and built-in bench to continue the frame-like effect.
Minty hint. The mostly paved backyard of a fiction writer in Portland, Oregon, takes many design cues from the nearby Portland Japanese Garden, including the pattern of its concrete pavers with planted joints. “In essence we paved the whole thing but softened it with these moss elements in between,” says Michael Howells, the project’s architect.
Combining plum slate and Harvest Indian sandstone, here we have created an easy-to-maintain and eye-catching garden design.
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