Getting Creative With Landscaping

Hardscape elements using pavers add functionality and charm to a landscape. They produce stable and secure surfaces to walk on — plus, they add adorning colours and textures. Here are three popular materials to consider.

1. Brick

Clay brick pavers, in earthy rust shades, are available in various shapes and sizes, which you can combine to generate diverse patterns. One classic look is a basketweave layout in which two rectangular pavers are set side-by-side to form a square. Each subsequent pair is placed at right angles to the last. Use this brick design for driveways, paths, and patios. For a rustic, country feel, allow tufts of grass to grow in between so the pavers look as if they've lived there forever, giving your property a historical mood. Zigzagging herringbone designs are another time-honoured option. To finish the paving, lay a contrasting border pattern. For instance, arrange them uniformly lengthways or widthways.

2. Concrete

Extremely versatile, concrete can be fashioned in virtually any colour or texture — it's even able to mimic substances like natural stone and timber. During manufacture, pigments can be added to the cement or stains applied to hardened concrete. Texturising stamps can leave grooves and indentations in the pavers. This allows you to lay faux timber pavers around a pool deck, or simulated slate pieces across a patio. 

When poured across a large area in one piece, concrete can crack as the earth shifts underneath. However, cement pavers don't suffer the same fate because they're individual units, and the spaces between provide give and take.

3. Natural Stone

Travertine, granite, and slate pavers are some natural stone varieties to consider spreading across your garden. With all the different options, you'll be able to colour-match the pavers with the landscape. For a classic ambience, you could lay travertine in pinkish-peach tones. Slate, which can be colourful or uniform, forms another possibility. It can display relatively uniform grey or blue, or else the one paver might combine tan, purple, fawn, and grey. You'll be able to choose which looks you prefer. 

As rock varies from slab to slab, view your pavers in person when choosing your landscaping supplies so that you know exactly what you're getting. Also, purchase extra ones in case you need them for future repairs. Otherwise, it can be tricky to match colours and patterns down the track. With paver surfaces, you can even remove individual units to access plumbing and wiring in the ground underneath, and then recreate the cover with the same pavers.