Choosing Materials for Hardscapes in Your Garden and Landscape

Paved areas, or hardscapes, serve various functions in your landscape. Large patios, for instance, are usually places where you can comfortably entertain family and friends. Smaller paved areas nestled in the midst of your garden, holding only a chair or a bench, can offer you a place to stop and rest and enjoy your garden. Of course, a paved walkway probably brought you to that spot. Paving, however, comes in a wide variety of colors, textures, shapes, and sizes, as well as, materials. How do you choose?

Smooth
For areas, such as patios, choose smooth pavers. The reason for this is that you will probably use this patio for entertaining; therefore, it will serve as the basis for a table and chairs. It is much easier to scoot a chair back from the table after a great meal when the chair is on a smooth surface rather than on a textured one.
Tip: Wet a slab before purchasing to determine whether or not the paver is slip-resistant.

Textured
Slabs with textures can offer interest to walkways, small patio areas in the garden, or can even be used to outline your larger patio areas designed for entertaining. Some textured slabs feature only rough designs, much like what you might find in natural stone. Others have actual patterns stamped into them.
Tip: You should pick a good quality paver, because cheaper ones tend to crumble.

Stone
Natural stone has an organic, timeless quality about it. Old Yorkstone, for example, was used for street pavements and also for interior floors. Stone, however, can be rather difficult to lay due to the fact that its thickness is variable. Some possible choices: sandstone, limestone, ironstone, slate.
Tip: If you are unfamiliar with laying pavers, hiring a professional to lay your stone correctly may be your best option.

Small
Small pavers are often used to create walkways, floors inside and out, and even to create an impressive driveway. (There is, for example, an interlocking concrete paver available that is ideal for driveways.) You have a large selection from which to choose, and your choice depends upon the use to which you wish to put your pavers. For instance, concrete is excellent for high-traffic areas. Brick and tile pavers work well for surfacing an indoor conservatory or sunroom, which may be extended to the outside.
Tip: Unless you are quite the expert, hire a professional to lay out your paved driveway.

Tips:
When choosing paving material for hardscapes, you should look for materials that work well with your house. Color is an important consideration. To determine whether or not you are going to be satisfied with the overall color, wet the pavers in order to decide if you are going to like the color change, as well.

It helps to draw up a plan, complete with measurements, for the area in which you wish to install pavers. Choose pavers in sizes that will eliminate or at least minimize any cutting.

Consider loose materials for walkways or as decorative edgings. Such materials can include gravel, which can be found in a variety of colors and textures. Pea gravel, which comes from salt or fresh water pits, can also be used. (The advantage to using pea gravel is that it does not have any sharp edges.) River rocks and/or pebbles can also be used for decorative purposes.

Hardscapes can bring a cohesiveness to your landscape, while serving whatever ever function you might desire. Some projects you might wish to do yourself. Others may require more expertise -- and heavy lifting -- than you are capable, which means that hiring a professional would be the wise choice. Whatever you decide, however, hardscapes can enhance your outdoor living experience.

Reference:

Brookes, John. The Complete Gardener. NY, NY: Crescent Books, 1994.

Belgard Hardscapes

Yorkstone Paving