If strategically placed with the right stones, pathways offer variety in the garden by giving it more personality.
Breaking the monotony of the garden or creating a functional walk path or driveway with little damage to the plants requires paving.
Most may consider paving a not so important aspect, yet it is the most permanent feature in the garden. It adds colour, texture and even patterns to the garden, maintaining the same look.
Natural stone, composite, and concrete blocks are the main materials used when it comes to paving. Mazeras has gained popularity in the recent years. It offers a nice natural feel as it can be laid out randomly and will still create an exquisite pattern.
Natural stone is one that you can play with for design, as it comes in different stones, colours, textures, sizes and shapes, all of which are naturally occurring. The diversity of the stone, however, makes it expensive at times to purchase.
If your garden receives regular and heavy foot traffic or cars will be driving through it, you must ensure that the soil underneath is fully compact because uneven ground creates room for breakage. The slabs should also be thick enough to withstand the pressure.
Gravel, though not very good when you have to walk on it in heels, creates texture and requires very little work to set it up.
It gives a casual simple appearance and allows for the free flow of water underneath it. Due to the unevenness of the texture and the fact it shifts over time, it is best for a driveway rather than a walkway.
A mini patio can be created with gravel and a few seats can be a resting point in the yard without having to invest too much on construction of a deck or gazebo.
Cobblestone has been used from time immemorial. The walkways and even some roads in Europe are made from cobblestone and with good reason.
Not only does it offer that elegant rustic feel as it ages, it is durable and can exist for years and years despite traffic. It is uneven due to how the stones are placed but it adds personality to the garden.
Mix and match
Flagstones are thin flat pieces of stone that come from splitting sedimentary stones. When choosing flagstones for your yard, the texture, colour, flexibility and design play a role.
Given that the stone comes in different colours and textures, one can mix and match or use a particular type for their design.
It gives diversity as the design cannot quite be replicated due to the different shapes and shades of the stone. And as with most naturally occurring stones, they are durable and cracks on the surface add appeal to the design.
To play around with the design, you can have grass or flowers growing in between the joints of the blocks.
Outdoor tiles come in a vast variety. There are ceramic and concrete in different shapes, shades and designs. Popular ones in Kenya can be seen on pavements with either block or interlocking tiles. The interlocking tiles are the best alternative for a temporary fix.
This is because they require no cement or bonding material to hold them together. Their design allows them to fit into each other, and when one wants to try something different, they are just dismantled and prepared for re-use.
Ceramic tiles are good for a patio, however are not the best around a pool or pond. This is because over time, ceramic tiles tend to get slippery, even when they are textured for the outdoors.
Other materials available for paving include sandstone, slate, granite and limestone.
Limestone has an even colour and is easy to shape for design purposes. However, it can create a dull monotone and corrodes over time.
Granite is one of the most costly of the paving range, however there is a wide colour range but is not very easy to work with especially if it needs to be cut or shaped on site.
Sandstone has a wide colour variety which with time becomes blotchy however is easy to work with.
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