With a wide range of colours, patterns and materials, pavers are the perfect way to brighten up your garden this summer. Pavers are ideal for giving your backyard a stylish, modern look, whether they’re used to create paths or an eye-catching feature. These versatile ‘garden helpers’ are also great to use as stepping stones – either through your garden or to lead from the house to areas such as the clothesline or garden shed – or edging around garden beds. In general, they come in handy for providing easy access to pretty much any area of the yard, and are terrific for framing trees and shrubs.
Material world
Paving outdoors can be on the costly side though, so here are some clever tips to help you choose the right pavers for your home. The current trend is towards larger pavers, but the size will depend on the area you want to pave. Smaller ones are best for lining gardens beds, or creating paths in a country or cottage-style garden, while larger pavers have a more contemporary feel that’s better suited to entertaining areas such as those around a pool or barbecue. Though large pavers are more expensive to lay they’re great for making small outdoor areas appear bigger. Colour-wise, stick to natural tones such as terracotta, sandstone, brown and even charcoal. When it comes to materials, pavers should be hard-wearing and durable, so look for ones in brick, concrete or stone. Concrete ones are wonderful for outdoor areas and borders, and are available in a huge variety of styles, sizes and colours to suit any home. They tend to be less expensive but usually need to be sealed to make them stain-resistant. Clay pavers are weather-resistant and maintain their colour for longer, making them suitable for paths and around pools, while slate can be used for garden beds and outdoor areas. It’s important to lay pavers correctly so they don’t move or break over time – you can do this yourself by putting down a base of sand, levelling it out, then laying the pavers; or hire a professional landscaper or gardener to do the job for you.
Top tip
If the paving is for an out-of-the-way area such as the side of the house, you may want to consider cheaper or second-hand pavers.
Story by Lauren Broomham