Four Main Ways To Use Pavers In Your Garden

1.  Using Pavers To Surround A Pool

The pool is both the most fun thing in your garden and possibly, the most beautiful.  If you are lucky, you will have a yard large enough to have the pool set as the jewel in your gardens crown.  The highlight that draws your eye and beckons you to come and relax.  The paving style you choose to surround it can make or break it.

The above to pictures show to very different ways to go about this.  The one on the left is simple and yet draws the garden even closer to the pool itself.  Limestone is great as it has a natural grip to it when wet and the colours available range from white, creams and bones through to black.  I'm not sure how black would go around  pool?  But it could look great.

The above right picture is using sandstone rectangular pavers.  The softer tones of the sandstone make it a natural choice for around the pool.  It also has good grip when wet.  It is best not to seal it to maintain the grip.

In the photo above we see the landscaper has chosen an Ashlar Pattern for the Pavers.  This pattern mixes up four or sometimes five different sized pavers to form a pattern that looks random but is actually repeating.  In this case they have created an area to relax that is away from the main house.

On the right we have Indian Sandstone in white.  The colour is so standard that it is a little hard (in the photo) to see the variation but it is there and is more visible live.  In this case the pavers have been chosen to make the pool the crowning jewel and I think they have achieved that perfectly.

2.  Creating An Outdoor Room with Pavers

Living in Australia gives us the best opportunity to combine our living spaces and actually spend time each year outside having meals and drinks with family or friends.  The trick with these spaces is to make them usable for the largest amount of time through the year and make them easy to look after in the times when you are not using them.

In the above photos, the landscaper on the left has opted for no roof-cover but used a purpose-made planter row to separate the two areas of living and cooking/dining.  This is a good use of the space and makes the outdoor living in this home able to move from the house to the yard seamlessly.  

In the above right picture, the designer has made a large studio apartment.  Kitchen, Lounge and Dining.  The roof will extend its use to most of the year although once full winter hits I think I would still rather be inside.  Nonetheless, it is a great addition to the home and for nine months of the year the place I would spend most of my time.

In the photo above we see the landscaper has chosen an Ashlar Pattern for the Pavers.  This pattern mixes up four or sometimes five different sized pavers to form a pattern that looks random but is actually repeating.  In this case they have created an area to relax that is away from the main house and has outdoor kitchen, lounge and dining areas.

On the right homeowner has opted for a traditional Bali Outdoor room.  Made famous in Bali due to the lack of need for walls all year round, these rooms are in most westerners homes in Bali .  What I love about this style of outdoor room is that the parts that have no walls actually look like huge windows.  In spring through mid Autumn, this makes the space extremely usable  and a delight to entertain in. 

3.  Making A 5 Star Driveway with Paving

The third place you can use pavers well is your driveway.  It doesn't matter if you live on a large property or a standard block, your driveway is what connects your home to the road.  It is the first thing people see and it sends a strong message about your home and how you look after it.  I have seen houses lifted up to the next level just by improving their driveway's.

In the left above photo we see that the designer has used the traditional Herringbone pattern at 45 Degrees.  Certainly one of my favourites as it is both stylish and simple at the same time.

On the right is what I call the ii Pattern.  I can't find out what it is actually called so if you know, give me a yell and I will change this.  I call it the ii because it is made up of three bricks making a capital i and repeated over and over.  Super easy to lay and quick as there is space in between each i.  A simple road base or fine gravel can be used to fill it in. 

Sandstone is certainly one of the nicest rocks to look at.  Rich colours and soft tones make it extremely appealing.  If you want to make it very easy to keep clean and make those colours pop then add a sealant.  Just remember that sealing often makes the sandstone slippery when wet.  Another tip would be don't get too big a piece for driveways as they can crack.  With this in mind pay extra attention to your under base and make sure it is compacted well.

On the right the designer has used a simple concrete paver and spread them out.  In between them they have sewn grass to make the simple concrete pop.  Cheap and certainly interesting to look at.  This could be done with round pavers too but the rectangles allow the grass to be kept to a minimum and still stand out well.

4.  Paving A Path

In every home there are spaces you need to connect together.  Whether it is the street to the front door of the back shed to the back patio or the clothes line to the laundry, you are going to want to make a path so you have a clean surface to walk on when the weather turns bad.  On top of that, paths can add real style to the garden.

On the left is a photo we have used before but it is a perfect example of path connecting the street to your front door. What a perfect walk to take to the front door.  The brick certainly sets off the blooming trees and the hedge.

On the right are simple round pavers that come in three sizes.  You can lay them in a pattern or as this owner has done, lay them randomly.  An easy solution for a path to connect somewhere you are walking regularly.

Rectangular Sandstone pavers make great paths.  These are sandy grey colour but they come in all colours so the choice is almost limitless.  Easy to cut and you can use a divider to make the path flow through grass or mulch.

On the right is  a simple path made from large rocks.  This is a striking use of rocks in the garden and their size makes for a strong statement.  Just keep in mind you will have to be able to maneuver them into place.  Give us a call if you need some help with these.

So there we go.  Four ways to use pavers in your garden.  Once again if you can think of something I can add to this article then give me a call or email me and I will update it.

Cheers.