Building


Garden Bones


with paving stones John Tinkler’s courtyard patio reflects the English-rustic feel of his home.


Walkways, patios, driveways . . . they are all hard features – the “bones” of your garden – that make your home and garden the showcase you want the world to notice.


S


ophisticated gardeners often speak about the “bones” of the garden. But just what do they mean?


It’s not about buried bodies. It’s about


the hard features and permanent structures of the space: things such as the patios and decks, walkways and paths, raised gardens and ponds or pools, fences, gazebos, ar- bours, and of course, shrubs and trees. The first and most critical element of


these, however, is the driveway leading to your front yard or in the case of smaller properties, your front walkway. Careful planning and some up front in-


8 • Early Spring 2012


vestment will not only enhance the beauty of your surroundings, it will add to the re- sale value of your home. Today, the possibilities are endless and ex-


citing in terms of the product you can use to construct these important features. Driveways and pathways


Concrete is still the most common prod-


uct for driveways, because of its durability, but even this old staple has a new twist. Stamped concrete has added new beauty


to the old product and can be made to look like brick or flagstone or whatever you like. It can also be impregnated with colour to


A


Stamped concrete the new rage


local contractor says that stamped concrete is rapidly gaining in pop- ularity with homeowners. “One client was delighted when she


noticed people stopping their cars to stare at the driveway, then get out and lean down to touch the product,” he laughed. “It just looks so good.” He says that people are usually just ecstat- ic with the look of their new driveway when this product is used. The prod- uct is also used for patios and even in- doors in kitchens and bathrooms. Is it expensive? No more than any-


thing else. Higher costs often depend on limited access to the space being paved. Labour and product generally equal each other in cost.


www.localgardener.net


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32