Changing the material covering the "floor" of the garden can completely alter its appearance, by changing the perception of length or width, or by giving a definite flow of design, leading the eye onwards into the garden itself.
Practical Considerations
The "floor" surface in the garden fulfils the same function, in design terms, as a fitted carpet inside the house, providing a unifying link that flows through the area. It is the foil against which the planting can be arranged and, for every group of planting, there should be a balancing amount of open space.
The surface should also be practical. For instance, wooden decking positioned under overhanging trees will quickly become covered with slippery algae. Paving can be natural stone, brick, or concrete, and it can be laid in lines to lengthen the appearance of the garden, or in patterns to shorten it. Decking and timber are both softer than paving, and are very flexible materials to work with, both in terms of actual installation, and in how they are treated (stained or painted) afterwards. Timber can be mixed with other surfaces, such as paving and gravel, to give interesting textural variations, and laying it across, rather than along, the run of the path will make the distance look shorter. Railway sleepers (ties) are extremely useful in the garden, and can be used for edging borders and making raised beds as well as edging paths.
Small changes in contour and direction will alter the appearance of the garden, and can be used to give an interesting shape and pleasing sense of proportion. Steps should be wide enough to be functional, especially where food is carried, and shallow enough to be safe for both the very young and the not-so-very young.
Laying Pavers
1. Clay pavers look like bricks but are thinner and are designed to fit together without mortar joints. Prepare a sub-base of 5-10cm of compacted hardcore. Mortar into position a firm edge to work from. Lay a 5cm (2in) bed of sand, making sure the pavers are level with the edging. Adjust the depth of the sand if necessary. Use battens (laths) as a height gauge to enable the sand to be levelled with a piece of wood.
2. Lay the pavers in the required pattern, making sure that they butt up to each other and the edging.
3. Tamp the pavers in place using a club hammer over a length of timber. You could also hire a flat-plate vibrator to do the job. Brush more sand over the pavers to fill the joints, then tamp down again to lock in position.
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