While we all love a nice green lawn, most gardens nowadays have some hard landscaping, whether its for practical or aesthetic reasons.
We spoke to Yorkshire based RF Landscape Products who said: “The great thing about natural stone paving is that each and every slab is unique and different making it stand out in your garden.
“It’s a hard-wearing and low-maintenance material but its also very versatile and you’d be surprised at how many different ways it can be used.”
One of the best things about natural stone is that it works great in a modern or traditional garden, and can be styled so that it looks like its been in place much longer than it has!
We’ve taken a look at some of the many ways you can incorporate natural tone when landscaping your garden.
Patio
A lot of people are opting for patios, but they don’t have to be made from drab concrete!
A natural stone patio can come in a variety of stylish stones and colours, to set your patio apart.
Not only is it a unique look but natural stone paving is also extremely long lasting and requires virtually no maintenance.
Some may choose to opt for a wooden decking as a cheaper alternative, however natural stone paving won’t require expensive cleaning and staining.
The sheer range of options afforded with stone paving mean you can really use your imagination, and the possibilities for your patio are endless!
Pathways
Whether in a continuous walkway or as “stepping stones”, natural stone can be great as a walkway through your garden.
A winding stone pathway can add an almost ‘fairy tale’ element to your garden, and is much easier to walk on than gravel.
A stone pathway can be as simple or extravagant as you’d like and you can even incorporate small stairs if you have a larger garden with an incline.
Walls
Stone walling certainly looks impressive and adds a bit of class to your space. However, it can also serve a practical purpose.
Perhaps you need to replace an old rickety wooden fence that separates you from the neighbours? Natural stone can also be used to create an attractive retaining wall to hold soil back.
Why not install a door into your stone wall for an enchanting entrance into the garden?Other features
A natural stone water feature can be the centre piece of a great garden and doesn’t have to be overly flashy and expensive.
If you’ve got a big enough garden (and budget!) why not use natural stone for your swimming pool!
The uses of natural stone in the garden are endless, from fireplaces and barbecues to pools and fountains, there’s plenty of scope for imagination if you want to add a bit of a “wow” factor to your garden.