When it comes to paving solutions, the main competitor concrete has is, of course, asphalt. There are many relative benefits and disadvantages to using each of these paving materials, and which one you choose for any given project will depend upon a range of factors. Concrete is a durable and effective paving solution that looks well set among more natural settings; being derived from pitch black bitumen, asphalt does look more synthetic and man-made.
Concrete and Landscaping
If you decide to go with concrete when deciding on paving material, it could well because you want things to look a bit more natural. You might also consider increasing that general effect by including some landscaping around the concrete paving installation. Did you know, however, that it can also be done the other way round? If you are engaging in some landscaping, whether that be around the edge of a home or commercial facility and in a garden or elsewhere, concrete can be tastefully incorporated into this plan. Parking Lot Pros, concrete and asphalt paving specialists focusing on parking lots, say that many garden installations are made of concrete. Just think of a patio, and how well concrete installations can blend with natural features such as hedges, lawns, and trees.
Concrete is also a terrific way to add functional elements to a natural setting. Concrete paved steps leading from a garden to the back door of a house, or perhaps concrete slabs creating a garden path, are all functional concrete elements that blend exceptionally well with the surrounding nature where they are installed.
Ways to Use Concrete in Landscaping
There isn’t really any one set process for incorporating concrete into a landscaping project. In fact, it is so frequently used that it really can take any number of forms, all of which will naturally depend on the area where it is installed. The following examples of concrete landscaping are merely a set of ideas; there’s a lot be said for letting your imagination and intuition run wild when engaging in concrete landscaping projects.
Garden Steps
When you think about garden steps, whether that be leading away from a garden towards the home or leading up to some garden installation such as a porch or a patio, it is difficult to imagine them composed of any other material except concrete. For a full aesthetic effect, and total practicality, concrete is great for steps.
Garden Edging
Maintaining a beautiful garden takes time, effort and, most of all, diligence. One of the tasks that needs to be very regularly seen to is the state of the garden edging. Grass simply grows too quickly for a grass border to look neat for longer than a couple of weeks. If you install concrete edging though, then not only will this look very elegant, but it is less work to maintain.
Patios
We have referred to them a few times already, but it is time to focus on one of the best-loved and most well-known of concrete garden installations – the patio. A patio doesn’t just look great, it also opens an outside place to many more functions, normally revolving around entertainment and hosting options.
Raised Garden
To create a raised garden, you need to build a platform for it to lie upon (you cannot just build up more soil). Concrete is ideal for this purpose. Raised gardens are a remarkably elegant concrete landscaping option – even if you cannot actually see the concrete.
There is no denying that concrete – even more so than asphalt – has a sure place within landscaping options. Toss away the idea of utilitarian drabness. When it’s done correctly, concrete makes for pure elegance.
