ADDING PLANTS TO PATIOS CONSTRUCTED WITH CONCRETE PAVERS
Today, the trend toward environmental awareness continues to grow and become more accepted. When it comes to hardscaping for your San Francisco Bay area home, there are exciting ways to make your hardscape have less of an environmental impact, and do it with a design flair that ups the aesthetic beauty and value of your home.
Permeable concrete pavers are designed to let water pass through them and return to the groundwater table filtered and pollution-free. When you create an outdoor paver space using permeable concrete pavers, you’re doing your part to help the environment. To add to this effect, creating a space that incorporates plantings between the stones can increase the beauty and the benefits.
THE MANY BENEFITS OF FOLIAGE JOINTS WITH CONCRETE PAVERS
As with common outdoor spaces that use pavers and gravel, the pavers make the area accessible to walkabout. Using foliage, not only helps to keep the pavers in place, it gives the overall design a more “natural” restful aesthetic while allowing rainwater and runoff to percolate back into underground aquifers naturally.
Here in California, we tend to have a dryer climate. In fact, in the past several years, we’ve been experiencing various levels of drought. Choosing a drought-tolerant ground cover like dymondia can further enhance the environmental sustainability of the space.
Learn More About Paver Walkway Installation
The larger and more consistent the pavers are the cleaner the overall look of your space. Using a low-lying ground cover in your walkway design (more on this in a second!) makes your outdoor living area easier to maintain.
PLANTING BETWEEN THE PAVERS
When choosing the right ground cover for creating green joints between pavers, they should meet several criteria to be effective. You want to select plants that can take some traffic. They should be hardy enough to withstand light foot traffic, and short enough so that they don’t obstruct the pathways. You also want to choose plants that can tolerate the condition. For example, light level and moisture. Use plants that will spread to fill the space without becoming overgrown comfortably, or sending runner across your stones.
Here are some exciting planting ideas to get your creative juices flowing.
• Irish or Scottish Moss – Moss adds a soft spongy texture to paths in shady areas. It’s an excellent choice for “foot-feel” and because it is a shade dweller, perfect for tree-covered walkways, or secluded patios. Irish moss is typically sold in flats. Simply cut to fit and place it where you want it to grow. It’s a beautiful low-maintenance plant.
• Elfin Thyme, Corsican Mint, or Other Fragrant Ground Cover – Using a low-growing fragrant ground cover like elfin time, or Corsican mint can add appeal to another of the sense by releasing a beautiful fragrance when it’s stepped on. Adding smell to the other textures in your outdoor space can add another level of relaxation and sophistication.
• Dwarf Mondo Grass – Dwarf grasses are available that can grow in direct sun, partial sun, or full shade, and is one of the few kinds of grass you can grow near black walnut trees. The best varieties grow only an inch or two tall and spread quickly, evenly, and are pretty much a no-maintenance ground cover.
• Dichondra – Carolina pony foot is a pretty native plant and a species of Dichondra that grows in sun or partial shade. It can take the heat but may need some water during prolonged dry spells. It also needs feeding each spring to keep its vibrant color. This species is a low-growing ground cover that grows in all 48 states in the continental US and features bright, round green leaves that spread to fill an area.
DESIGN YOUR PATIO TO FIT INTO YOUR EXISTING LANDSCAPE
While creating green joints is an excellent way to add a visual element, and a fragrance to your outdoor space, you can also think creatively beyond simple green joints. Plants and hardscape can add drama, mystery, and even whimsy to your outdoor space.
Home and garden aren’t always designed to match and complement each other, but it can be fun to get creative. Try choosing soft botanical colors for your exterior paint and trim, then compliment them with living specimens to add depth to your design. You can create a living border for your patio that will lead the eye from the home to the garden, to the living space with its green joints, and back again to create a beautiful cohesion in your landscape.
Perimeter plantings can help to define your space while blending perfectly with a low-growth ground cover between pavers. It can soften the space and add privacy and visual interest. The bottom line, using permeable pavers, green joints, and attractive adjoining greenery, can enhance the aesthetic beauty of your outdoor living space. It can also help the environment, reduce pollution from storm runoff, mitigate erosion, and create an inviting space for relaxing and creating memories with family and friends!
LET BAYSIDE PAVERS HELP YOU CREATE THE PERFECT LOOK
Permeable pavers can up your home’s curb appeal, give you a customized look, help protect the environment, and up your homer’s curb appeal and value. To learn more about permeable concrete pavers and some creative uses to compliment your home’s exterior design, give the experts at Bayside Pavers a call. We help homeowners to create their dream outdoor living space, including paver walkways driveways, entertaining areas, and more. If you’re ready to learn more, give us a call at 1-(866) 287-2837. We’re always happy to answer your questions. Call and schedule a free 3D Consultation on your project.
WE HAVE TWO SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA LOCATIONS
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For East Bay and South Bay homeowners stop by our Concord, CA location at 2455 Bates Ave, Ste K.
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North Bay area homeowners, visit our Santa Rosa, CA location at 1619 4th Street Ste 12.