The Garden Floor

How about grass for walking barefoot or a place for the dog to run. Is there a safe location for the kids to play? Inside the home we carefully choose our flooring. Carpet, hardwood, tile, linoleum and stone are favorites. Outside, the choices are endless: Grass, gravel, stepping stones, decking, dirt, brick, sand, concrete, blacktop, pine needles, wood chips or recycled tire mulch, almost anything can be done. Before you have the concrete slab poured or commit to bricks and mortar, you might want to consider all of your options. As a gardener and landscaper, it bothers me to see people pouring concrete over rebar, later jack hammering it out, and finally hauling it away to the landfill. Just to replace it again with a similar treatment. How long until that new patio cracks due to natural expansion and contraction ?
When it comes to garden floors I prefer natural, impermanent, self draining surfaces. This allows the garden to mature, change and evolve over time. Just as temperature, light and shadow changes, so will the conditions in your garden. As trees mature, sunny areas may become shade gardens. Grass may cease to thrive without proper sunlight, causing muddy patches to emerge. If you love the enduring look of bricks and concrete, you might consider bricks set into crushed stone and sand or concrete pavers set into sand and gravel. If the need arises, these areas can be changed, repaired or removed easily. Just like an interior room, variety and contrast are key in designing your garden floor. Try creating impact by combining different flooring elements. A minimum of three would be a good place to start, which brings us to the subject of grass.

Grass

Grass can be an easy, economical and practical solution for children and pets. It can be amazingly beautiful. It can also be a full time job. In any case, make sure that it isn’t the only element in your landscape. Paired with other natural flooring choices, it can be a rich, striking component. Personally, I hate cutting it and usually strive to eliminate a good portion of it. I like to think of it as the first layer of paint on the canvas. I don’t address lawn seeding or maintenance in this piece, but in the articles section, I do provide some natural weed control ideas as well as an article about starting grass.

Bedding plants

To me, the bedding plants are the soul and backbone of the yard. This will dictate much of the feel of the space. Here’s where your personality will shine, starting with the architecture. I like to begin with evergreens and trees. They will give your garden structure and dimension. Survey your sight, paying attention to sunny and shady areas and choose accordingly. When allocating trees, ask yourself where more shade or privacy is needed. Also, plan carefully to allow for future growth. Does the tree or shrub have a large enough space to reach maturity? How fast do they grow? Are they hardy to my zone? After choosing your foundation plants you can fill in with more ornamental pieces. Use different colors and textures that appeal to you. I have devoted an entire article to creating beds. There are many design issues covered including bed shaping, designing with plants and creating focal points.

Decking

There are countless options available for decks. From simple ground level versions to intricate multistory structures, you can design and build a deck yourself or employ an expert. Often today, decks are the main exterior feature of a home. You are limited only by your imagination and budget. There are many natural, man made and recycled choices available in decking material. Stains and finishes offer another avenue for self expression. Decks can be an ideal choice for family meals, entertaining guests and expanding the usable square footage of the home. You can add roofing and screening to extend the seasonal enjoyment. Pick up a magazine or do-it-yourself book at your home store to gather ideas before construction. You’ll save money in the long run by doing a little homework.

Patios, paths and walkways

Budget and taste are the biggest concerns here. If you're short on cash, flex your creativity. Here’s another opportunity to show off your unique personality and gardening style. Some formal flooring examples are brick, stone or concrete. Timeless classics could be Belgian blocks, cobblestone or slate.
Informal choices are unlimited. Some of my favorites are gravel, mulch, stepping stones or wood.