In the Garden: Solid touches that give a garden shape and style Va...

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In the Garden: Solid touches that give a garden shape and style Va... In the Garden: Solid touches that give a garden shape and style STEVE WHYSALL More from Steve Whysall (HTTP://VANCOUVERSUN.

1 In the Garden: Solid touches that give a garden shape and style Va... In the Garden: Solid touches that give a garden shape and style STEVE WHYSALL More from Steve Whysall ( Published on: May 2, 2017 Last Updated: May 2, :10 PM PDT Examples of Bridgewood slab, a new concrete paving slabstone that has the surface texture of wood grain. It is a material that is becoming more and more fashionable for garden patios, walkways and flooring for outdoor kitchens. S U P P L I E D P H O T O S / VA N C O U V E R S U N 1 of , 11:28 AM

Landscapers call the permanent structural elements of a garden, such as walls and paths, arches and arbours, ponds, water features, patios and decks, the bones because they literally hold the garden

2 Landscapers call the permanent structural elements of a garden, such as walls and paths, arches and arbours, ponds, water features, patios and decks, the bones because they literally hold the garden together and give it its fundamental shape and style. This terminology also applies to trees and shrubs that are planted once and constitute the foundation planting and usually stay in place for the life of the garden. But when you decide to build a garden, the structural hardscaping should always come first. This is why it is always wise to have a professional designer draw up a plan for you. Gordon Fretter shows off a new solution to landscape tiles, with the Rise it Paver pedestal system used in the installation. MARK VAN MANEN / PNG It is not necessary to complete everything in the plan at once, but it is good to know what will be going where and to have the work scheduled over a specific time. This is one way to achieve a functional, well-designed garden rather than a mishmash of structures and styles. RELATED 2 of , 11:28 AM

3 May days: This month's gardening guide ( /gardening/may-days-this-months-gardening-guide) Top pots: Three easy-peasy planters for non-gardeners In the Garden: Patio privacy in your personal paradise ( ( Wood and stone are still the key defining hardscape materials in most gardens. Cedar fencing and timber trellises, arbours and pergolas are still popular, and fencing is one way to define a perimeter and property line, although more homeowners opt for hedging, particularly cedar, yew and laurel to provide a less intrusive, more natural, leafy barrier. ADVERTISEMENT 3 of , 11:28 AM

In the Garden: Solid touches that give a garden shape and style Va... Bridgewood slab, a new concrete paving slabstone that has the surface texture of wood grain.

4 In the Garden: Solid touches that give a garden shape and style Va... Bridgewood slab, a new concrete paving slabstone that has the surface texture of wood grain. S U P P L I E D P H O T O S / VA N C O U V E R S U N The hottest trend, however, in hardscaping, particularly stone being used for patios and retaining walls, is to use stone that comes with an attractive, wood-grain texture. New solution to landscape tiles, with the Rise it Paver pedestal system used in the installation. M A R K VA N M A N E N / P N G Terra Nova Slab and Bridgewood Slab are two kinds produced by Barkman that are being used in many new garden landscapes, especially for patios, pool decks and paths. Bridgewood Slabs look like freshly sawn beefy chunks of wood and are available in weathered grey and cedar brown. It costs $7.99 a square foot. The Terra Nova Slab is thin paving material with a grainy wood finish, 4 of , 11:28 AM

either tamarack or mountain ash. It costs $8.75 a square foot. This was used by Josh Weaver, of No Limits Landscapes, for the patio of his award-winning garden at the B.C.

5 either tamarack or mountain ash. It costs $8.75 a square foot. This was used by Josh Weaver, of No Limits Landscapes, for the patio of his award-winning garden at the B.C. Home + Garden Show in Vancouver in February. Weaver has also used the material for the floor of an outdoor kitchen. These materials are available locally from Burnco Landscape Centre, which has two locations Ave., Langley, and St., Surrey. nd Porcelain pavers at Northwest Landscape and Stone Supply in Burnaby PAYNE / PNG JASON Italian porcelain pavers, also with textured wood and grain finishes, are gaining popularity. These are available in 60-by-60-by-2 cm pieces for $36 and are not porous, so they are stain-resistant. Slabs 40-by-120-by-2 cm (16-by- 38-by-3/4 inch) are $52 each. They are being used to give patios a more stylish, contemporary look and come in a range of colours, from beige to walnut, dark grey to light grey. These are the hottest item for us right now, says Matt Vandenberg, of Vandenberg s Landscape Design, one of the top garden installers in Metro Vancouver. 5 of , 11:28 AM

6 We use it on a lot of upper decks and rooftops because it is lightweight and it comes in a wide variety of colours and styles. Bridgewood slab, a new concrete paving slabstone that has the surface texture of wood grain. SUPPLIED PHOTOS / VA N C OUV E R S U N It has been so popular that suppliers have had trouble keeping stock of all the different varieties available. 6 of , 11:28 AM

7 Vandenberg is also busy installing artificial grass. Problems with European chafer beetles ruining lawns has led to an increase in the use of fake, plastic grass, which can look like the real thing. We have been installing not just lawns, but quite a few putting greens as this gives more entertainment options for the backyard. Compact, lighted weirs are also popular and are being embedded in walls to give a smooth, silky water flow in more contemporary-style gardens. These weirs are available in a variety of lengths and are relatively easy to install and also create white noise the soothing sound of running water that can mask noise from the street. For retaining walls and low garden walls, landscapers are using thicker, blockier pieces of split basalt. These pieces measure 8 to 13 cm (3 to 5 inches) thick which gives a beefier, more solid look to a dry-stacked wall. This stone is being sold as Castle Blend for $400 a tonne by Northwest Landscape and Stone Supply in Burnaby. Split basalt can be used to build walls up to 90 cm high. Walls higher than this need to be engineered for safety. swhysall@postmedia.ca If you live in a high-rise or condo complex and have a balcony, rooftop or patio space that you would like dressed up a little with beautiful paving instead plain dull concrete, there is a new product that makes the transition more achievable. Dynamex Rise-It is a new paver pedestal system designed specifically to gently lift pavers above the membrane of a building and hold pavers firmly in place. This is the perfect system for a situation where there is plain grey concrete that needs to be covered without interfering with the 7 of , 11:28 AM

In the Garden: Solid touches that give a garden shape and style Va.

Vancouver landscaper Gordon Fretter has already used the Rise-It supports in a new

The beauty of this system is that pavers are held perfectly and spaced perfectly

The 15-cm (6 inch) square pads are made of recycled rubber and have a half-inch

The pads come with shims that allow for fine adjustment of pavers where the

Created and produced over the past year by Epic Polymer, of 92A Avenue, Langley,

They can also be used for paved areas around pools and pond areas.

8 In the Garden: Solid touches that give a garden shape and style Va... building s outside membrane and water drainage. Vancouver landscaper Gordon Fretter has already used the Rise-It supports in a new porcelain pavers job at a ground-floor condo in East Vancouver. The beauty of this system is that pavers are held perfectly and spaced perfectly and there is no need for grouting or putting down crushed gravel, he says. The 15-cm (6 inch) square pads are made of recycled rubber and have a half-inch ridge that crisscrosses in the centre. The pads come with shims that allow for fine adjustment of pavers where the subfloor is slightly uneven. Created and produced over the past year by Epic Polymer, of 92A Avenue, Langley, the Rise-It squares cost less than $2 each. They can also be used for paved areas around pools and pond areas. The pads raise pavers and support them from the edges, leaving a tiny space underneath for drainage and air circulation. Rise-Its are being sold by BC Brick Supply at 3100 No. 5 Road, Richmond. For more information call Tyler Sinclair of Epic Polymer, at Vancouver Flyers 8 of , 11:28 AM

9 Comments We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page ( for more information. 0 Comments Sort by Newest Add a comment... Facebook Comments Plugin ( Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited. Powered by WordPress.com VIP ( utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=vip%20footer%20credit) 9 of , 11:28 AM

Landscaping With Stone By Pat Sagui READ ONLINE

Landscaping With Stone By Pat Sagui READ ONLINE Give your garden design some textural bam with pebbles, granite, river rocks and other permeable materials Mixing stone with outdoor life. See more ideas