Three must-have finishes for your garden

When considering a new outdoor area or garden upgrade, your chosen finishing touches, such as kerbs and steps, will help you achieve your desired garden style to complement your home.

Below we outline the top three must-have finishes for your garden – depending on whether it’s the modern or traditional look you wish you achieve. 

Modern style homes

Modern design is largely based on an overall simple style, any planting included is low maintenance and furniture and lighting is kept simple but functional.

Product ranges such as sparkling Sienna block paving, Mayfair flags with a natural granite textured finish or smooth Shannon with neat joints, or Artro the new linear paving range from Tobermore, are suited to modern style gardens.

Traditional style homes

Alternatively, traditional gardens tend to be full of colour, planting, trees and textured finishes. Curved paths and features such as paved circles help create that traditional style.

The classic Tobermore range includes vintage themed products such as Tegula and Historic. Tegula block paving provides a tumbled aged appearance, while the Historic paving range creates the style of old-style flagstones. Historic flags complemented with a Tegula charcoal setts border creates a lovely contrast

A beautiful modern style home built in Waterford, Ireland using Tobermore Kingston block in Warm Red

Below we outline the top three must-have finishing touches for your garden/driveway;

1.Kerbs and Edging

Kerbs are available in a range of styles all of which offer different benefits

For example, when laid flat kerbs can be used to retain soil in a low-level bed.

Alternatively, if they are stood on their end, they are the perfect height for step risers.

Wherever there is planting and paving, it is essential to use a kerb to edge the planting to retain the soil during heavy rain and keep your paving clean.

If you’ve always loved the idea of lining your driveway with granite kerbstones, Tobermore Country Kerbs are made to give the look and feel of a traditional granite kerb, but at a more competitive price.

We can also provide a dropped kerb for easy access for the lawnmower or wheelbarrow.

View our  range of Kerbs and Edging 

Sienna Graphite block paving, Sienna Setts Silver, Country Edging

Kerbstones

Kerbstones have a rumbled, rustic appearance with soft edges to give an overall more classic style

This style is the perfect complement to Tegula block paving or Historic flags.

Kerb Large

If you want to achieve a more modern style patio, the Kerb Large range will achieve this with its sharp, neat edges.

Tegula Heather Block Paving complemented with Kerbstone Natural

2. Steps

For steps, it’s always a good idea to use a colour contrast between the step risers and the tread of the step, so that they are clearly visible.  The height and tread of your steps is very important for safety.

If you have more than five steps, you will need to introduce a level landing area as well.  This creates safer and easier access and softens the appearance, making it more welcoming.

Steps not only need to look great they also serve a very important purpose for their users so it is important that the appropriate and best quality products are used. Talk to Tobermore Paving and Walling Advisor for more information on steps

Step created using Tegula Natural Setts and bordered with Sienna Setts in Silver and Graphite

3. Walling

Tobermore walling products can be used for aesthetic or practical reasons or both

Secura

If you have a sloping garden or steep bank, our Secura retaining wall system will be suitable for you

The Secura walling system requires no mortar which means it is very simple for anyone with basic DIY skills to build

There are options available in the Secura range, the correct product for your project will depend on a number of factors including the height of your wall.

Find out more about the Secura range 

Country Stone

If you have an existing concrete block wall, you can face it with Country Stone walling and add a coping to finish it off perfectly.

If there is an existing wall you don’t like in your garden, for example, the side of a garage or a tall boundary wall, you could use Country Stone to create a walled garden effect.

It can also be used to build entrance walls and pillars to create an impressive driveway entrance and that all-important “kerb appeal”!

Country Stone Walling in Bracken

Garden Stone

Garden Stone walling is faced on both sides so it is ideal if you want to divide up your garden to create separate seating areas or “rooms” within your garden.

Garden Stone walling can be used to build a wall up to 90cm in height with coping.  This would create ideal seat height.  You can simply bring cushions out to set along the top for extra seating in the garden.

Garden Stone Heather with coping