David Domoney: How Garden designers can incorporate a natural wood feel to the garden without having to commit to extensive maintenance.

Wood effect porcelain garden patio tile

 

A popular question I am often asked is, what is a great alternative to wooden decking that has minimal maintenance? A phenomenon in the late 1990s, wooden decking was installed in gardens across the UK. Made from timber its natural patterns are seamlessly integrated into the garden. However, so many people did not consider the maintenance required to keep it looking great.
 

Pavestone porcelain tinber effect paving as seen on ITV's Love Your Garden television programme

 

Relax. No need for wood treatment!

Now, everyone’s tastes are different, however many of us want to achieve the natural look of wood in the garden, but don’t want to spend hours preserving and maintaining it, when we could be enjoying our gardens. Porcelain offer an extremely realistic finish, with a wipe clean surface.

 

Porcelain wood effect garden patio paving by Pavestone

 

So, what is the alternative?

Pavestone offers an ideal solution with Deckwood porcelain paving to achieve a natural ambiance in your garden. Deckwood seamlessly harmonizes with your plants, allowing you to realise your dream garden aesthetic and effortlessly captures the distinctive qualities of natural timber through its wood grain design, making it a versatile choice for any space. Plus, with a variety of colors to choose from, you'll find a Pavestone Deckwood Porcelain that suits your garden perfectly.

Moreover, Deckwood Porcelain not only replicates the authentic look of wood flooring but also comes with the practical benefits of ceramic paving. It's slip-resistant even when wet, highly durable, and easy to maintain, making it an enduring and practical alternative.

Transform your garden into an entirely organic setting with Deckwood Porcelain and discover how to style it for the perfect natural atmosphere.

 

Four wood effect garden porcelain paving planks. All the beauty with no maintenance associated with timber decking

A shade for any occasion

Pavestone's Deckwood paving offers a palette of four versatile shades, ensuring that there is undoubtedly one that perfectly complements your specific requirements.

 

Deckwood Ash is a popular choice of shade. The brilliant, silvery, hue looks like wood but has none of the maintenance requirements.

 

Deckwood Ash stands out as a highly favoured option, boasting a brilliant silvery hue that effortlessly complements black, white, or grey elements present in your garden or furniture. Its neutral elegance ensures that selecting this shade will make your garden plants truly come to life and stand out in vivid contrast.

 

Deckwood Buff a natural wood coloured porcelain paving which offers a wonderfully organic appearances for your outdoor space.

 

For those inclined toward a more organic and earthy palette, you have the option of two alternative Deckwood shades in brown. Deckwood Buff and Coco present two distinct yet equally enchanting natural colors, each bestowing your outdoor space with a delightful organic aesthetic.

 

Deckwood Coco porcelain garden paving has the appearance of wonderfully aged Oak or Hickory timber. Its lovely woodgrain creating an authentic parallel to the real thing

 

Coco exhibits the captivating appearance of exquisitely aged Oak or Hickory timber, its charming wood grain design offering an authentic parallel to the genuine article. In contrast, Deckwood Buff, with its more subtle graining, serves as a versatile choice that harmonises effortlessly with furniture of any style or material, be it wood, rattan, or plastic, showcasing its adaptability and appeal.

 

Deckwood Cinder, garden porcelain patio paving, bridges the gap between these lovely brown and silver shades. Its softer brown with organic veining of grey creates an optimal backdrop for your patio area

 

 

But if you want the best of both worlds, Deckwood Cinder really bridges the gap between these lovely brown and silver shades. Its softer brown with organic veining of grey creates an optimal backdrop for your outdoor areas and will settle into the space with ease. And thanks to those delicate notes of grey, this paving is great to pair with magical silver-foliaged plants, such as Senecio cineraria (Silver Ragwort) or Helichrysum Italicum (Curry plant).

 

magical silver-foliaged plants, Senecio cineraria (Silver Ragwort)

Helichrysum Italicum (Curry plant)

Pavestone’s Deckwood range will seamlessly bend with the space. Deckwood Cinder is particularly well-equipped for this, thanks to its versatile colouring of slate and cedar. And

Naturally neutral

The grain effect of the Deckwood can effortlessly offset the texture of smooth stone. So, whether it is a natural stone wall, a gravel feature bordering your paving, or even one of Pavestone’s Rock Wall Claddings, Pavestone’s Deckwood range will seamlessly bend with the space. Deckwood Cinder is particularly well-equipped for this, thanks to its versatile colouring of slate and cedar.

 

Encompass Deckwood wood effect porcelain paving in to water features as it will stay looking good a lot longer than real wood.

 

And if you already have stone featuring in your garden that has a wonderful variety of colours within its design, perhaps choose Deckwood Buff, Ash, or Coco and lean into one of those shades. Deckwood Buff would cool down any red brickwork and integrate it calmly into your space. Deckwood Ash can be used to pick out the pure neutrals of black, white, and grey from some of your more colourful stonework. And Deckwood Coco can warm the space if you have some cooler shades, and create an inviting and comfortable environment to entertain in.

 

You can even create depth in your garden by paving one space with Deckwood, and another with stone paving such as Pavestone’s Dolomite range.

Perfect partners

You can even create depth in your garden by paving one space with Deckwood, and another with stone paving such as Pavestone’s Dolomite range. Dolomite can effortlessly edge your Deckwood borders or help to move from one space to another in your garden. And with their broad colour range, there is a Dolomite paving to perfectly pair with your chosen Deckwood design.

 

Once you have chosen your Deckwood for your garden, there are several ways that you can choose to design your paved area. You could go with the classic, tried-and-true stretcher bond design, layering your paving as you would brick on a wall.
 

Make it your own

Once you have chosen your Deckwood for your garden, there are several ways that you can choose to design your paved area. You could go with the classic, tried-and-true stretcher bond design, layering your paving as you would brick on a wall. This style has frequently been used for natural timber throughout history, so would be a foolproof choice for your space.
 

Deckwood porcelain garden paving. All the beauty of wood without the slime and maintenance

 

If you would really like to lean into the wood design, you could go one step further, if your space allows, and do a quintessential herringbone pattern. This plaiting effect creates a visually interesting and timeless look, which has recently reemerged as a popular choice, both because of its historical usage and retro resurgences.

 

a beach-like design, perhaps create stepping-stones with your Deckwood Porcelain. Punctuating your gravel pathway or water feature with Deckwood porcelain is a triedand- true technique to create depth in your garden, and really helps to develop a coastal atmosphere.

 

Or for a beach-like design, perhaps create stepping-stones with your Deckwood Porcelain. Punctuating your gravel pathway or water feature with Deckwood porcelain is a tried and true technique to create depth in your garden, and really helps to develop a coastal atmosphere. To really complete this look, add some swaying Cortaderia selloana (Pampas grasses) for the illusion of those sea breezes, or Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) for its distinctive Mediterranean scent and delicate flowers in the summer.

 

swaying Cortaderia selloana (Pampas grasses) for the breezes

Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) for its distinctive Mediterranean scent and delicate flowers in the summer.

So, no matter what look you want in your garden, Pavestone’s Deckwood Porcelain range has the perfect paving for you. More durable and manageable than timber, this paving still maintains an authentic wood appearance which will feel at home in your garden.

 

Jon Layton, Group CEO of Pavestone, commented "The landscapers behind the beach style garden above (and the video below), are Wildroof Landscapes. As a preferred Pavestone installer, they understand the requirements of their customers and recognise that a quality product like our Deckwood Porcelain adds a high-quality finish that you deserve in your garden. As David writes, many clients want their hard landscaping to integrate seamlessly with the overall design. This stunning seaside garden was created by Liz Newport of Buzy Lizzie Garden Design and I feel this is a perfect illustration of how our products integrate into dream garden designs flawlessly".

 


There are many more stunning videos of beautifully landscaped gardens using Pavestone landscaping and building materials featured on the Pavestone website for you to explore here.

 

David Domoney, TV gardener, horticultural expert ,and Pavestone brand ambassador blogs monthly on the Pavestone website on all things landscaping related. We look forward to seeing you back again next month.

 

Pavestone Brand Ambassador David Domoney