Give a list of the various garden flooring materials available, both living and non-living.
There is a wide variety of garden flooring choices available for garden designers today. A grass lawn is by far the most common and is a cost-effective way to cover a large area, but it is not always considered the best when it comes to aesthetics or maintenance.
Depending on growing conditions, alternative living ground covers such as Cushion Moss (Leucobryum glaucum) can be adopted to achieve a low-maintenance lawn or a wildflower meadow planted to increase a garden's biodiversity.
Non-living materials such as stone pavers, gravel, sand, tiles, concrete and decking are popular choices when creating paths or defining seating or socialising areas. Wood chips, mulch, sand and artificial turf are also frequently utilised in flower beds and play areas.
Tell us three you like and where you would use them and why.
Three garden flooring materials that I like are brick pavers, wood mulch and Arenaria balearica.
Brick pavers can create well-defined pathways that guide visitors through the garden. They offer a structured and organised look while blending seamlessly with natural surroundings. The choice of brick colour and pattern can influence the overall atmosphere of the garden, from formal to rustic. Bricks can be used as edging to define garden beds and prevent soil erosion. They can be used to create clear boundaries between different types of plants or sections of the garden, giving a neat definition to the space. Single bricks can also be spaced apart to serve as stepping stones in gardens with grass or ground cover.
Wood mulch can enhance the overall look of a garden while also serving important functional purposes. One of the primary functions of wood mulch is to suppress the growth of weeds, great for woodland pathways and flower beds. Covering the soil with a layer of mulch creates a barrier that blocks sunlight from reaching weed seeds, preventing them from germinating and growing. In spaces frequented by children, wood mulch can be used to create soft and safe play surfaces and is often made from recycled materials, making it an environmentally friendly choice.
Arenaria balearica is a compact, low, mat-forming evergreen perennial with small, deep green leaves that can be used as a living pathway. This plant also bears pure white flowers in early summer, giving it added interest at a time of year when you would expect a path of this kind to be used most frequently.
What flooring materials would you use on a pathway to be used by young children (3-7 yrs) and why?
Safety, durability, and comfort should be top priorities when designing a pathway primarily created for young children. It should be forgiving, should a child take a fall, and avoid containing elements that could be easily picked up and swallowed by a toddler. Materials such as brick, stone or gravel would all, therefore, be ruled out.
I would propose a woodchip pathway interspersed with large, flat wood slice stepping stones to create a rustic and natural pathway. The wooden stepping stones would have rough edges sanded down and securely anchored to the ground to prevent any potential trip hazard. I believe a stepping-stone design will also add an element of fun to the pathway and encourage children along a journey through the garden.
On a separate site you have to deal with a shaded slope and your client requires a living floor or groundcover. What would you use and why?
When choosing a living floor or ground cover for a shaded slope, it is essential to select something shade-loving that can act as a low-maintenance weed suppressor, as access is likely to be restricted. Vinca minor is a perfect choice as it is a vigorous and resilient grower requiring little to no maintenance to thrive. The plant is relatively easy to control and is not considered invasive.
Vinca minor retains its lush green foliage throughout the year, providing consistent visual appeal even during the colder months. In spring, Vinca minor produces small, star-shaped flowers in shades of blue, lavender, or white.
If the slope were to be walked upon, Ajuga reptans would be a good alternative. In spring, plants bear short spires of tiny, blue, purple or white flowers.
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