Pavement perfection
You have a beautiful house, with a lovely garden and a nice paved driveway, but all your guests notice when they arrive, is the dull, ugly pavement that welcomes them to your home. First impressions are everything and therefore it is important that the area visitors see first, in other words your pavement, is just as beautiful and decorative as your home is.
Here are a few creative ways to add some savvy to your pavement:
Pretty pots
According to Liesel Oosthuizen from Creative Pots, it is better to use a big, solid pot that is too heavy for thieves to steal and in which you are able to plant interesting, eye catching things like palms. The advantage of a cement pot is that it can withstand the pressure of the soil that is put into it and doesn’t crack after a few months. Cement can also handle the winter temperature better than fibre glass pots. The trend in the winter is to buy big pots that can be used as decorating ornaments by putting bamboo into them. People also buy fountains in the winter as it gives life to the garden.
The interesting thing is that pots are available in different shapes, sizes, colours and styles and you will most surely find something to suit the style of your home. For those with more expensive tastes, Obbligato pots and water features are available in a wide range of materials and finishes - to add style to any pavement.
Palisade Protection
Protecting your home doesn’t mean that it has to look and feel like Fort Knox too. Palisade fencing is available in different designs, colours, lengths and shapes which mean that you can choose a design and colour that can actually enhance the theme of your home and is easy on the eye.
Stylish stones
If you are not someone who likes to spend hours in the garden, you could consider paving your sidewalk with interesting pavers, although you might have to get permission to do so from your local municipality. Paving don’t take a lot of maintenance and always look neat and clean. It can also be the perfect way to compliment your existing pavement or home and can provide a nice, steady parking space for visitors to park their cars. If you have walls surrounding your home it might be a good idea to use a neutral or matching stone to decorate your sidewalk.
Glamorous gates
A striking gate to welcome guests is always a good idea. Steel and wrought iron gates add elegance to any property while enhancing privacy and security. Gates can be made to fit in with the style and colour of your fencing or can be used to create contrast or to enhance the theme of your home. These types of gates can be motorized for your convenience and safety.
Garden creation
A mini-garden can make your sidewalk look friendly and inviting. Some of the best gardeners use layering to - where you combine layers of plants that grow at different heights – to make their gardens more interesting and appealing. This is ideal for a pavement scenario where you have limited space, but want to do something interesting with. Choose flowers that will take well to the area and that will last more than one season if you are not a keen gardener. Shrubs are easy to maintain and can look lovely if combined with a few colourful flowers like an Iris or any other bulb. Rocks and stone can also be incorporated into your sidewalk-garden and wild grasses can also be added to establish a natural look.
Try this: Make a path to your small gate with stepping stones and surround it with white pebbles, plant lollypop trees in the large square and put them along the path.
Other ideas
* Build your own decorative garden pots with stone against the wall. This will give your sidewalk a neat and organised appearance.
* Get one or two old wine barrels, place them by the entrance and fill with flowers or strawberry plants to create a country like effect.
* If you have a few steps on your pavement, a black wrought iron fence along the steps would enhance the garden and pavement.
* Solar lights along your pavement to light up your plants can be nice at night and also enhance the security around your home. Lights can also be placed on top of your palisades or at the gate’s entrance to increase visibility around your home.
* Concrete figurines like lions, elephants etc. can also be added at both sides of the entrance for dramatic effect.
Remember: If you want to make drastic changes to your pavement, it might be a good idea to clear your plans with your local municipality first.