Borders come in many different styles and are made from many different materials. You can opt for simple borders of plants and foliage, or have low walls or containers provide more substantial division.
Borders can be used to separate outdoor spaces, create contrast, and highlight important focal points of your Hicksville, NY, landscape. Borders work around patios, entertainment areas, pools, plant beds and more, so if it is time to refresh your landscape and add a look that complements your existing architecture, you may want to consider incorporating one or more of these elements.
Softscape Borders
Plants and flowerbeds can function as attractive borders, especially for paved walkways or patios. During the summer you might want to incorporate natural borders of Helenium Butterpat, known for their beautiful sunny yellow flowers that bloom in August and September, around your patio or paths for bright focal points of color.
Lilyturf also makes a beautiful border for plant beds, walkways and patios. This plant stands out for its green and cream colored, grass-like foliage. Lilyturf makes an excellent edging plant because it grows to around 8-24” in height depending on the cultivar. The flowers are blue-violet and appear in September, long after most flowers have come and gone.
Container Plants
Container planters or small walled containers also make beautiful borders for patios. If your design is contemporary, containers can add to that style by keeping plantings confined and neat in accordance with a minimalist design.
Hardscape Walls
Low walls and retaining walls offer clear definition for your outdoor spaces and provide a sense of intimacy to patios. Enclosing your patio with low walls not only provides a visually effective border to the space, but also offers convenient additional seating. If using these walls as seating is your aim, remember to include a smooth, preferably rounded coping in the design. Retaining walls are also ideal for adding greenery to the border of your patio in the form of raised plant beds.
Pavers to Highlight Shapes and Patterns
Contemporary design often incorporates clear geometric shapes and patterns. To further enhance these shapes embedded in your patio layout, paver borders are ideal. When looking at materials for your borders to contemporary design, look to pavers that complement or contrast those used for the main body of your patio design. Paver borders can be both subtle and eye catching, drawing the eye to focal points such as fire pits or fireplaces, while maintaining flow and accessibility throughout your patio spaces. Remember, contrast can be achieved by selecting border pavers based on a color or texture that is different to that of your patio pavers, but a subtle border can be created by simply incorporating a different laying pattern, paver shape or size. Consider, for example, a stack bond border to contain a randomized patio laying pattern, or a single layer of small, square pavers to contrast large format patio pavers.
Talk to one of our landscaping professionals about what would work best for your new patio design.
