Urban Garden Landscaping Materials Inspiration

Rivar Sand and Gravel’s team enjoy seeing innovative and attractive landscaping designs and we were rather impressed by urban gardens which are highly fashionable and naturalistic. Landscaping materials offer many possibilities, from paving solutions to gravels to the use of timber or bark.

Rather than thinking of your exterior space as a plot of land that you traverse over to get to the car or a home to rubbish, children’s toys and barbeque equipment, why not form the view that your property’s exterior is another room.

Make the most of its potential by thinking in the same vein as leading urban garden designer Adolfo Harrison who, although his studio doesn’t have a signature look, is renowned for creating attractive urban gardens that his clients love to spend time in and to view from inside their homes. There is a flow from the front door to the garden.

In Harrison’s opinion, “There is a tension between man and nature, especially in cities, and a garden dramatises the designed landscape and makes it today’s most artistic medium.” So now you know.

He thinks of himself as a storyteller. He was inspired by the architect and artist Cesar Manrique to combine natural planting with serene landscape materials so that the space is sophisticated, inviting and glamourous. The colour palate is limited. More so, the smaller the garden is. This doesn’t necessarily mean that landscaping materials are limited, they can be used together to excite and maximise the appeal. It’s recommended that one bold plant is used instead of five smaller and less arresting ones.

Another key factor in urban gardens is the practicality. Maintenance time is minimal because the space is intended to be used as a room, not a workhouse.

As leading gravel suppliers and paving stockists we have an extensive range of landscaping materials to help you achieve your design.

Natural paving solutions:

• Sandstone
• Clay
• Granite
• Porcelain
• Slate
• Marble
• Travertine
• Limestone
• Yorkstone

Local gravels

• Moonstone Gravel
• South Cerney Gravel
• Toffee Gravel
• Cotswold Chippings

Travertine paving:

This is a luxurious natural paving option. Antiqued paving in the warm walnut product contains reds and plums and these are integral to its appeal. Travertine can be used in exterior and interior spaces which allows the flow of urban garden schemes to flourish.

Slate paving:

We have a marvellous slate product range designed and crafted by our in-house experts. Natural charm, maturity and elegance are at optimum levels. Again, use of this landscape material can be in the interior and exterior spaces.

We’re proud to be local gravel suppliers, here are a few of the exceptional products available:

• 20mm Toffee Gravel is comprised of richly toned Thames Valley Flint.
• Moonstone Gravel is available in 10mm and 20mm. The attractive mixture of black, white, brown and grey flint stones suits urban gardens. 10mm Moonstone Gravel contains less brown.
• South Cerney Gravel is semi rounded 10mm and 20-5mm and yellow-buff.

We’re here to help you so please ask as many questions as you want and together we’ll make your urban garden plans a reality.