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What is the best paving for a tropical themed garden?

4/5/2023

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Tropical garden paving
This article contains affiliate links


There are many factors which dictate what is the best paving for tropical gardens. The most optimal paving for your tropical garden may simply come down to your own, personal, taste.

However, if the tropical or 'jungle' theme is the primary driver there are some fundamental ideas to consider.

Firstly, jungles and tropical forests are generally environments which regenerate at a fast pace. Popular culture likes to portray jungles reclaiming lost civilisations and covering over old ruins.

This can actually been seen in real life in examples such as Ta Prohm in Cambodia. 
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Ta Prohm in Cambodia.
Ta Prohm in Cambodia.
Consequently, tropical gardens have a very rustic or even a 'deconstructed style' when it comes to paving. This typically translates into a broken style with smaller or misshapen paving units.

A good example of this would be a type of crazy paving with living joints. It is effective to see greenery creeping over or even reclaiming pathways and seating areas.

This can be achieved with creeping plants such as baby’s tears, or even moss. It is also common to associate rocks and boulders with jungle environments.

Therefore, natural stone always looks more effective than manufactured paving products.
This is even more effective if paving materials are the same colour and material as surrounding rocks and boulders.
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tropical garden stepping stones
However, in the end, the best paving for tropical gardens will depend upon your specific taste and style. Below I will include four paving materials and two other surfacing materials I think are best for tropical gardens. 

Sandstone


​Sandstone is one of the most common and popular paving materials. Not only is it affordable and versatile it comes in a wide range of colours and textures.

Rivern sandstone and sandstone sets in particular have a very rustic look perfect for tropical gardens. 
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Sandstone paving

Slate

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Slate is an extremely durable, natural, stone perfect for paving a variety of garden styles. In general, tropical gardens look better with darker coloured paving materials.

​The blacks, greys, greens and blues can contrast surrounding foliage and greenery very well. 
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Slate paving

Granite

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Granite has been used as a paving material for many thousands of years and for good reason. This durable material is extremely dense and hardwearing.

​It also has an attractive, visual texture with thousands of tiny crystals varying from white, grey, to black and even pink colours. Granite offers a rugged look with a non-slip texture. 
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Granite setts

Rustic block paving

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Rustic, cobble, effect, block pavers such as Slimsett, Tegula, and Trio can also be very effective in tropical gardens.

​These blocks naturally have a rustic look and perfect for creating organic shapes and curves. The smaller paving units provide plenty of opportunity to create broken up or deconstructed edges. 
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Rustic block paving

Other surfaces for tropical gardens

Self binding gravel


Self binding gravel is a surfacing material which consists of loose natural sands clays and rock particles.

This gravel is spread onto a compacted sub base and then compacted with a compaction plate. The result is a hard wearing surface, perfect for various garden styles.

​Self binding gravel comes in a few different colours including reds, yellows and greys. It is particularly good at creating narrow, meandering trails through densely planted jungle borders. 
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Self binding gravel

Bark mulch


​Jungles and tropical rainforests are well known for their deep leaf litter and fertile soils. Consequently, bark chippings can make a great surfacing material for tropical gardens.

Not only can bark be an effective mulch for jungle planting it is also useful for paths and seating areas. Such applications can really break down the barriers between pedestrian and planting areas.

​All you have to do is make sure you lay a weed suppressant membrane and a generous depth of bark mulch. 

​Why not visit our step by step article on how to create a low maintenance flower border with bark.
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Bark mulch
Thank you for reading our article on the best paving for tropical and jungle gardens.

If you require help planning or building a tropical garden do not hesitate to contact us.

We serve most of Buckinghamshire with typical project areas including;

Amersham, Aylesbury, Bovingdon, Chalfont, Chesham, Hyde Heath, Great Missenden, Princes Risborough, High Wycombe, Penn, Beaconsfield, Tring, Gerrard's Cross and Denham.
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    The Author 
    Paul Nicolaides 
    BA (Hons) Dip

    Paul Nicolaides has over 30 years of recreational gardening and 20 years of professional landscaping experience. He has worked for landscape contractors including design and build practices across London and the South East. In 2006 he qualified with a BA Hons degree and post graduate diploma in Landscape Architecture. In 2009 he founded Ecospaces an ecological landscaping practice which aims to improve social cohesion and reduce climate change through landscaping. In 2016 he founded Buckinghamshire Landscape Gardeners which designs and builds gardens across Buckinghamshire and the South East. This blog aims to provide easy problem solving information to its audience and encourage others to take up the joy of landscaping and gardening. 
Landscaping services across Buckinghamshire, Norfolk & East Anglia 

Hyde Heath, Amersham, Buckinghamshire

Rockland All Saints, Attleborough, Norfolk
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What Our Clients Are Saying

​Paul laid a very curvy brick mow strip all around our lawn and also added a circular patio and added some new grassed areas. He paid so much attention to each brick laid to make sure the end results was perfect. Despite the wet and muddy work everything was made good and looked amazing once finished. His enthusiasm and knowledge for the garden and plants was infectious. He even fixed a couple of broken paving slabs that he saw down our side alley without being asked It is refreshing to see someone take so much pride and care in their work and we would definitely book him again for any other garden project."
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