Paving is usually more practical than pretty, enabling us to get from one place in the garden to another. But that doesn’t mean your pavers should be dull and boring – they can show off your artistic side too.
- Use more than one material to display different colours. You can use these to create a pattern of alternating colours and textures, adding interest to your garden. Mix up gravel and cobblestones, cut stone with brick, or mulch with timber. Make sure you stick to colours that compliment your garden and any existing outdoor structures or landscaping work.
- Use irregular shapes to make your patio or pathway stand out. You can leave circular flowerbeds in the middle, or you could even create a curved pattern around the edge.
- Add variety by using the same pavers, but laid in interesting ways. Play with patterns and shapes, laying and cutting stones in unexpected ways to create contrast.
- You can use loose flagstone pieces in very creative ways too – a great test of spatial geometry for the tiler, but very beautiful once laid. Flagstone pieces are also inexpensive to buy, as they are often offcuts and don’t require cutting, grinding, calibrating or time-consuming surface treatments.
Source: http://www.finegardening.com/design/articles/pave-way-creatively.aspx?id=75604