CD Designs Blog

    Garden design colour schemes that work with your driveway

    When novice gardeners start to plan their new year seeding schemes around the driveway, they often forget to consider the wider area around the flower beds and the impact of surrounding colours.

    Imprinted Concrete Driveway

    Plan your garden colours to compliment your pattern imprinted concrete driveway

    For example, if you already have a pattern imprinted concrete driveway, then you will have chosen a colour scheme and pattern which suits your home and tastes. This will be a factor to consider when choosing your garden plant schemes, so the colours complement each other and ‘hang together’.

    Another factor that’s easily overlooked is your car! If it sits on your driveway, then it’s a large block of colour to incorporate for consideration. Luckily, many cars come in ‘plant complementary’ shades. A silver or grey car is neutral enough to withstand most floral schemes. A bright red car will provide a colour flash amongst a riot of rainbow shades if you like a bold effect!

    If your pattern imprinted concrete driveway and car tend towards redder shades, consider introducing cooler blues, whites and lush green foliage to balance the overall effect. If, however, your car and driveway are largely neutral in tone, then you can afford to go wild with surrounding borders in a wide spectrum of shades. Think about the overall look you want to create – whether homely, chic, family-oriented, or urban minimalist, and plan the overall exterior space accordingly, giving consideration to additional elements such as water features, garden lights and art or sculpture installations.

    Above all, planning your garden design should be fun and not taken too onerously – after all, gardens are made to be renewed every year!

    Top 5 Patio Games

    One of the many reasons that families invest in pattern imprinted concrete driveways and patios, is to maximise their usable outdoor space and give the kids more room to play.

    Our top patio game - Giant Jenga!

    Our top patio game - Giant Jenga!

    Patio games are a great way to enjoy time together outdoors, so we’ve pulled together our list of top five favourites.

    1. Giant Jenga! Using large blocks, ‘children’ of all ages can have fun recreating this classic game on large scale. The game’s tower can be built up to 5 feet high and it’s ideal for parties or BBQs. Either buy an outdoor set, or craft your own!

    2. The archetypal bizarre British classic, outdoor Twister offers hours of twisting fun for up to 40 people! ‘Get Knotted’ is based on the original game and is 3m x 3m in size – ideal for a large party after a few rounds of punch!

    3. Perfect for smaller children, giant Snakes and Ladders is great fun for the family – including a giant inflatable dice that you toss in the air.

    4. A favourite with pub beer gardens, Big 4 Connect 4 is always a best seller, and also perfect for smaller spaces, thanks to its vertical build.

    5. Finally, an old classic re-mastered for the outdoors – chess is perfect for getting grandparents involved in family fames, and teaching kids this ancient game of strategy whilst enjoying the sunshine.

    Photo by Jam343

    Spring lawn care guide: Dealing with bare patches; Part 4

    If you’ve been reading our lawn care article series, you’ll have picked up some useful tips to perfect your outdoor space and show off your new pattern imprinted concrete driveway to its full potential. We’ve looked at lawn mowing and edging, grass fertilisation and the removal of weeds and moss. The final step in the four stage process is to sort out any bare patches in evidence on your lawn.

    Spring is the perfect time of year to get both lawn and garden into shape

    Spring Lawn Care Part 4 - Patch up the bareness in your lawn this Spring.

    After a long winter, many lawns show bare areas that spoil the overall look, and also leave the lawn susceptible to weeds and moss. However, there are ways to tackle the problem – such as with a specialist lawn patching product.

    These clever formulations mix up natural coir, grass seed and slow release grass feeds, for rapid growth in targeted areas and thick coverings of robust grass where patches used to exist.

    You can also spot treat bare areas with fresh grass seed, water it and tend as you would any new plant growth. Patience is a valuable asset in creating a beautiful lawn, and this works well for areas damaged by prolonged snow fall or ice.

    Alternatively, cut out the bare patch of lawn, rake the soil over well to aerate it, and then patch up with fresh turf. Some brands offer specialist lawn repair kits, with lawn seed and feed preparations included.

    Other products exist for patches caused by pets – dog urine, for example, is a key cause of lawn patches. However, you can also tackle this problem naturally, by soaking the offending area with water to flush away excess salts.

    Photo by Sean Hobson

    Spring lawn care guide: Treating weeds and moss; Part 3

    Many of our customers have commented on their new found interest in lawn and garden maintenance after installing their new pattern imprinted concrete driveways. It seems that suddenly weedy garden beds and mossy lawns just won’t do!

    Spring is the perfect time of year to get both lawn and garden into shape

    Spring Lawn Care Part 3 - It's not just the grass that needs cutting, you need to keep the weeds out too.

    Certainly if you’ve spent time picking the perfect pattern imprinted concrete driveway, you’ll find your external space becoming quite a feature. So it makes sense to finish the look with an eye-catching and well-tended lawn.

    Once you’ve established a good mowing routine and fertilised the lawn well, it’s time to tackle the rogue weeds and moss which often attack garden lawns.

    Even the most beautiful garden can be ruined by these uninvited garden guests, and you’ll need to tackle the intruders quickly for best results. For serious moss or weed invasions, look for specialist lawn weed killers which will come in liquid form and give powerful results.

    Once you’ve cleared your lawn from immediate attack, build in a regular protective treatment. There are specialist combined products which control weeds and moss, whilst feeding the lawn and building up its resistance to extreme weather conditions. These products can be used from April onwards and are well worth investing in. As with so much in life, when it comes to moss and weeds, prevention is better than cure!

    Photo by Sean Hobson

    Spring lawn care guide: feeding with a spring and summer lawn fertiliser; Part 2

    With the warmer months rapidly approaching, many of us are thinking ahead to BBQs and lazy afternoons spent sunbathing in the garden. May is a perfect month to get the groundwork in and ensure your garden is looking beautiful. If you’ve invested in a pattern imprinted concrete driveway, a neat and well-tended lawn will show off your garden to its full potential.

    Spring is the perfect time of year to get both lawn and garden into shape

    Spring Lawn Care Part 2 - After you’ve established a regular lawn mowing system, move onto grass feeding and fertilisation.

    After you’ve established a regular lawn mowing system, move onto grass feeding and fertilisation. Lawn fertiliser makes the grass grow thicker and greener, improving its strength, health and overall vigour, so that it’s better able to deal with attacks from moss, weeds and the stresses of harsh weather.

    A fertilised lawn will quickly identify itself, so get the best results by treating your lawn to specialist granular feed over spring and summer. Look for blends which supply regular and balanced amounts of nutrients over a 2-3 week period.

    There are many different lawn fertilisers on the market, each offering their own formulations and benefits. Head to your local garden centre and seek out advice from their experts if you are new to tending a lawn.

    It’s important to apply granular feeds evenly over the entire lawn and follow the application instructions carefully. Built-in spreaders are ideal for this and many lawn feed packs now offer these for ease. If you spend time feeding the lawn in this way, it will stay strong and healthy, and look its best all summer.

    Photo by Sean Hobson

    Complete Driveway Designs Ltd

    The Green Building, Newton Street, Walmersley, Bury, BL9 5HB
    E:info@northwest-driveways.co.uk
    T: 0161 761 0400

    PPC Management by Moo Marketing