Trends for garden paving and patio landscaping

The past few years have been filled with uncertainty. Many people then go in search of peace. This led them to take care of their garden. For your garden materials, you can turn to E.L.S. Garden. They have everything so that any garden contractor can smoothly tackle any garden. When laying the terrace and paving, more and more account is taken of the permeability of the product and of the substrate.

E.L.S. Garden is a specialized retailer and wholesaler of quality garden materials. They are the perfect partner for all your garden projects and have an extensive range. This ranges from paving, to garden fences, to decoration, natural stone and maintenance products. E.LS. Garden gives advice, thinks along with the customer and looks for the best solution for a project. 

In recent years, that project has mostly been a swimming pool. "People are traveling less and seeking relaxation at home. As a result, we notice a huge growth in demand for pool surrounds. We mainly recommend granite or bluestone here. The pool surround must meet certain characteristics. For example, the border must have anti-slip properties and the products in the water must not damage the stone. Moreover, it is important that the stone is easy to work and cut, so that it fits perfectly around the pool," says Els Meynen.

Flagstones and lava

Flagstones, like previous years, are still very much in demand. These are naturally broken stones with a whimsical shape and hugely popular in country gardens. But you also see them appearing more and more in the backyard of a sleek home. "Because of the playfulness of flagstones, this product is chosen a lot. Don't let this fool you. The different shapes and thicknesses of this product mean that installation is no easy task, which is why we recommend choosing a professional," Els says.

Furthermore, lava is still a popular rock. "It is an excellent alternative to tree bark as a ground cover. In addition, lava dust and lava pebbles have a stabilizing effect, making it a suitable foundation layer for other applications. This natural product has a porous structure that determines its moisture-regulating and draining effect. So water finds its way faster," Els says. "With changing weather conditions and the flooding we have experienced in recent years, I expect this product to gain even more popularity."

Water permeability

Unlike the Netherlands, where they place everything on sand or fine gravel, in Belgium everything is usually still laid on stabilization. "This is why we are creating more awareness around water permeability. This applies not only to the product, but also to the subsoil that is used. We regularly organize information evenings for contractors. The importance of grouting and the substrate used in permeable paving is one of the topics we discuss then," says Els.

E.L.S Garden developed its own gravel stabilization mat and gravel net, as an alternative to an anti-root cloth. "Such an anti-root cloth has a good effect for the first few years, but dust and dirt accumulate. This cloth clogs up and eventually achieves the opposite of its original function," says Els. "With our GravelLock gravel mat you solve this problem. It is placed on a base of stone rubble. Small organic material easily flushes through the gravel mat, thus maintaining the draining function longer. We attach great importance to this, thinking of the drought problems of recent years."