Brick Walkways and Patios

Most photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.

All work on this page designed and installed by Green Art.

1

This well defined but nevertheless informal walkway is appropriate for the traditional style of the building and the rural surroundings.

This is also a good example for rhythm in landscaping: the stone post, light post and door are in a perspective relationship to each pother and positioned on the locations where the walkway swings left.

Walkways are one of the most basic and most important features of any home landscaping. It is crucial to find the right proportions and layout for the location. Choosing the right material is equally important in order to match the walkway with the architecture and surroundings.

 I found that traditional clay brick is one of the most universal and comfortable walkway materials. It works well in urban situations, with historic properties and certainly also in contemporary designs.

There is a wide range of styles to choose from, including hand-made looking water struck brick and very uniform and regular modern pavers.

Clay brick are not the same as concrete pavers, which I consider generally less suitable for residential landscapes, although they are used extensively.

2

Brick allows for many layouts. Here a formal landing is used to connect to the main entrance of a residence. The curve of the landing mirrors arcs in the windows and door.

3

The same walkway as shown on the left looses its formal layout as it crosses through the lawn. Here I placed large rock boulders in order to bring more excitement into the layout. The boulders also provide a reason to put some slight curves into the walkway, which makes it more interesting.

Brick walkways can be functional, cost efficient and still charming at the same time. Compare this to the use of blacktop or concrete! The granite edging (left) is not only an appealing design feature but will insure stability and a long life span of this walkway.

Cobblestone is another good edging material for brick walkways (as seen above) and heightens contrast and definition.

6

This brick is 'waterstruck' and looks like a historic brick.

7

Running bond is the most basic layout and suitable for a walkway with parallel edges. It is best to use a header course on both edges, which stabilizes the edges and looks interesting.

8

Herringbone patterns are used in wide areas such as patios. They are also used in areas that are irregular or round, since a 'running bond' would be impractical in these situations.

  9

In order to install brick along a curved edge, time consuming cutting of brick will be necessary. The image on the right shows a finished edge with the cutting line between the herringbone pattern and the header course.

Painting with

Flowers

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