A CONCRETE ROLE IN LANDSCAPING
Barbecue lit and embers
Keen to promote the merits of concrete within garden landscaping, Tarmac Cement’s Packed Products Director Garry Gregory discusses how this versatile product can help to create a modern, versatile space.
Garry explained: “As the trend for extending the living space to the outdoors continues, homeowners are exploring more innovative ways to transform their garden. For landscapers, concrete can offer the ideal solution, providing customers with a wide range of durable, affordable options regardless of budget or style.
“The last 18 months has seen a huge shift in outdoor living and the garden, with more of us using the garden than ever before. “Naturally, customer expectations are changing. So, what design ideas can landscapers consider that add both value and that ‘wow’ factor across projects?
“Innovations in moulding and setting techniques have boosted the versatility of concrete. With the rise in biophilia across both home and garden design, concrete blends well with surrounding nature and can be applied in a variety of finishes to suit the project in hand.
“It is also relatively inexpensive and can endure extreme weather without cracking and scratching – lower maintenance solution compared to timber, for instance.
“Concrete worktops or coffee tables, for instance, can create some home comfort into the garden. Add some warmth into the concrete with the addition of other natural textures, like fabric or wood, to avoid it feeling too austere. Consider, too, using premium white cement, such as Blue Circle Snowcrete, to give a light appearance to the furniture, as well as adding inserts or inlays to personalise it.
“Whether its small stones, pieces of glass or other materials mixed throughout the concrete, these can all contribute to a stylish and liveable outdoor landscape. CONCRETE PRODUCTS, However, it’s critical to use a product with adequate workability and flexural strength such as TarmacBlue Circle High Strength concrete(40N) to prevent cracking, chipping and shrinkage.
“Barbeques have also become increasingly popular over the last 12 months, with the Garden Centre Association reporting a 59.73% increase in furniture and barbecue sales in August 2021 compared to the same period in 2020. With that in mind, the classic brick barbeque makes an attractive addition to any patio area, providing a readily available, year-round cooking facility without the added worry of rusting or breakage to metals,” added Garry.
