Garden paths aren’t only about functionality, they add to the style of the garden and highlight the design often being more decorative than practical features. Concrete, one of the most popular choices for garden landscaping rise to the top amongst other materials because of its advantages. However, since nothing is perfect, concrete also has its disadvantages. Let’s take a look at both to make a decision.
Concrete Path Advantages
The price to install a concrete driveway is more competitive than other materials like interlock pavers.
Considered one of the strongest material for landscaping, it can withstand more wear and tear then other choices. With high traffic areas like driveways and front entrances, concrete can absorb all the abuse without showing signs of its frequent use. If concrete is installed properly, it can last 20+ years. Concrete requires virtually low to no maintenance, which saves both time and money in the long run.
Concrete gives a polished, professional finish (whether plain concrete or exposed aggregate concrete) without the ongoing maintenance required. It’s the best way to add curb appeal and to impress visitors.
With the wide range of color palette to choose from along with endless pattern, shape and texture possibilities, you can customize your very own landscape to your hearts content.
If your concrete is finished in a light color, it will stay cool under the blaring sun during summer months – a definite plus for those who fancy walking around bare feet. And for the winter months, snow can easily be removed from concrete driveways.
A large scale concrete path is refreshed with groundcovers, with blooming shrubs and trees along it.
A minimalist and refined space with a gravel and concrete walkway, with all the whites refreshed with green vines and trees.
Create visual interest with a curved path, some tall log decor and grasses and bring more texture with pebbles.
A pretty blooming space with concrete, gravel, blooms and greenery is a delicate and lovely part of the garden.
A strict cocnrete path can be lined up with lush greenery and a bit of pebbles to add texture and interest to it.
A modern garden with a planked wooden fence, a concrete path and blooming groundcovers, shrubs and greenery.
A beautiful blooming walkway with greenery, blooms, topiaries and ferns along it create gorgeous fairy-tale like space.
A modern textural garden with lots of greenery, shrubs, blooms and concrete pavers for a more modern look and to juxtapose the messy textures.
A minimalist garden with a green lawn, gravel and concrete pavers, a wooden deck, some ornamental grasses for a textural touch and more interest.
A modern backyard with gravel and concrete, with shrubs, blooms, a living fence, some trees and some concrete furniture.
Enliven your hardscape of cocnrete adding lush groundcovers or just lush greenery and green shrubs along the path.
A modern outdoor space with a concrete path, greenery and shrubs around and dark mulch to make the pavers stand out.
A modern and cool veggie garden with raised flower beds with herbs and veggies, a concrete path with pebbles around.
Concrete Path Disadvantages
Unlike pavers where you can replace a single piece when a repair is required, concrete, on the other hand involves the removal and replacement of the whole concrete area.
Like asphalt, concrete may crack over time. However, if the concrete path is installed by an experienced contractor who ensures all steps are followed to code, this may be avoided.
Concrete is susceptible to staining due to its light color in nature. Oil and tire marks will require special cleaning agents to remove.
When installed by experienced concrete landscapers, concrete’s advantages outweigh its disadvantages and also has many benefits.
A stylish modern side yard showing off a concrete path with purple groundcovers, grasses and greenery and a living fence.
A concrete path seems to be dipping into green and blooming yellow groundcovers, which give it a cool fresh and natural look.
A simple concrete path done with lots of various groundcovers, from green to blooming ones, that cover each step and make the walkway gorgeous.
A side yard with gravel, concrete and greenery, tall metal planters with blooms and vines, is a bright and catchy space.
A modern outdoor space with neutral gravel, concrete and pebbles, grasses along the path is stylish and sophisticated.
A stylish path of white pebbles and grey concrete, with bright blooms along it is a cool addition to any modern garden.
A bright green space with a lawn, shrubs and blooms, bold foliage and a curved concrete path lined up with lamps.
Large scale geometric pavers add interest to the side yard and enliven the space, while greenery and trees along them make it fresh.
A modern landscape done with shrubs and grasses, a perfect lawn, concrete planters with greenery and just some concrete pavers on white gravel for a textural touch.
A desert landscape with a green lawn, succulents and agaves, some shrubs, a concrete and gravel path with lights on both sides.
A minimalist garden with a Zen feel, with trees and ornamental grasses, a concrete path, gravel and lamps along the path.
A modern walkway made of gravel and concrete and accented with lush greenery and grasses all around is amazing.
A bright space done with gravel and concrete and with incredibly bright blooms and greenery that enliven the hardscape a lot.
How To Style Concrete Paths?
Play with the size and shape of your pavers, they can be large, small and even come in various irregular shapes for an edgy look. Think of pairing your concrete with other materials like gravel, mulch, pebbles and rocks, they will add interest to the path and can sometimes secure the concrete pieces. Enliven your concrete walkways with various beautiful groundcovers, green and blooming ones or simply line the path up with bright blooms and shrubs.
This pretty shade garden features a large tree, lots of shrubs and grasses and concrete pavers and gravel just as part of the landscape.
A stylish contemporary side yard done with a living fence, a concrete walkway accented with blooming groundcovers and some greenery and vines.
A modern backyard with a concrete patio and path, a green lawn, ornamental grasses, some wooden furniture and a concrete fire bowl.
A stylish tropical backyard with gravel, concrete, succulents, some tropical plants and small but effective outdoor lamps.
Grey pebbles and long white concrete pavers are accented with lush greenery planted along.
A large scale concrete path with grey pebbles and a metal border, with bright blooms and greenery in the garden bed.
A vivacious outdoor space featuring a green lawn, a tree, large scale concrete pavers, lush blooms and groundcovers, some shrubs.
A stylish modern garden with succulents and agaves, grey pebbles and concrete pavers is a lovely space with elegant geometry.
Give texture to your path using not only concrete but also other materials, like grey pebbles here, grasses and sand around.
An elegant garden walkway of sand and concrete, lined up with a green lawn, shrubs and ornamental grasses.
Dark soil makes the light-colored concrete stand out, greenery and blooms add a lively feel to the space.
A minimalist space with white gravel and concrete, a wooden deck with loungers, a row of tree and some blooming shrubs.
A stylish modern side yard with white pebbles, concrete, elegant low hedges, raised garden beds with greenery and trees.