The Best Landscaping Materials for Your Garden Project

Designing and creating the best outdoor space requires thoughtful planning, a touch of creativity, and the right landscaping materials. And this doesn’t just mean one or the other; stone or turf. The best gardens incorporate the lush greenery of natural turf, the sleek finish of porcelain paving and decorative gravel to add texture, depth and personality to their outdoor spaces.

At George Davies, we offer landscapers and homeowners a one-stop shop for all their landscaping needs. But what are the different types of landscaping materials, and what are they best used for? We’re removing any uncertainty and highlighting the pros and cons with our guide to the ultimate landscaping materials out there.

What Are The Different Types of Landscaping Materials?

Turf: The Classic Green Lawn

Natural grass is one of the most popular and recognisable features of any garden, no matter the shape or size! It offers that classic British country feel, with a soft, green carpet for family homes or large communal spaces. It also offers several benefits that can last for many years if properly installed and cared for.

Pros:

• Natural landscaping and easy ground coverage
• Eco-friendly landscaping that improves air quality
• Encourages biodiversity, especially our Wild Flower Turf
• Cooler surface, particularly in the height of summer (ideal for pets)
• Long-lasting results
• Great for pets and kids
• Withstands high foot traffic
• Cost-effective landscaping option

Cons:

• Requires regular care and maintenance
• Prone to lawn diseases
• Susceptible to weeds and pests
• Vulnerable to extreme weather conditions
• Can be labour-intensive to install

Best For: Traditional gardens, large ground cover, sports fields, community spaces, and children’s playgrounds.

View our range of grass turf here, or head to our blog to learn all about the different types of turf rolls.

Millboard: Premium Decking Solutions

For those seeking a natural-looking deck without the challenges of genuine wood, look no further than Millboard. Mimicking the appearance and qualities of timber, Millboard offers a range of outstanding decking boards. Made from a polyurethane blend and Lastane coating, it provides a slip-free surface, even when wet, making it a safe and stylish choice for gardens.

Pros:

• Eco-friendly, authentic-looking composite decking
• Available in a range of colours and styles
• Slip, stain and scratch-resistant
• Weather and sun-fading resistant
• Easy to install with low-maintenance
• Incredibly stylish and professional finish
• Zero risk of splinters, rotting or warping

Cons:

• Higher initial cost, but it is worth the investment
• A sub-frame is required for strength and longevity

Best For: Patios, decks, steps, pool areas or around water features, low-maintenance gardens and city gardens, balconies, seating areas, and large communal areas.

Unsure whether composite decking is right for your project? Our blog, ‘What is Millboard,‘ can provide you with all the information you need.

Sleepers: Adding Natural, Rustic Charm

If you love the authentic look and feel of real wood, sleepers bring a rugged, natural look to your garden design. Made from treated timber, they help shape the landscape of your outdoor space. They are highly versatile, being used in various ways, such as steps, flower beds, borders, and seating. Although they promote natural brown shades, they can be painted to match your colour scheme.

Pros:

• Easy to work with and can be cut to size
• Adds a rustic, country charm to your outdoor space
• Can be stained to match your garden design
• Extremely versatile

Cons:

• Need to be treated to prevent rot
• Some sleepers may warp over time
• Can become slippery when wet
• Risk of splinters

Best For: Creating height and structure in a garden, steps, raised flowerbeds, flowerbed borders, edging pathways, and seating areas.

Porcelain Slabs: Modern, Stylish Paving

Porcelain paving has quickly become a popular choice for homeowners. Not only do they look fabulous in your outdoor space, but they also require minimal maintenance and offer all the qualities of natural stone. They are non-porous, too, meaning they won’t stain or develop a green-moss-covered surface.

Pros:

• Non-porous paving slabs
• Zero erosion from the top or bottom
• Highly durable and weather-resistant
• Multiple ranges and colours
• Looks like natural stone
• Maintains its colour for years
• Extremely contemporary and stylish appearance
• Slip-resistant surface

Cons:

• Requires correct installation to avoid cracking and loose slabs
• Higher costs compared to natural stone
• Can be a labour-intensive installation

Best For: Modern gardens, patios, seating areas, pathways, around pools or water features.

Read our blog on all the benefits of porcelain paving, and be inspired for your paving project.

Natural Stone: Timeless Elegance

When we talk about natural stone paving, we’re referring to Indian sandstone, limestone, slate or granite. These are classic materials valued for their timeless beauty and durability. Each range offers a unique grain pattern, colour, and quality to your outdoor space, meaning there’s a stone to perfectly complement any garden style.

Pros:

• Incredibly strong, durable and robust
• Withstands heavy weights
• A wide range of styles, patterns and colours
• Highly weather-resistant
• Extremely versatile
• Eco-friendly landscaping option

Cons:

• Can be slippery when wet
• Porous – so it can stain if not maintained correctly
• Need to be installed correctly
• Can be a labour-intensive installation

Best For: Classic patios, courtyards, pathways, seating areas, and bases for external structures.

Cobble Setts: A Touch of Whimsical Charm

Cobble Setts are typically made from hard-wearing granite to create a quaint, well-loved cobbled street or courtyard effect. Whether you use a lot or a few, they’re ideal for adding detail and character to areas of your outdoor space. Their amazing strength makes them a popular choice for driveways and pathways that experience consistent foot or vehicle traffic.

Pros:

• Highly durable and robust
• Withstands high foot and vehicle traffic
• Offers an old-world charm
• More creative with patterns and layout
• Low maintenance

Cons:

• More labour-intensive to install
• Creates an uneven surface

Best For: Driveways, walkways, paths, edging lawns or flowerbeds, or around water features.

Our stone experts have created a helpful step-by-step guide to laying cobbled setts. So, you can get the most out of your cobbled landscaping.

Gravel: Easy, Budget-Friendly Ground Cover

From large ground cover and compacted walkways to filling gaps between flowerbeds and creating edges, gravel is a wonderfully versatile material. Gravel can help section areas of your garden and provides fantastic drainage qualities. It’s also a cost-effective option, which is why it’s a common landscaping material in most gardens.

Pros:

• Cost-effective ground cover solution
• Easy to install, handle and maintain
• Affordable and widely accessible
• Great for drainage and weed suppression
• Adds colour and texture to your landscaping

Cons:

• Can easily move underfoot
• May need re-covering over time
• Weeds can still come through

Best For: Ground cover or gap filling, decorative ground cover or on flower beds, scattered around water features, or compacted as walkways.

Pebbles: Decorative Detailing

If you prefer a smooth, polished look for your garden, pebbles sourced from some of Britain’s best coastlines deliver just that. With their pastel pink, grey, and white shades, they provide a serene aesthetic, making them great for accentuating borders, water features, and flowerbeds.

Pros:

• Adds a beautiful aesthetic to your garden
• Calming effects
• Great for plant drainage
• Low maintenance and longevity
• Highly weather-resistant
• Natural, eco-friendly option
• Extremely versatile to match your garden theme
• Available in a range of colours and sizes

Cons:

• More expensive than gravel
• Hard to walk on without proper grouting
• Create an uneven surface
• Weeds can work their way through
• Larger pebbles will be heavier to move

Best For: Zen-inspired spaces, around water features, along flowerbed borders or lawn edges.

Along with gravel, we offer a wide range of decorative stones and aggregates to transform your gardens. Check out our blog on how to lay it right the first time.

Bark: The Softer Touch

Our Bark Mulch and Play Bark are ideal for creating different zones within your garden landscaping. Bark mulch can also be used across flowerbeds to help protect soil in the winter and retain water and nutrients during the summer. At the same time, play bark offers a soft surface that is perfect for children’s playgrounds.

Pros:

• Softer surface underfoot
• Helps retain soil moisture
• Suppresses weed growth
• Great for large ground cover
• Cost-effective solution
• Adds depth and colour to your garden design

Cons:

• Can easily move underfoot
• It needs to be replaced every few years
• Can attract insects
• Can blow away during strong winds

Best For: Using mulch around shrubs, flowerbeds, potted plants, and play bark for children’s play areas.

Read our Ultimate Guide to Bark Mulch to discover how, where and why you should be using it in your landscaping.

Artificial Turf: For Low-Maintenance Green Fingers

Fake grass has come a long way, with higher-quality ranges offering more realistic-looking artificial turf and softer textures. For homes requiring a low-maintenance garden, it’s a great solution. Despite the high price tag, it remains a popular choice for smaller gardens, offering significant advantages for family homes with a soft feel underfoot and vibrant green colours.

Pros:

• No mowing, fertilising, or watering needed!
• Highly weather-resistant
• Soft texture and keeps its colour all year
• Withstands high foot traffic
• Good drainage
• Pet and kid-friendly
• Great for shaded areas

Cons:

• Higher upfront costs
• Poor-quality turf can look fake
• Not eco-friendly
• Animal urine can damage it
• Can get hot in extreme heat
• Can smell if installed incorrectly

Best For: Small city gardens, kids’ play areas, decorative spaces, shaded areas, or where maintenance is tricky, such as rooftops.

Wondering if artificial turf is best for your outdoor space? Dive into our artificial turf blog to join the debate.

Choosing the Right Landscaping Material for Your Project

With so many amazing options, choosing suitable materials for your garden or landscaping project involves balancing style, budget, maintenance and function. For expert advice and recommendations on the best landscaping materials, get in touch with our friendly customer service team.

For landscapers and developers looking for bulk orders or multiple products, check out our Trades Account to see how we can assist you with your projects.