It’s fair to say that even in the summer months, the UK plays host to some fairly unpredictable weather! Despite this, more and more people are transforming their garden into an ‘outdoor room’, using natural stone paving.

You can use this outdoor space for entertaining friends and neighbours, or just spending quality time together as a family.

Add to that the desire for low maintenance gardens, and it’s easy to see why patios are so popular.

Create an area of luxury in your garden

Are you thinking of creating a beautiful ‘outdoor room’ in your garden? If so, read on. In this article, we’ll show how you can add a touch of luxury to your garden with a patio made of natural stone paving or limestone slabs.

Natural stone paving for the garden – where can it be used?

If you’re planning an outdoor space for entertaining – or simply dining outside as a family – you’ll need a robust, level surface underfoot. A natural stone patio is an ideal choice, because natural stone blends seamlessly into its surroundings. It’s hard-wearing and easy to maintain too.

Natural stone paving slabs each have their own unique patterns and markings. This mean even large patios or terraces will have a much more natural appearance than if you use identical manmade pavers.

And why stop at just the patio area? You can keep the natural stone theme running all through your garden – using it on steps, pathways and even pool surrounds. Not only does it look great, but natural stone has handy non-slip properties. This makes it ideal in areas that get wet, on sloping surfaces or where a bit of extra grip is needed.

The beauty of limestone paving

Natural limestone paving slabs – sourced from the Lincolnshire limestone belt – are ideal for patios and terraces, great and small. Yes, we may be a bit biased, because they come from our very own quarries – but have a look at some of these examples of our recent limestone patio work, and we think you’ll agree!

Apart from its classic, natural appeal, another reason why limestone is so popular for garden patios and terraces is that even when cut smooth, the surface is still naturally non-slip. This means you get the best of both worlds – a smooth surface for your table and chairs, which won’t get slippery when wet.

Where else can natural stone feature in a garden?

Did you know that natural stone can be used for much more than just exterior stone flooring in a garden setting?

Maybe you should forget fencing, and use natural stone walling to create a solid, long-lasting boundary around your property. It looks so much smarter than fencing, lasts significantly longer and is better for security too! Or, you could create different zones for different uses by dividing up your outdoor space with rustic (or cutting-edge modern) low stone walls.

Bearing in mind that in the UK, summer evenings can be a bit chilly (even after a gloriously hot day), why not use natural English limestone in your garden to build a bespoke fire pit or chimenea?

Or you could bring out your inner chef with an outdoor kitchen – complete with natural stone worktops, barbecue and even a pizza oven! Finally, natural limestone makes a great surround for a feature raised pond or ornamental fountain.

Ask the experts

At Stamford Stone, we can help make all your garden stone dreams come true. Get in touch today for friendly, jargon-free advice. Request a sample or pop in for a tour of our showroom and a chat about all your garden plans – and we’ll happily throw in a few new ideas too!