Ideas for Pavers With Desert Landscapes

Choose Lighter Colors

• Desert landscapes are exposed to strong, direct sunlight most of the day all year long. Dark-colored pavers absorb the heat from sunlight and can become blisteringly hot, while light-colored pavers stay cooler to the touch. A patio or garden area paved with dark-colored pavers may become too hot to enjoy during the afternoon or evening. Also, light-colored pavers may blend in with the natural ground color in a desert environment better than deep gray or red pavers.

Experiment with Patterns

• Concrete pavers are available not only in different colors, but also with different surface textures and stamped patterns. Jagged, rough or lumpy pavers can add visual interest along the edge of a paved area or around garden beds but may not be the best choice for driveways or walkways. Concrete materials that have been colored and pressed to look like different types of stone give a paving project the strength of concrete with a more natural look. Square pavers stamped with patterns that mimic the look of many smaller tiles can create intricate designs without the trouble of laying out each piece individually.

Grow Ground Covers

• Some desert plants are tough enough to grow between pavers for a touch of green on the concrete. According to the Arizona Cooperative Extension, chamomile and thyme are well-suited to this purpose. Both are fragrant herbs that can be harvested for cooking and will withstand both the heat that pavers release and being walked over regularly. Paved driveways may not be the best location for growing plants because of chemical leaks and exhaust, but walkways and patios will support the practice.

Improve Groundwater Levels

• Sheets of continuous asphalt or concrete can collect rainwater on the surface until the water runs off in large streams. This can lead to flooding or damage to the desert landscape and may not allow water to refill the natural groundwater around the home, says the North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension. Permeable paving solutions, such as pavers installed over a bed of gravel, reduce these problems by letting rainwater flow through the cracks between each individual tile. Installing a bed of coarse gravel with finer pebbles over it creates a stable bed for pavers. If the home is located in a part of the desert that sees freezing temperatures at night, the gravel will prevent cracking and damage from frost heaving.