Marshalls have a good selection Sheila. Thats where we got our grey patio pavers from. They look fairly authentic but are man made. Mine do need a spray every year with Algon though....even on the south facing patio. If you used brick, it maybe wouldn’t matter so much if they had some moss...would just look more natural. Patios are a lot of work arent they?!

If you choose natural stone, they should be sealed afterwards anyway, like a sort of glaze applied over the top, usually two coats, although it doesn't leave a sheen behind. That keeps them cleaner, but power washing is usually necessary every other year if not annually if you want to get rid of any build up of dirt, moss, etc. If the patio is south facing in a not so damp region of the country, it may need cleaning less often.

Fissured or flaked stones (concrete or natural) are much harder to keep clean and will need cleaning more often, and I can't say I'm too impressed with sandstone paving - that seems to suck up the dirt, though I suppose its possible the one I dealt with should have been sealed/glazed and wasn't. I'd go for something smooth in natural stone, or granite stone, and something that needs mortar pointing, not sand filled joints bedded on sand (paviours and setts are usually laid on sand and have sand filled joints; keeping the weeds out of the joints is a real ongoing pain) something like that, if you don't mind spending the money, otherwise a smooth concrete lookalike that you like the colour of. Also bear in mind that a small area will look larger with smaller paving stones... but I generally prefer the mixed size packs, where you get 3 different sizes of the same stone, if the area's large enough, that gives an interesting look.

Both Bradstone and Marshalls will send you a brochure if you ring 'em up, along with a price list, list of local stockists and even recommended fitters, and both do a range of natural and concrete stone. They'll send out samples too, but its often easier to find somewhere that stocks whichever ones you're interested in and they'll let you have a sample, or allow you to buy just one slab to take home for sampling purposes. Builder's merchants usually have a wider range of products in stock than a lot of garden centres.

Wow - thank you both, that’s terrific advice. I have been looking at Bradstone’s website, and like the look of several of their products. We’ll visit a massive builders merchant not too far away which seems to stock a huge choice. Good idea, Bamboo, to ask for a sample or buy one slab.

Many thanks!

Hmm, sorry about that, looking again, I seem to have written a dissertation! Hopefully it was useful... I have relatively strong feelings about paving and its practicality from a care point of view ongoing...

The artificial stone slabs at builders merchants are concrete with a skin to make them look like the real thing. They don't seem to get dirty or slimey as much as real stone and, I have found, they kill slugs that try to cross them! One warning, if they get icy in winter don't use paving salt on them - it attacks the finish.

No apology necessary Bamboo - honestly, we are all so grateful that you have such in-depth knowledge!

Thank you for that, Bulba :)

We have concrete slabs and they get an awful lot of lichen on them but I try not to mind because after all its a sign of clean air...

I know that's the theory,Steragram, but I'm unconvinced - loads of lichen laden trees and paths round here, and where I live, right on the top of the A40, could hardly claim to have clean air...

It looks pretty on the trees in winter though doesn't it? The sort we get on the slabs are the flat kind (crustose?)which are almost impossible to scrub off

The great thing about Marshalls as well is they have an facility on their website where you can plan and price up your patio...you need to measure the space, and you get a laying plan for the different sizes of stones as Bamboo suggests...much nicer with the three sizes.