Two landscaping industry experts have come together to publish a book that is dedicated to paving. 

Gareth Wilson and Alan Sargent have teamed up to write Paving in Homes & Gardens: An A-Z of Paving & Associated Works, aimed at landscapers, garden designers and specifiers. 

Instead of being a step-by-step guide, the new book brings together the duo’s collective experience in domestic landscaping, which they say totals more than 90 years. It covers everything from adhesives to zonal variations.  

Sargent, founder of The Association of Professional of Landscapers and later the Professional Garden Consultants Association, has written numerous books to date. He brought on board Wilson, who has run his own landscaping company and is on a British Standards committee, to add his technical input.  

As expert witnesses, the two deal with around 100 cases a year between them, most which involve failed paving. Their book aims to help prevent this by creating a better understanding. It is dedicated to the founder of CED Stone Group, Michael Heap. 

“This is a unique publication. We’ve used a lifetime of our skills and knowledge and put them in these pages,” says Sargent.  

“Hopefully, it will improve how garden designers and landscapers approach paving; we’ve broken it down as simply as possible so that people can understand it and, hopefully, they can read it and enjoy it,” adds Wilson. 

Following the publication of the A-Z, Sargent and Wilson are offering one-day workshop seminars, the first two dates of which have already sold out. There are still spaces available on 12 March at Brinsbury College in Pulborough, 25 March at Merrist Wood College in Guildford, 16 April at the CED showroom in Ellesmere Port and on 30 April at Tilers Tools in Warrington, with more dates to be announced. 

They will be turning the book into a new website under Paving Site Ltd, which will include more techniques and video content – all for free. It will be continually updated with any changes to regulations and new innovations. They are also considering a second book that would be more of an installation guide for paving. 

Paving in Homes & Gardens: An A-Z of Paving & Associated Works is available to purchase now for £45 including postage and packaging.