Big news at this year's GLEE is the launch of a contemporary and innovative paving range for the garden created exclusively for Bradstone by TV gardening personality David Domoney.
David Domoney is the resident gardening presenter on ITV1's daytime lifestyle programme 'This Morning'. He has presented on a variety of other consumer TV programmes including GMTV, Better Homes, Solution Street, Plant Doctor and recently has joined ITV's 60 Minute Makeover show as their 'beat the clock' garden designer.

David, who to date has won a staggering 20 RHS medals for his show gardens, has worked closely with Bradstone over the last ten years. As a celebrated horticulturalist and plant specialist with first hand experience in commercial business and expertise in what does and doesn't work in garden and landscape design, he is the perfect person to design a range of paving for the company.

Bradstone marketing controller Paul Wagstaff says: "Teaming up with David for his own paving range is a real coup. David is very well known in consumer gardening circles with a strong following of viewers. He's a face merchants can refer to when marketing and selling the product, and at the same time, has come up with an imaginative collection for us."

David says: "I've been bubbling with new product ideas for years and am delighted to have this opportunity to work with Bradstone to make some of them a reality. This range is all about gardeners and landscapers getting 'great results with little effort'. We all want something that looks good and is easy to lay; that will also add a touch of chic to the entertainment area of the garden."

In addition to David's collection, Bradstone is extending its block paving offering for 2009. It is introducing four new products to the range to address issues surrounding the permeability of driveways and offer solutions to customers looking to hard landscape areas at the front of their properties.

Stonemaster is a revolutionary block paving with the look of sawn sandstone. Already used commercially, the product will be available in mixed packs in three shades, priced cheaper than natural stone.

Stonemaster comes with an applied coating which will ease the cleaning process. The sealant has self cleaning properties meaning that heavy rainfall will wash away most deposits resulting in less maintenance.

Bradstone is also applying the coating to Woburn Cobble range in all four shades for 2009. A 60mm variant of Infilta permeable block paving is also being introduced in both the Woburn Rumbled and Driveway ranges.

This hard wearing, permeable block is complemented by SUDS (sustainable drainage system). The interlocking units have a specially designed nib structure, which provides a void to allow surface water to drain through to the storage system below.

Natural Block Paving is being introduced to the top end of the collection.

Paul adds: "Initial feedback from our stockists has been excellent. The permeable block paving in particular offers builders and landscapers a solution if they're asked to create a driveway in line with current thinking around issues of surface water run-off."

Bradstone is also refreshing its range of natural stone products. A new shade of Limestone, Refinement, a sawn and sandblasted Sandstone in a York stone shade is being introduced, as well as a fun pattern which uses two shades of sandstone in an interlocking design called Optique.

John Dibble from BPS in Warwick, one of Bradstone's Premier Paving Centres, has seen the new products and feels this is a step in the right direction for the industry.

"For too long paving has been associated with square slabs of concrete. The range developed by David tips this completely on its head and offers the merchant, and ultimately the customer, something different. Using a gardening personality will, in turn, help to continue to raise the profile of the brand.

"The changes to the block paving collection are great news. The pre-applied protective coating will save the builder and landscaper time, which is always a bonus. In addition, by considering the potential legislation around front gardens and water run-off, Bradstone is staying ahead of the game and providing practical solutions."