When you step into the historic streets of Charleston, you expect a certain aesthetic—timeless, elegant, and steeped in history. So, when the designers for the new American Gardens—a stunning 1-acre park nestled between King and Meeting Street—needed a hardscape solution, they knew off-the-shelf pavers wouldn’t cut it. They needed a product that looked like it had been there for centuries.
That’s where Lowcountry Paver came in.
In our latest “Behind the Build” video, we take you on a journey from our manufacturing plant in Hardeeville to the bustling heart of downtown Charleston to show you exactly how we helped bring this vision to life.
Crafting the Perfect “Old-World” Look
The design goal for American Gardens was to create a peaceful retreat that felt like a natural extension of historic Charleston. To achieve this, we manufactured a custom 6×6 King Street Cobble in our popular Stormcloud color.
However, a brand-new paver often has crisp, sharp edges—too modern for the desired aesthetic. To capture that authentic, worn-in feel, we put these pavers through a rigorous tumbling process. By physically tumbling the pavers in a large rock tumbler, we softened the edges to create a rounded, weathered appearance. The result? A product that offers the durability of modern manufacturing with the charm of a centuries-old cobblestone street.
A Logistical Masterpiece
Manufacturing the product was only half the battle. Delivering 14,000 square feet of pavers to one of the busiest sections of Charleston required meticulous planning.
As Harrison Fister, Hardscape Supervisor at Pleasant Places, noted in the video, logistics were a major challenge. With heavy traffic on King and Meeting Streets and limited space for staging, our team had to ensure every pallet was wrapped securely and delivered with precision. We are proud to partner with expert installers like Pleasant Places, who navigated the tight quarters and complex coordination of a commercial site to execute a flawless installation.
Form Meets Function: A Permeable Solution
Beyond aesthetics, the American Gardens project also required smart stormwater management. The King Street Cobble was installed as a permeable paver system. Installers swept #89 stone into the wider joints, allowing rainwater to drain naturally through the surface rather than pooling or creating runoff.
This installation also featured a creative use of our 4×8 Plantation Paver (turned on its end) as a soldier course border. This detail not only looks beautiful but acts as a functional edge restraint to hold the mulch and pavers in place.
Visit American Gardens
The next time you are in downtown Charleston, take a walk through the American Gardens. Notice the transition from the running bond patterns to the 45-degree angles that delineate the fountain courtyards. It is a subtle detail that makes a huge impact on how you experience the space.
We are incredibly grateful to have contributed to a public space that will be enjoyed by locals and visitors for generations to come.
Are you a landscape architect, designer, or developer looking for a custom hardscape solution?
Whether you need a specific color, a tumbled finish, or a permeable system, Lowcountry Paver is your local partner for high-quality manufacturing. Call us at 843-784-7104 to collaborate on your next project!
