Combine pavers and asphalt

Here's a question about combining asphalt and pavers.

My driveway extends into a backyard/courtyard that is fully covered in asphalt (about 20' x 30') I would like to add pavers around the perimeter, and possibly through the centre to add interest. The result I am envisioning is a grid pattern, with each "line" two or three pavers wide, with squares of asphalt in the middle of each square on the grid. Can this be inserted into existing asphalt by cutting out the grid pattern and inserting the paver pattern, or do I need to strip away existing asphalt and start again?

ANSWER

By the time you pay for the labor to cut away that asphalt in a precise pattern, you might as well start over again.

You might consider edging with the pavers and adding a paver circle in the center. The labor would be mush less and it would look very nice.

Here are some sketches showing some circle options, although they are for driveways, not asphalt courtyards.

Paver Driveway

If you like this idea, you can get very creative with the circle. It can be all one color and design or you can have a band of another color on the perimeter. The band can be two colors, it can match your courtyard border while the center is another color...and so on.

Imagine the contractor digging out the asphalt for you grid idea. He would have to cut each section and fit in the pavers where they belong in the pattern. Not only that, but I am not even sure how they would create the right kind of base and make sure that everything stays level with the asphalt. It sounds very difficult.

With the circle, they would just have to cut one large circle out and work in one space.