HOW TO DESIGN THE PERFECT GARDEN PATH
If you are looking to jazz up your outdoor areas, now is the perfect time to start designing. As we step into the cooler season, walkways and paths can be created to ensure that come spring your outdoor spaces look at their best, and not only offer a touch of elegance to your garden but practicality too.
Whether building a new path or updating an old one, paths and walkways take careful planning. Some of the things to consider include:
Layout
The first thing you need to do is establish what it is you want from your garden path. Are you wanting a path purely to create aesthetic pleasure or are you wanting to prevent people from stepping on the grass and garden beds?
Once you have established intent, you will need to lay it out. Use a hosepipe or long piece of rope to help you get a better idea of how it will look. Consider width and curves and anything else that may bring a decorative element to the space.
Stability
If your path expects to see heavy foot traffic, you will need to consider stability. Paving grids provide ground stabilisation and will help ensure your path remains secure and the gravel level.
Current landscape
A garden path should fit in well with its surroundings. Lines should be in keeping and materials should match the theme of the garden. A tropical garden, for example, would not sit well with a rustic cobblestone path and a modern slate would look out of place in a rustic country garden.
Formality
Consider the materials you will be using when determining the formality of your path. Cut flagstone offers a formal look, while recycled brick blends well with a natural, casual setting. Whichever material you decide on, consider the details. Perhaps your path would look great with an old-fashioned basket weave or concrete could be stamped with a decorative pattern?
Once you have considered all of the above, you can get down to the nitty gritty of the design. Here are five ideas to get you started:
1. Flagstone
Growing moss between dry-set flagstone is a natural combination ideal in shady areas. Once your path has been established for a few years, you will see that moss has begun to grow between each paver, giving a more natural, earthy feel to your path. If you want to speed up the process, you can transplant moss yourself by following a regular watering schedule. This can be achieved using pleurocarbs and soil substrate between the stones.
2. Freeform Bluestone
Freeform slabs of Bluestone create a rustic pathway that perfectly compliments a country garden. Scatter colourful perennials and ground cover along the edge.
3. Curved granite
Curves add a playful element to your garden and look great teamed with an expansive lawn. For added effect, try sprinkling mazas reptans along the edge, which will give a pretty detail with purple blossoms. Learn more about granite here.
4. A feature side path
Side areas that connect the front of the house to the pack can often be neglected, but when an intricate flagstone path is introduced, it suddenly becomes a work of art. Elongate the space further by lining the alley with Italian cypress trees.
5. Cobblestones
Try lining a cobblestone path with hedges to bring a touch of Tuscany to your home. Add a beautiful water feature at the end of the path to further draw you in.