PATHS OF WANDER

For the designer, pathways are as fundamental to a garden design as the plants themselves; for the day-to-day gardener, paths lead both the feet and the eye around the garden. From a purely practical point of view, they help to organise your garden space, enable the gardener to direct (more or less) movement around it and provide access to difficult areas.  They help to define planting boundaries and create the hard structure that holds the design together, particularly important in small gardens. Utilitarian routes to the recycling bins and wash line need to be navigable in all weather, year round, but those that encourage us to meander through our woodland and alongside the spring grassland display, give us a lot more scope for creative design. Keep in mind too, that gardens are a sensory experience so design a path that takes you past the wildlife shrubbery and brings you closer to the peeling bark of a Paper-thorn. And brushing past fragrant shrubs can be a favourite evening de-stressor!

Practical considerations:

The purpose of the pathway: the reason for the path informs both its length, the material used, and the design. If a route is used only to take a slow stroll in good weather, the materials used can be less hard wearing, like sawdust and bark mulch. Paths used frequently, and to push wheelbarrows, need to be wheel friendly. Paths used in all weather – to the garage and rubbish bin – must be safe underfoot, not covered in a slick pool of water, and built of durable materials.

• Length and width of the pathway: The longer and wider the path, the more expensive it can be to build which can influence your materials used. The width will be determined by its use. Wheelbarrows and tools need a space wide enough to prevent plant damage and injury to the gardener. For the meandering routes, you can choose whether to fit one or two people comfortably side-by-side.

• Position: there will be some that you purposefully place to force a direction of movement around the garden; with one or two you may have no choice so go with the flow, save yourself time and frustration and place them where people and pets have already carved a rough path.

• Habitat area: this will inform the type materials used. Soft sand, sawdust or straw covered surface suits a grassland meadow path better than a sleeper surface would. A woodland path lends itself to soft bark chip or even sawdust as they blend in with the cool shade, whereas a gravel strip looks natural winding through the succulent garden. Around the house, match materials to the house and patio.  

• Wheel friendly pathways: It is easier to push a plant- ladened barrow over crushed stone than over gravel, square pavers with wide gaps are impractical for this purpose, and even large pieces of bark chip tend to move around as the wheel moves over them. Here, small chips or shredded bark are better choices.

• Choose materials wisely for shade: pavers, slasto, etc. can get slippery when wet, and will need maintenance in the rainy season to keep clear of mould and moss. Falling leaves – in winter especially, can cover gravel quickly and require constant maintenance.

• Paths in high traffic areas must provide a safe and secure footing for walkers, particularly in inclement weather. Do you have a pack of excitable dogs? Provide enough space for dogs and humans.

• If the ground under a planned path has poor drainage, rather choose a material that will lift you above any pooling water. Bark chip and straw could turn into a soggy mess.

• Edging: Edging keeps materials like gravel, bark and sawdust in place and prevents bleeding into the flower beds or lawn.

• Bare foot pathways: if you have kids or you enjoy walking around your garden with bare feet, stay away from gravel! This material is especially unfriendly to unshod feet but if you love the look rather use crushed stone.