An invitation to your garden

Curiosity gets the best of us and we will follow the invitation until we know where it leads. Some paths evolve naturally, while others are carefully planned and crafted. A good path has beauty in part because it can lead us on a journey where we can forget ourselves, even if only for a moment.

You will need a path to get you there

If you don’t provide paths, they will make themselves. Although paths are an invitation to continue onward, they generally start as transportation routes. Every yard has transportation routes, which means every yard has a garden path in the making. Whether your goal is to keep your feet clean on a muddy day, to protect your newly-planted vegetation by confining traffic, or to funnel guests to your front door, paths are a functional necessity.

Paths carry you to a destination, whether on foot or by vehicle. Many people don’t think of the driveway and the walk to the front yard as paths because they serve a function, but think again. If driveways were treated with as much care as each stepping stone in our garden, the transition in and out of our homes would be more inviting and interesting. The same principles apply, whether it is a stepping stone path through a garden, the walkway to your house, or the driveway.

Invite people to relax and linger

The design of the path will dictate mood and even the pace people will walk. If the path is narrow and there are delicate flowers along the way they will walk slowly and linger, especially if there is a bench and a view at the end. If the path is wide and smooth, the pace quickens because travel is easy.

Consider these four guidelines when creating a pathway:

Establish your trail system

Connect your outdoor rooms by linking them with garden paths. Walkways can flow together like a river with smaller paths trailing off the main traffic area. A change in materials, or the width of a path, is a signal something is near or about to change just ahead.

Provide interest

Curved paths with interesting plants, views, furniture or garden ornamentation placed where you can’t miss them at each new turn keep your visitors interested. Guests will be more likely to follow the trail if you plant some tall vegetation that will fully or partially obscure the destination.

Be practical

The more traffic your path will have, the more functional it needs to be. Paths that have a purpose need level and smooth surfaces that can be maintained throughout the year. Make sure they are wide enough with a turning radius big enough for any traffic they will carry. Follow the same rules as you would for a small path, just scale it bigger for a higher traffic one.

Be creative

Let your paths take you in new directions. If the garden path is to be a contemplative sojourn, a narrow path for one person sets the mood. Use wood chips and stepping stones with floppy blooms for an informal look. Formal paths are wider, often more angular and better groomed. Bricks or pavers with closely trimmed shrubs work well with a more formal style. Feel free to mix it up; there are no hard and fast rules. 

By Barb Cross