Pathways in the garden

Walkways or paths in the garden are primarily to facilitate movement from one point to another. Typically paths lead from the parking to the front door and from the backdoor to the kernel, cloth lines, vegetable garden and other facilities in the compound.

But walkways do much more than take you to your destination. They form important elements of art in the garden’s design, bringing about and defining the garden’s character. They also determine the fate of the user; his experiences as he passes through the garden’s spaces.

Here are a few guidelines to help you start on the right path towards a beautiful garden.

Shape

The shapes and configurations of garden paths are important for both their artistic as well as functional qualities. A path’s geometry can either be rectilinear or curvilinear. Rectilinear paths are formal and neat. Curvilinear paths on another hand tend to be informal and bring a more natural look and feel into the garden’s design.

The two configurations also act differently functionally. Rectilinear walkways are straightforward and efficient; facilitating rapid movement from one point to another. Comparatively, curvilinear paths give the garden a more relaxed feel, encouraging the users to stop, explore and wonder.

Widths

The width of a walkway should be adequate for its users to comfortably get by. In other words, the more people are likely to use a path, the wider it should be. Typically, the most used path in the home context would be the one leading from the parking or street to the main door. Such a path should be at least four feet wide. But even the least used garden paths should never be narrower than two feet.

Long paths should be broken into shorter stretches by widening them at selected points to form nodes and niches. These areas provide important focal points where users can pause and enjoy an interesting view or garden element. This helps to reduce monotony along such paths. Nodes and niches also make for excellent vantage points for your statues, fountains and other garden dÈcor.

Materials

How you treat and finish your paths will have a significant bearing on its style and formality. Hardscape materials such as concrete, cut stones, brick pavers and tiles are best in a formal setting preferably closer to the house or other outdoor living spaces.

Further on in the garden, less formal finishes such as stepping stones, gravel and wood chips almost always carry the day. They fit better in the natural setting and cost a lot less. They are also flexible hence they can easily take the shape of meandering naturalistic paths.

The choice of materials is also important for function. Certain materials are more likely to result in rough and uneven surfaces that are difficult for wheelchairs and even high-heeled shoes.

Such materials should be confined to the more private areas of the garden where not everyone will want to go.