Garden paths are important in a garden for many reasons. They have a practical function and should ‘do what it says on the tin’ by providing a path from A to B, from the garden gate to the front door or the back door to the garden shed. They are also important in emphasising the more attractive areas of the garden, of detracting attention away from the least attractive features and of ensuring there is a pleasant flow around the garden. They can also make gardens seem bigger.
Keeping to the Straight and Narrow
This beautiful path in a walled garden leads straight up to the archway in the stone wall. Made of two different materials, red brick and stone cobbles, they add interest as well as age and atmosphere. The fact the path is straight adds to the formality of the garden but the archway, as well as the “crossroads” with another path, add intrigue. Who else wants to know what is around the corner?
Making the Garden Seem Longer with a Curved Path
The stone flags in this path serve to guide one’s eye down to the relaxing little gazebo at the end of the garden, a perfect spot to sit with a coffee and the newspaper. They also protect shoes from wet grass and protect the grass from becoming muddy. I like how it isn’t a solid path as the greenness of the grass is emphasised.
The path could have been straight but the slight curve elongates the space, making the garden seem longer.
A Work of Art
This mosaic stone path is so beautiful, it really is a work of art. I like the mixture of plain large flags with the smaller ones in a decorative design as it makes the designs stand out. The flat flags will make for more comfortable walking too if wearing shoes with thin soles.
A Wooden Path
Wooden paths bring earthiness to a garden, seeming much warmer and more tactile. They add interest to a pebbled area too, providing the sense of a destination to be reached.
Cottage Garden Paths
Cottage gardens tend to have informal paths with planting creeping over the edges of the path. Even simple gravel with plants in pots will create a stunning cottage garden like this one.
A wildflower meadow becomes more accessible if a path is mown through it. It also means that everyone knows it’s a deliberate flower meadow rather than left to the elements.
A Sense of Space
Small gardens can seem much larger if a path curves through it, thereby making the path longer as it meanders around flowerbeds and planting.
The angles of this path as it winds around the planting means it is much longer than if it was a simple straight path from one end of the garden to the other. The garden seems much larger as a result.
Romantic Gardens
A simple path to a double seat in a garden definitely sets the perfect atmosphere for relaxation, for conversation and perhaps for romance.
The Yellow Brick Road
So much interest has been created in the centre of this garden by creating a spiral path, giving a maze-like effect. Combined with the use of yellow stone, it’s also reminiscent of the yellow brick road and provides the sense of a journey.
I hope this has given you some inspiration for your own garden. If you would like to hire a landscape gardener or a builder, you will receive up to four quotes from rated tradesmen if you provide the details on our website.
