Paths should be efficient,\nsafe, secure, comfortable and attractive. They are one of the most basic\nbuilding blocks of the garden, in fact you could lay out the whole garden\naround the paths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Uses of paths<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 The primary purpose\nof paths is to link the various parts of the garden efficiently, safely and\neconomically. Good paths make the garden easier to move around and easier to\nwork in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 Paths play an\nimportant role in shaping the garden by dividing it into separate areas. At the\nsame time they create a network of access routes around the garden that help to\nunify otherwise unconnected areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 Paths are places\nwhere human movement gets etched into the landscape. They direct your movement\nby making you go in one direction or the other. They take you to where the path\nbuilder wants you to go (ideally to places worth seeing and by an interesting\nroute).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 A well designed path\nshould draw you out into the garden and encourage you to explore. It does this\nby concealing most of the route, so you keep moving to see where it goes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 Paths are important\nvisual elements as they differentiate the human dominated areas from the plant\ndominated ones. They lead your eyes around the garden and provide a background\nfor more important elements. They also help to maintain order if the garden\ngets overgrown<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 Paths provide useful\nedge habitat for plants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 Impervious paths (and\nroads) can be used to intercept and channel runoff water into swales or\ncatchment areas such as marshes and ponds. This may be an important feature in\narid areas, where all of the precious rain that falls on your land must be\nabsorbed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 Paths of sharp\ncinders (and perhaps sawdust) may act as a barrier to slow down the movement of\nsnails and slugs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 By clearly defining\nareas to be walked upon, paths help to reduce soil compaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 Stone, brick and\nconcrete can create a warmer microclimate by absorbing heat during the day and\nreleasing it at night. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Locating the\npaths<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Paths generally start or end at existing doors, gates or openings\nand run parallel to fences, planting beds and other linear components. They\ndon\u2019t need sun or rich soil, so don\u2019t waste good growing land on them if it can\nbe avoided (often it can\u2019t). Use shaded areas, the north side of walls and\nbuildings, the area next to fences or hedges (over the root zone). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The main paths are practical elements of course and must be\nefficient. They should be fairly direct and take the easiest and most logical\nroute between doors, gates and important destinations (the route you would\nfollow even if the path weren\u2019t there). These paths almost locate themselves\nbecause they run between important components (either existing or planned). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
People tend to choose the most practical route instinctively, so\npaths commonly become worn in the most logical places. The simplest way to decide\nwhere to put your paths is to walk around the garden and let your feet decide,\nOf course you may choose to modify their placement for other reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When deciding where to put the paths, you should also look at the\nbigger picture and think about traffic circulation around the whole garden (how\nthe paths link together and how you get to each area). The house, driveway,\nstreet, greenhouse, deck, patio and sitting areas are all part of the traffic\npattern. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t divide up the garden with paths too\nearly in the design, as this limits your thought and imagination. Just put\narrows on the plan to indicate circulation patterns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not all paths are designed for efficiency, some are purely for\npleasure. They lead you to other interesting parts of the garden, or to certain\nviewpoints (ideally you should be able to see something to walk to).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In small gardens there should be no more path than necessary\nbecause they take up space that might be used more productively. They also\nrequire materials and maintenance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beds go naturally alongside paths, so the location of a path will\noften determine the location of some growing beds. You might also place beds in\ncertain positions to create interest on a path. Beds placed alongside paths are\nvery visible and easily tended, so can be planted with plants that need\nfrequent attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Though all intensively cultivated areas should be accessible,\npaths don\u2019t have to reach every part of the garden. If there is an area of the\ngarden that is very inaccessible you could leave it wild.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Be aware that low-lying paths may act as swales. They collect and\nchannel water and may even turn into ponds in very wet weather. You will have\nto find ways to deal with this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most of the wilder areas don\u2019t need fixed paths, you just walk\nwhere you need to. If you walk in the same places often enough they it will\nbecome a beaten earth track. If you don\u2019t walk there frequently, there will be no trace\nyou were ever there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Path Shape<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Depending upon the effect you are aiming for, a path might be a\nstraight wide allee set amongst low beds, or it could be a narrow winding track\nthrough dense woodland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Straight paths have a formal effect that isn\u2019t very popular in\ncottage gardens (except sometimes for front garden paths). They enable you to\nsee a long way ahead, which is useful if you want to emphasize a view, but can\nmake spaces seem smaller (people tend to walk faster on straight paths). In\nFeng Shui they are frowned upon as too fast and direct. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Very winding paths aren\u2019t very satisfactory either and are\nirritating when you want to get from A to B quickly. If a path has arbitrary\ncurves people will often take the more logical shortcut. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gentle sweeping curved paths are generally considered preferable,\nas they are more relaxed, interesting and natural. Curved paths disappear out\nof sight and so urge you forward to see what is around the bend (this should be\nsomething of interest). A curve in a path shouldn\u2019t be arbitrary however; it\nshould have visual logic, such as when it follows the contour of a slope, or\ngoes around an obstacle such as a pond, a rocky outcrop or a group of trees or\nshrubs. Sometimes you may even put something there to obscure the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bends in paths should not be too abrupt, a 90\u00b0 corner should have\na turning radius of at least 5 feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You might shape your path so rainwater (or a hose) can wash it\nclean and then the water will flow to where it can soak in to the soil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Path size<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is determined by relative importance, so the main paths are\nwider than minor ones. Their size is also related to the size of the garden and\nhow much space you have to spare. In a large garden you can afford more space\nfor paths than you could in a small one where every square inch is precious. In\nfact a big garden needs wider, more imposing paths as they have to carry more\nvisual weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Generally it\u2019s best to err in making the paths too wide rather\nthan too narrow. Paths tend to get narrower with time as plants encroach from\nboth sides. A little-used narrow path may eventually almost disappear, so make\nthem wide initially (walking with wet foliage brushing your legs isn\u2019t\npleasant). Making paths wider doesn\u2019t necessarily means wasting growing space.\nPlants love the open edge habitat along paths and will soon sprawl out into the\nmargins of the path. Of course wide paths also require more paving material,\nwhich can be a problem if you are on a tight budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Primary paths: These link the most important areas of the garden (door to gate\nto vegetable garden) and are often relatively straight and direct. They should\nbe at least 36\u201d wide, which is enough for a garden cart. To emphasize its\nprimary importance the path to the front door might be wide enough for 2 people\nto walk side by side (4 \u00bd feet). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
These paths are made of the most attractive material you have, as\nthey make a bigger visual statement. \nThese tend to be hard and include stone, cobbles, brick, flagstone,\nconcrete. Loose materials like gravel aren\u2019t a good idea near the house because\nthey can get tracked inside and play havoc with wood floors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You might also add lights, containers, planting beds, pergolas and\nornamentation to further distinguish the primary paths and emphasize their\nimportance. I have never found it necessary to have a camber on a path, but\nthis may be needed on very wide paths or in slow draining soils.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Secondary paths: These paths take\nyou to the less important parts of the garden and tend to be curved or\nmeandering. They are also used to create a sense of discovery and to take you\non adventures. These paths branch off from the primary paths and are usually\nnarrower (24 – 36\u201d wide). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The materials for these paths tend to be softer and more informal\nthan the primary paths, though they may include a little of those for\ncontinuity. Commonly used materials include gravel, decomposed granite, wood\nchips, pine needles and stepping stones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Minor paths: These provide\naccess to the least used parts of the garden and may get smaller and smaller\nuntil eventually there aren\u2019t any defined paths at all. Put them in the places\nwhere you already walk anyway. They are rarely paved and usually consist <\/p>\n\n\n\n
of bare earth. All you are really doing is defining the route you\nwant people to take.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These paths only need to be wide enough for one person to walk on\n(as little as 12\u201d wide), <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Access to densely planted growing areas might simply consist of a\nfew stepping stones. Their purpose is to make you step in the same place every\ntime and so reduce compaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Permeability and paths<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As much as half of the average garden may be impervious to water,\nand when multiplied by the tens of millions this has significant ecological\neffects. Impervious paving prevents infiltration and increases storm runoff and\nso reduces the amount of water entering aquifers. Paved areas also absorb heat,\ncausing urban areas to get hotter (the heat island effect) and disrupt healthy\ngas exchange between the air and soil. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We should minimize the areas of impermeable paving in our gardens\nso rainfall can soak in to the ground close to where it lands. We should also\nfind a way to channel runoff from existing impervious surfaces (such as\nrooftops and driveways) to where it can percolate into the soil. Any water that\nleaves your property is wasted and in dry areas you just can\u2019t afford to lose\nit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The most obvious permeable paving materials are gravel and wood\nchips, however any material will work if it is composed of small enough units,\nso water can soak in to the ground between them. This includes brick, broken\nconcrete, and stone pavers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Making paths more interesting<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Paths can be made more interesting with a little imagination. You\nmight have different paving materials on different levels, or you might break\nup long paths with sections of different materials. If you are going to switch\nto an entirely different paving material, you should do so at a natural\ntransition point, such as an archway, gate or steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The width of the path doesn\u2019t have to be uniform from beginning to\nend. They often get wider at curves destinations and intersections (these wider\nareas can <\/p>\n\n\n\n
be used as temporary storage areas for materials such as mulch).\nThey may also get narrower as they get further away from the main garden, to\ngive a sense of <\/p>\n\n\n\n
depth and importance (obviously this is easier to do with loose\npaving materials than with hard paving). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Break up long stretches of path with stopping places, such as a\npergola, a fruit tree, a seat, an unusual plant, a sculpture or a pond. A\njunction of two paths could have an interesting tree or other object located\nnear it. A path that ends abruptly should have something of interest there,\nperhaps a half hidden ornament or a seat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Arches and arbors can be used\nto make a special path stand out (and give shade too). They also act as a\ntransition point, giving you a way to separate and define two areas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ornamentation<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The look of any path can be enhanced with a little ornamentation.\nYou can embed colored tiles, pebbles, broken crockery, glass, or anything else\nyou want to immortalize. A good place for this is at intersections, where the\npath widens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Slopes<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the angle of a slope increases walking becomes less comfortable\nand eventually impossible (steep paths are also prone to erosion). You then\nhave the option of making steps or angling the path up the slope (even\nswitchbacks). Both of these involve a considerable amount of extra work. See\nSteps for more on this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Paving materials<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Paths are an important unifying element and should be made from\nmaterials that are appropriate for your house and garden. Local materials are\nusually preferable as they help to give a regional feel, are often cheaper and\noften have less environmental costs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Frequently used paths around the house are usually paved with\nhard-wearing materials such as flagstone, cobbles, tile or brick. It\u2019s nice to\nbe able to go out of the house barefoot and walk around the immediate area in\ncomfort. You don\u2019t need hard paving everywhere however, and as you move away\nfrom the house the paving materials should become softer and more natural. The\npaths furthest from the house will be the softest and most natural (they are\noften simply compacted earth).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The color of the path material may be significant too. In sunny\nclimates light colored paths can cause unpleasant glare, while dark colors can\nget very hot (this can be beneficial in cold climates because snow and ice will\nthaw faster). The best colors are generally the earth tones, which is why most\ncommon commercial paving materials come in these shades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Number of materials<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Large expanses of the same paving tend to be boring, so its common\nto mix and match different materials. Two materials generally work best, one\ndominant and one complementary. The rule of thumb is don\u2019t use more than three.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The right material<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The ideal paving material is durable (or easily replaced), porous,\nattractive and provides a good surface to walk on (non-slip, stable and fairly\neven). Ideally it would also be inexpensive, but that\u2019s asking a lot. Depending\nupon your choice of paving, the paths can cost nothing or they can be the most\nexpensive part of the garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hard materials<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wood rounds: These can be free\nif you have suitable logs on site and a chainsaw. They are partly buried so\ntheir top surface is level with the ground. This must be done carefully and\nevenly if they are to look good and not be a tripping hazard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wood rounds should be made of a rot resistant wood such as Black\nLocust, Chestnut, Oak or Redwood (be aware that the\nsapwood is much less resistant and will rot before the heartwood). However you\ncan square up wooden rounds for a tighter fit (they then become wooden squares)\nand in doing so you trim off a lot of the sapwood. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wood: Sawn lumber is sometimes used as a\npath material, but is hard to justify unless the wood is salvaged and rot\nresistant. I have seen an interesting short path made from scrap redwood 2 x\n4\u2019s buried on edge. Even then it is not really durable enough for a permanent\npath, as any time it is in contact with the soil it will eventually rot. Wood\nis more suited to use as a boardwalk for maintaining a level on very uneven\nslopes, or over water or marshy areas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stone <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stone can be used for paths in a variety of ways, to give many\ndifferent effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pebbles: These can be used loose like gravel,\nbut they are not the easiest surface to walk on. Sometimes a thin layer is\nembedded into concrete to provide an ornamental surface. Pebble mosaics are a\nvernacular art form and can be quite spectacular. They are time consuming to\ncreate however.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cobbles: You might be able\nto get these larger pebbles from a streambed, or from the soil if very stony.\nWhen laid flattest side up they make an attractive path, though some skill is\nneeded to lay them. They are usually set in concrete, packed tightly to\nminimize the visible concrete (you can pack smaller pebbles between the larger\nones). You might also use larger cobbles at the edges of the path and smaller\nones in the middle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pavers: These were originally blocks of\ngranite or sandstone, but those are now so expensive that they are usually made\nof imitation stone (aka concrete). They are laid like bricks on a bed of sand\nor concrete. They look great but there is the drawback that you usually have to\nbuy them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stepping stones: These irregular pieces of fieldstone are spaced\none pace apart so you step on each in turn (hence stepping stones!) They work\nwell in dense plantings to stop you walking on the established beds and plants\nand compacting the soil. It is important that they are laid the right walking\ndistance apart; otherwise they won\u2019t be comfortable to walk one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Flagstone: These are the\nultimate natural paving material, very attractive, flat, smooth, durable and\nquite formal. They are particularly useful for sitting areas, as they provide a\nsmooth, hard level surface. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unfortunately flagstones are unrealistically expensive where I\nlive (and rarely available used). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Flagstones are so heavy they stay put under their own weight, so\nonly need to be laid on a bed of sand. This is useful if you may have to move\nthem at some time in the future. They can also be laid on five blobs of\nconcrete over a base of compacted soil. Don\u2019t buy flagstones that are less than\n2\u201d thick as they crack easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Large areas of flagstone sometimes have the occasional stone\nmissing and the space is filled with plants or different paving material. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Very smooth flagstone (such as marble) can get slippery when wet,\nicy or covered in algae.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In some places you can buy cast concrete flagstones. These work\nwell, but have the disadvantages of being concrete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fieldstone<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Irregularly shaped fieldstone is cheaper than flagstone, but more\ncomplicated to use (laying them is like doing a jigsaw puzzle). If you can\u2019t\nfind a piece that fits you can leave out the odd piece and put in low-growing\nherbs or other plants. Also leave wide gaps between the pieces so creeping\nplants can grow between them (scatter flower seed there). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brick: Salvaged brick is a great paving\nmaterial. It is flat, smooth, durable, porous, easily laid and has an\ninteresting texture and appearance. It can be laid in different patterns to\ncreate different effects. They are also small enough units that they can be\nused for curving pathways. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is often said that bricks for outdoor use should be special\nengineering bricks, as ordinary house bricks can eventually disintegrate if\nexposed to repeated frost. I don\u2019t see this as a big problem. If you set your\nbricks in sand, any that start to fall apart can easily be pulled out and\nreplaced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Set the bricks on a bed of sand or crushed stone and you will be\nable to reuse them at a later date (if you set them in concrete this becomes\nmuch harder). If they become uneven over time just take them up and add more sand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Concrete: Poured concrete is\none of the cheapest paving materials, though you have to use some imagination\nif you want it to look good. It is also very versatile and can be finished in a\nvariety of different ways. You can wash and brush the surface to expose the\naggregate, carve it to look like tiles or put small stones or pebbles on the\nsurface. It can be stamped, colored (with paint stain or acid stain), brushed,\nsprayed and otherwise disguised. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A large area of concrete (a patio or driveway) should have metal\nreinforcing, be 3-4\u201d thick and expansion joints every 8 feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An easy way to make a nice looking, but inexpensive path or patio,\nis to lay down a grid of bricks and fill the squares in between with concrete.\nYou can then disguise the concrete surface as you see fit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Concrete is also available pre-cast into a wide variety of paving\nmaterials, from imitation flagstone to imitation sets. Some of these look quite\ngood, others have too much of a commercial appearance for my taste. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tile: These can be used\nfor special areas near the house (a courtyard or patio. They give a very\nrefined almost interior feeling, but they usually need a solid base of poured\nconcrete. Some types of tile are totally weatherproof; but others may gradually\nbreak up when exposed to frost, so get something suitable for your climate.\nTile needs to be non-slip, otherwise it may get dangerous when wet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some inventive people have dug clay locally and fired their own\nclay tiles in a fire pit (if I had a hat it would be off to them). This is a\ngreat idea and worth further investigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Soft materials<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Soft paths feel quite\ndifferent from hard ones and give the garden a softer and more natural\nambience. They are also generally cooler as most don\u2019t heat up as much in\nsummer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Loose materials don\u2019t work very well on slopes. Lightweight\nmaterials such as shredded bark or wood chips can get washed downhill in very\nwet weather. Even heavier materials can slowly move downhill with gravity, if\nnot held in place. Most soft materials require edging (see below).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Loose materials can allow weeds to grow right through them, or\neven in them. The best way to deal with this is to lay down a layer of\ncardboard as a weed barrier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A cubic yard of a loose material such as gravel or mulch will\ncover 160 square feet to a depth of 2\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Earth:\nThe simplest path material is bare earth that has been compacted by frequent\nuse. It works great in dry climates (most of my paths are earth), but can present\nproblems in very wet areas, where it can get muddy and grow weeds (especially\nif not used frequently).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shredded bark and wood chips<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These materials work well for informal paths, but eventually break\ndown into organic matter, so periodically have to be renewed by adding a fresh\nlayer on top. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
These materials can also be used in more formal areas if you use\nedging to keep them in place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Straw: This is inexpensive and attractive,\nbut breaks down quickly (perhaps too quickly) and needs renewing annually. It\ncan also be slippery (especially on slippery slopes). In very dry weather it\ncan also become a fire hazard. It\u2019s best to avoid hay as it contains too many\nweed seeds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Grass turf: This is sometimes\nused for paths where the climate is amenable to grass growth. Just mow them\nwith a push mower and use the clippings as mulch on the beds at the sides. Of\ncourse they will also need edging occasionally as the grass tries to creep out\ninto the bed (which all means more work).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sawdust: If you can get this in quantity it can\nbe a pretty good path material. It is very low in nitrogen and so is said to\ndeter weed growth (it may also deter slugs). It eventually breaks down and adds\norganic matter to the soil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sand: This is sometimes used for paths, though\nit will need a weed barrier underneath it and edging to confine it. In Japanese\ngardens it is commonly raked into patterns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Decomposed granite: This fine gravel dust packs down to create a\nfairly firm surface. In many ways it is like packed earth, but cleaner and\nneater. Be careful about using it near the house, as it can get tracked inside\nand scratch wooden floors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Decomposed granite is usually applied in two\nseparate 1 \u00bd\u201d deep layers. The first\nlayer is put down and tamped firmly, then the process is repeated with the\nsecond layer. Portland cement powder is sometimes added to the mix to make it\neven firmer. An edging material is commonly usually used to keep everything in\nplace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gravel (round)\nand chippings (sharp): These easy to use paving materials drain well and lend\nthemselves to fluid random shapes. They are relatively cheap if you pick them\nup yourself, or even free if you have a suitable source nearby. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both of these materials make a noisy crunching sound when walked\non. Some people like this sound and the fact that it announces that someone is\nwalking on it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gravel doesn\u2019t work well near the house as it can get tracked\ninside (where it can scratch wooden floors). It can also be a problem on slopes\nas it tends to want to move downhill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gravel needs a firm base and some kind of edging to keep it in\nplace. A weed barrier of landscape fabric is often used to stop weeds growing\nup through (which they tend to do otherwise). Even then weeds will sometimes\ngrow in the gravel itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Carpet:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Old wool carpet has been cut into strips and laid down in paths.\nPut it upside down and its woven backing blends in quite well. Put it the right\nway up for that indoors outside effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Path construction<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Start building your paths by removing any good topsoil and\nthrowing it to either side to make a growing bed (or use it elsewhere). The\nmaterials used and the type of soil dictates how much of a foundation you need\nfor a path. You may only have to excavate 2\u201d for a decomposed granite path, but\nyou may have to go down 8\u201d or more for a brick and concrete path (if you want the\ntop of the path to be level with the ground). If it isn\u2019t possible to excavate\nyou could just raise the soil on either side of the path to create raised beds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Drainage is particularly important with impervious materials, as\nrain may stand on it, or run off in streams in heavy rain. A base of gravel (or\nsand over gravel) can be used to improve drainage in wet areas. A camber in the\nmiddle will also help. You should also avoid creating low spots where water may\naccumulate and sit. A downhill path could become a torrent in wet weather if\nyou don\u2019t design it carefully and give that water somewhere to go. Also never\nhave any impervious paving sloping towards your house (for obvious reasons). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before you put down any paving you may want to lay down a layer of\ncardboard or thick newspaper to suppress weeds. If you are laying down a hard\npermanent path you might also want to run a few lengths of 3\u201d pipe under it at\nstrategic places, in case you ever need to run a wire or irrigation pipe\nunderneath it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Edging materials<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These are used to define the edges of a path and give it a more structured and\nformal appearance. Their use may also be necessary to keep loose paving\nmaterials (mulch, gravel) in place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A variety of materials have been used for path edging, the main\ncriteria is that it be compatible with the paving. Common materials include\nbrick, wooden boards, stone or concrete pavers and recycled plastic \u2018wood\u2019\nbender board. No-cost options include sections of tree branches set vertically,\nrecycled bottles or pieces of broken tile (set on edge), twig hoops, poles and\nshort logs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You could also use no materials at all, Instead you just dig out\nthe path to 3\u201d below the surrounding soil and use the soil edging to keep the\nloose paving in place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Strips of galvanized sheet metal 12\u201d deep have been used to\ncontain creeping plants. Smaller pieces could be used as edging (though beware\nof sharp edges). Deeper pieces could be used as a gopher barrier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stepping-stones\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These are a good option if you need to access an area for\nharvesting, without compacting the soil, These need to be flat, secure and have\na rough texture so they don\u2019t get slippery when wet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bridges<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The simplest bridge is a fallen log or wide plank. If it is so\nlong it sags in the middle, put a support under it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you have the right site a bridge can be very ornamental, as\nwell as being an archetypal element, giving a psychological effect of\ntransition. Don\u2019t have a bridge purely as an ornamental feature, it only makes\nsense if there is a need for one to cross water or a ravine. A bridge to\nnowhere just looks silly (a long pond is no excuse either). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ramps <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can\u2019t run a wheelbarrow up or down steps, so may have to\nprovide some other way to get it around. The simplest option is to have an\nalternate route that avoids the steps, but this can be a pain if it goes too\nfar out of the way. You could also have a strategically placed ramp (maximum\nslope is 1:20 for ease of use), or you might just have a temporary plank to\nturn the steps into a ramp. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Steps<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Steeply sloping gardens require steps to make them easily\naccessible. These must be practical: wide, strong, easy to walk on and\nnon-slip. They should also be attractive and constructed of materials that\nmatch the house and paths. You can often use the same path material for the\ntreads and use bricks or landscape ties for the risers. Split logs (\u00bc of a\nwhole log) can be used for rustic steps with mulch paths (I have used split\npieces of Oak firewood).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
| \n Calculating\n steps \n \n The formula for outdoor steps is twice the riser height plus the\n tread should equal 26\u201d. The path treads should be 11 – 18\u201d deep and the\n risers should be 4 – 7\u201d. Your actual sizes will vary according to the slope,\n but a 6\u201d riser and 14\u201d tread is the norm. Whatever measurement you use they\n should be consistent in height and depth. Don\u2019t have too many steps in one flight.\n If this is happening put in a landing (at least 36\u201d long). This can also be\n used to change the run calculations).\n \n You can change the depth of your treads according to your\n design, but the height of the risers should be pretty close to this (because\n it is the dimension that most human legs find most comfortable, most of the\n time). \n \n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n Steps don\u2019t just enable you to get from one level to another, they\nare a transition space that gives you a place to pause before moving on to\nanother area of the garden. They are also a focal point and an opportunity to\nmake the garden more interesting. Steps can be curved rather than straight.\nWide steps help to unify the areas they connect, whereas narrow ones tend to\nseparate them. Deep steps can be used as informal seats and as shelves for\ncontainer plants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Any even remotely hazardous steps need a secure handrail to\nprevent people falling down them. This should be fairly smooth, so it\u2019s\ncomfortable to hold and doesn\u2019t give you splinters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Planting for\npaths and steps<\/p>\n\n\n\n Plants can be used to make paths more interesting and productive.\nYou might create a border of compact little edibles, such as Alpine Strawberry,\nAlyssum, Carrot, Basil Garlic Chives, Parsley, Lettuce, Thyme. You might use\naromatic plants as edging, and in crevices in pavement, where they will emit\nfragrance when walked upon. If the paving isn\u2019t particularly attractive, you\ncan soften it with Corsican Mint, Chamomile, Pennyroyal, Marjoram, Thyme, Viola\nor Bugle (Ajuga<\/em>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n For obvious reasons you shouldn\u2019t use spiny or very prickly plants\nalongside paths. You should also avoid very vigorous or tall plants near the\npath, as they will encroach and so require regular trimming. Low plants on\neither side of a path make it feel wider, while tall ones make it feel\nnarrower. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Frequently traveled paths can be planted with plants that require\nfrequent attention, as you will be passing them every day. You often see long\nplanting beds at either side of a path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t put messy fruit trees near paths, driveways or other paved\nareas. They can create a mess that needs cleaning up and may even be a slipping\nhazard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can recover the planting area lost to paths (as well as\nprovide shade and create screens) by the use of trellises or tunnels. These can\nby planted with fruiting vines, or climbing annual vegetables such as Cucurbits\nand Beans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Driveways<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cars have come to dominate so much of our lives that I prefer to\nkeep them out of the garden as much as possible. I don\u2019t want a driveway\nrunning all over my property, I want it as short and as close to the road as\npossible. This minimizes the amount of wasted land, paving materials,\nmaintenance and snow removal. This is particularly important in small gardens\nwhere space is at a premium. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Many town gardens have the garage behind the house by the back\nfence, with a driveway running the full depth of the property. This makes no\nsense at all, especially as relatively few people keep their cars in them\nanyway (in Santa Cruz they usually have to rent them out as living space to pay\nthe property tax). If you have one of these long paved driveways you may want to\nthink about reducing its length to that of a car or two (city planning laws may\ninsist on you having a number of off road parking spaces though).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Paved driveways have other uses as well as parking cars. They are\na good place to work on cars or other projects and make a safe play area for\nchildren. They can also be used to collect rainwater, if you make sure there is\nno oil, antifreeze or other chemicals on them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are building a new driveway and would like to reduce the\narea of impervious paving surface (and the cost), you could create paved wheel\ntracks. These consist of 2 parallel paved tracks for the car wheels to run on.\nThe area between the tracks can be filled with gravel, grass or whatever else\nwill grow there. I saw one very steep driveway with steps between the tracks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In cold climates it\u2019s nice if the driveway gets daytime sun, so ice\nor snow will melt quickly. You should also think about where the snow can go\nwhen clearing the driveway. Incidentally don\u2019t use salt to de-ice paths as it\nis harmful to plant growth. Use calcium chloride, wood ashes or sand instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Coping with rainwater\nrunoff<\/p>\n\n\n\n Runoff from rainstorms quite literally moves mountains and can\nremove a few tons of poorly designed driveway overnight. A porous driveway must\nbe designed to handle large amounts of water without washing away. I found that\na lot of the water coming down my driveway originated from above. If this is\nthe case try to divert it before it reaches the driveway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An impervious driveway should be designed so all of the runoff\nwater has somewhere to go, other than running off down storm drains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your driveway already exists, you should try and channel the\nrunoff water to where it can be used. In an arid climate you might actually\nvalue this impervious surface as a rainwater catchment area. If possible you might\nmodify the shape of your driveway to collect rainwater and channel it into a\nstorage pond, tank or retention basin. You could also plant fruit trees and\nother food plants along the driveway where they can use the runoff directly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In wet climates you might want a covered walkway from the house to\nthe car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Materials for driveways<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are building a new driveway it\u2019s best to use a permeable\nmaterial, unless you plan to harvest the runoff water. If your driveway is\nfairly level, gravel is one of the cheapest paving materials. This requires a\ngood solid base and edging (and maybe a sloping sub-grade to move water), The\ngravel is simply dropped in a series of\npiles and raked level (it couldn\u2019t be easier to lay). Decomposed granite can\nalso work well (use a 3\u201d layer for a driveway and compact it with a roller). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sloping driveways are more difficult, because they have to be able\nto deal with large amounts of water. If you have the money you could use porous\npaving blocks. These may be made from recycled plastic or concrete and are\nfilled with gravel or soil. These allow water to percolate through and (if you\nuse soil) plants to grow up between them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Parking spaces<\/p>\n\n\n\n Traditional gardens didn\u2019t have these, but like it or not they are now essential in most cases (and even legally required by city planners. I favor a distin<\/p>\n\n\n\n Paths should be efficient,\nsafe, secure, comfortable and attractive. They are one of the most basic\nbuilding blocks of the garden, in fact you could lay out the whole garden\naround the paths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Uses of paths<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00b7 The primary purpose\nof paths is to link the various parts of the garden efficiently, safely and\neconomically. Good paths make the garden easier to move around and easier to\nwork in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00b7 Paths play an\nimportant role in shaping the garden by dividing it into separate areas. At the\nsame time they create a network of access routes around the garden that help to\nunify otherwise unconnected areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00b7 Paths are places\nwhere human movement gets etched into the landscape. They direct your movement\nby making you go in one direction or the other. They take you to where the path\nbuilder wants you to go (ideally to places worth seeing and by an interesting\nroute).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00b7 A well designed path\nshould draw you out into the garden and encourage you to explore. It does this\nby concealing most of the route, so you keep moving to see where it goes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00b7 Paths are important\nvisual elements as they differentiate the human dominated areas from the plant\ndominated ones. They lead your eyes around the garden and provide a background\nfor more important elements. They also help to maintain order if the garden\ngets overgrown<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00b7 Paths provide useful\nedge habitat for plants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00b7 Impervious paths (and\nroads) can be used to intercept and channel runoff water into swales or\ncatchment areas such as marshes and ponds. This may be an important feature in\narid areas, where all of the precious rain that falls on your land must be\nabsorbed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00b7 Paths of sharp\ncinders (and perhaps sawdust) may act as a barrier to slow down the movement of\nsnails and slugs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00b7 By clearly defining\nareas to be walked upon, paths help to reduce soil compaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00b7 Stone, brick and\nconcrete can create a warmer microclimate by absorbing heat during the day and\nreleasing it at night. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Locating the\npaths<\/p>\n\n\n\n Paths generally start or end at existing doors, gates or openings\nand run parallel to fences, planting beds and other linear components. They\ndon\u2019t need sun or rich soil, so don\u2019t waste good growing land on them if it can\nbe avoided (often it can\u2019t). Use shaded areas, the north side of walls and\nbuildings, the area next to fences or hedges (over the root zone). <\/p>\n\n\n\n The main paths are practical elements of course and must be\nefficient. They should be fairly direct and take the easiest and most logical\nroute between doors, gates and important destinations (the route you would\nfollow even if the path weren\u2019t there). These paths almost locate themselves\nbecause they run between important components (either existing or planned). <\/p>\n\n\n\n People tend to choose the most practical route instinctively, so\npaths commonly become worn in the most logical places. The simplest way to decide\nwhere to put your paths is to walk around the garden and let your feet decide,\nOf course you may choose to modify their placement for other reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When deciding where to put the paths, you should also look at the\nbigger picture and think about traffic circulation around the whole garden (how\nthe paths link together and how you get to each area). The house, driveway,\nstreet, greenhouse, deck, patio and sitting areas are all part of the traffic\npattern. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t divide up the garden with paths too\nearly in the design, as this limits your thought and imagination. Just put\narrows on the plan to indicate circulation patterns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Not all paths are designed for efficiency, some are purely for\npleasure. They lead you to other interesting parts of the garden, or to certain\nviewpoints (ideally you should be able to see something to walk to).<\/p>\n\n\n\n In small gardens there should be no more path than necessary\nbecause they take up space that might be used more productively. They also\nrequire materials and maintenance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Beds go naturally alongside paths, so the location of a path will\noften determine the location of some growing beds. You might also place beds in\ncertain positions to create interest on a path. Beds placed alongside paths are\nvery visible and easily tended, so can be planted with plants that need\nfrequent attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Though all intensively cultivated areas should be accessible,\npaths don\u2019t have to reach every part of the garden. If there is an area of the\ngarden that is very inaccessible you could leave it wild.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Be aware that low-lying paths may act as swales. They collect and\nchannel water and may even turn into ponds in very wet weather. You will have\nto find ways to deal with this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most of the wilder areas don\u2019t need fixed paths, you just walk\nwhere you need to. If you walk in the same places often enough they it will\nbecome a beaten earth <\/p>\n\n\n\n track. If you don\u2019t walk there frequently, there will be no trace\nyou were ever there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Path Shape<\/p>\n\n\n\n Depending upon the effect you are aiming for, a path might be a\nstraight wide allee set amongst low beds, or it could be a narrow winding track\nthrough dense woodland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Straight paths have a formal effect that isn\u2019t very popular in\ncottage gardens (except sometimes for front garden paths). They enable you to\nsee a long way ahead, which is useful if you want to emphasize a view, but can\nmake spaces seem smaller (people tend to walk faster on straight paths). In\nFeng Shui they are frowned upon as too fast and direct. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Very winding paths aren\u2019t very satisfactory either and are\nirritating when you want to get from A to B quickly. If a path has arbitrary\ncurves people will often take the more logical shortcut. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Gentle sweeping curved paths are generally considered preferable,\nas they are more relaxed, interesting and natural. Curved paths disappear out\nof sight and so urge you forward to see what is around the bend (this should be\nsomething of interest). A curve in a path shouldn\u2019t be arbitrary however; it\nshould have visual logic, such as when it follows the contour of a slope, or\ngoes around an obstacle such as a pond, a rocky outcrop or a group of trees or\nshrubs. Sometimes you may even put something there to obscure the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bends in paths should not be too abrupt, a 90\u00b0 corner should have\na turning radius of at least 5 feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You might shape your path so rainwater (or a hose) can wash it\nclean and then the water will flow to where it can soak in to the soil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Path size<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is determined by relative importance, so the main paths are\nwider than minor ones. Their size is also related to the size of the garden and\nhow much space you have to spare. In a large garden you can afford more space\nfor paths than you could in a small one where every square inch is precious. In\nfact a big garden needs wider, more imposing paths as they have to carry more\nvisual weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Generally it\u2019s best to err in making the paths too wide rather\nthan too narrow. Paths tend to get narrower with time as plants encroach from\nboth sides. A little-used narrow path may eventually almost disappear, so make\nthem wide initially (walking with wet foliage brushing your legs isn\u2019t\npleasant). Making paths wider doesn\u2019t necessarily means wasting growing space.\nPlants love the open edge habitat along paths and will soon sprawl out into the\nmargins of the path. Of course wide paths also require more paving material,\nwhich can be a problem if you are on a tight budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Primary paths: These link the most important areas of the garden (door to gate\nto vegetable garden) and are often relatively straight and direct. They should\nbe at least 36\u201d wide, which is enough for a garden cart. To emphasize its\nprimary importance the path to the front door might be wide enough for 2 people\nto walk side by side (4 \u00bd feet). <\/p>\n\n\n\n These paths are made of the most attractive material you have, as\nthey make a bigger visual statement. \nThese tend to be hard and include stone, cobbles, brick, flagstone,\nconcrete. Loose materials like gravel aren\u2019t a good idea near the house because\nthey can get tracked inside and play havoc with wood floors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You might also add lights, containers, planting beds, pergolas and\nornamentation to further distinguish the primary paths and emphasize their\nimportance. I have never found it necessary to have a camber on a path, but\nthis may be needed on very wide paths or in slow draining soils.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Secondary paths: These paths take\nyou to the less important parts of the garden and tend to be curved or\nmeandering. They are also used to create a sense of discovery and to take you\non adventures. These paths branch off from the primary paths and are usually\nnarrower (24 – 36\u201d wide). <\/p>\n\n\n\n The materials for these paths tend to be softer and more informal\nthan the primary paths, though they may include a little of those for\ncontinuity. Commonly used materials include gravel, decomposed granite, wood\nchips, pine needles and stepping stones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Minor paths: These provide\naccess to the least used parts of the garden and may get smaller and smaller\nuntil eventually there aren\u2019t any defined paths at all. Put them in the places\nwhere you already walk anyway. They are rarely paved and usually consist <\/p>\n\n\n\n of bare earth. All you are really doing is defining the route you\nwant people to take.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These paths only need to be wide enough for one person to walk on\n(as little as 12\u201d wide), <\/p>\n\n\n\n Access to densely planted growing areas might simply consist of a\nfew stepping stones. Their purpose is to make you step in the same place every\ntime and so reduce compaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Permeability and paths<\/p>\n\n\n\n As much as half of the average garden may be impervious to water,\nand when multiplied by the tens of millions this has significant ecological\neffects. Impervious paving prevents infiltration and increases storm runoff and\nso reduces the amount of water entering aquifers. Paved areas also absorb heat,\ncausing urban areas to get hotter (the heat island effect) and disrupt healthy\ngas exchange between the air and soil. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We should minimize the areas of impermeable paving in our gardens\nso rainfall can soak in to the ground close to where it lands. We should also\nfind a way to channel runoff from existing impervious surfaces (such as\nrooftops and driveways) to where it can percolate into the soil. Any water that\nleaves your property is wasted and in dry areas you just can\u2019t afford to lose\nit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The most obvious permeable paving materials are gravel and wood\nchips, however any material will work if it is composed of small enough units,\nso water can soak in to the ground between them. This includes brick, broken\nconcrete, and stone pavers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Making paths more interesting<\/p>\n\n\n\n Paths can be made more interesting with a little imagination. You\nmight have different paving materials on different levels, or you might break\nup long paths with sections of different materials. If you are going to switch\nto an entirely different paving material, you should do so at a natural\ntransition point, such as an archway, gate or steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The width of the path doesn\u2019t have to be uniform from beginning to\nend. They often get wider at curves destinations and intersections (these wider\nareas can <\/p>\n\n\n\n be used as temporary storage areas for materials such as mulch).\nThey may also get narrower as they get further away from the main garden, to\ngive a sense of <\/p>\n\n\n\n depth and importance (obviously this is easier to do with loose\npaving materials than with hard paving). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Break up long stretches of path with stopping places, such as a\npergola, a fruit tree, a seat, an unusual plant, a sculpture or a pond. A\njunction of two paths could have an interesting tree or other object located\nnear it. A path that ends abruptly should have something of interest there,\nperhaps a half hidden ornament or a seat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Arches and arbors can be used\nto make a special path stand out (and give shade too). They also act as a\ntransition point, giving you a way to separate and define two areas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ornamentation<\/p>\n\n\n\n The look of any path can be enhanced with a little ornamentation.\nYou can embed colored tiles, pebbles, broken crockery, glass, or anything else\nyou want to immortalize. A good place for this is at intersections, where the\npath widens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Slopes<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the angle of a slope increases walking becomes less comfortable\nand eventually impossible (steep paths are also prone to erosion). You then\nhave the option of making steps or angling the path up the slope (even\nswitchbacks). Both of these involve a considerable amount of extra work. See\nSteps for more on this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Paving materials<\/p>\n\n\n\n Paths are an important unifying element and should be made from\nmaterials that are appropriate for your house and garden. Local materials are\nusually preferable as they help to give a regional feel, are often cheaper and\noften have less environmental costs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Frequently used paths around the house are usually paved with\nhard-wearing materials such as flagstone, cobbles, tile or brick. It\u2019s nice to\nbe able to go out of the house barefoot and walk around the immediate area in\ncomfort. You don\u2019t need hard paving everywhere however, and as you move away\nfrom the house the paving materials should become softer and more natural. The\npaths furthest from the house will be the softest and most natural (they are\noften simply compacted earth).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The color of the path material may be significant too. In sunny\nclimates light colored paths can cause unpleasant glare, while dark colors can\nget very hot (this can be beneficial in cold climates because snow and ice will\nthaw faster). The best colors are generally the earth tones, which is why most\ncommon commercial paving materials come in these shades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Number of materials<\/p>\n\n\n\n Large expanses of the same paving tend to be boring, so its common\nto mix and match different materials. Two materials generally work best, one\ndominant and one complementary. The rule of thumb is don\u2019t use more than three.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n The right material<\/p>\n\n\n\n The ideal paving material is durable (or easily replaced), porous,\nattractive and provides a good surface to walk on (non-slip, stable and fairly\neven). Ideally it would also be inexpensive, but that\u2019s asking a lot. Depending\nupon your choice of paving, the paths can cost nothing or they can be the most\nexpensive part of the garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hard materials<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wood rounds: These can be free\nif you have suitable logs on site and a chainsaw. They are partly buried so\ntheir top surface is level with the ground. This must be done carefully and\nevenly if they are to look good and not be a tripping hazard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Wood rounds should be made of a rot resistant wood such as Black\nLocust, Chestnut, Oak or Redwood (be aware that the\nsapwood is much less resistant and will rot before the heartwood). However you\ncan square up wooden rounds for a tighter fit (they then become wooden squares)\nand in doing so you trim off a lot of the sapwood. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Wood: Sawn lumber is sometimes used as a\npath material, but is hard to justify unless the wood is salvaged and rot\nresistant. I have seen an interesting short path made from scrap redwood 2 x\n4\u2019s buried on edge. Even then it is not really durable enough for a permanent\npath, as any time it is in contact with the soil it will eventually rot. Wood\nis more suited to use as a boardwalk for maintaining a level on very uneven\nslopes, or over water or marshy areas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Stone <\/p>\n\n\n\n Stone can be used for paths in a variety of ways, to give many\ndifferent effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pebbles: These can be used loose like gravel,\nbut they are not the easiest surface to walk on. Sometimes a thin layer is\nembedded into concrete to provide an ornamental surface. Pebble mosaics are a\nvernacular art form and can be quite spectacular. They are time consuming to\ncreate however.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cobbles: You might be able\nto get these larger pebbles from a streambed, or from the soil if very stony.\nWhen laid flattest side up they make an attractive path, though some skill is\nneeded to lay them. They are usually set in concrete, packed tightly to\nminimize the visible concrete (you can pack smaller pebbles between the larger\nones). You might also use larger cobbles at the edges of the path and smaller\nones in the middle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pavers: These were originally blocks of\ngranite or sandstone, but those are now so expensive that they are usually made\nof imitation stone (aka concrete). They are laid like bricks on a bed of sand\nor concrete. They look great but there is the drawback that you usually have to\nbuy them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Stepping stones: These irregular pieces of fieldstone are spaced\none pace apart so you step on each in turn (hence stepping stones!) They work\nwell in dense plantings to stop you walking on the established beds and plants\nand compacting the soil. It is important that they are laid the right walking\ndistance apart; otherwise they won\u2019t be comfortable to walk one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Flagstone: These are the\nultimate natural paving material, very attractive, flat, smooth, durable and\nquite formal. They are particularly useful for sitting areas, as they provide a\nsmooth, hard level surface. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Unfortunately flagstones are unrealistically expensive where I\nlive (and rarely available used). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Flagstones are so heavy they stay put under their own weight, so\nonly need to be laid on a bed of sand. This is useful if you may have to move\nthem at some time in the future. They can also be laid on five blobs of\nconcrete over a base of compacted soil. Don\u2019t buy flagstones that are less than\n2\u201d thick as they crack easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Large areas of flagstone sometimes have the occasional stone\nmissing and the space is filled with plants or different paving material. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Very smooth flagstone (such as marble) can get slippery when wet,\nicy or covered in algae.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In some places you can buy cast concrete flagstones. These work\nwell, but have the disadvantages of being concrete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fieldstone<\/p>\n\n\n\n Irregularly shaped fieldstone is cheaper than flagstone, but more\ncomplicated to use (laying them is like doing a jigsaw puzzle). If you can\u2019t\nfind a piece that fits you can leave out the odd piece and put in low-growing\nherbs or other plants. Also leave wide gaps between the pieces so creeping\nplants can grow between them (scatter flower seed there). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Brick: Salvaged brick is a great paving\nmaterial. It is flat, smooth, durable, porous, easily laid and has an\ninteresting texture and appearance. It can be laid in different patterns to\ncreate different effects. They are also small enough units that they can be\nused for curving pathways. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It is often said that bricks for outdoor use should be special\nengineering bricks, as ordinary house bricks can eventually disintegrate if\nexposed to repeated frost. I don\u2019t see this as a big problem. If you set your\nbricks in sand, any that start to fall apart can easily be pulled out and\nreplaced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Set the bricks on a bed of sand or crushed stone and you will be\nable to reuse them at a later date (if you set them in concrete this becomes\nmuch harder). If they become uneven over time just take them up and add more sand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Concrete: Poured concrete is\none of the cheapest paving materials, though you have to use some imagination\nif you want it to look good. It is also very versatile and can be finished in a\nvariety of different ways. You can wash and brush the surface to expose the\naggregate, carve it to look like tiles or put small stones or pebbles on the\nsurface. It can be stamped, colored (with paint stain or acid stain), brushed,\nsprayed and otherwise disguised. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A large area of concrete (a patio or driveway) should have metal\nreinforcing, be 3-4\u201d thick and expansion joints every 8 feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An easy way to make a nice looking, but inexpensive path or patio,\nis to lay down a grid of bricks and fill the squares in between with concrete.\nYou can then disguise the concrete surface as you see fit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Concrete is also available pre-cast into a wide variety of paving\nmaterials, from imitation flagstone to imitation sets. Some of these look quite\ngood, others have too much of a commercial appearance for my taste. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Tile: These can be used\nfor special areas near the house (a courtyard or patio. They give a very\nrefined almost interior feeling, but they usually need a solid base of poured\nconcrete. Some types of tile are totally weatherproof; but others may gradually\nbreak up when exposed to frost, so get something suitable for your climate.\nTile needs to be non-slip, otherwise it may get dangerous when wet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some inventive people have dug clay locally and fired their own\nclay tiles in a fire pit (if I had a hat it would be off to them). This is a\ngreat idea and worth further investigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Soft materials<\/p>\n\n\n\n Soft paths feel quite\ndifferent from hard ones and give the garden a softer and more natural\nambience. They are also generally cooler as most don\u2019t heat up as much in\nsummer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Loose materials don\u2019t work very well on slopes. Lightweight\nmaterials such as shredded bark or wood chips can get washed downhill in very\nwet weather. Even heavier materials can slowly move downhill with gravity, if\nnot held in place. Most soft materials require edging (see below).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Loose materials can allow weeds to grow right through them, or\neven in them. The best way to deal with this is to lay down a layer of\ncardboard as a weed barrier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A cubic yard of a loose material such as gravel or mulch will\ncover 160 square feet to a depth of 2\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Earth:\nThe simplest path material is bare earth that has been compacted by frequent\nuse. It works great in dry climates (most of my paths are earth), but can present\nproblems in very wet areas, where it can get muddy and grow weeds (especially\nif not used frequently).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shredded bark and wood chips<\/p>\n\n\n\n These materials work well for informal paths, but eventually break\ndown into organic matter, so periodically have to be renewed by adding a fresh\nlayer on top. <\/p>\n\n\n\n These materials can also be used in more formal areas if you use\nedging to keep them in place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Straw: This is inexpensive and attractive,\nbut breaks down quickly (perhaps too quickly) and needs renewing annually. It\ncan also be slippery (especially on slippery slopes). In very dry weather it\ncan also become a fire hazard. It\u2019s best to avoid hay as it contains too many\nweed seeds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Grass turf: This is sometimes\nused for paths where the climate is amenable to grass growth. Just mow them\nwith a push mower and use the clippings as mulch on the beds at the sides. Of\ncourse they will also need edging occasionally as the grass tries to creep out\ninto the bed (which all means more work).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sawdust: If you can get this in quantity it can\nbe a pretty good path material. It is very low in nitrogen and so is said to\ndeter weed growth (it may also deter slugs). It eventually breaks down and adds\norganic matter to the soil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sand: This is sometimes used for paths, though\nit will need a weed barrier underneath it and edging to confine it. In Japanese\ngardens it is commonly raked into patterns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Decomposed granite: This fine gravel dust packs down to create a\nfairly firm surface. In many ways it is like packed earth, but cleaner and\nneater. Be careful about using it near the house, as it can get tracked inside\nand scratch wooden floors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Decomposed granite is usually applied in two\nseparate 1 \u00bd\u201d deep layers. The first\nlayer is put down and tamped firmly, then the process is repeated with the\nsecond layer. Portland cement powder is sometimes added to the mix to make it\neven firmer. An edging material is commonly usually used to keep everything in\nplace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Gravel (round)\nand chippings (sharp): These easy to use paving materials drain well and lend\nthemselves to fluid random shapes. They are relatively cheap if you pick them\nup yourself, or even free if you have a suitable source nearby. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Both of these materials make a noisy crunching sound when walked\non. Some people like this sound and the fact that it announces that someone is\nwalking on it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Gravel doesn\u2019t work well near the house as it can get tracked\ninside (where it can scratch wooden floors). It can also be a problem on slopes\nas it tends to want to move downhill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gravel needs a firm base and some kind of edging to keep it in\nplace. A weed barrier of landscape fabric is often used to stop weeds growing\nup through (which they tend to do otherwise). Even then weeds will sometimes\ngrow in the gravel itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Carpet:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Old wool carpet has been cut into strips and laid down in paths.\nPut it upside down and its woven backing blends in quite well. Put it the right\nway up for that indoors outside effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Path construction<\/p>\n\n\n\n Start building your paths by removing any good topsoil and\nthrowing it to either side to make a growing bed (or use it elsewhere). The\nmaterials used and the type of soil dictates how much of a foundation you need\nfor a path. You may only have to excavate 2\u201d for a decomposed granite path, but\nyou may have to go down 8\u201d or more for a brick and concrete path (if you want the\ntop of the path to be level with the ground). If it isn\u2019t possible to excavate\nyou could just raise the soil on either side of the path to create raised beds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Drainage is particularly important with impervious materials, as\nrain may stand on it, or run off in streams in heavy rain. A base of gravel (or\nsand over gravel) can be used to improve drainage in wet areas. A camber in the\nmiddle will also help. You should also avoid creating low spots where water may\naccumulate and sit. A downhill path could become a torrent in wet weather if\nyou don\u2019t design it carefully and give that water somewhere to go. Also never\nhave any impervious paving sloping towards your house (for obvious reasons). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Before you put down any paving you may want to lay down a layer of\ncardboard or thick newspaper to suppress weeds. If you are laying down a hard\npermanent path you might also want to run a few lengths of 3\u201d pipe under it at\nstrategic places, in case you ever need to run a wire or irrigation pipe\nunderneath it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Edging materials<\/p>\n\n\n\n These are used to define the edges of a path and give it a more structured and\nformal appearance. Their use may also be necessary to keep loose paving\nmaterials (mulch, gravel) in place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A variety of materials have been used for path edging, the main\ncriteria is that it be compatible with the paving. Common materials include\nbrick, wooden boards, stone or concrete pavers and recycled plastic \u2018wood\u2019\nbender board. No-cost options include sections of tree branches set vertically,\nrecycled bottles or pieces of broken tile (set on edge), twig hoops, poles and\nshort logs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You could also use no materials at all, Instead you just dig out\nthe path to 3\u201d below the surrounding soil and use the soil edging to keep the\nloose paving in place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Strips of galvanized sheet metal 12\u201d deep have been used to\ncontain creeping plants. Smaller pieces could be used as edging (though beware\nof sharp edges). Deeper pieces could be used as a gopher barrier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stepping-stones\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n These are a good option if you need to access an area for\nharvesting, without compacting the soil, These need to be flat, secure and have\na rough texture so they don\u2019t get slippery when wet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Bridges<\/p>\n\n\n\n The simplest bridge is a fallen log or wide plank. If it is so\nlong it sags in the middle, put a support under it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have the right site a bridge can be very ornamental, as\nwell as being an archetypal element, giving a psychological effect of\ntransition. Don\u2019t have a bridge purely as an ornamental feature, it only makes\nsense if there is a need for one to cross water or a ravine. A bridge to\nnowhere just looks silly (a long pond is no excuse either). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ramps <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can\u2019t run a wheelbarrow up or down steps, so may have to\nprovide some other way to get it around. The simplest option is to have an\nalternate route that avoids the steps, but this can be a pain if it goes too\nfar out of the way. You could also have a strategically placed ramp (maximum\nslope is 1:20 for ease of use), or you might just have a temporary plank to\nturn the steps into a ramp. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Steps<\/p>\n\n\n\n Steeply sloping gardens require steps to make them easily\naccessible. These must be practical: wide, strong, easy to walk on and\nnon-slip. They should also be attractive and constructed of materials that\nmatch the house and paths. You can often use the same path material for the\ntreads and use bricks or landscape ties for the risers. Split logs (\u00bc of a\nwhole log) can be used for rustic steps with mulch paths (I have used split\npieces of Oak firewood).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Steps don\u2019t just enable you to get from one level to another, they\nare a transition space that gives you a place to pause before moving on to\nanother area of the garden. They are also a focal point and an opportunity to\nmake the garden more interesting. Steps can be curved rather than straight.\nWide steps help to unify the areas they connect, whereas narrow ones tend to\nseparate them. Deep steps can be used as informal seats and as shelves for\ncontainer plants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Any even remotely hazardous steps need a secure handrail to\nprevent people falling down them. This should be fairly smooth, so it\u2019s\ncomfortable to hold and doesn\u2019t give you splinters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Planting for\npaths and steps<\/p>\n\n\n\n Plants can be used to make paths more interesting and productive.\nYou might create a border of compact little edibles, such as Alpine Strawberry,\nAlyssum, Carrot, Basil Garlic Chives, Parsley, Lettuce, Thyme. You might use\naromatic plants as edging, and in crevices in pavement, where they will emit\nfragrance when walked upon. If the paving isn\u2019t particularly attractive, you\ncan soften it with Corsican Mint, Chamomile, Pennyroyal, Marjoram, Thyme, Viola\nor Bugle (Ajuga<\/em>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n For obvious reasons you shouldn\u2019t use spiny or very prickly plants\nalongside paths. You should also avoid very vigorous or tall plants near the\npath, as they will encroach and so require regular trimming. Low plants on\neither side of a path make it feel wider, while tall ones make it feel\nnarrower. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Frequently traveled paths can be planted with plants that require\nfrequent attention, as you will be passing them every day. You often see long\nplanting beds at either side of a path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t put messy fruit trees near paths, driveways or other paved\nareas. They can create a mess that needs cleaning up and may even be a slipping\nhazard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can recover the planting area lost to paths (as well as\nprovide shade and create screens) by the use of trellises or tunnels. These can\nby planted with fruiting vines, or climbing annual vegetables such as Cucurbits\nand Beans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Driveways<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cars have come to dominate so much of our lives that I prefer to\nkeep them out of the garden as much as possible. I don\u2019t want a driveway\nrunning all over my property, I want it as short and as close to the road as\npossible. This minimizes the amount of wasted land, paving materials,\nmaintenance and snow removal. This is particularly important in small gardens\nwhere space is at a premium. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Many town gardens have the garage behind the house by the back\nfence, with a driveway running the full depth of the property. This makes no\nsense at all, especially as relatively few people keep their cars in them\nanyway (in Santa Cruz they usually have to rent them out as living space to pay\nthe property tax). If you have one of these long paved driveways you may want to\nthink about reducing its length to that of a car or two (city planning laws may\ninsist on you having a number of off road parking spaces though).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Paved driveways have other uses as well as parking cars. They are\na good place to work on cars or other projects and make a safe play area for\nchildren. They can also be used to collect rainwater, if you make sure there is\nno oil, antifreeze or other chemicals on them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are building a new driveway and would like to reduce the\narea of impervious paving surface (and the cost), you could create paved wheel\ntracks. These consist of 2 parallel paved tracks for the car wheels to run on.\nThe area between the tracks can be filled with gravel, grass or whatever else\nwill grow there. I saw one very steep driveway with steps between the tracks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In cold climates it\u2019s nice if the driveway gets daytime sun, so ice\nor snow will melt quickly. You should also think about where the snow can go\nwhen clearing the driveway. Incidentally don\u2019t use salt to de-ice paths as it\nis harmful to plant growth. Use calcium chloride, wood ashes or sand instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Coping with rainwater\nrunoff<\/p>\n\n\n\n Runoff from rainstorms quite literally moves mountains and can\nremove a few tons of poorly designed driveway overnight. A porous driveway must\nbe designed to handle large amounts of water without washing away. I found that\na lot of the water coming down my driveway originated from above. If this is\nthe case try to divert it before it reaches the driveway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An impervious driveway should be designed so all of the runoff\nwater has somewhere to go, other than running off down storm drains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your driveway already exists, you should try and channel the\nrunoff water to where it can be used. In an arid climate you might actually\nvalue this impervious surface as a rainwater catchment area. If possible you might\nmodify the shape of your driveway to collect rainwater and channel it into a\nstorage pond, tank or retention basin. You could also plant fruit trees and\nother food plants along the driveway where they can use the runoff directly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In wet climates you might want a covered walkway from the house to\nthe car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Materials for driveways<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are building a new driveway it\u2019s best to use a permeable\nmaterial, unless you plan to harvest the runoff water. If your driveway is\nfairly level, gravel is one of the cheapest paving materials. This requires a\ngood solid base and edging (and maybe a sloping sub-grade to move water), The\ngravel is simply dropped in a series of\npiles and raked level (it couldn\u2019t be easier to lay). Decomposed granite can\nalso work well (use a 3\u201d layer for a driveway and compact it with a roller). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sloping driveways are more difficult, because they have to be able\nto deal with large amounts of water. If you have the money you could use porous\npaving blocks. These may be made from recycled plastic or concrete and are\nfilled with gravel or soil. These allow water to percolate through and (if you\nuse soil) plants to grow up between them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Parking spaces<\/p>\n\n\n\n Traditional gardens didn\u2019t have these, but like it or not they are\nnow essential in most cases (and even legally required by city planners. I\nfavor a distinct separation between garden and car, with the car on the outside\n(perhaps an opaque fence or screen and gate). You might have a small parking area\nnear the house for residents and a larger one further away for visitors. You\ncould also park your car on the driveway out close to the street. Maybe create\na turnaround at the edge of the road and fence it off. A simple patch of\npebbles can give you a cheap and semi-permanent parking space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A space 9 x 18 is considered the minimum size for a parking space.\nIf space is at a premium you could build a carport or arbor and grow a living\nroof or vines. This not only disguises it, but also recovers the growing space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course you might totally disagree with me about cars and want\nto make yours the main focal point of your garden. You might even want to be\nable to drive your car up onto the patio, so you can sit and enjoy your garden\nin comfort. You could create the ultimate American garden, a drive-through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ct separation between garden and car, with the car on the outside (perhaps an opaque fence or screen and gate). You might have a small parking area near the house for residents and a larger one further away for visitors. You could also park your car on the driveway out close to the street. Maybe create a turnaround at the edge of the road and fence it off. A simple patch of pebbles can give you a cheap and semi-permanent parking space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A space 9 x 18 is considered the minimum size for a parking space.\nIf space is at a premium you could build a carport or arbor and grow a living\nroof or vines. This not only disguises it, but also recovers the growing space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course you might totally disagree with me about cars and want\nto make yours the main focal point of your garden. You might even want to be\nable to drive your car up onto the patio, so you can sit and enjoy your garden\nin comfort. You could create the ultimate American garden, a drive-through.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" |