There are many design elements that are effective in the landscape, but few that match the impact of a well planned and carefully maintained garden path.
Pathways in the garden are at once utilitarian and decorative, but it is while serving the latter purpose that they can add a unifying element to the garden, evoke a sense of mystery and lead the eye gently into the garden.
A path must serve a purpose or appear to do so, and a pathway must have a destination such as the garage door, garden shed or vegetable plot. However, it can also can be a created destination such as a birdbath, bench or wishing well.
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A pathway can simply meander between or through flower borders, allowing one to wander about the garden and view the plants while having a suitable material underfoot.
Paths can be formal or informal: formal walkways are often created from hardscape material such as brick or concrete, while informal pathways are usually composed of natural materials such as grass, a ground cover plant such as common thyme, or shredded bark.
Part of what makes a pathway formal is its edge.
If the edging is crisp and clean, such as that of a brick pathway or a grass path if it is edged regularly, then the path appears more formal than a path with a more uneven edge such as one composed of common thyme or shredded bark.
A pathway is best appreciated if it can be viewed from end to end, although a sense of mystery can be injected by having the path disappear around a curve or through a vine-covered arbour.
Although more than one pathway can be included in the landscape, care must be taken not to have too many paths and they should be made of similar materials, excluding the high traffic utilitarian walkways that are best made of hardscape to facilitate foot traffic, provide handicap accessibility and allow for ease of snow removal.
There are places in the landscape where paths must be in straight lines, but as a general rule, if a path has a curving line, it will be more attractive.
The curves in the serpentine line must be gentle enough so that anyone walking down the path will be able to walk in a straight line.
Creating a pathway need not be a major undertaking. Simply setting round stepping stones into the turf in an attractive serpentine line leading to the birdbath makes a simple yet effective path.
Materials to create pathways
Natural materials:
•grass (sod creates an instant path)
•shredded bark (can be coloured)
•grass clippings
•flaxchives
•common thyme (only for low traffic paths)
Hardscape materials:
•interlocking brick
•reclaimed brick (rustic)
•concrete/asphalt ( can be coloured and/or textured
•stepping stones/flagstones
Natural &hardscape materials combined:
•Flagstones or stepping stones set into sod
•Concrete pavers separated by pieces of sod, creating a checkerboard look
•Crushed rock (it travels and is hard to walk on, so use only for low traffic paths)
•Pavers/stepping stones with ground covers between them
Albert Parsons has a diploma in horticulture from Guelph University. He operates a garden design/landscape consultation business from his home in Minnedosa, Man. He can be reached at
