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If you are truly starting from a blank slate, the first step is to decide what the main features will be in your garden and where you intend to place them. Once you've made these decisions you can start planning a path.

Agriculture, Rural Living March 01, 2025

Down the Garden Path

Creating a whimsical roadmap through your garden.

by Lorne McClinton

Pathways are often an afterthought when it comes time to plan your outdoor space. But a well thought out garden path can make a garden come alive. It can add beauty while providing structure of a logical roadmap to explore your garden. They can create an expressway to the garden shed or can turn a stroll through the garden into a journey of discovery. No matter which style of pathway you choose to build, it will allow you to connect all the different parts of your garden more effectively, increase your enjoyment of it, and it can possibly add value to your home.

Voyage of discovery. "I'm a gardener, so pathways have to serve a function besides being decorative," says David Hobson, a renowned gardener from Waterloo, Ontario. He likens the process of creating a garden path to a voyage of discovery. They will often evolve over time. His path's main function though is to lead him around his numerous flower beds.

When installing a permanent feature like a pathway, time spent planning is never wasted. If you are truly starting with a blank slate, the first step is to determine the main features you're going to have in your garden. Will there be a gazebo, a pond, or a garden shed? Where will you put them? Are you planning on installing a labyrinth, with narrow gravel paths for doing slow meditative walks? Once you've made these decisions you can start planning your garden path.

The first step will be to determine its purpose. Are you creating a whimsical pathway that turns a visit to the garden into a journey of discovery? If your goal is to build a contemplative relaxing space, a winding pathway made of pea gravel or stepping stones surrounded by flowers and foliage will practically beg you to stop and smell the roses.

On the other hand, if you have mobility problems, you might want a wide, firm pathway so it's easy to navigate with a wheelchair or a walker. If so, you'll need a flat, smooth, well-drained pathway that's at least three feet wide. It should be constructed with crushed rock, paving stones, or even concrete to make it easy to get around.

"I have a meandering pathway that offers a unique perspective at every turn," Hobson says. "I expanded a flowerbed out into the lawn area a little bit. It curves closer to the fence before leading you outwards again. Later I added more flower beds down the other side of the pathway and went from there. The lawn shrunk as the flowerbeds expanded and more features went in."

This has the added benefit of creating an illusion that the space is larger than it is. So even though Hobson describes his backyard as the typical postage stamp-sized backyard, it appears much larger.

Early in the design process determine whether you want the garden path to be the main feature of your yard or if it's going to blend in with the landscape or with the garden, Hobson advises. It helps you decide which style might work best.

"Clean, sharp edges will make the path more prominent," Hobson says. "Whereas if you have plants just spilling over onto it, it'll be less so."

Decide on what material you intend to build your pathway with early on. Wood chips, gravel or pebbles allow water to seep into the soil more readily than concrete or pavers do. However, the amount of maintenance that's required to keep them looking nice can be a factor, too. Paths made with flagstones or concrete are far easier to maintain than one made from wood chips. Hobson made his out of repurposed bricks he was able to get from a local factory that was being torn down.

Above. Building a path with clean sharp edges makes it a more prominent feature in your landscape. Alternatively you can have plants spill over the edges to soften its impact. Hobson says that his paths serve a function and aren't purely decorative. His meander through the garden in ways that reveal new aspects of it around every bend. There are many ways to construct a path, you're only limited by your imagination.

Building-block landscaping. "A lot of landscape designs use lots of hardscaping with pavers and little brick walls, which can be attractive although it isn't my kind of garden," Hobson says. "You can use preformed pieces and can just build practically anything with these preformed pieces that slot together."

There are endless opportunities to blend different materials, stones, and colors. But Hobson prefers his brick design.

"I've got a driveway which gets me into the house," Hobson says. "I don't need to create a whole bunch of other roadways in my garden."

Laying out a pathway is like laying out a flower bed. Hobson suggests using a garden hose that you can easily bend into whatever shape you choose. This can help you visualize and map out where your path is going to go. It could wind its way through the flowerbeds towards the gazebo for instance or it could provide easy access to the garden shed.

Safety is a factor, too. Keep surfaces smooth and well drained to avoid tripping or slipping hazards. Stepping stones should be flush to the ground so you don't hit them with the lawnmower.

"There's absolutely no end to what you can do with gardening," Hobson says. "Be creative! It's your space. You don't have to follow any rules. In the end your choices are only limited by your imagination." ‡