Walk This Way: What to Consider When Laying a Garden Path
A well-designed path makes a ramble in the garden a delightful adventure. Here's how to make the most of your design
Janet Dunn
19 May 2017
Houzz Australia Contributor. Former NZ House&Garden writer and stylist, and avid interior design enthusiast. Ex-restaurateur and caterer, with a Professional Certificate in Gastronomy, University of Adelaide.
Houzz Australia Contributor. Former NZ House&Garden writer and stylist, and avid... More
“If the path be beautiful, let us not ask where it leads,” suggested French author Anatole France. Sage advice for a simple life, but also for an often neglected outdoor feature – the garden path. A good path doesn’t just take us from one point to another; it gives coherence and purpose to a garden, while gently persuading us to explore further. Meander down these pretty trails for ideas to inspire your own happy green place.
Walk the green way
A garden fully seen at a glance is a garden not fully experienced. A path that entices the viewer to navigate peacefully along it is an essential element of landscape design. Think of it as the backbone of a garden, with rewards at the end and pleasant diversions on the journey. Whether your garden is a pocket handkerchief or a parkland, these tips will help smooth your way.
How to use landscaping tricks in your small garden
A garden fully seen at a glance is a garden not fully experienced. A path that entices the viewer to navigate peacefully along it is an essential element of landscape design. Think of it as the backbone of a garden, with rewards at the end and pleasant diversions on the journey. Whether your garden is a pocket handkerchief or a parkland, these tips will help smooth your way.
How to use landscaping tricks in your small garden
Step it out
Have a dress rehearsal by stepping out a possible pathway. Walk it a few times, studying existing plantings from all angles. Place empty pots where you could show off a sculpture or garden structure, or where you could put a feature plant, on curves or angles where they’ll be hidden and revealed as you travel along the path.
Tip: Plan how you’ll access water for future plantings and water features. You may need extra taps or to extend a watering system.
Have a dress rehearsal by stepping out a possible pathway. Walk it a few times, studying existing plantings from all angles. Place empty pots where you could show off a sculpture or garden structure, or where you could put a feature plant, on curves or angles where they’ll be hidden and revealed as you travel along the path.
Tip: Plan how you’ll access water for future plantings and water features. You may need extra taps or to extend a watering system.
Decide on a destination
For a path to make sense, it needs somewhere to go – maybe an outdoor dining area, a reading nook, a garden vignette, a vegetable plot, a striking tree, a pretty view, a wall or gate or even a functional building such as a potting shed or garden studio.
For a path to make sense, it needs somewhere to go – maybe an outdoor dining area, a reading nook, a garden vignette, a vegetable plot, a striking tree, a pretty view, a wall or gate or even a functional building such as a potting shed or garden studio.
Create pausing points
Nothing beats a wander through a garden to restore a sense of wonder for the natural world. Encourage closer inspection with a place to slow down and absorb sights, scents and sounds. A tiny spot for a sidestep and a relaxing sit on a bench is all that’s needed to punctuate and prolong a stroll.
Chirpy ways to attract birds to your garden
Nothing beats a wander through a garden to restore a sense of wonder for the natural world. Encourage closer inspection with a place to slow down and absorb sights, scents and sounds. A tiny spot for a sidestep and a relaxing sit on a bench is all that’s needed to punctuate and prolong a stroll.
Chirpy ways to attract birds to your garden
Add a structure
Placed at certain points on a pathway, pergolas, arches and arbours bring timeless elegance to a garden. Supporting climbing vegetation, they create shade and shelter and a sense of expectation, while giving height to a garden with lots of low-growing greenery.
Tip: Allow for the expansion of climbers by ensuring your path is at least 1.3 metres wide, to prevent squeezing the access.
Placed at certain points on a pathway, pergolas, arches and arbours bring timeless elegance to a garden. Supporting climbing vegetation, they create shade and shelter and a sense of expectation, while giving height to a garden with lots of low-growing greenery.
Tip: Allow for the expansion of climbers by ensuring your path is at least 1.3 metres wide, to prevent squeezing the access.
A built feature also acts as a clever transitional device between different ‘chapters’ of a garden, marking a passage between narrow and wide sections, contrasting plantings, different levels and pathway surfaces. It forms a hiatus between aesthetic and edible plants, or between a sunny open spot and a cool shady area.
Shape up with curves
The shape of a path dictates the rate we move along it. By slowing down our steps, curves create the illusion of space and a sense of unfolding and expectation for what’s ahead.
A curve won’t serve this purpose if placed arbitrarily. It should deviate for a reason, so position a feature plant or object on the inside of the curve. This path winds around a concrete water feature on a pebble bed and clumps of wiry grasses.
The shape of a path dictates the rate we move along it. By slowing down our steps, curves create the illusion of space and a sense of unfolding and expectation for what’s ahead.
A curve won’t serve this purpose if placed arbitrarily. It should deviate for a reason, so position a feature plant or object on the inside of the curve. This path winds around a concrete water feature on a pebble bed and clumps of wiry grasses.
If you don’t have room for a winding path, heighten the illusion of curves and encourage an unhurried pace by bringing soft-textured plants up to the path and allowing them to spill onto paving. Irregular paving edges also soften a formal look.
Play it straight
Generally, a straight path doesn’t encourage lingering, but sometimes available space or the architecture of a building make a direct route desirable. The dramatic shapes of this home suit the angular pathway, which avoids a ‘runway’ look by distracting from the line with offset rectangular paving and low plantings.
Generally, a straight path doesn’t encourage lingering, but sometimes available space or the architecture of a building make a direct route desirable. The dramatic shapes of this home suit the angular pathway, which avoids a ‘runway’ look by distracting from the line with offset rectangular paving and low plantings.
According to the principles of feng shui, a straight ‘cutting’ path dissipates chi, or natural energy. Balance a straight path with rounded foliage such as hostas, which have calming positive yin energy.
Turn corners
Somewhere between straight and curved lies an intriguing alternative – the zig-zag path. Yatsuhashi is an ancient Japanese garden element involving a series of elevated path sections at 90 degrees to each other, as in this raised boardwalk. In Asian-style gardens, the path often spans a shallow pond and the angles slow the steps to allow contemplation. Yatsuhashi is an interesting option for contemporary western gardens too.
Somewhere between straight and curved lies an intriguing alternative – the zig-zag path. Yatsuhashi is an ancient Japanese garden element involving a series of elevated path sections at 90 degrees to each other, as in this raised boardwalk. In Asian-style gardens, the path often spans a shallow pond and the angles slow the steps to allow contemplation. Yatsuhashi is an interesting option for contemporary western gardens too.
Stay in character
Keep a path compatible with the home it connects to. A traditional flagstone path through a lavender and thyme-scented cottage garden may not sit comfortably with sleek modern architecture. This neat brick path, tidy plants and the crisp lines of the gateway are in harmony with the modern house nearby.
Keep a path compatible with the home it connects to. A traditional flagstone path through a lavender and thyme-scented cottage garden may not sit comfortably with sleek modern architecture. This neat brick path, tidy plants and the crisp lines of the gateway are in harmony with the modern house nearby.
For a traditional home with a more formal look, a straight path flanked by well-groomed box hedge, symmetrical plantings and tidy squares of lawn fits nicely. A formally laid-out path needn’t look stuffy – this one is mellowed by unruly roses clambering over an archway and a welcoming front entrance.
Browse more formal gardens
Browse more formal gardens
Make room for two
There are arbitrary recommendations for path widths, and ideally a path would accommodate two people side-by-side. But garden size often prevents this. A good rule of thumb is to keep the width in proportion to the garden and at least wide enough for a wheelbarrow.
Tip: Narrowing a path at a pausing point subconsciously urges the walker to slow down.
There are arbitrary recommendations for path widths, and ideally a path would accommodate two people side-by-side. But garden size often prevents this. A good rule of thumb is to keep the width in proportion to the garden and at least wide enough for a wheelbarrow.
Tip: Narrowing a path at a pausing point subconsciously urges the walker to slow down.
Play it safe
Make a path safe for meandering. A permanent paved surface should be non-slippery when wet and checked now and then for subsidence and trip hazards. Rake a loose surface like gravel and pebbles occasionally and replenish after heavy rain. Factor good lighting into your plan.
Tip: Keep spiky dramatic plants a safe distance from path edges.
What to plant along pathways
Make a path safe for meandering. A permanent paved surface should be non-slippery when wet and checked now and then for subsidence and trip hazards. Rake a loose surface like gravel and pebbles occasionally and replenish after heavy rain. Factor good lighting into your plan.
Tip: Keep spiky dramatic plants a safe distance from path edges.
What to plant along pathways
Just add whimsy
A path that terminates in a wall is a great spot to introduce a garden hoax. This lovely stone walkway leads to a secret garden… or does it? The mirrored gate is actually reflecting the plantings leading to it. You may have spots on your path where a cunningly placed mirror would play a similar trick, creating illusions and increasing the impact of the greenery.
A path that terminates in a wall is a great spot to introduce a garden hoax. This lovely stone walkway leads to a secret garden… or does it? The mirrored gate is actually reflecting the plantings leading to it. You may have spots on your path where a cunningly placed mirror would play a similar trick, creating illusions and increasing the impact of the greenery.
A leisurely garden ramble is unrivalled for banishing the blues and realigning the senses. To boost the lightness of heart that being enveloped by nature produces, instil a few touches of playfulness along your path. Does this bronze sprite make you feel like dancing?
Tell us
What do you like about these paths? Tell us about where you wander in your garden, and on what kind of path, in the Comments below.
More
Browse more garden ideas
Tell us
What do you like about these paths? Tell us about where you wander in your garden, and on what kind of path, in the Comments below.
More
Browse more garden ideas
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Yes definitely all those points but especially the point about destination. A path should be an invitation to explore the vista beyond; a focal point whether it be structural or good planting and it should do all the talking.
Hi Jenni P, what a delightful shot and what a beautiful garden - lucky you to be able to enjoy it!