design walkways and garden paths | Garden Design for Living

Walkways are a key part of almost any landscape. Check out our walkways and garden paths slideshow for some great ideas and tips and then read our guide to designing your own walkway:

Walkways and paths are a part of almost any landscape, but they dont always get the attention they deserve. The way a walkway is designed can have a major impact on your landscape. If you need to design a walkway or path, take some time to understand your options. Lets start by taking a look at what walkways are all about.

This question seems harmless enough, but the answer is not as straightforward as it may seem. The primary purpose of walkways is to give a sturdy surface to high traffic areas. Without a walkway surface, foot traffic would erode the ground and eventually leave a path of dirt (or mud!). Of course, nobody likes a muddy path, but there are many other reasons to install a walkway. Here are a few:

Sometimes walkways are introduced purely for their aesthetic value. The stone (or other

This walkway acts as a border for a great garden

surface) of a walkway can provide a valuable contrast in the landscape. Garden paths can also be used to introduce curves and draw the eye to parts of a garden that might otherwise go unnoticed.

As always, you need to define a goal for your walkway. Is the purpose of your walkway just to protect the grass from being trampled? Will it add aesthetic value to your yard? Will it have any other purpose? Ask yourself these questions before going forward. Dont underestimate the impact of a well-designed walkway. Most homeowners dont put enough thought into paths and walkways and they miss a great opportunity to enhance their landscape.

Once you understand what you want from your walkway, go ahead and lay it out. You can practice with lengths of garden hose. When youre laying out your design, think about who will use your path and how they will use it. If its a high traffic walkway, you might want it wide enough to accommodate two or more people walking side by side. Garden paths can be narrower. If your walkway is the main entrance to your home, make it generously wide 48 inches ( 1.2 meters) at a minimum. Most pathways look better with curves, but this depends on the design of the surrounding home and landscape. Here are some things to keep in mind:

Try laying out your walkway several different ways and see which way feels best. Once youve got it down, mark both edges with marking paint and live with it for a few days. This will give you a chance to see how it works.

Some paths are made simply for their aesthetic value

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design walkways and garden paths | Garden Design for Living