The garden pathway serves two functions. It can be a focal point that directs a person's attention to a specific area, and it provides the means for a person to get to that specific area. Sounds simple, huh? You can't believe how complicated people make it. So, we're going to make it quite simple for you, as only the simple can do. First, a historical analysis. Pathways have been around since time began. The end.
Actually, pathways in the earlier times were quite extravagant in their design and selection of product. After all, the gardeners realized a simple concept... it was easier to transplant a shrub or remove a tree than to remove all of that paving material and reset it once again. So they gave great thought about where they wanted their pathway to go and how they wanted it to look, then they decided about how to develop the rest of the garden area. This is one of the reasons why the paving materials used in older garden pathways were so much more expensive, because they realized that the pathway was the centerpiece of the garden, and from that centerpiece the garden radiated from it. Or at least...I think so.
Now what about product selection? The type of product used for the pathway will actually influence the total look of the garden. For example, if you use rustic flagstone, you'll have a rustic garden. If you use poured-in-place concrete or exposed aggregate, you'll have a modern and contemporary garden. Once you decide this, you can then design the layout of the garden. What are the natural features that you can incorporate into the design and theme of the garden area? Are you going to have ponds, waterfalls, or a creek? Or does it call for a fountain instead and some statuary along with some concrete benches? How about having a large relaxed area with no specific hardscaping features, but just some patio furniture and a table? Anything that you choose should fit with the theme of the area.
Now this brings us to the pathway, or how you are going to get from Point A, the beginning, to Point B, and this is via your pathway. And this also asks what product are you going to make it from? Remember, you have a large selection of products to choose from. You have brick, stepping-stones, slate and even just gravel. But first, here are some rules of thumb.
The product selection must first be determined by the frequency and weight of use on it. Are you just going by foot traffic, or wheelbarrows for the maintenance; or are you going to drive equipment over it, including any vehicles? Now consider the main path to be just that, the main path, and from it you will intersect with other areas where you want to be. Even in the smallest of areas, you should be able to walk two people side by side on it, so the minimum width should be three and a half feet wide. You should make it no larger than ten feet wide, if it is going to double as a driveway. Any wider, and it becomes like a roadway, and this might be too large to keep in balance. However (a little trivia), the large old French gradens were designed in such a manner that the width should be proportional to its length. Thus the longer the path, the wider it tended to be. This is probably inappropriate for our average application, however. Today, we need to make the garden area look larger than it really is, so we try to stretch the path and garden in appearance. You can do this by allowing it to have gentle curves throughout the path, or using brick pavers and laying them at right angles. Another is to use long and narrow paving units. The main pathway is the only one that needs to be edged with border material, because of foot traffic and any equipment that may drive off the edge. Secondary paths should be two-thirds the width of the main path. While the main and secondary paths can have the same material, the smaller paths should be different from them all, and should have no strong pretense of design, but look like access trails only.
Next week, more on pathway design and products that you can use. Until then, see ya!
Originally published in the Daily Courier April 27, 2000