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Whether you have a rambling block or a compact suburban space, paths can play an integral role in your garden design. “Not only do they improve access, garden paths are also a great way to create zones and introduce materials and shapes that draw the eye and take you on a journey,” says landscape designer Les Edwards of ED Landscapes (edlandscapes.com).
From practical to pretty, here are four path styles to inspire exploration in your garden.
Nothing signifies a sense of arrival like a beautiful path leading to the front door. “A great way to create impact is with an arbour or a wide entrance framed by focal trees, which tapers to a narrower path,” says Les Edwards. “A curved path, off centre to the front door, evokes a more relaxed look and feel, while a straight-line path lends itself to more traditional homes and smaller gardens.”
Scale is also key. Consider the size of the block, house and street frontage to determine a proportional path width. “For entry pathways, we tend to use a minimum of 1200mm and scale it up to 1600mm on larger blocks,” explains Les.
When it comes to selecting suitable materials, landscaper Luke Cole of LC Landscape Construction (lclandscapeandconstruction.com.au) recommends drawing style cues from your home and garden. “Light red and sandstock bricks contrast well against vibrant green foliage,” says Luke. “Other hard-wearing options include travertine, concrete, sandstone and crazy paving.” For a softer look, consider paving steppers or timber sleepers interspersed with pebbles or mondo grass.
Have fun with border plantings and let your creativity run wild with a mix of plant varieties that suit the conditions and your desired look. “Generous plantings with multiple layers can work well,” suggests Les. For a combination of texture and colour with a semi-formal feel, try buxus balls, Stachys Byzantina ‘Big Ears’ and Liriope Muscari ‘Big Blue’, he adds.
The most-traversed paths are usually practical routes – often running along the side of the house – that lead to utility areas such as the clothesline, shed and bins. “Here, the path width should be determined by access requirements, so allow enough room to comfortably manoeuvre bins, a wheelbarrow, mower and anything else you need a thoroughfare for,” says Les. In these high-traffic zones, concrete paths in a coloured or aggregate finish are ideal, as they’re robust, low-maintenance and smooth under the wheels of a laundry trolley or wheelbarrow.
A pressure clean from time to time will banish mould or debris. If space is tight, keep border plantings minimal. “If you want to screen a shed or fence, consider plants like evergreen varieties of viburnum and lilly pilly, which can be hedged, or try a climber on the fence like star jasmine,” suggests Les.
If you have a fire pit out the back, a poolside pavilion or a sunny alfresco spot, consider making ‘directional’ routes that link zones and lead visitors to entertaining areas. “Creating a path with the same or similar materials used within entertaining areas creates a sense of continuity,” says Luke, who suggests teaming large pieces of flagstone with crazy paving to aid in orientation.
“Small pebbles make an excellent filler between pavers but, if you’re concerned about weeds, pavers set in a solid concrete base may be preferable,” Luke adds. As this style of path should be clearly visible, pair it with a neat border of layered ground covers, such as native violets and creeping thyme.
Rambling paths that entice you to explore the garden are ideal for larger blocks and acreage properties with space to roam. Les Edwards suggests establishing a destination where you can create a focal point, and punctuating the journey with various highlights. “This could be a water feature, focal tree, garden seat, decorative ornaments like an urn, or a seasonal display of colour,” he explains.
The point here is the journey, not the destination, so the path should meander. “Curved paths feel more exploratory when you can’t see the end point,” he says. Crushed granite creates a natural look and pairs beautifully with soft border plantings such as Agapanthus ‘Snowball’ or Trachelospermum ‘Tricolour’. For a firm foundation that helps keep weeds at bay, Les recommends excavating to allow a minimum of 75mm of compacted recycled road base, topped with a 30-60mm layer of gravel.
The perfect pathway is all in the details. Keep these in mind when planning your landscaping project:
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Explore our Garden Corner community page, which is filled with helpful information.
Photo Credit: GAP Photos/Brent Wilson, GAP Photos/Clive Nichols and GAP Photos/Elke Borkowski.
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