An Enlightened Path

Written By L.A. Jackson

Photography by L.A. Jackson   

Because most garden activities have taken a winter hiatus, now is a good time for a project that will make your little green world a little bit better — one easy improvement is to install a path.

Paths are necessities when it comes to getting from Point A to Point B in the garden, but beyond utilitarian, with proper planning they can also add to the beauty of the landscape and the overall enjoyment of your garden. Below are some pointers that will help lead you down an enlightened path to a better path.

Material
What should your path be made of? The best answer lies in the effect you want it  to have on the garden.

Grass. Grass certainly has the natural look to blend into any garden, but of all the materials that could make up a path, it is one of the highest in maintenance.

Gravel. Pea-size gravel can blend in well with garden beds, but keep in mind that each step down your path will be accompanied by a decided “crunch!”
Instead of smooth, rounded pebbles, opt for rough, jagged gravel, as it will lessen the “slip-slide” factor. To keep pebble shift down to a minimum, don’t layer this rocky path deeper than 2 inches.

To keep the rocks in bounds, flank the sides of the path with a 2- to 3-inch-tall retaining barrier. To keep weeds out of bounds, lay down sheets of plastic weed-block along the walkway before adding gravel.

Wood chips. This tree byproduct gives the same natural feel to a path as gravel but with much less noise. Woods chips come in many shades of brown, so you can  fine-tune the visual appeal. Unlike gravel, wood chips will decompose, so replacement or refurbishment is usually necessary every two to three years. As with gravel, a retaining barrier and weed-block are good additions.

Stone. Large slabs of rocks for paths have much the same natural appeal as gravel, but without the crunch. Stones can be expensive, but they are a rather permanent, low-maintenance addition to a garden. It is still a good idea each winter to make sure the stones are firmly embraced by terra firma. Any loose rocks should be reseated before garden activities pick up in the spring.

Brick and block pavers. Like stone, they can be permanent fixtures in a landscape, and can be expensive. The repeated patterns of pavers make them ideal candidates for gardens with more formal layouts.

Path Width
There is no set width as to what a path should be — let available space and common sense, along with the following suggestions, be your guide.

1-foot-wide. If you want to have flashbacks to your Army Ranger days doing recon patrols, this is your kind of path.

2-feet-wide. Still a little close, but it makes for a great setup if it leads to the entrance of a special spot or a secret garden.

3-feet-wide. A bit snug, especially for bringing carts, lawn mowers and other  garden helpers down, but if flanked by border beds that contain low-growing plants, it is an adequate width for visitors.

4- to 6-feet-wide. Optimum width for a path in a private garden, providing enough room for visitors as well as gardeners on all fours doing bed maintenance, without wasting space that could otherwise be used for showing off more plants.

Plant Suggestions
Finding flashy flowers is easy, and subject to personal preferences, but for a little extra character and interest, consider:

Floppers. Think about softening the sidelines of a path by using plants that playfully spill over into the walkway in a controlled manner. Such candidates include iceplant, woodland phlox, vinca, lantana, Solomon’s seal, Japanese beautyberry, portulaca and dianthus.

Automatic aromatics. Make your path a fragrant one by placing plants close to the walkway that release their special scents when touched or brushed against. Good choices are Russian sage, artemesia, beebalm, lemon verbena, thyme, rosemary, lemongrass and basil.

L.A. is the former editor of Carolina Gardener magazine.
To ask him a question about your garden, go to southeastgardeningwithla.com.