Ideas for Walkways & Pathways

Landscaping involves gardens, lawns and fencing as well as walkways and paths. Walkways enable yourself and guests to meander through the garden, under arbors and over bridges, without walking through mud or trampling your lawn. The types of walkways available are numerous and range in composition from wood to stone and concrete. Paths are often curved while make a geographic pattern.

The type of material you choose for a walkway may depend on the location of the path. A walkway located in the front of the home often resembles the style and color of the home. Materials used for front walkways tend to match the material used for the driveway, such as concrete, brick or pavers.

Draw out your pathways on paper first then on your property using stakes and string or spray paint. Determine the square footage of the paths to know how much material you need to purchase. Always add in a little extra material, especially when using bricks or pavers, in case you need to cut them to fit within your design perimeters.

If the final figures fall outside you budget, altering the design or changing materials can help.

Garden and backyard paths are often composed of loose materials, such as decomposed granite, sand or gravel. Loose materials are often edged with logs, curbs, large rocks or plants. Other popular options are stepping stones and poured concrete. Roll-out or portable wooden walkways are available in many home improvement stores. Wooden planks, logs and railroad ties provide easy maneuvering on sloped terrain.

Make sure you have adequate space between young plants and your garden pathway. This will lessen the amount of plant trimming needed to keep them from growing over the path. Walkways around pools should be made from solid materials without any gaps for dirt, gravel and weeds to collect in. This will help reduce the amount of debris transferred to pool water from the bottoms of feet. The material used around pools should also have a non-slip surface for safety.

Above-ground walkways are typically made of wood and should be kept smooth by sanding and applying weather-proof stains on a yearly basis.

A meandering walkway that is lined with flowers invites visitors to take time to smell the roses and enjoy the view. Lighting along a path may put you in the mood for a moonlight stroll through the garden. While some walkways invite exploration, others expressly keep certain areas off limits. This is typically accomplished by not placing a path to an area that you do not want explored and may even include a fence along the path or around the special area.