Paths are not just a means of getting around – they can knit areas of the garden together and are as much a part of the overall design as any other feature. Designers James Alexander-Sinclair, Andrew Wilson and Arne Maynard offer solution
Garden paths fall into two categories: the practical and the diverting. Practical paths are ones that take you where you want to go in the shortest possible time. They certainly have their place in a garden, but diverting paths are more exciting. These are the ones that encourage you to wander. They can be straight, leading you directly to a focal point, such as a sculpture, a bench or a tree, but a curved path is much more seductive, especially if disappears around a corner to arrive at a view or a secluded seating area.
Garden path ideas: how to make a beautiful garden path
Choosing the best materials for a garden path
There are many options for materials: paving, gravel, bark, bricks, grass, timber, chamomile – pretty much anything. In her garden in Kent, Charlotte Molesworth has made a practical path from industrial conveyor belt material. The important thing this is to keep path materials simple and avoid mixing up your materials too much. If it is a path that will be used all year round, it should have a hard surface that drains efficiently.
A soft, mown grass path makes a beautiful secondary route in an informal part of the garden
Gravel is a material that drains well, and is cheap and easy to lay. It also looks natural, goes well with most paving stones, comes in a variety of colours and sizes. And while it’s easy to maintain – regular raking will keep the surface level and clear weeds and other debris – because it is so movable, you should make sure that you have a good, solid edge to your path. Aluminium edging is particularly durable, but galvanised and weathering steel such as Corten will also withstand corrosion. Timber edging can be a relatively low-cost option but has a more limited life.
The choice of surface relates to function and purpose. A soft, mown grass path makes a beautiful secondary route in an informal part of the garden, but hard-landscaping, all-weather materials are usually needed for a primary path to the front door. Materials can be combined or dressed down and softened with planting to suit the mood and context.
The best width and gradient for garden paths
For pathways, the tendency is to use a single paving slab width, which, even at a larger size of 90cm, means single-file traffic around the garden or worn lawns alongside. Pathways are meant for sharing and the minimum width that allows two people to walk side by side is 1.2m, even in small gardens. Widths of 1.5m or 1.8m are more generous and comfortable, but often better in larger gardens, unless you want planting to flop over the edges.
A narrow path that wanders so you can never see the end has a different kind of use and appeal
In general, the wider the path, the more formal and dominant it will appear, and this sense of formality is reinforced if it is also straight, with a vista along it and an end in sight. A narrow path that wanders so you can never see the end has a different kind of use and appeal – it draws you along and invites you to explore.
The gradient that is needed for drainage on paved paths can be created in the form of a ‘cross fall’ or camber, with the highest point running down the centre of the path and watershed to either side.
