Easy Pathways

 Pathways can add charm to any yard or garden. Unlike walkways, which are often somewhat formal, and are designed more with function in mind than form, pathways all but invite people to take a leisurely stroll down them. Pathways are often found in garden areas but they can be placed just about anywhere your heart desires. This article details some of the other important aspects to pathways and how you can incorporate them into your own space. 

As mentioned above, walkways are usually designed to get a person from one place to another. They are often designed so that the journey is as short as possible. That is their purpose. A pathway, on the other hand, can be designed so that the journey itself is the reward. Depending on how much space you have, your pathway can be a meandering trip through your garden or it can be a short, but peaceful, means to move across the yard. The choice is yours. Be creative and let your imagination roam free when you are thinking about your pathway options.

 When it comes to options for pathways, there are three very common types of pathways.

 Stone Pathways:
Stone pathways use flat stones. That is the major difference between stone pathways and rock pathways, which is discussed below. A stone pathway can be a beautiful addition to any yard or garden. The variety of flat stone that you can use include flagstone, limestone, even bits and pieces of various stones, fitted together into a mosaic.

Because of budget constraints, most homeowners decide to use stone pathways for only short distances. A long, meandering pathway of stone can become expensive. One option that some homeowners have employed is to design the longer stone pathway as a staged project. Doing this allows homeowners to purchase a certain amount of stone now, place it in the path, and then add to it as money allows. While this may not be your first choice, it does allow the homeowner on a budget to eventually have the stone pathway of their dreams.

When you set your stones make sure that they are low enough so that you can easily and safely mow over them.

Rock Pathways: Rock pathways are not as refined as most stone pathways but they do have their place in many landscaping designs. A pathway that has been formed from river rock is a beautiful, low maintenance path. It is generally very affordable as well. On top of that, these pathways are easy to do, even for homeowners who have little time.

A rock pathway starts by laying out the design. Because you will be smaller rocks, you can easily have curves in the path which will not be hard to fashion when you dump your rock.

 Curves add character to a pathway, and they also help to make the pathway seem longer than what it really is. A good way to get an idea of the possible curves that you might want to add to path is to use a garden hose as your marker. Simply put the hose on the ground, form it as you like, and if you do not approve of what you see, make changes to the curve. Once you have the design set to your liking, use a can of orange spray paint to mark the outline of the path.

 Mulch Pathways: This is an easy project too and it feels wonderful underfoot. You can use various types of mulch to act as your pathway surface. Some common types include cypress, pine bark, and even wood chips. When putting in your mulch pathway remember you do not have to kill the weeds or grass with this project. The mulch will do that for you. You can buy mulch for less by buying it in bulk and having it delivered by dump truck to your home.