A path can make a big difference to your garden, both practically and aesthetically. The type of path you choose, including the material, colour and shape, can have a big impact on the look of your garden. Think about which areas of the garden you need to connect as well as the effect you want to create, whether that’s a formal walkway or a winding journey through your flowerbeds.
Check the source of any materials you use for a garden path – the most sustainable materials to use include mulch, locally sourced gravel, or reclaimed stone slabs or bricks.
Planning a garden path
When planning a garden path there are several things to consider before getting started:
Purpose – paths are used to connect different areas, prevent lawns becoming compacted, make it safer to cross the garden in wet and frosty conditions as well as adding an attractive feature to your garden. Think about the type and width of path you need – do you need to get a wheelbarrow along it, how often will it be used and does it need to be direct or can it meander?
Style – a straight path can make a garden look narrower so avoid this if you have a thin rectangular garden, although in a larger garden straight paths with a focal point at the end can create a formal look. Curved paths can add more interest, especially if you can’t see what’s at the end of the path.
Materials – consider matching the colour and style of your material to the type of house and landscaping you already have.
Budget – the cheapest materials to use for a path include gravel, mulch, such as bark chippings, and bricks (if you can get them for free or have spare bricks that can be reused).
Modern garden path ideas
Slate
[image id=”217780″ size=”landscape_thumbnail” title=”Contemporary slate path. Paul Debois” alt=”Contemporary slate path. Paul Debois” classes=””] Contemporary slate path. Paul Debois
Slate offers a contemporary look to a path, either laid flat for a grey-blue finish or placed on their side to create a different effect. Edging the path with a limited plant palette will add to a minimalist style, while pairing with plants such as black lilyturf can add to a modern look.
Paving stone path
[image id=”218051″ size=”landscape_thumbnail” title=”Paving stones on gravel. Neil Hepworth” alt=”Paving stones on gravel. Neil Hepworth” classes=””] Paving stones on gravel. Neil Hepworth
Using two different materials creates contrast – paving stones on gravel transforms a path into an interesting garden feature, as the gravel provides contrast to the stone. Keeping to a tight curved line and edging with structural, clipped plants adds to the contemporary look. Paving materials can include granite, limestones, sandstone and concrete pavers. Paving stones that are made with concrete have a high carbon footprint, so for a sustainable option consider reclaimed paving slabs or look for ethically sourced slabs.
Front garden paths
[image id=”217771″ size=”landscape_thumbnail” title=”Front garden path edged by ornamental grasses. Jason Ingram” alt=”Front garden path edged by ornamental grasses. Jason Ingram” classes=””] Front garden path edged by ornamental grasses. Jason Ingram
The type of path you choose for your front garden will affect the style of your entrance. A straight path with topiary or shrubs can create a formal look whereas a gravel path with plants such as grasses and groundcover softening the edges is more informal. Think about practical issues too, such as whether it needs to be wide enough to wheel bins along, and how slippery the surface will be in cold weather.
Curved garden paths
[image id=”218061″ size=”landscape_thumbnail” title=”Curved gravel path. Jason Ingram” alt=”Curved gravel path. Jason Ingram” classes=””] Curved gravel path. Jason Ingram
Curved paths are a good choice for thin gardens where a straight path can make the space feel more narrow. Curved paths also make a garden feel bigger as it’s not always possible to see what is at the other end of the path. Place paths to encircle flower beds or loop around the edge of a garden to add more intrigue to a garden design. Gravel paths can add a relaxed style to a garden. Edging paths in brick looks neat and prevents gravel scattering on to the lawn.
Natural garden paths
Use mulch
[image id=”217776″ size=”landscape_thumbnail” title=”Bark chippings on a garden path. Jason Ingram” alt=”Bark chippings on a garden path. Jason Ingram” classes=””] Bark chippings on a garden path. Jason Ingram
Using mulch for a path is easy and economical, although materials such as bark chippings will decompose over time and may need replacing or topping up every few years. A mulch path is a good option for areas around veg beds or for paths that don’t get huge amounts of traffic.
Mow a path
[image id=”180923″ size=”landscape_thumbnail” title=”Mowing a path through wild lawn. Jason Ingram” alt=”Mowing a path through wild lawn. Jason Ingram” classes=””] Mowing a path through wild lawn. Jason Ingram
In meadows or areas where grass is kept longer in your garden, mowing a path is a simple way to create a route through the garden. It has the added benefit of helping wildlife, as keeping longer areas of grass alongside the path will encourage wildflowers to grow increasing nectar sources for pollinators. If the path is not heavily used, flowers such as daisies, clover and bird’s foot trefoil may also thrive in your mown path, if you mow it every four weeks or so.
Edging garden paths
[image id=”217775″ size=”landscape_thumbnail” title=”Brick edging for a gravel path. Sarah Cuttle” alt=”Brick edging for a gravel path. Sarah Cuttle” classes=””] Brick edging for a gravel path. Sarah Cuttle
Edging a garden path prevents loose materials such as gravel or bark chippings from travelling into borders, while adding a decorative element to paths. The choice of edging includes bricks, cobbles, treated timber and metal. Which one you choose depends on the style of your garden. For an informal look, try edging path with plants such as lavender, ferns or ornamental grasses.
Lighting ideas for garden paths
[image id=”217770″ size=”landscape_thumbnail” title=”Lighting alongside a path. Getty Images” alt=”Lighting alongside a path. Getty Images” classes=””] Lighting alongside a path. Getty Images
Adding lighting alongside a path is not only practical, but looks attractive too. Spotlights can help light the way in the evening if you’re heading to a dining or entertaining area. They’re also useful for highlighting focal plants that are planted alongside the path. Good lights to use beside paths include spike lights, bollards and spot lights. Bear in mind though that too much light in the garden at night can affect wildlife. If you need lights on your path, it’s best to keep to warm, soft lighting rather than bright white lighting, and direct it across the path, rather than up into the sky.
Alternative materials for garden paths
[image id=”217772″ size=”landscape_thumbnail” title=”Winding cedar wood path. Jason Ingram” alt=”Winding cedar wood path. Jason Ingram” classes=””] Winding cedar wood path. Jason Ingram
Wood makes an attractive alternative to stone slab paths and if you choose carefully it can be sustainable, too. Cedar wood is a sustainable choice, as it’s harvested responsibly. Look for wood that has FSC certification. Good woods for outdoor paths includes green oak and treated pine, although pine won’t last as long as other wood.
Cheap DIY garden path ideas
To save money on creating a new path try laying your own. There are plenty of easy options if you want to do it yourself. Search for reclaimed bricks or free bricks online and build your own brick path, as demonstrated by Monty Don, below. Alternatively, use gravel. Gravel is not as expensive as buying stone pavers and making your own path from gravel is not as difficult as laying paving stones.
