Garden walkways allow us to walk in the yard freely at any time of the year without getting our shoes dirty and at the same time they keep our plants safe. The walkways need to be planned in a way that logically connects different parts of the landscape. They also need to be accessible regardless of the weather conditions which mean that it should be easy to walk on them when it raining, they can’t be frozen and they should be easy to maintain in order to look beautiful all the time. Now let’s analyze few walkways options.
1. Gravel walkways are getting quite popular because they are really easy to create. Many people create this type of walkways on their own. Gravel can be purchased in many different colors, depending on the rocks used in its production and the category or size of the pieces can also affect its appearance. Make sure to check the appearance of gravel in both dry and wet state because it can look very different. Keep in mind that outbreak of weeds is inevitable in gravel walkways. If the walkway is wide, you can save yourself from manual work by applying chemical designed to control weeds, but make sure to use it only on the path because they can damage the plants along the walkway.
2. If most of your land consists of a meadow with grass resistant to trampling then you can leave those less viable paths as areas covered with grass. In areas with high level of precipitation and higher humidity, grassy walkways have proved to be an excellent solution and what is even better is that they don’t require a lot of maintenance, except for occasional cutting and separating the edges to highlight them. Grass walkways are usually used for area where people don’t walk very often. These walkways are not indented to be paths where you walk on a daily basis (around the house for example), but as walkways through large gardens. Of course, since these walkways are rarely used they will look well maintained and neat after a long period of time and for walkways that are frequently used you will have to find another solution.
3. Paved walkways provide us a wide choice of shapes, colors, sizes, types and combinations with different material. A nicely paved walkway can contribute to a nicer appearance of the garden. Depending on whether you want to add a touch of modern, rustic or maybe traditional style choose the appropriate type and method of tiling. Natural stone looks very beautiful, but using tiles made of granite, shale or quartz is very expensive and therefore people usually avoid it. Tiles made of natural layered stone are really easy to handle. When placing the tiles you should pay attention to the excavation, foundation and proper placement in order to provide better water drainage and to avoid frozen areas in the winter period. That’s why it is recommended to use the help of a professional landscaping service.