How to Make a Beautiful, Useful Garden Path
2021-04-30
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1When setting up a garden or area of land with plants, many often forget to plan a walkway, or path.
2Or there is a path, but it is not beautiful or easy to use.
3A well-designed path can do more than keep your feet dry.
4It can show you where to walk, and guide your eyes and imagination throughout the garden.
5But what is at the end of the path?
6When planning a path, ask yourself if it is both appealing and easy to use.
7Wide paths and paths with curves are for walking slowly.
8They are good if you want people to take a longer look at what is in the garden.
9Choose a straight path to go from the back door to the vegetable garden, or any other place where you may walk in a hurry.
10How many people will walk together on a path?
11Two people, even two close friends, require a path one and a half meters wide.
12In any case, a path should never be less than 45 centimeters wide.
13Is your garden orderly?
14If it is, you want a path with an orderly design of materials.
15Square or rectangular stones look good placed close together, for instance.
16Stones with many different shapes create a more natural look for an informal garden.
17One of the easiest and least costly paths to create is simple grass that you have cut short.
18Small pieces of wood are another choice.
19Bricks or stones make paths that are long-lasting.
20For stone paths, use stone cut into large, flat pieces, or "slabs."
21These are called "flagstone."
22Or you can use concrete that is colored and made to look like flagstone.
23To make a path of brick, stone or concrete slabs, you should give the solid material a well-drained base.
24First, mark the sides of the path by dropping two lines of crushed white stone on the ground.
25For a straight path, guide yourself with sticks.
26You can get nice smooth rounded edges using two garden hoses as a guide.
27Next, dig down about 10-centimeters in the soil where the path will be.
28Use the extra soil elsewhere in the garden.
29Put drainage material such as sand or rock dust in the path area.
30Push down on it and smooth it as you work.
31This material provides a solid base beneath the surface, and prevents water from collecting there, freezing and pushing up the stones.
32Add enough material so that when stones or bricks are in place, their top sides are a little above ground level.
33Make the surface slope to one side if the path is narrow or have the slope move to the sides from the center if the path is wide.
34Put each stone or brick in place tightly against each other.
35Or, if you want plants to grow up in between each stone or brick, leave some space between them.
36Creeping thyme or chamomile look and smell nice as path plants.
37Once paving is in place, put more stone dust or sand on top of the path, then sweep the material to fill the empty spaces.
38Add some water to further settle the material.
39Sweep and water a few days later again, after everything has settled.
40Time and weather will give the path a softer look.
41Even so, the stones, bricks or slabs will give firm footing for many years to come.
42I'm Jill Robbins.
1When setting up a garden or area of land with plants, many often forget to plan a walkway, or path. Or there is a path, but it is not beautiful or easy to use. 2A well-designed path can do more than keep your feet dry. It can show you where to walk, and guide your eyes and imagination throughout the garden. 3But what is at the end of the path? 4Where does the path go? 5When planning a path, ask yourself if it is both appealing and easy to use. Wide paths and paths with curves are for walking slowly. They are good if you want people to take a longer look at what is in the garden. Choose a straight path to go from the back door to the vegetable garden, or any other place where you may walk in a hurry. 6How many people will walk together on a path? Two people, even two close friends, require a path one and a half meters wide. In any case, a path should never be less than 45 centimeters wide. 7Is your garden orderly? If it is, you want a path with an orderly design of materials. Square or rectangular stones look good placed close together, for instance. Stones with many different shapes create a more natural look for an informal garden. 8What is under your feet? 9One of the easiest and least costly paths to create is simple grass that you have cut short. Small pieces of wood are another choice. Bricks or stones make paths that are long-lasting. For stone paths, use stone cut into large, flat pieces, or "slabs." These are called "flagstone." Or you can use concrete that is colored and made to look like flagstone. 10A long-lasting path 11To make a path of brick, stone or concrete slabs, you should give the solid material a well-drained base. 12First, mark the sides of the path by dropping two lines of crushed white stone on the ground. For a straight path, guide yourself with sticks. You can get nice smooth rounded edges using two garden hoses as a guide. 13Next, dig down about 10-centimeters in the soil where the path will be. Use the extra soil elsewhere in the garden. 14Put drainage material such as sand or rock dust in the path area. Push down on it and smooth it as you work. This material provides a solid base beneath the surface, and prevents water from collecting there, freezing and pushing up the stones. Add enough material so that when stones or bricks are in place, their top sides are a little above ground level. 15Make the surface slope to one side if the path is narrow or have the slope move to the sides from the center if the path is wide. 16Put each stone or brick in place tightly against each other. Or, if you want plants to grow up in between each stone or brick, leave some space between them. Creeping thyme or chamomile look and smell nice as path plants. 17Once paving is in place, put more stone dust or sand on top of the path, then sweep the material to fill the empty spaces. Add some water to further settle the material. Sweep and water a few days later again, after everything has settled. 18Time and weather will give the path a softer look. Even so, the stones, bricks or slabs will give firm footing for many years to come. 19I'm Jill Robbins. 20Lee Reich wrote this story for the Associated Press. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor. 21_______________________________________________________________ 22Words in This Story 23garden - n. an area of ground where plants (such as flowers or vegetables) are grown 24rectangular - adj. having a four-sided shape that is made up of two pairs of parallel lines and that has four right angles; a shape in which one pair of lines is longer than the other pair 25informal - adj. not orderly or planned carefully 26concrete - n. a hard, strong material that is used for building and made by mixing cement, sand, and broken rocks with water 27drain - v. to remove (liquid) from something by letting it flow away or out 28hose - n. a long, usually rubber tube that liquids or gases can flow through 29slope - v. having an upward or downward slant 30sweep - v. to remove dust, dirt, etc., from (something) with a broom or brush 31Have you made a garden path or walked on one? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.