Up the Garden Path

There are many different pathways through a garden, and I do spend a lot of time walking them as visiting gardens is my passion. Here are some I have trodden on over the years.

Slippery when wet

Gravel cool

Daisy Steps

Gravel warm

Paths can lead us directly between borders on either side, or along terraced slopes, with steep or shallow steps, sometimes paved, often left as bare earth and wooden rises. Paths can be constructed from many different materials including stone – slabs or tiles or blocks of granite setts or cobbles, York stone or red brick; loose aggregates in many different colours even slate or glass; wooden boards or railway sleepers or perhaps simply grassed. They might be smooth and slippery or rough and uneven.

 Crazy paving and uneven steps might make the journey more dangerous or perhaps the intention is to slow you down so that you notice the planting around you.

Blocks

Circles

They might be straight or curved. But the main purpose of a path within a garden is to lead you around the planting areas and direct you to a focus point or a seating area. A garden path is far more than simply a means for getting from point A to point B.

So the next time you are in a garden and walking along a path, stop and look and consider what purpose does it serve and why was that particular material selected.  And more importantly, is it successful.

Lens Artists Photo Challenge #12 | Path