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.
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.
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
Lovely!
Thank you.
Beautiful garden!!
The majority of these paths are in Kiftsgate Court Garden in Gloucestershire. Well worth a visit and very close to Hidcote. (Cotswolds)
Beautiful gardens and refreshing post!
Thank you Sadje.
Enjoyed you beautiful pics a lot.
I am with you on “stop and look and consider what purpose does it serve and why was that particular material selected. And more importantly, is it successful.”… I’m sure I don’t pay as much attention as you though, Jude!
Well I was always looking for ideas for when I got a garden. As it is my garden has gravel, paving and slate and now pebbles! The gravel is awful for weeds growing through it. 😦
😀😀
Beautifully captured Jude. What an amazing array of design and construction
My favourite gardens are the ones where you don’t see everything the first time, and you forever see something new and different.
Yes it is always lovely to return to a garden and find something new; of course gardens are always evolving and every season has different plants. I like it when there are surprise plants – often the big gardens have very similar planting.
This was nicely done. I love the diversity materials used for the paths.
Pretty much all in the one garden now I come to look at them!
The path of life, Jude.. has a few unexpected twists and turns. We’re not done yet, are we? 🙂 🙂
I sincerely hope not Jo. Still wanting to come over to the Algarve and see you there.
🙂 🙂
I just got pointed to your blog, its perfect! Can’t wait to see more 🙂
I’m not so sure about the perfect, but thank you for your lovely comment. 🙂
I love lushness of your photography combined with how you’re looking at function and design. Wonderful “) Three of my favorite things: beauty in the natural world, design, and function. Thank you!
Thank you for visiting 🙂