Garden pathways direct traffic patterns, but also set the mood of your landscape design: coordinating function and art

Whether you're planning your landscape design from scratch, or revamping your existing garden, it's important to consider garden pathways, in both a functional and artistic context. When designing garden paths, lighting is also an essential part of your design plan.

Gardens large and small, must give visitors a clue as to the entryway path, for obvious reasons. Other, more private areas of the garden, also benefit from the garden pathway which leads guests from one area to another. For example, if you have a gazebo which lies beyond your back patio, past the vegetable garden, a garden pathway makes it easy to find and traverse the ground in between. Even the route from the kitchen to the trash cans on the side of the house is well served with a garden pathway.

In both cases, safety is a factor. When you're taking the trash out after dinner, you don't want to be stumbling through an undefined area, trampling flower beds as you try to find your way. In rainy weather, non-slip pathway materials, designed with a slight slope away from the center to each side, allows water to run off and assures a safe crossing.

Your garden pathways will be twice as useful and will probably reduce your liability insurance if they are well lighted. During the warm months, we all like to make use of our gardens in the evening as well. Trekking out to the gazebo for a summer night's dinner party is far more pleasant, infusing the path with a romantic ambience, as well as serving its functional role a safe transition from point A to point B. Solar lighting is one of the most inexpensive and easy to install lighting solutions.

As for materials, you want to choose pathway materials that complement both your home's architecture and garden landscaping. A seaside cottage with a casual landscape design filled with perennials might look well with a garden pathway of bark mulch or stepping stones, while a Tudor style home with more formal landscaping elements and a large garden space might be best enhanced with gravel or stone garden pathways. A small garden in a suburban setting is enhanced with brick walkways, lending a note of elegance.

There are a variety of materials to suit any garden setting. Pavers, wood, traffic-resistant ground covers and concrete are just some of the possibilities. Look through garden magazines, browse garden design websites, or consult with your local DIY center for more ideas before making your final decision.

Of one thing, you can be certain. A well thought out plan that integrates the various areas of your garden, with attractive garden pathways, increases both the functional and artistic aspects of your landscape.