Choosing Materials For Your Landscape’s Pathways
Pathways can make quite a statement as guests and visitors approach your home. Serving both functional and aesthetic purposes, pathways are an integral part of almost any landscape design and are a great way to enhance your home or property.
Designing Your Landscape’s Pathways
To make your home or property more accessible, you’ll need to design defined passages through and to the desired areas. Otherwise, people aren’t very likely to use or enjoy it.
Pathways allow you to do two things: (1) direct traffic through and to the desired areas of your landscape, and (2) direct traffic away from those landscaping areas where you don’t want people to go.
Straight Path or Curvilinear Path?
If you want to provide foot traffic with a functional pathway, then a straight path is usually best. However, if you’d like walkers to linger and stroll, then a curvilinear path is recommended.
Contemporary vs. Formal Landscape Pathways
The materials you select for your pathway should complement the architecture of your home. For example, contemporary landscapes are often completed well by flagstone stepping stones, while more formal landscapes are usually better enhanced with brick paths.
Choosing The Right Pathway Materials
The materials from which you can choose for your pathway include:
– Concrete
– Stone
– Pavers
– Gravels
– Brick
– Wood
– Mulch
– Stepping Stones
– Grass
You can also choose to use a combination of the above materials for your landscape’s pathways. Ultimately, when choosing materials, it’s important to consider how much maintenance will be required for your pathway using those materials.
All pathway materials require some maintenance, some more than others. For example, grass pathways require regular cutting and trimming. Gravel pathways require periodic raking and refills. And despite its durability, concrete will require cleaning and patching on occasion.
For more information and help with choosing the right materials for your new pathways and landscape plans, contact a professional landscaping supply company.
Posted of behalf of Troy Ogrin, Maxwell Hardscapes