There is nothing like a walk through the garden to help you relax and unwind after a busy day, and it’s those winding garden pathways that allow you to travel through your outdoor landscaping without disturbing your flowerbeds and shrubberies.
Garden pathways don’t just serve a functional purpose in your backyard; they also add to the overall look of the garden, making it important that you take the time to plan the perfect path to complement your garden design.
You don’t have to hire a landscaper to get a gorgeous garden path in your backyard. These easy garden pathway ideas can be done as a summer DIY project with the right materials and tools.
1. Stones and Wood – You can create a lovely garden pathway with large planks of wood. Salvaged or reclaimed wood is great for this type of project, and you can finish the wood in whatever shade of stain will complement the colors of your garden. Cut the wood to create rectangles roughly three-quarters of the width of your pathway and cut them all to uniform length. Then, center them along the pathway about one pace apart from one another. To complete the pathway, fill the spaces between the planks and around the edges with gravel in a contrasting color.
2. Mixed Stones – If you love garden pathway ideas that give a backyard the look of a rock garden, mixed stone paths are an ideal choice for your landscaping. For this type of pathway, you’ll want to purchase matching garden stepping stones about half the size of the width of your path. Place them diagonally from one another, following the natural length of your strides if you keep your right foot on the right-hand stones and your left foot on the left-hand stones. Once you have the stepping stones placed, fill in the pathway with river rock in a mix of sizes and colors.
3. Bottle Caps – If you have a passion for upcycling and a flair for creative design, a bottle cap mosaic garden pathway could be the ideal look for your landscaping design. You’ll need to save metal and plastic bottle caps in a variety of colors to get the raw materials for this design. To speed up the process, ask friends and family members to save their caps for you. You can find lots of mosaic designs online that you can recreate with your bottle caps. When you get to work, create a plywood border on either side of your path. If you have clay soil in your garden, the caps may stick on their own, or you may need to use mortar to hold them in place.
4. DIY Glow in the Dark Stepping Stones – If you frequently entertain in your garden at night, a glowing pathway is sure to cause a stir among your guests. You can make a set very easily with concrete powder, glow concrete powder and stone molds. To speed up the process of making your own stepping stones, buy one mold for each stepping stone. The glow powder will have instructions on how to properly combine it with concrete mix. Just follow the preparation instructions, fill your molds and let them dry for at least 24 hours.
5. Bricks – Used bricks can make an attractive garden pathway that takes very little work. Start by lining the bricks vertically along the outside edges of your pathway. Then, place bricks horizontally to fill in the space. You can get the project done in just a few hours.
6. Wood Slices – For a rustic garden pathway, try making your own wood slices. Get raw logs and thicker branches in a variety of sizes and use a chainsaw to create 2-inch slices. Place the larger slices along your pathway as your main stepping stones and then fill in with the smaller wood slices to create a striking natural mosaic along your garden path.
7. Grass – Most people envision hard garden paths, but there is no rule that you can’t use well-manicured grass as a path. In fact, the look can give your garden a greener, lusher appearance and a more naturalistic feel. Choose an ornamental grass and line the pathway with an attractive lawn edging for a handsome effect.
8. Checkerboard Design – This type of pathway combines greenery and traditional concrete pavers to create a unique design. Start by placing two pavers side by side on one edge of the garden path. Then place the next two right above the pavers on the opposite side of the path, so that the corner are touching. Continue until you have covered the entire pathway with pavers. Then, plant a lush ornamental grass in the empty spaces between the pavers to create your checkerboard.
9. Boards and Pebbles – This selection in our garden pathway ideas builds on the first idea. Start by cutting old boards into pieces of equal length. Place the first board horizontally along the width of your pathway. Next place two boards vertically above the horizontal piece on the outer edges of the path. Lay another board horizontally above the vertical pieces, so that you have created a square shape with an open center. Continue this process until you have traveled the length of the pathway with the wood square. Fill in the spaces with decorative stones or gravel to complete the design.
If you want to bring one of these garden pathway ideas to life in your backyard, you’ll need to have the right equipment on hand. Renting tools and equipment will help you keep the cost of your DIY garden pathway ideas project to a minimum. Northside Tool Rental in Atlanta has all of the lawn and garden tools and equipment that you need to execute one of these garden pathway ideas. We have five convenient locations and the best rates on rentals. Contact us for more information or to reserve your tools and equipment.