LOVE THY CURVES
Add interest at little expense by creating wavy, meandering paths instead of formal, structured ones.
We all want a garden makeover now and then – and with some clever cost-cutting, we needn’t curb our enthusiasm. One of the simplest and most inexpensive ways to bring life to a neglected outdoor space is to create a path – but not just any path!
Rule one – forget the Ruler
Most thrifty growers don’t have the time or the dollars to make a formal pathway statement in the garden. That’s because ‘formal’ calls for straight lines, sharp angles, level surfaces and manicured edges – all of which spell hours of work and costly materials. What’s more, paths that are superstraight inevitably lead the viewer’s eye all the way along them to a costly statement at the other end (think huge terracotta amphora or marble nymphs frolicking in a Roman water feature!).
Formal can also bring a certain tension to a garden – and with it, the ongoing worry that if even one shrub is in need of a trim, the whole scene is wasted. If you’re gardening on a budget, informal is the style to aim for, and the path that begins the journey is a wavy one.
Wave back
Wavy paths give back in so many ways. If you have a small front or back yard (or the time to manage only a small part of it), a wavy path gives a feeling of space. Meandering between plantings, it beckons the viewer on, and tricks them into thinking more lies ahead. And more does lie ahead when your little path doesn’t come to a halt, but disappears behind a shrub and loops back on itself to offer a return journey with new views. Best of all, wavy paths are enhanced by low-growing plants that creep over their edges so that any trimming can wait until you’re ready. Good options include prostrate herbs, heuchera, aubrieta, perennial alyssum, grasses and ferns, all of which grow easily from rooted pieces shared by a gardening friend or two.
the ups & Downs
straight, formal paths require serious preparation – so much so that it’s often wiser to employ a professional landscaper to handle the job than to waste the expensive materials you’ve purchased for the purpose. a wavy path, on the other hand, looks best with all the everyday, natural ups and downs and obstacles an outdoor space throws at you. a small stream can be crossed with artfully positioned natural rock stepping stones, rather than thinking about a bridge. and forget spending your precious weekends levering out rocks or chipping away at tree roots – your curving path can simply ride over them.
The secret to negotiating natural obstacles as you build a path is to accept them, while keeping the path surface smooth (this means having your surface material deep enough to cover any potential tripping hazards). either that, or deliberately draw attention to an obstacle, such as a tree root, by allowing it to protrude noticeably through your surface material where it can be easily stepped over while displaying its natural beauty.
lighting
gardens come to life at night when lighting is added to the scene. Wavy gardens are especially attractive because illumination is ‘happened upon’ as the garden visitor meanders their way along the curves. In a formal garden with a straight path, the lit view is obvious from the start and, consequently, less mysterious.
To make a wavy path safe and pleasantly inviting at night, position ground-level lighting in an offset pattern, staggering it from side to side, and always use it to highlight a change in direction and to clearly illuminate a feature obstacle.
Because wavy paths look best with subtle ground-level lighting (think solar lights on spikes that can be pushed into the ground), they are less expensive to illuminate than a formal path. solar fairy lights can also be used to highlight an overhead path feature such as an archway, or the trunk of a nearby tree or fence. (avoid using this sort of lighting to outline the path itself as the scene will lose its mystery.)
Creating the Curves
If you have little in the way of existing mature plants, the easiest way to create the shape of your path is with a rope or garden hose. Use it to form a pleasing set of meandering curves while making sure that any turns are not too tight. If you have existing trees or shrubs, lead the hose or rope around the dripline (the area just beyond the tips of the branches) of these. This will help create a natural curve for the path. Similarly, if you have other garden features, such as a rocky bank or tree stump (or even an old bathtub), use these to your advantage by taking your pathway along or around them.
Once you’ve used the hose or rope to outline a way for your path to follow, take a photo from an elevated position. Don’t rush into committing to the pathway until you’ve sat with the photo for at least a couple of days. In the intervening time, take your snap with you to a public garden that features a wavy path, and see what types of plants will suit your plan (so much less costly than employing a garden architect!).
rome wasn’t built In a day
The joy of making a wavy pathway is that you don’t need to dig down to create it. Because casual, meandering paths are best fringed with low-growing plants, you can simply lay down weed matting on the pathway, then build up the soil at its edges over time as you plant. (Pleat or snip the matting, as required, to match the curves and feature obstacles, and peg down pleats and hems with hoops of number 8 wire.)
Don’t be in a rush to finish the edge planting, but do lay your path material as soon as possible to help exclude any stubborn weeds that are trying to find a way through the matting.
save on surfacing
One of the most economic aspects of a wavy path is that it looks best when surfaced with natural material. Forget the cost of bricks and pavers, and think instead of quarry dust (sometimes called ‘crusher’ dust), river sand, shells and pebbles. Many of these materials can be purchased at a garden centre, but a much cheaper way of obtaining them is to head to your local quarry or roading depot (these places are not always conducive to ‘wandering around’, so phone ahead to enquire about what’s available, then look online for the materials you like best). If your local council permits, collect materials from river edges and beaches.
There’s no need to finalise the upper surfacing in one hit. You could start with a cheap coating of quarry dust and gradually top it off with shells or pebbles, collected over time as you visit various holiday spots (a path can be a great holder of memories).