As stated by Best Garden Tips, when designing their backyard, a lot of homeowners focus on water features, outdoor cooking areas, and swimming pools. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it does mean that essential landscaping features like walkways and paths often feel neglected. Paths aren’t only necessary for making it easy to get from one place to another, but they can also help to create focal points in your yard.
Here, we’ve taken a look at some of the best materials you should consider for the walkways and paths in your yard.
Clay Bricks
Clay bricks have been used in landscaping for generations, and they’re still a popular choice today. They’re an especially popular choice for historical homes and for those that want to add a bit of character to their space. Traditional red bricks can add a beautiful contrast to a space, especially when surrounded by green grass and colorful plants. They’re also relatively easy to lay DIY-style, as all you need to do is lay bricks on top of gravel; there’s no need for cement. Red bricks are also less sensitive than other materials to cracks and damage, and if anything does happen to them, they can easily be popped out and replaced.
Wax Polymer
Wax polymer is often used in golf course design and is an especially popular choice for large yards and gardens that feature sloped areas. Wax polymer combines crushed stone or decomposed granite with an engineered polymer wax. The final result is a dustless, durable, and aesthetically pleasing pathway that’s especially suitable for use in patios and nonlinear, sloped paths. Wax polymer comes pre-mixed so installing it is simple; all you need to do is level the area, lay the material and compact it. It can also be dug up and re-laid when required. Wax polymer is also easy to maintain and won’t get muddy, which is why it’s such a popular material in golf courses.
Gravel
There are two main reasons why homeowners should consider gravel for their pathways: it’s inexpensive and it’s easy to lay. All you need to do is identify where you want your walkway to be located, lay down some landscaping material, and then cover this material with the gravel. You’ll also want to lay some edging to ensure the gravel doesn’t leak out of place and onto your grass. Plastic is the cheapest choice here, but you could also consider brick edging if you want your space to be more aesthetically pleasing. Smaller gravel stones are the recommended option as they are easier and more comfortable to walk on. Gravel also comes in a variety of colors so you can choose a color that fits in most with your current space.
Choosing a material for your walkways and paths is not something that should be treated as an afterthought. After all, paths can do a lot for your space and make it more convenient to get around. The three materials described above are all worthy choices!