Walkway decoration: beautiful examples of landscape design

The beauty of the suburban area is achieved through competent landscape design. One of its main elements are garden paths, which have not only decorative, but also utilitarian purposes. The design of paths is considered the main direction in the improvement of private territory.

Asking the question of what type of tracks to choose and what material to make them from, you should first of all figure out what the final purpose of the coating is. For your site, you can use one type, suitable for both decorative and economic purposes, or you can choose different overlapping types of paths for the entrance area, vegetable garden, recreation and garden.

The material should be selected based on the specifics of the site. If this is a large residential country house made of brick or stone, then the paths can be laid out wide, echoing the facade. At the dacha, you can get by with narrower paths from the available materials.

When creating a site planning project, it is important to take into account a number of factors that should definitely be emphasized with the help of well-designed garden paths.

• The choice of the type of material, as well as the configuration of the roadway itself, depends on the features of the relief of the site. If there are high hills, depressions or sloping areas, it is worth thinking about steps and stairs.
• It is necessary that the network of transitions has a complete compositional appearance. For this, all landscape elements - ponds, alpine slides, a recreation area, an entrance area, a vegetable garden and outbuildings should be combined with each other into a single system.
• It will be good if an interesting view of the elements of landscape design, small architectural forms, decor on the facade opens up from the path.

• The roadbed should not break off, rest against a fence, ideally it has a closed system or leads to an architectural element - a bench, a statue, a pond or a fountain.
• A plan for a network of paths with forks should not be created, nor should paths cross a large lawn with grass.

• The width of the footpath must be at least 70 cm. The crossings in the utility zone are wider, as they must be sufficient for transporting wheelbarrows and small agricultural machinery.
• The entrance area from the gate to the porch of the house is finished with a beautiful wear-resistant material due to the high operational load.

• On a large area, you can pave wide paths, which will diverge narrower; in a small area, it is better to organize a network of paths along the perimeter and diagonally.
• Curb pavement looks heavy and also makes it difficult to mow. It is best if its level coincides with the level of the ground.
• Do not choose slippery materials, as the paths will become traumatic after rain.

• To prevent puddles from forming on the surface, it is necessary to consider drainage using expanded clay or slopes when laying.
• It is better to provide the economic zone with direct passages, and the garden with winding paths. So you can achieve comfort in the first zone and a romantic, mysterious atmosphere in the second.
• It is important to select the type and material of transitions in harmony with the general design ideas presented on the territory. Gazebos, benches, fences, house facade, outbuildings and paths - a single ensemble of a suburban area.

Features and types of masonry largely depend on the selected material. The shape, size, color of a unit of the source material allows you to create a variety of patterns on the canvas. Natural stone with uneven edges, a rough surface will look as natural as possible, while brick, paving slabs are reliable and utilitarian.

If you get creative with the issue of paving garden paths, you can create combined solutions or options from waste material. For example, large slabs of flat natural stone or artificial tiles are laid out according to the plan of the path lines at a distance of a step from each other. The area around is covered with pebbles or rubble. This technique saves money on the purchase of expensive stone on a large scale, but protects shoes and feet from dirt and water after rain. Plus, these tracks look good.

Using only pebbles, you can lay out a whole monolithic Persian carpet. Such work is very laborious and painstaking, but the result is worth it. It is not necessary to cover the roadway of the entire site with such a "carpet", you can limit yourself to a recreation area or an entrance area, make special islands for placing benches, lay out a site next to a pond. Combine the rest of the passages with large stone slabs.

Owners of a beautiful lawn can make the landscape design of their site as natural as possible, but at the same time avoid dirt after rain. Place stones of large or small sizes so that the grass cover breaks out between them. In places of high humidity, even decorative moss can be diluted. Such a find looks very exotic.

Remains of bricks after construction, river stones, pebbles, flat large stones, cobblestones - all this can be part of one path. It is not necessary that the grass knocking out from the paving elements must be lawn. Ornamental low-growing flower plants can be part of the composition. It is unlikely that such a path can unite utility rooms or become an advantage of the entrance area, but it does lead to a secluded corner of the garden.

If after the repair there are a lot of unused or broken tiles, this is a great reason to make tracks with a mosaic effect. Well, if the tile is colored and variegated, then you can create amazing and bright carpet-paths that will revitalize and ennoble the suburban area, make it cozy. If the required amount of ceramic fragments is not available, then it is better to make small concrete tiles that can be placed in the garden at a distance of a step from each other.

Finished products such as paving slabs or paving stones offer standard installation solutions. Creatively, in this version, you can only relate to the choice of the color of the tiles. Brick has a wider application in terms of laying. It can be laid out straight or offset, diagonally to the baseline, parquet, circular, scaly or Venetian masonry, or combined with other materials.

An easy, and most importantly, budget type of laying is crushed stone paths. Such material is not afraid of any twisting turns, bizarre shapes. The path can be as wide or narrow as you like, harmoniously transition into elements of landscape design, for example, to become part of an alpine slide.

Very often, craftsmen pave the paths at the dachas with waste material. Lids from plastic bottles, bottoms of glass jars, rubber tires, log cuts, pallets - everything can become material for a road and path network. However, you should be prepared for the fact that such tracks will not last long.

It is very important that the design of the path corresponds to the landscape design as a whole, as well as echoes the facade of the house and utility rooms. At the same time, it is important that already at the planning stage, the lines of future transitions support the composition.

The most rational in this regard can rightly be considered the British. Gardens in Great Britain are the standard of rationalism and observance of all proportions. English tracks generally don't have straight lines. Curved, curved paths intelligently take strollers to the most beautiful corners of the garden, while allowing them to enjoy the promenade and the best views.

The material for laying paths is usually brick or natural flat stone. The elements are stacked to each other butt-to-end, the gaps are filled with a concrete mixture. Very often in English gardens, paths gracefully surround a flower bed or an alpine slide on both sides.

Gardens of this type are distinguished by complete symmetry, usually have a special decorative element in the center, which serves as the main attraction - a fountain, a statue, a topiary tree. Please note that this style is applicable to large areas.

Garden paths in a regular style are the main guides, which outline the entire area with straight clear lines, setting geometry and ideal order. In the traditional understanding, a garden in a regular style does not have a lawn, and it seems that there is no land on such a plot. Walkers can enjoy the perfectly trimmed hedgerows that represent the labyrinth, as well as small architectural forms - statues, fountains.

Japanese-style garden paths have various modifications, natural materials such as large flat stones, pebbles, wood are best suited for their creation. The trail-road network, as a rule, has a winding shape, it can be interspersed with small areas with flower beds, a rock garden or alpine slides in the appropriate design.

Most often, oriental-style paths have a combined look. This idea is perfectly supported by huge boulders that can be placed on both sides of the simplest pebble path. It is also possible to include wood flooring elements.

If there is a pond on the site, a path can be laid through such a reservoir. This is a purely Japanese technique, it looks very impressive and atmospheric. In this case, large flat stones or wooden flooring will do.

The rustic style involves the use of natural materials to create garden paths. For this, wood cuts, stone, pebbles, crushed stone are excellent. There should be nothing complicated and pretentious in the design of the road and path network, it should be based on practicality. Flower beds and decor from peasant household items will help to create coziness on the site.

Small courtyards of urban private cottages and townhouses have become the reason for the transition of hi-tech and minimalism from interiors to exteriors. Small enclosed spaces provide an excellent basis for creating a trendy and quirky garden next to your home.

On such a site, materials with a pronounced artificial origin look best - these are large-sized porcelain stoneware slabs, concrete, modular elements.

There are options in which the lawn is completely absent., and the diversity of the landscape is achieved by combining materials, freestanding trees, low-growing plants that seem to grow directly from concrete slabs, as well as decorative elements and small architectural forms. Thus, the road network appears in such courtyards as a whole monolith, which covers the entire area.

But the presence of a lawn in such gardens does not seem usual. The road network in the usual sense is absent, the roll lawn takes on a strictly geometric shape and is located right on the path as a kind of flower bed.

It is very difficult to select one universal material that would be suitable for any site. After all, the design of garden paths largely depends on the style of landscape design, the facing material of a residential building, the size of the site, its length and width. In addition, an important criterion is wear resistance, performance, safety, ease of installation, the ability to make partial repairs.

The road and path network can be made of the following materials:

Raw materials for the finished product are specially developed, taking into account the possible influence of various aggressive environmental factors. Thus, the path paved with paving slabs is extremely wear-resistant, not afraid of strong temperature changes, moisture resistant, remains strong in the scorching sun, does not emit harmful substances, and is safe for human health.

Manufacturers of such products offer various forms of elements for laying tracks: brick, square, rhombus, hexagon, coil. In addition, a coloring pigment is added to the mixture, which also allows you to add variety in the design of transitions.

The paths can be made of wood that has undergone various processing methods. These are transverse log cuts or rounds that are dug into the ground, ordinary boards laid out according to the terrace principle, timber, homemade options from pallets, bamboo stems, as well as special garden parquet.

Therefore, already at the installation stage, it is worth considering a good drainage system, treating wooden elements with an antiseptic and bitumen mastic, using metal supports, and raising the flooring itself a little above ground level. The final stage will be varnishing the flooring.

Paths paved with natural stone look especially harmonious and elegant in the garden. This material is quite expensive, but there are options in which flagstone can be organically combined with pebbles, thereby creating unusual transitions and ensembles with flower beds or rock gardens. Also, shell rock slabs look great if you place them at a distance of a step from each other, and sow lawn grass around. Thus, without violating the integrity of the lawn, you can lay a path to an architectural object or decorative element.

Cobblestone paths allow you to create interesting patterns or imitate the streets of the old city, mountain paths. It is noteworthy that it is natural stone that can be found in any style of garden design.

Brick by itself is not considered a cheap material for laying paths on the site, however, if there is unused material left after the construction of a house or other outbuildings, it is worth using it for paths in the garden.

In the presence of ordinary sand-lime brick, it is worth preparing for the fact that it will not last for a long time. Frequent temperature changes, periodic freezing and thawing will render the track unusable.

The simplest, and most importantly, inexpensive and affordable material for creating a road and path network. Monolithic paths and platforms, filled with even smooth concrete mortar, perfectly fit into minimalist designs or high-tech exteriors. For those who decorate their site in any other way, there are ways to diversify the gray tape of the roads.

• You can use special forms in which the mixture is poured. Thus, it is easy to imitate paving slabs or artificial stone of different breeds.
• Pigment can be mixed into the solution, which will give an unusual shade and enliven the landscape.
• If you have pebbles or shells, you can also add them to the mixture. They will add texture and originality to the transitions.
• By mixing in mica, you can achieve a sparkling effect underfoot. Reflecting the sun's rays, the paths will sparkle and delight the eye.
• It is possible to make stamps from scrap materials, which are imprinted into a semi-liquid solution, thereby leaving a beautiful embossed print. Such stamps can be tree leaves or grass. The main thing is that the workpiece has a pronounced texture.
• On the surface of the concrete, you can lay out fragments from broken ceramic tiles and tiles. The pattern can be arbitrary.
• Slabs can be made from the concrete mixture, from which, after hardening, garden pedestrian crossings can be folded. Plates can be round, square, oval.

Filled gravel paths are an easy-to-install way to create a road and path network on your site. Moreover, the material itself is not expensive. By creating straight, strict lines, it is possible to maintain high-tech and minimalism in the design of the exterior. Curving, winding paths will surely lead you to a Japanese traditional rock garden or rockery. Symmetrical paths with topiary hedges on either side will be a decoration of the regular style in the garden. In addition, gravel is perfectly combined with other paving materials - natural and artificial stone, cobblestone, concrete slabs, wood.

However, this material has its drawbacks. Coarse gravel has sharp edges that can damage bare feet, while small gravel can easily be carried around the area on shoes. In addition, after the rain, the dirt from the boots will certainly linger between the stones, it is not easy to clean it later.

To pave the entrance front area with more expensive and noble natural flat stone, to fill in utility passages with concrete mixture or to pave with bricks, to lay out flagstone in the garden at a distance of a step or to fill the paths with rubble. Such combinations will help to add variety and allow you to save your budget without losing the beauty of the site.

The paths to the playground and the playground itself can be easily laid out with rubber mats. They prevent injuries from falling, are not slippery, they have dirt-resistant properties, they never accumulate water, therefore, ice does not appear. Slabs of crumb rubber can pave the paths of the entire summer cottage. They come in a variety of sizes and colors and are inexpensive.

Before proceeding with the laying of the material, it is worthwhile to draw up a diagram of the site and draw a plan for future tracks. Based on the specifics of the terrain, the placement of a residential building, outbuildings, the choice of material, a project is drawn up.

It is important to carry out all the work on carrying out communications on the site (water supply, sewerage, electric cable) before the start of the design of the tracks, then you will not have to open the finished roadway.

For simplicity, convenience and clarity, you can use a computer graphics editor and see the future result in 3D mode. But even a drawn-to-scale project on a piece of paper will help determine how best to lay the paths.

The first step is to schematically depict on the site a house, other buildings, as well as small architectural forms to which an approach is required. It is important to respect the scale and take into account all dimensions.

The first are the paths with a utilitarian meaning - from the gate to the entrance to the house, from the house to the outbuildings. It should be borne in mind that the most convenient routes are already trodden, capital routes are traced along them.

Further, the paths from the entrance area to the recreation areas are a playground, a gazebo, benches, to the garden, as well as to the vegetable garden, if any. Last but not least, you should be puzzled about how to organize a convenient approach to the water source, to some trees, flower beds, small architectural objects.

After that, you can make an estimate and calculate the approximate cost of material and work in the case of hiring workers. When calculating the cost, the width of the tracks should be taken into account. It must be determined at the planning stage.

The width of the path should be at least 70 cm, in which case it will be convenient to walk along it. However, some agricultural machinery has wider dimensions, which should also be taken into account. If the material for the walkway is brick, paving slabs, or any other well-dimensioned material, the width of the walkway will obey these parameters.

The next step will finally and clearly define the boundaries of the future road and path network. Pegs are driven along the perimeter of the track, onto which the cord is pulled. The stage of preparation of the base begins.

Usually, before starting installation and construction work, the top layer of soil is removed from those areas where the path will run. Thus, the future path will not rise much above ground level and will create a harmonious landscape design, as well as will not interfere with mowing.

The section to be torn off should be made a little wider, since it is better to protect the path itself with a curb made of stone or concrete. This will give the structure durability and keep its presentable appearance for a long time.

The preparatory work is very important and should not be neglected.

It is possible to save the track in the form in which it was conceived only with strict adherence to all the rules of technology, which are as follows:

• The layer of soil that must be removed is approximately 15-20 cm. It is imperative to control with a ruler so that this value is the same throughout the entire track.
• Boards are installed along the perimeter, which in this case will serve as formwork. Boards should be held firmly, not loose. To do this, they can be sprinkled with sand, nailed to hammered wooden stakes.
• In the case of installing a concrete curb, formwork is not required. In order to set them evenly, use a building level. They fix the curb with reinforcing rods, driving them deep into the ground.

• The bottom of the pit is covered with a mixture of crushed stone, gravel, sand or cement and rammed. Layer thickness - 5-10 cm.To save money, you can also use construction waste as drainage - fragments of brick, slate, crushed gas silicate plates, and so on. The main thing is that later there was an opportunity to compact the layer well, otherwise the base may sag over time.
• The next layer is geotextile. This material can be found commercially in rolls. It maintains the shape of the top sand cushion and also prevents plant roots from germinating and destroying the garden path.
• The sand is filled up in such a way that its layer is slightly higher than the level of the natural soil. If somewhere you need to add sand, then this must be done without fail, since it is important that the surface becomes almost perfectly flat.
• To make a rule, you need a board with perfectly flat and smooth ends. The length of the board is 20 cm longer than the width of the track. The lower corners are cut at right angles, 10 cm on each side to a depth equal to the thickness of the finishing material (brick, stone, tile). The formwork or curb will serve as an emphasis for the rule, the reduced end will help level the surface of the sand cushion without depressions or bumps at the desired depth.

To lay bricks, you need a mallet with a rubber striker that will not damage the material. Installation of elements starts from the curb. The brick is placed on the edge and hammered into the sand half the width. If the path option does not provide for the presence of a curb, you should dilute the concrete-cement mortar and fasten the bricks to each other. While the mixture hardens, reinforcing pins or filling and tamping crushed stone will help to reliably hold the structure.

When the side bricks are able to hold the main composition, you should start laying it out according to the scheme. In this case, it does not matter which side the decorative material will be laid - with an edge or on the wide side.

It is necessary to continue to drive in each brick at the level of the extreme ones with a rubber hammer. In this way, the stability of the coating can be achieved. For better adhesion, the elements can be glued together with a special stable glue for outdoor use. This technique will also prevent grass from sprouting. It is important that the glue is not visible from the outside and does not clog the cracks to the full depth, so the consumption will be economical.

Further, the gaps between the bricks are filled with sand, and with the help of a garden brush, they are tightly clogged with it. The surplus can be swept away. At the last stage, the formwork is dismantled, and the curb edges are covered with crushed stone, which is well compacted. From above, the canvas can be treated with a penetrating primer and a layer of varnish.

Paving slabs are laid in the same way.

A country-style round log trail requires dried wood of any hard type. It is important that all the cuts are as even as possible, so they will have to be cut with the utmost care. The surface is sanded and rubbed.

The diameter of the logs can be different, but the more options there are, the better. This will create a tight fit without large gaps. The height should be twice the depth of the pit without a sand cushion. Thus, the stumps should rise 10-30 cm above the ground surface.

It is necessary to pour an antiseptic into the container so that the log installed there rises 5-10 cm above the surface. Leave it for 3-4 minutes. The top is finished with a brush. You need to do this with each element, and then let it dry thoroughly.

Treatment with "Kuzbass varnish" looks the same, but requires only a few seconds of dipping, besides, the top can be left untreated, since this type of protective coating is not resistant to UV rays.But it will perfectly protect the part covered from the sun from decay. The varnish can be replaced with heated tar.

Since round timber due to its diameter is difficult to hammer into the sand with a hammer, the sand cushion is formed along with the laying of the logs.

When the stumps are processed and ready, you should start installing them:

• a small amount of sand is poured along the perimeter of the pit;
• the round timber selected by diameter is firmly set on the sand;
• between the stumps, it is poured to the level of the soil surface;
• after installing the first row, you can proceed to the second and so on until the end of the track.

In order to pave the entire area in this way, a lot of wood is required. This is not always possible, but a village path can be combined with wooden logs and rubble. For this, a round timber border is formed, and the center is covered with small pebbles.

In this case, the algorithm of actions will look like this:

• Hemp is driven in along the edge of the marked path with a prepared base and a sand cushion. They can rise above the ground level, or they can go level with it, it all depends on the desire and style. Moreover, in some places the height can be artistically different.
• The central part of the path is covered with geotextiles so that the edges at the level of the logs tuck up 8-10 cm. In this case, it is better to spread this material after the layer of sand, and not before it. This technique will not allow the crushed stone to mix with the sand cushion over time.
• Gravel or crushed stone is poured from above and leveled with a rake to the level of the ground surface.

The river stone mosaic is also an excellent option for decorating paths on the site. Such details are very small, so you will have to be patient before laying a beautiful path. An Altai stone is suitable for such a path. It is even, it is round and oval in shape, has shades from light gray to dark gray.

First of all, the elements should be sorted by size and color, this will help determine the styling pattern, and also speed up the laying process. You will also need a rubber hammer, water, a sponge and a level to work.

For the convenience of laying out a drawing, you can sketch a "drawing" with lime right on the surface of an already prepared sand cushion. It is also possible to divide the scope of work into square sections that will include an identical pattern report. This will allow you to achieve symmetry, and will also help you correctly calculate the amount of material.

After the preparatory work, you can proceed with the installation:

• Dilute a thick cement mixture.
• A solution is applied along the designated square areas, a pattern of river stone is tightly placed on top of it with an edge, which is recessed by about half. If the pattern is popular curls, then the rows are laid along these curls, moving from the edge to the center. Other patterns are created by analogy. It is important to work quickly so that the cement mixture does not have time to dry out.
• River stone can be laid not only with an edge, some fragments, especially large round stones, look great flat. The main thing is that the gaps between the elements are minimal.
• After the solution has "grabbed", you can level elements that rise strongly with a mallet.
• It is constantly necessary to control the level of the track so that there are no differences in height.
• Each paved area is watered with water. This procedure will wash away the cement mixture that has fallen on the surface of the walkway and improve the adhesion of the material.

There is another option for laying river stone. In the second case, no cement mixture is used, however, it becomes necessary to install a curb or formwork, to mount additional transverse partitions.

In this case, the mosaic is also laid in parts. And for each part it needs its own formwork, which is removed only after the surface has been compacted.

The paving technology looks like this:

• A curb is installed on the finished base without a sand cushion, as well as temporary partitions made of wood, which break the future path into sections.
• Gradually, the site is covered with sand and leveled with a rule. The cut-out corner of the rule should be 2-3 cm deep, just so the free edges of the river stone will look out.
• Moisten the sand surface with a spray bottle.
• Directly on the surface of the sand cushion, you can apply the future pattern with a thin line.

• According to the planned scheme, lay the mosaic, deepening the stones into the sand with the tapping movements of the mallet.
• After laying out one section, once again walk with a mallet over the entire surface of the drawing.
• Pour dry sand or sand-cement mixture on top, walk over the area with a brush, properly filling the cracks, sweep away the excess.
• Use a spray bottle to thoroughly moisten the resulting pattern.
• When the mixture dries up (after 2 hours), repeat the dusting of dry sand or mixture, once again moisten the area.

• When the mixture is completely dry, the surface of the river stone mosaic is washed with a sponge.
• To make the path harder, it is moistened with water for a week.
• It is a good idea to cover the path in case of rain with foam rubber or any other material. This way you can avoid washing out the still fragile mixture.
• The formwork is removed after a week, the edges of the path must be reinforced with stones or bricks.

Next, gravel is poured onto the pillow, it is well compacted. For the strength of the structure, a reinforcing grid should be installed.

For a classically flat concrete surface, the technology is simple:

• the cement-concrete mixture is diluted;
• the surface of the track is poured with a mixture flush with the boundary of the formwork, leveled by the rule;
• the roadway can be strengthened with iron. Dry cement is poured onto a wet surface in a thin layer and rubbed into the surface;
• the solution dries for 5-7 days.

There are special shapes that allow you to simulate a stone path. To create such transitions on your site, you should perform the following manipulations:

• pour coarse thick cement half the depth to the edge of the formwork, wait for the material to "grab" (several hours);
• dilute a more liquid portion of the mixture;
• set the mold on a dried base, pour a liquid solution on top. The mold can be removed only after the cement has completely dried in 3-5 days.

The process of creating such a track is not quick, given that the standard dimensions of the form are only 40 cm. But the price of such products is low, so you can purchase several forms at once, this will speed up the process.

So that the track will serve for a long time and please the eye, you should adhere to simple rules during the choice of material and the installation process:

• As a material, you should use products that are intended for paving paths. They have moisture resistant properties, they are not afraid of temperature changes.
• By mounting the track above the level of the surface of the main soil, it is possible to avoid "acidification" of the upper decorative material. Excess moisture from rain and melting snow will drain into the ground and be absorbed by the ground.
• The path should not rise too much above the ground either, it can be traumatic, and besides, it will be inconvenient to mow the lawn next to a high curb.

• It is important to take care of good drainage. It is thanks to this stage in the preparation of the foundation that it is possible to ensure that the road and track network will not require repair for a long time.
• The path must have a slope to the left or right. So the water from it will drain into the ground.

• You should not neglect the technology proven over the years when laying the roadway - each stage is very important, significant and fulfills its function.
• Regardless of the choice of material, you should not give up the curb. It strengthens the structure and affects its durability.

There are a lot of ideas for creating an original and unusual landscape design for a summer cottage, the main thing is that the final result is beautiful and harmonious. A well-planned and executed road and path network is able to give a harmonious look to the entire backyard area.

• In a small area, the paths laid out along the perimeter along the fence and flower beds look best. This solves two problems at once. Firstly, the space visually increases, and secondly, it becomes possible to walk a little even in a small area.
• A zigzag path can be paved directly in the garden. Walking among the trees and bushes, after each new turn, a new object of landscape art or an unusual small architectural form appears in front of your eyes.

• Sometimes the yard is so small that the garden path can also become part of the flower bed. In such areas, at the end of the path, you can install a dummy gate. This creates the feeling that the territory does not end, that it is much larger. The visual impact is sure to work for all guests.
• It is very important to consider the lighting of the garden paths. If it is better to provide the entrance, front area with classic versions of lighting devices - low and high lanterns, then an unusual and mysterious atmosphere can be organized in the garden with the help of glowing stones.

For information on how to make tracks in the country, see the video below.