Attractive Path at www.japanese-home-gardens.com

The arrangement of paving units in a path can subtly affect the speed at which you walk. A uniform grain along the path—for example, that created by bricks laid lengthwise in stretcher bond—can seem to hurry you on, whereas a less directional pattern will encourage a slower pace. The treatment may be chosen to suit the purpose of the path—a "slow" path where there is plenty to admire, a "faster" path where the aim is simply to provide access to another part of the garden.

Any of the following materials can be used for paths, either on their own or mixed. You can make lots of attractive patterns to give interesting variations in texture and color. In fact, no matter what style of path you choose, you will be able to find a paving material that will suit your needs. WHEN IT COMES to laying out the shape of the path, use pegs and cords for the straight stretches and lengths of water hose for the curved bits. As a rule, paths should be about 3ft wide, but there is no reason why you can't make them narrower or wider if you wish, provided they are not so narrow that they make you feel that you are walking a tightrope.

An informal and attractive path can be made from logs and gravel; the wood should be treated with preservative. Make sure all the logs are the same height to ensure that the surface is even. Lay them close together, almost touching, on a sand and gravel base, and firm them down. The gaps between should be filled with a mixture of sand and gravel, and the surface brushed with a stiff outdoor broom. To lay a gravel path, replace the sand layer in your foundation with a 2in layer of coarse gravel and roll it well to compact it. Then add a 2in layer of fine gravel, raking it out level and rolling it again to make a firm surface.