Winding 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.

Ratchets are almost always used in maintaining the tension given to the mainspring when winding watches and clocks. In general, all mechanisms that obtain their power from winding a spring make use of ratchets. Common devices that employ ratchets are the carpenter's brace, automobile jacks, wrenches, capstans, hoisting mechanisms, turnstiles, mechanical counters, and registers.

• Your garden will appear longer than it really is if you have a diagonal layout that leads the eye from a front corner to a back corner. If you want to make your garden seem shorter, divide it into separate "compartments" linked by a winding path. Don't be discouraged by sloping ground; in fact a contoured garden is usually more interesting than a flat one. • Make the most of slopes by having a rockery or waterfall, or even by making a series of terraces and raised beds.