Why a path earns its keep

A path is one of the hardest-working features in a garden. It carries you and your wheelbarrow through wet winters, stops you treading mud into the borders, and quietly tells visitors where to go. Get it right and it also divides a long plot into distinct garden rooms, giving each area its own character. Get it wrong and you will be forever straightening wobbly edging and skidding on algae-covered slabs.

The good news is that natural materials suit British gardens beautifully, and most of the work lies in preparation rather than in expensive kit. A gravel path needs a decent base, a brick path needs a firm footing, and a stone path needs patience. Whichever you choose, plan the route before you lift a spade.

Choosing your material

Think about how the path will be used and how much maintenance you are happy to take on. A route to the compost heap has different demands from a path beside the patio where you linger with a mug of tea.

• Gravel and shingle — cheapest and most forgiving of odd shapes. Self-binding gravels such as a local hoggin set firm underfoot, while loose pea gravel feels softer and sounds lovely but travels on boots and paws. Allow a depth of around 50mm over a compacted sub-base.
• Brick — warm, characterful and excellent for small courtyards. Clay pavers laid in a herringbone pattern resist movement far better than a simple running bond. Avoid reclaimed bricks that crumble after a frost.
• Stone — sandstone, limestone and slate all age gracefully, though they vary enormously in hardness and slip resistance. Riven stone is beautiful but trip-prone; sawn or sandblasted surfaces are safer where the path stays damp.
• Timber — oak sleepers and treated boards make quick, inexpensive steps, but they turn slick in shade, so use them sparingly.

Setting out the route

A path that runs dead straight from the back door to the shed looks utilitarian. A gentle curve, even a shallow S-bend, slows the eye and makes a modest garden feel larger. Use a hosepipe or a length of rope to trial the line, then walk it in the rain and in the dark before committing. Aim for a finished width of at least 900mm for a main route and 600mm for a secondary one, so two people can pass and a barrow fits comfortably.

Keep paths clear of overhanging branches and remember that a route along a boundary wall will feel narrower than one across open ground. If you are linking two areas, let the path meet the patio or lawn at a slight angle rather than square on — it reads as more natural.

Preparing the base

Almost every failed path in Britain failed underground. Strip turf and topsoil to a depth of roughly 150mm for a pedestrian path, more if heavy clay or tree roots are involved. Fork over the exposed subsoil to break up compaction, then lay a geotextile membrane to stop weeds pushing through and to keep the base layer separate from the soil beneath.

Next comes the sub-base: 75–100mm of compacted Type 1 or MOT stone, raked level and thumped down with a plate compactor or a heavy hand tamper. Work in two thinner layers rather than one thick one, and check the fall with a spirit level as you go. A crossfall of about 1 in 40 — roughly 25mm across a metre — sheds water without being obvious underfoot.

Drainage and edging

Water is the enemy of any path, and British winters will find every weak spot. Where a path crosses low ground, dig a shallow French drain alongside it, filled with gravel and wrapped in membrane, leading to a soakaway or a planted border. On clay, a slight camber matters more than almost any other detail.

Edging holds everything together. Timber boards suit gravel, steel edging is discreet and long-lasting, and brick set on edge gives a traditional finish. Bed the edging firmly on a mortar or concrete haunch so it cannot creep, and set it slightly proud of the surface so gravel stays put in a downpour.

Planting the edges

The finishing touch is what grows alongside. Soften straight lines with low, tough plants that tolerate occasional treading: lady's mantle, hardy geraniums, ajuga and alpine strawberries all knit into paving without sulking. Aromatic herbs such as thyme and chamomile release scent as you brush past and cope with dry, gravelly ground.

Leave small gaps in the paving for these plants to self-seed, and avoid anything so vigorous that it swallows the path by July. Around steps and corners, use slightly taller planting — a clump of Japanese anemone or a low grass — to signal the change in level.

Build in stages if you must, but never skimp on the base. A path laid properly in October will still be true in ten years, and that quiet reliability is what makes a garden feel designed rather than merely assembled.