Is your garden path looking a little worse for wear? Don’t change it, embrace it! Below we look at five easy ways to enhance the look of your old garden path and take it from unkempt and tired to rustic and chic!
Welcome the Weeds
If weeds have begun to grow in the cracks and crevices of your garden path, do not fret. Instead of spending your precious time de-weeding your path, welcome the weeds instead. The term ‘weed’, by definition simply refers to a plant growing where it is not wanted. However, wild plants and flowers that have been allowed to grow and thrive in your garden can make for a beautifully rustic look. Many common ‘weeds’ are actually very pleasant to look at. Clovers, daises and bluebells are all prime examples of ‘weeds’ that, when allowed to flourish, can add a rustic charm and character to a garden. There is however, a different between shabby chic and just plain shabby. To get the balance right, you may need to do some de-weeding so your garden doesn’t look too overgrown. Then, add more hardy, low-growing plants to the cracks in your flagstones and gaps between your flags. Perennials like achillea, pennyroyal and iberis sempervirens are all hardy, low growing and will last. Plant them in a asymmetrical fashion to create a natural look.
Give it An Arch
A well placed archway could take an old garden path from a looking neglected and unkempt to enchanting and endearing. Garden arches have an old fashioned, fairytale-like charm about them that pairs wonderfully with worn a worn, winding path. An archway at the beginning or end of a walkway invites you to walk down it and gives your garden a sense of mystery and playfulness. Cover yours in colourful, climbing blooms to create an archway that smells just as good as it looks.
Fill in the Cracks
If you have an old
concrete path that is covered in cracks, why not fill in the cracks with
coloured concrete or
mortar? Better yet, why not use colourful aggregates? Vibrant primary colours like red and blue make an excellent contrast against word, grey concrete. And colourful aggregates such as glass pebbles or coloured stones make a great, creative crack fill when mixed with mortar or cement. Highlighting these lines and cracks with colour allows you to embrace them, and turn them into a feature rather than view them as an eyesore that needs to be removed.
Just add Water
Where there is water, there is life, and what better way to wake up your tired garden path than to add an interesting water feature? Not only do water features add an interesting element to your garden, but running water can offer excellent therapeutic benefits in helping top calm and clear the mind. Choose a water feature that flows in the direction of your walkway to create the feeling of a natural creek/waterfall. Alternatively you may want to place the water feature in the middle of your walkway as a central feature. You can check out our tutorial on ‘how to create a
spherical concrete fountain’ here.
Mix Things Up
f you’re unhappy with how your garden path looks and want to replace it entirely think your garden you may want to consider replacing just a few flagstones/paving stone/ bricks rather than re-doing the whole thing. By introducing new materials to your old path, you can create an interesting walkway that embraces both the old and the new. A great way to do this is to use flagstones that are particularly interesting in colour and design. Flagstones decorated with mosaic tiles or painted with patterns are a great choice. These can be bought or easily created at home.
