Style: January 11, 2019

42 STYLE | landscaping
UP THE GARDEN PATH
Craig Wilson focuses on the journey, as well as the destination,
in his appreciatory look at paths.
well-placed garden path is one of the best tricks up a garden designer’s
A sleeve. At its most simplistic, this could be a humble gravel trail from
someone’s back door to their wood shed, or, at its most elaborate, a
beautifully paved boulevard leading to the entrance of a city’s most notable
public building.
While we all need a way to get from A to B, a path can transcend
functionality and create meaning and emotion in even the smallest of
garden spaces. A path leads us to where we need to go, or where we want
to go. It takes us on a journey and provides us with experiences along the
way, speaking to us of adventure. When we can’t quite see where they go,
they create a sense of mystery.
When used well in garden design, a path
crafts an invitation, subtly drawing your
eye to a space the designer wants you to
explore and experience. It could be a series
of paving slabs through an open lawn, leading
to a bench seat with a view back toward
the house, or an informal rock-lined track
leading you to the crest of a tussock-covered
mountaintop.
The surrounding plantings and material
underfoot will create the atmosphere your
path will evoke. A path through a densely
planted, shadowed woodland will have a
moody feel. The sound of the wind in the
surrounding trees will add another layer of
intrigue. High quality paving surfaces will let
you know the destination at the end of the
path is a place of substance, while irregular
aggregate chip will inform you the destination
is understated and relaxed. The sound
your shoe makes on the path adds another
experiential element to your journey…
Not all of us have property large enough to
accommodate lengthy, story-filled pathways.
However, with careful thought to garden
layout we could possibly incorporate an
enhanced sense of destination or mystery
in our gardens with a well-conceived and
structured garden path.
Creating beautiful
outdoor living spaces
Trademark Paving are experts in all types of residential paving
and stonemasonry. We can help with design advice and know
what it takes to make creative yet functional paved space.
03 344 1002 | trademarkpaving.co.nz
PATHS • DRIVEWAYS • COURTYARDS • PAVING • CONCRETE • LANDSCAPING