garden path material

Discussion in 'Outdoor Gardening in the Pacific Northwest' started by beanbean, Mar 7, 2010.

  1. beanbean

    beanbean Member

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    duncan vancouver island canada
    I'd like ideas on materials to use for garden paths.

    I have a vegetable garden with raised beds and I'm wondering about the best material to use on the paths between the beds.

    Any ideas?
     
  2. maf

    maf Generous Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    I don't know about the best, but any of bark mulch, gravel, or old bricks or tiles would work well, depending on personal choice and what is available. I also know someone who measured the width of their lawnmower, before positioning their raised beds, so they could grow turf between them.
     
  3. vitog

    vitog Contributor 10 Years

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    In my opinion the best material is no material. This gives you the option of changing the size and location of your raised beds at any time, with minimum effort. I've been doing it that way for 35 years and can't think of any reason to change.
     
  4. janetdoyle

    janetdoyle Active Member 10 Years

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    Interesting question! Relevant question! I have been going through the same thing, but not for a vegetable garden, for a decorative short pathway exiting my front door area through a small shady garden [not the main walkway, which is concrete] curving out to the side lawn... I have decided on coarse bark mulch [deep] and have had a trench dug where it will go, and the same coarse bark mulch will edge my foundation slab on one side of the path where the earth has been dug away as it was getting too high and too close to the siding, and it will continue along one other side of the building where the soil has similarly been lowered. The rest of the shady garden, hosting variegated shrubs and low white-tipped Cryptomeria japonica 'Knaptonensis' is mulched in a more soil-like mulch which I didn't want to use around the stones as explained below.

    Since I am trying for a Japanese garden "look" I have purchased tumbled [rounded edged] oval, kidney-shaped and occasionally random-shaped blueish slate stones, quite thick, and have them laid out in the trench which is about 5 inches deep, but will fill that trench with the coarse bark mulch. Someone tells me that I will need sand or fine gravel under the stones to keep them stable, but I am not sure about that if the bark mulch forms a thick bed for them. I want very coarse non-soil-filled mulch in order to minimize the mess that gets tracked in the house off shoes... and I have put the slate stones about 4 inches apart for easy walking...
     
  5. Lysichiton

    Lysichiton Active Member

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    I just put in 4 raised veggie beds 4x20 feet. I had the same question & decided on bark mulch. My reasoning is that when it decays enough in a few years, I can use it as part of a mix for more soil or as mulch or for compost - it's light & easy to work with if anything needs moving or changing - it's cheap - it's comfy to walk on. There are lots of options so take your choice. This was mine & I'm happy with it.
     

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