- Claire Douglas
Garden path ideas: 10 inspiring examples
Updated: Mar 28
I'm deep in garden revamp planning at the moment and spending far too many hours a day looking at Pinterest and getting inspiration. I'm determined to DIY a beautiful garden path to replace (or likely cover) the monstrosity of ugly old concrete slabs that we have currently. Here are some of the ideas I've been considering for garden path materials and formats in case they are useful or interesting to you.
Creative garden path ideas
1. Limestone cobbles
Benefits of limestone cobbles
Beautiful
Durable
Non-slip
Potential negatives
Costly
Ongoing maintenance eg cleaning to keep them looking their best
I love the look of these beautiful stones, but for us the sheer amount of work to perfectly level the ground then the cost of the stones will be prohibitive. One day, I'd love to have a cottage garden decked out with cobblestone slabs, but for now I think they are out of reach in my search for a budget DIY.
2. Rubber Stepping Stone Railroad Tie
Benefits of rubber stepping stones
Eco-friendly
Durable
Low maintenance
Potential negatives
Install cost
Potential for some colour fade over time I love this idea because anything that is eco-friendly is a smart move, but I'm personally looking for something with the look of stone rather than wood and I'm hoping for a pale colour.
3. Weathered brown stepping stones
Benefits
Good value
Easy to install
Low maintenance
Potential negatives
Heavy to move around and install
These stone stepping stones look like they've been around for ages and have a natural and weathered rustic look. I'm hoping for a more contemporary look with light bright whites and a fresh look. These would work well for a cottage-style garden.
4. Curved stone path
Benefits
Natural looking
Easier to install than straight lines
DIYable
Attractive
Potential negatives
Aggregates can be expensive
Needs ongoing maintenance
Needs tools for installation, like a compactor.
This type of path is top of my shortlist at the moment. I love that you can shape it to fit your garden with beautiful curves rather than having to keep to completely straight lines, I also love the fact you can add any colour gravel. I like the contrast of the light gravel shown with the fresh, vibrant greens of the planting. Installing a gravel path on a rubber matting base will keep the gravel in place, reducing the amount of movement and ongoing maintenance.
5. Wooden pallet garden pathway
Benefits
Natural looking
Easy to install
Rustic
Potential negatives
Requires a lot of wood can be expensive
Can get slippy when wet
Requires maintenance to prevent rotting
We already have a wooden deck so I know only too well the level of maintenance required to prevent mould, rotting and slipping in wet weather and winter temperatures. Although a wooden pallet-style path looks natural and rustic and could be painted, oiled or stained, it's not quite the Mediterranean, contemporary look we are hoping for.
6. Grass pathway
Benefits
Natural looking
Easy to install & maintain
Very cost-effective
Potential negatives
Can get worn down by high foot traffic
Can get muddy
Requires maintenance to prevent bare patches and bogginess.
Grass pathways are ideal for expansive gardens where a formal path would be prohibitively expensive. Our front garden is small with high amounts of foot traffic, so I'm hoping to make something more weather-resistant and resiliant.
7. Herringbone brick garden path
Benefits
Attractive
Hard wearing
Potential negatives
Expensive
Skilled install required
Brick pathways, especially in the herringbone format as seen are one of the most beautiful examples of a garden path. They remind me of the paths at stunning National Trust gardens like Sissinghurst and would be a dream to have one day. For now, the cost is simply too high and the amount of work required for install is too great. This is one for the vision board!
8. Wooden plank garden pathway with gravel
Benefits
Attractive
Easy to install & maintain
Potential negatives
Requires ongoing maintenance
These wood and gravel pathways are natural and rustic and definitely have charm and character, but I'm leaning away from wood due to the amount of ongoing maintenance and the lifespan being shorter than that of stone.
9. Cobblestone-edged gravel path
Benefits
Hard-wearing
Non-slippy
Potential negatives
Expensive
Skilled install required
Cobblestone-edged gravel paths have all the feels of a formal garden in a stately home. They look smart and durable and set off the adjacent hedging so well in the picture, but the number of cobblestones we'd need would push the costs too high - another one for the future wishlist.
10. Garden path with slabs and plants
Benefits
Natural looking
Easy to install
Less weeding required
Potential negatives
Takes time to grow
Requires ongoing maintenance
Can be expensive
I love the relaxed and lived-in look of slab pathways where plants have grown in between the slabs. This would look perfect for a charming cottage-style garden but I'm hoping for a neater and sleeker final look.
For our DIY garden path project, I'm leaning towards making a gravel path using rubber matting and pea gravel and then pouring a resin mix over the top of the stones to set them, preventing flyaway stones and mess. I'll let you know once I've done more research into this option. I'm going to share lots of garden inspo posts while I plan and execute this makeover so check back regularly to follow along. Don't forget to check out my post on summer garden prep for tips on how to get your outdoor space singing before summer.
Where next?
Here are some other garden-related posts that you might enjoy...
Paths & Patios
Rockery & driveway
Storage
Decking
I hope you've found some of these ideas inspiring and useful, let me know in the comments if you try any of them. Be sure to scroll to the very bottom of the page & hit the subscribe button to receive my monthly newsletter which is packed full of tutorials, updates and offers.
