Flowers along the sidewalk. Do-it-yourself paths in the country: let's look at the work process, how to make a path. How to make a garden path with your own hands

Paths are an integral part of the garden. Not only the appearance of the estate, but also the ease of movement throughout the entire site depends on how they are laid and connected to each other. Therefore, the arrangement of paths and paths is the main stage in the design of a garden and park area.

How to Plan a Path Layout

It is best to draw up a layout of paths during planning and zoning of the site. This will make it possible to provide access to all necessary buildings and areas.

If necessary in the future, after the appearance of a new building, or a change in the layout, you can always adjust the route or change the direction. The marking should be carried out taking into account all routes, so that convenient passage is provided to each important element of the garden.

First, you should draw up a site plan and think through all possible objects, including communication, architectural or design ones. After marking all the routes, it is necessary to determine the width of the path, taking into account what exactly it will be used for.

• The main path - going from the gate to the house and to the most visited places, for example, a gazebo or playground, should be 0.9-1.5 m wide. This is necessary not only to allow two people to pass through, but will also help to highlight it visually.
• Paths of secondary importance (to utility rooms, bathhouses, outbuildings, recreation areas) - from 60 to 90 cm.
• For paths going deep into the garden or vegetable garden, a width of 35-50 cm is suitable.

The exact width of the paths is not given, as it depends on the size of the area and personal preference. However, for a large area, it is recommended to make each branch from the road twice as narrow as the previous one. For example, the main one is 1.2 m, then the secondary one is 60 cm, and the garden one is 30-35.

It is equally important that the paths fit perfectly into the overall style of the site. For a garden designed in a landscape style, serpentine paths with smooth turns are best suited. Their width is made the same, and when approaching sites or buildings they are gradually expanded.

Landscape style of garden design or English garden. Also called the Natural Style or Natural Garden, it contains irregular and uneven shapes, mixed plantings and planting areas.

In a regularly constructed garden, paths are laid out exclusively in a straight line, so that they are parallel and perpendicular to each other, fences and walls of the house. A radial pattern or symmetry is also suitable for this style.

For the reader's reference

Landscape style A regular garden is the direct opposite of the landscape style. It may also have the names French Park, Geometric Garden, Garden of Regular or Geometric Construction. It is distinguished by regular, even shapes and symmetrical execution. It is considered the most strict and light style in landscape design.

Materials for paving paths in the garden

When choosing which paths to make in the garden with your own hands, it is important to take into account the basic requirements: strength, safety and affordability. What is the best way to make them? And how to determine the required amount of materials?

The most popular are:

• paving slabs;
• a natural stone;
• granite chips;
• paving stones;
• pebbles;
• stamped concrete;
• concrete plates;
• bars and tree cuts;
• terrace board.

The choice of building materials for paving should depend on the purpose of the paths and areas. On the main routes, especially if the house is permanently inhabited, a continuous hard covering of concrete, tile or stone is laid. For backfilling central paths, as well as for paving routes of secondary importance, brick chips, gravel or pebbles are used.

The central paths and entrances are paved with the same type of material to give the entire space stylistic unity. If the area of ​​the site is large, you can combine several types of coatings, but no more than 2-3. To lay serpentine paths, it is better to choose small-sized elements - paving stones, clinker, paving slabs.

Before laying the covering, it is necessary to make the base of the path. To do this, dig a trench, having previously calculated its depth using the formula: the height of the base layer plus the height of the surface coating. Typically, a 30 centimeter layer of fine-grained sand and gravel, or crushed stone, is used to create the base. In this case, the sand component should not be more than 50%. The base is laid out in 4-5 approximately equal layers, each one is thoroughly poured with water to settle and compacted.

Determining the amount of facing material

In order to determine how much material will be required for paving the surface layer of the path, it is necessary to determine the length and width of the future garden path, and then, by multiplying, calculate its total area. For example, to create a path measuring 1.2 by 7 m, about 63 tons of decorative crushed stone will be required.

This calculation is made based on the following data:

• Using the data from the example, we obtain the coverage area: 1.2*7=8.4 square meters;
• For a stable coating, according to the standards, it is customary to take a height of 5 cm;
• The volume of coverage is equal to the coverage area multiplied by the height: 8.4 * 5 = 42 cubic meters;
• The bulk weight of decorative crushed stone can be obtained from the manufacturer; on average, it is one and a half tons per cubic meter;
• Based on these data, we calculate that our path will need 63 tons (42 * 1.5).

You can approximately calculate the amount of sand and gravel for the base using the same principle. The bulk weight of fine-grained sand is 1.72-1.8 tons per cubic meter, and the bulk weight of fine-grained crushed stone M700-M800 is 1.41 tons.

Paths in the garden made of stone, tiles and bricks: design options

Slab is the most popular material for organizing paths. Firstly, it is easy to lay out, secondly, it is durable and wear-resistant, and thirdly, it is quite easy to care for.

The modern building materials market allows you to choose paving slabs to suit every taste - all kinds of shapes, colors and textures. In order to decorate a large area - a parking lot or a porch area, it is enough to combine 2-3 options, arranging inserts on the main canvas with diagonal or patterned placement of tiles.

Mosaics or abstract patterns made from multi-colored tiles of various sizes will look very unusual and festive. For connoisseurs of natural style, an excellent solution would be tiles with gaps, which after installation can be sowed with grass or covered with soil.

DIY garden paths made of natural stone

Natural materials - basalt, granite, limestone, sandstone allow you to turn your wildest fantasies into reality. With their help, you can make a path for any purpose a real artistic element of the garden. The main advantage of such a coating is harmony and durability. Pavement of paths from natural stone is not difficult, even for a non-professional.

For the construction of walking paths, it is most rational to use full-sawn paving stones - stone blocks shaped like a parallelepiped. And driveways should be paved with crushed paving stones. Paving made of flagstone of irregular shape, 4 cm thick, looks no less beautiful. It must be selected according to its shape, and laid on a bed of compacted sand or on a sand-cement mixture.

To save money

To save money, you can combine paving slabs, filling the main part of the paving with them, and make stone patterns in the center. For this purpose, stones of any size left over from construction, boulders of unusual shapes, pebbles and shells brought from a trip are suitable. Brick chips, pieces of marble, granite, and even wood cuts will also come in handy.

Droshky in the garden, photo of original coverings using wood

Wood is not the most durable material, but wooden paths look very aesthetically pleasing and original. To ensure that the coating lasts as long as possible, before installation it is treated with special impregnations that protect against moisture and fungi: Drevotex-Anti-Mold, Dali, Woodmaster Prof Biosept, Ecodom Bioprof. Such paths are installed only in elevated places, where there is no possibility of waterlogging and water stagnation.

Walking paths going into the distance of the garden are made from wooden cuts with a diameter of 20 cm or rectangular beams 20x15 cm. The most suitable material for saw cuts is considered to be aspen, oak or alder wood, and for making beams - spruce, pine and some types of larch. The finished beams are laid out on a sand bed covered with gravel on top. The saw cuts are driven into compacted wet sand, as close to each other as possible.

The most durable material for garden paths

Paths made from decking boards are stronger and more durable. It is made from wood or wood-polymer material that is not subject to the destructive effects of weather conditions. Mount the covering on logs laid on a leveled surface. The boards are fastened to each other using self-tapping screws or clips.

The logs are selected based on the selected decking board. If wood-polymer materials are used, the logs should also be made of composite materials, since the service life of the parts of the structure must be the same. The surface for the logs can be made of various materials: paving stones, crushed stone and sand, sand cement or concrete. The main condition is a prepared, flat surface, with a slight slope (1.5-2%) from the house for water drainage.

The logs are laid at a distance of 40-50 cm, and in places of high load 20-30 cm. Also, they should not be laid close to curbs and walls, the recommended distance is more than 20 mm. After which the decking board is fixed. If completely natural materials are used, mandatory treatment with special oils to prevent rotting is necessary.

Bottom line

A beautifully laid out central path or an originally decorated winding path leading from the house to your favorite vacation spot, pond or vegetable garden can not only emphasize the advantages of plant compositions, but also become an effective garden decoration. Using the advice of our experts, you will make beautiful and comfortable paths in the garden with your own hands.

When creating a cozy and unique design for their garden plot, the owners, through logical thinking or assessment of practical needs, will come to the conclusion about the need to plan and construct garden paths. The next question that will arise in this regard is the option of paving them.

Construction and design of garden paths

Professionals who have extensive experience in paving paths and so-called enthusiasts who landscape their areas using a variety of methods give a positive description of the paving process, which is not complicated, interesting and brings amazing results. The first advantages noted by people who have tried the paving method are increased comfort of the created conditions and an aesthetically attractive appearance. For example, stone paths will quickly shake out and dry out after rain; during the cold season they will not create problems when clearing ice and snow.

Having delved a little deeper into the process, it becomes clear that paved paths prevent the subsidence of the upper layers of the earth and their erosion, as well as the spread of dirt formed during precipitation throughout the area. Designers also consider it a plus and emphasize that a paved path on the site will not only become a bright piece of decor, but will also unite its different zones.

Making your own garden paths

Experts advise that when paving a path, do not forget about the need to decorate it with a border. It will serve as a rigid fixation of the boundaries of the path, and also protect its edge from deformation, especially under the influence of different climatic conditions. A border is not a necessary condition, but it is the one that can advantageously emphasize and preserve for a longer period an unusual, original method of paving. Basically, the curb is not used only when the path is planned from natural stone of various configurations or concrete slabs.

Such a fence as a border can protrude 5-15 cm above the ground. It can be made from different building materials: from special concrete blocks for borders, from wood or concrete, natural stone or brick. The most commonly used edging material is red brick. Mount it end-to-end in the ground. This edging option does not require large financial investments or special skills. If the shape of the red brick border is planned with bends, you should prepare a cement mortar, which will be needed for filling the seams and jointing.

It will be interesting to look at a border made from stockpiles. Podtovarnik - chocks with a crooked cut, about half a meter long, with a diameter of about 10 cm. A crooked cut end is better than a straight one, because it allows for the unhindered flow of fallen precipitation, in turn preventing rotting of the upper part of the wooden fragment. In order to maximize the service life of such a border, you need to apply an antiseptic to the lumps and wrap their lower part with roofing felt.

Making a border from natural, large, flat stone is as follows:

• the starting material is laid to a certain depth and covered with earth;
• when the stones are not large enough, the border is made using mortar.

In cases where the garden path is planned to be made of slag, sand, gravel, or pebbles, a border is mandatory. The most durable and durable will be a concrete curb stacked on a concrete base.

Decorating the path to the house

A successful combination of different building materials (brick, tile, wood, gravel) will add splendor and uniqueness to the garden plot. All paths on the site should be elegant and practical at the same time. And those that are located directly next to a residential building must also guarantee a problem-free and comfortable approach, and perhaps even access, to it in all weather conditions.

How to decorate a garden path

To make the path beautiful, you should first consider how to decorate it. When choosing, you should take into account the material from which the track is made and its color. For example, plants with flowers of a similar shade (calendula or marigolds), or vice versa, a contrasting one that would emphasize the orange tint of the material, will be suitable for a brick path.

If the path is cement and has an inexpressive color, then the plants along it should attract all the attention to themselves, i.e. they should be distinguished by brightness of color and elegance of form.

When designing garden paths, you can use both perennials, annuals, and perennials, but if you choose the latter, the decor of the path will have to be thoroughly corrected and restored.

If the paving of the path was done beautifully and from expensive natural materials, then on the sides it would not be better to organize strips of lawn - it will emphasize the attractive appearance and color of the material. At some distance you can plant flowering plants - hostas, irises. At the points where paths intersect, designers recommend arranging flower beds of creeping and rapidly growing plants; planting a ground cover rose would be a very good option.

What plants to plant along the paths

Of course, it is impossible to give an unambiguous answer to the question of what colors are best for decorating paths in the garden. The choice will depend on the style of the landscape, its color scheme, and the personal preferences of the garden owners. But general recommendations on this matter can still be taken into account.

For example, paths framed by daylilies planted along them will look very attractive. The originality of the plant composition will be given by planting daylilies in a certain order with different shades of flowers: burgundy, yellow, orange, lilac. The second attractive point is different flowering periods, if you choose the right varieties of daylilies, the path will always be surrounded by flowers - until one variety ends flowering, it will begin flowering of another.

If a herbaceous border was built when decorating the droshky, then bushes of sedge or cereal crops, or other plants with variegated leaves or decorative inflorescences can be planted along it. The periwinkle that frames it will add brightness to the path throughout the summer. Irises, hyacinths, daffodils or tulips are also suitable for planting, but you should remember that they bloom once a season, in early spring. For example, delicate daisies will bloom throughout the summer.

The framing of the paths will look more interesting if you select plants and plant them in such a way as to create tiers. In the first of them, of course, there will be creeping or low-growing ones:

• tenacious or sedums,
• periwinkle or saxifrage,
• thyme or lungwort,
• coin loosestrife, primrose.

The second tier can be formed from medium-sized crops, these can be annuals or perennial creeping conifers, bergenia, tall primroses.

Of the tall ones, to create a third tier, you can plant lilies and paniculata phlox, astilbe, and falaris. You can also plant columnar conifers. Plants used in one composition must be combined in shape and color of leaves and flowers, the height of the tiers must be such that the plants are clearly visible and do not shade each other.

Planting creeping or low-growing plants on uneven areas will help visually brighten up steps and potholes on the ground surface.

If there is a difference in ground height, the path must be equipped with steps. You can also decorate steps with flowers; moreover, well-chosen types of them will help make a smooth flight of stairs or an uninteresting, flat section of a path into a bizarrely curved one. To do this, you will need to plant large, branched plants at several points that will block the view of the continuation of the path.

You can also plant small-petalled plants, which, as they grow, will fall over the edges of the path, thereby concealing all the errors made during its construction.

Decorating paths in the garden with flower beds

flower borders

Often, certain types of flower beds are used to decorate paths. The simplest, but quite attractive, dense strip of plants, called a flower border, can have different widths. It can use carpet plants of several types, growing very compactly. You can also use taller plants planted in several rows. Smaller ones are planted closer to the path; subsequent, higher rows, if properly planned, should close with them. The most commonly used for this purpose are: marigolds, verbena, sedum, ageratum.

discounts

Wider and more colorful flower beds located along the paths are called rabatki. The recommended width is from 0.5 m to 1.5 m. If the path is long, then the ridge should be made intermittent. Such flower beds can be double-sided or one-sided. The latter are usually located near fences or walls of buildings; tall plants should be planted closer to the walls or fence.

If the path lies in an open space, then a double-sided path will be installed. Several types of plants used in it are planted in the form of an ornament or parallel stripes. It is also expected to select a specific color scheme: white-pink, pink-burgundy, purple-yellow, yellow-blue.

In a double-sided garden, tall plants are placed along the middle line.

mixborders

Mixborders look more natural and relaxed; they are usually used to improve areas near buildings or fences, and to border paths. The width of such a mixed type flower bed can be from one and a half to four meters, the length - up to tens of meters. For a mixborder, you can select about two to three dozen different plant species, but always in such a way that their flowering period follows each other. When planning a mixborder with a width of more than one and a half meters, it is advisable to provide for the presence of a path or at least a passage in the middle of it - this will make it more convenient to care for flowers and water them.

Plants in a mixborder are placed in three groups - the tallest of them should bloom at the end of summer, the middle ones - in June-July, low-growing perennials - with a spring flowering period, it is desirable that they have bright, decorative leaves. Early flowering bulbous plants are placed closer to the middle; their leaves, withered after flowering, will hide the bright plants located in the foreground.

When planting perennial crops, one should not forget that they will grow over time. The space left between them can be filled with annual plants in the first year.

An elegant path emerging among snow-white pebbles

Today we bring to your attention amazing ideas for decorating garden paths. We will show you the splendor of options for arrangement and chic landscape design. Here are all the most popular examples, from unique design compositions and stylish geometry, to simple and uncomplicated paths built from waste building materials and other great ideas.

The most popular are the stunning alleys and paths built from natural stone. They themselves can perfectly complement textures and diversify lush greenery, but you can show a little creativity and create magnificent masterpieces with their own original plot, charming contours and rough shapes.

A fairytale path among a riot of decorative plantings

Rectangular rock fragments surrounded by colorful pebbles

Simple but neat path

Stone slabs laid between beautiful flower beds

Even simplicity can look impressive

From large fragments you can combine not only an alley, but also steps

Compositional contrasts

What your imagination is capable of

Beautiful staircase

Unique image

Cozy garden

Laconic landscape design

Fairytale composition

Works made from decorative stone, which was previously given finishing to acquire a certain shape, will look more impressive in the landscape design of the site.

As a rule, such rock fragments are made to order and, depending on your desire, they can have even the most intricate configurations.

You also get the opportunity to individually select this or that stone and better implement this idea together with a designer who will help you correctly formulate your needs.

Elegant decoration

Intriguing compositions from different materials

winding path

Alley for a modern garden with a minimalist design

Original scenery

The road to a fairy tale

You can focus on non-standard options; winding stone paths will add an interesting twist to your site. And if you choose original garden lighting to complement such a stylish look, you will get an impeccable picture that will be difficult to take your eyes off. You can lay out such a path from almost any material that is available to you.

Charming road through a well-kept lawn

A winding concrete path surrounded by colorful flower beds

Discreet Design

To some, brick may not seem like a very modern material, but if you formulate the image correctly and choose non-standard patterns, you will get a wonderful decor. Moreover, you can combine it with other textures to create a striking contrast.

Intricate motive

Stylish alley

Convenient path through the luxurious gallery

Simple but effective solutions

Paving stones formed into a stylish image

A road along which your walk will be unforgettable

Interesting way of laying

Chic landscape design

For fans of stylish geometry and creative design, you can think about a stunning option that is worthy of royal flower beds. A symphony of natural stone, lawn grass, pebbles or other material can be embodied in a chic picture that will become an artful highlight of your garden.

Playful combination

Worthy decoration

Concrete garden paths also have good potential. You can build such an alley yourself, having basic knowledge in this industry, or entrust all the work to a specialist.

You can choose any method: solid pouring or slabs, and the second method will be more flexible, since you will get not just a solid canvas, but also areas where decorative plants can be planted between the fragments, which will serve as frames for each piece.

Alley between beautiful flower beds

An impressive composition in an original frame

Paved paths

Adding Interest with Captivating Details

Magnificent steps

Do you want to express your individuality, and in some cases, fit within a modest budget? Then the following examples will pleasantly surprise you.

An unusual but beautiful path made of wooden logs buried in the ground

A creative approach to arranging a path

Even simple pallets will perform the simplest task

A unique pattern, the material for which can be found among our garbage

Passage between flower beds

Having a small pond on your site, you can’t even imagine how effectively you can present this image. Right in the middle of a mini-reservoir in the garden, you can build flower beds with moisture-loving plants and lay a small path out of stones. But you shouldn’t limit yourself to this, because wide opportunities open up before you that you shouldn’t brush aside.

Gorgeous man-made lake

Exotic terrace

Luxurious landscape design

The paths, lined with stones with an uneven structure, have a very charming appearance. They blend perfectly with the entire landscape. To slightly soften their rough appearance, you can plant decorative low-growing plants in the voids between them, which will hide the open ground underneath and create a simply fabulous image.

A tempting option for designing a path

Modern terrace design

Wonderful path

Magic Road

Bring a variety of colors

Visual appeal in every detail

Magnificent landscape with superb scenery

You can build garden paths with your own hands even from scrap materials, you may doubt it, but glass, sand, broken bricks, old tires and other building materials can be a brilliant idea for decorating a stunning path running through your garden.

For a more skillful project, you will need the help of a designer who will turn your patio or area near your house into a fabulous place where you can not only relax, but also fully enjoy the beauty of nature that you created with your own hands.

еQˠ - just add the additions suggested above, and you will mentally find yourself in the south of France.

There are many ways to beautifully highlight a path in the garden: from primitive to exotic.

In many cases, the device will not require any special knowledge or skills.

This means that even someone whose hands have never done anything like this before can handle its construction. It is worth noting that designing garden paths is a rewarding, exciting and creative task.

Well-groomed paths, on the one hand, please the eyes of owners and guests, and on the other hand, they serve a practical purpose. Decorative garden paths decorate and complement the overall design of a dacha or garden, while their main function is still the main one: paths connect various functional parts of one yard.

Options for garden paths for lazy summer residents

You can create a path from your home to your buildings, even without any special material or physical costs, in literally 1 day. The result will be unsightly, but this may suit some people. So, 3 primitive ideas for designing a garden path:

1. Decorating paths using ordinary large and medium stones. They are laid out on both sides of the already trampled path in 1 row. The option is the most budget-friendly and unprepossessing, but many summer residents choose it. Such a path has a purely decorative function, because the first rain will turn the trampled ground into mud.
2. The second option is to fill a pre-dug trench (10 cm) with pebbles, stones, expanded clay or something else. Ready!
3. The third solution is to line the path with very large flat stones or concrete slabs. They just need to be dug into the ground to the required height. A low lawn will give a stone garden path its unique charm. Beautiful, very simple and at the same time practical.

The ideas described do not require serious preparation and work, which is why they are primitive. However, if you need a high-quality result, that is, beautiful and reliable garden paths, you will have to work a little with your own hands.

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Decorating a garden path in traditional ways

The most popular types of garden paths are paths paved with paving stones, bricks, paving slabs, and also. They are more reliable and beautiful than primitive options, but require strengthening the base and some preparation.

Measurements and calculations.

Before starting any construction work, it is necessary to have an accurate (that is, recorded on paper) representation of the desired result. To do this, it is enough to draw a plan of the site with buildings with your own hands and determine where and how the garden paths should be located. All the subtleties of design, bends and turns, thickening and narrowing of pedestrian paths on a scale are clearly visible on the layout of the site.

It is important to take care in advance about the purpose of each section of the path, because the width of the path itself depends on the load. For example, a path from a house to a rarely used shed may be only 40-50 cm wide, meaning 1 person can easily walk along it. At the same time, the central path can involve walking in the garden together, so its width should be at least 1 meter. To the width of the path you need to add the width of the curb (for a trench).

If you plan to pave the path with paving slabs or bricks, then it is better to choose in advance the width of the garden path and the laying method that will allow you to lay the parts with a minimum amount of scraps. This will save a lot of effort, time and money.

Preparing for work.

General preparation consists of marking the area itself using pegs and thick thread. The pegs are driven in at a distance of 1-2 m from each other, and the thread is pulled over them. These are the boundaries of the future path. To mark turns and bends, you need to drive pegs into the ground at a smaller distance from each other.

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Paths in the garden, paved with paving slabs, bricks, paving stones

The next step after preparing the site is digging a trench of a given width and. It is necessary to remove 10-15 cm of the top layer of soil so that the bottom of the trench is as smooth as possible, without holes or bumps. Compact (trample) the earth and fill the sand-gravel mixture with a layer of 5-8 cm.

Mix the concrete solution and install curbs on the sides of the path and let it set. You can lay paving slabs, paving stones or bricks directly on the sand and gravel layer, or you can further strengthen the path. To do this, mix cement and sand in a ratio of 1:3 until smooth, cover the mixture with a layer of 4-5 cm, and level it. Lay the tiles on the mixture as close to each other as possible according to the selected pattern. Fill the gaps between the tiles with sand, then generously water the path with a hose.

Materials for concrete mortar for curbs:

• cement;
• sand;
• water.

The solution is mixed at a ratio of 1:6, that is, for 1 portion of cement there will be 6 portions of sand. Mix in the same way as the solution for forming a concrete path, but in different proportions.

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Concrete paths with and without drawings

You could say that this is the base for many different paths leading to the house or winding through the garden. Concrete solution is poured into the prepared trench and leveled with a trowel. The height of the fill is determined individually, but most often the height is 3-5 cm above the soil level. The solution is allowed to set a little (an hour) and using molds (children’s sandbox molds or tin cookie molds are suitable) they leave imprints on the surface: stars, hearts, and so on. You can use embossed leaves and their combinations to create entire compositions.

When making a path from concrete or using a stencil, it is possible to decorate its surface with your own hands using pieces of tiles, glass, multi-colored pebbles, shells and similar small colored elements. It is enough to let the concrete set a little, and then gently press the decorative elements with your hands into the surface of a solid path or concrete tile.

Contrasting patterns and mosaics can make any garden unique and memorable.

Landscape designers believe that flowers along the path at the dacha will be an excellent option for transforming the site. To choose the appropriate type of flowers for planting, you need to know the intricacies of planting and flowering of each representative of the fauna. But the composition of the compositions depends on your desires and capabilities. Of course, a busy person will not be able to spend much time planting and thinking through complex shapes and ornaments. This raises the question: what varieties of flowers to choose so that there is less physical effort and the result is maximum? But first you need to build garden paths if you don’t already have them.

One of the ways to decorate a garden is to plant flowers along paths in the form of mixborders, borders or ridges.

How to make garden paths in the country?

Garden paths should be built so that they are convenient and provide access to all ends of the site. But they should not only be a necessary attribute of a country house, but also create an overall aesthetic appearance of the garden plot. If you decide to make concrete paths, then think about the fact that they will remain that way for a long time; dismantling them will be difficult, even if you want to redo the design. And visually such paths do not look very nice.

Your costs will depend on what material you choose. Paths made of stone, crushed stone, paving slabs, wooden cuts or composite boards can look great. The styling options can also be varied. Before you start laying paths, think through all the details of the work and purchase the necessary material. It is better to start work in the spring.

Design of garden paths

You can decorate garden paths in the form of borders, mixborders, garden plants and flowers. The boundaries of the tracks can be clearly defined, rectilinear, with smooth shapes or blurred. If you prefer clear contours, trim the plants along the paths with garden shears or create a ridge of flowers.

For a straight path, the following planting scheme from the presented plants is suitable:

1. Thuja occidentalis is planted in the background.
2. In front of the path, plant alternating early thyme and subulate phlox.

If the stone or tiled path is curved, then it can be decorated with an elegant mixborder of ash geranium, barberry, roses, juniper, Japanese astilbe or other bright plants. This will create a festive atmosphere in the yard for a long time.

If you have paths with a soft surface, such as gravel or mulch, framing them with ornamental shrubs in combination with unpretentious perennials is suitable. The soft surface with winding directions will be pleasant to walk in the summer. But such paths require special care, especially in winter: a snowblower is not suitable for removing snow from them - you will have to use the good old method, using a shovel for these purposes.

Thus, the following types of planting are suitable for soft paths:

1. Lungwort.
2. Barberry.
3. Mock orange crown.
4. Derain is white.
5. Bladderwort.
6. Aconite and delphinium.
7. Iris.
8. The cuff is soft.

If your summer cottage is located in a forest area, then it is better to choose shade-tolerant plants to design the paths. These include all types of lilies of the valley, ferns, lungwort, and kupena. Walking along such paths, you seem to plunge into mysterious and enigmatic fairy-tale times.

What flowers can you plant in your dacha?

Since there is already a lot of work at the dacha, but you still want beautiful flowers to please the eye and create a good mood, it is better to choose unpretentious varieties. Those that would not cause difficulties in care, were not susceptible to various diseases and bloomed from early spring to late autumn. If we talk about early flowers, these are daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths and peonies. They are planted with bulbs in late autumn; after the snow has melted and the soil has warmed up, they sprout. Therefore, plant them in open areas. Among these flowers there are late and early species. Therefore, if you plan the planting correctly, these plants will delight you with their flowering from early to late spring.

After spring, poppies, peonies, roses, and daisies begin to bloom. Peonies bloom in June, roses in July until frost. You can plant flowers along paths or in flower beds. But if you want the flowering to continue, you need to cut off the branches in place of the faded buds.

The most unpretentious species include asters, gladioli, hydrangeas, rudbeckias, phlox, forget-me-nots and hosts. They should be planted separately, as they do not require special care and bloom all summer and early autumn. Wildflowers and herbs also look good in the garden plot and along paths. They are usually planted along the edges of paths and flower beds. These types include:

• manna, spurge;
• cornflowers, bells;
• lavender, meadow grass, feather grass.

They combine well with garden flowers, creating a range of different shades.

To ensure flowers are constantly blooming along the paths, select them according to the flowering seasons, and then you will be surrounded by flowering bushes almost all year round. For example, you can plant plants this way:

1. First row - crocuses, muscarine, galanthus.
2. Second row - tulips and daffodils.
3. Third row - daisies, primroses, phlox.
4. Dahlias, asters, chrysanthemums and crocuses can complete the color composition.

What flowers are planted in spring?

You need to start planting flowers in spring with tulips, hyacinths, and crocuses. They can be planted with the first spring sun, as long as the soil has time to warm up. If you start planting from bulbs, it is better to do this in October. Later peonies, phloxes, monardas, and hosts are planted. They begin to bloom in the summer.

Perennial peas are initially planted in a pot as seeds. After the frosts have ended, you can plant the seedlings in open ground. In the summer, peas will give rise to a small bush that may bloom, but this plant will gain its strength only by the next summer season. The main thing is that you prepare a support for it in advance, since the plant will turn into a huge bush that will delight you with its flowering from the beginning of July until the first frost.

Irises are among the most unpretentious plants planted in spring. If you choose the right varieties of these flowers, they will decorate your garden with their blooms from early spring to late summer.

Preparing the soil for planting flowers

Many flowers prefer soil with a light mechanical composition. For bulbous flowers such as tulips, daffodils, crocuses, as well as for tuberous flowers (dahlias), sandy loam soil is suitable, which is well supplied with moisture and air, which allows these flowers to grow healthy and strong, without root rot.

For annuals, the soil should be loamy; if the plants are rhizomatous, then the loam should be moderate. If the soil at your summer cottage is rocky, then to plant plants you need to make small trenches into which specially prepared fertilized soil is poured. The depth of the trench depends on the type of flowers. In order for the soil to be fertile, it needs to be fed with both organic and mineral fertilizers. Fertilizers must be applied in advance, 4-6 weeks before planting.