Garden Galleries

This unique pathway through a shady glen elevates slightly above the ground and yet provides a gentle cascade of steps along the way. Boardwalks can be variable and as wide or narrow as the desires of the designer

Sagos, rosemary, mallows and other blooming perennials line this mulched path edged with wooden logs, providing a rustic feel while admiring the drought-tolerant color along the way.

The sight of small plants growing between the flagstones along the pathway conjure up old-world gardens with topiaries and perfectly manicured landscaping. Here, the combination of manicured shrubs, traditional grass and xeric plants brings a new-world element and welcomes all.

Sometimes a tunnel into the green is just what a person needs to relax and enjoy the outdoors. The sound of footsteps on wooden pathways combined with greenery overhead is music to the senses while providing a slightly elevated view of the surroundings.

Push open the entrance gate at this home and a pathway of Leuders Limestone slabs interspersed with river rock spaces welcomes you inside. Beds of Berkeley Sedge (Carex divulsa) provide soft green edges.

Pathways don't always have to be made of conventional materials. Here, shards of decorative tile and pottery are scattered among fractured flagstones, creating an attention-getting texture that focuses visual attention on the pathway.

Although pathways always take you on a trip, they can also be used as a functional means to convey water runoff in natural drainages. This pathway of pavers and river rock serves as a riverbed to channel excess rainwater as well as a means to enjoy the landscape.

The beautifully-colored stones, combined with blooms from trailing lantana, cuphea and sage, provide an eye-catching distraction along this garden path. This is another great example of a pathway suitable for those with stability concerns.

Sometimes a person needs a stable pathway on which to venture through the landscape. Flagstones anchored with mortar or cement provide the steady footing necessary to bring focus to the landscape and not the steps ahead. Pervious cement is available for anchoring that allows water to pass through instead of puddle on the walkway.

Flagstone and river rock are combined to provide a colorful and functional conveyance through the landscape. The landscape doesn't have to be the ONLY thing providing color...

Sometimes a patchwork of stones and mulch provide just the ticket to paradise. Manicured yaupons and boxwoods serve as geometric opposites to the random beauty of the colorful sage in the foreground.

Sometimes the best pathway doesn't require a lot of work. This pathway of leaves and mulch edged with larger river rocks provides the same effect as a much more elaborate walkway. You still get to admire the shady beauty of the landscape from start to finish.

Stepping stones among the vegetation provide an alternate route through cool, shady landscape elements.

Not all brick roads have to be yellow. They can wind through the landscape, providing a smooth, yet edgy means to admire the plants and grasses that have received plenty of TLC along the way.

Pathways need to lead somewhere. But that can just lead to a quiet place to relax. This bench is a functional focal point in the garden.