Patios, Walkways and Paths

The ideal landscape plan has both growing plants and hardscape elements that allow you and your family to physically enjoy the beauty of your outdoor spaces. Patios, walkways and paths are the elements that give you that access. A path or walkway let you move around and enjoy every corner of your home’s landscaping, while a patio or deck invites you to stay for a while, take time to be refreshed in your own "oasis."

Hardscapes tell visitors that your outdoor spaces have been planned and thought through with just as much love and care as your interior décor and furniture. Decks, patios and walks are proof that your home doesn’t end at your door but extends – and beckons -- outside, where all are invited to come and enjoy.

Patios
Here are some types of materials your landscape designer will be glad to show you:

• Interlocking pavers are growing the fastest in popularity. Flexible in design, they come in a spectrum of colors and styles, can be easily repaired, and require little or no maintenance.

• Traditional masonry, like brick, fired tile and natural stone are popular premium materials for creating a beautiful custom patio.

A deck or patio can be a complex project, so count on Splendor Landscape Design Ltd. with plenty of experience in creating them. I you need some ideas, Please Click Here to view Pool Patio Gallery and view our feature professionally done landscape and patio designs to see both what appeals to you and meets your needs.

Walkways
Heading down the garden path isn’t just a cliché; it’s a phrase that speaks volumes about the wonderful allure of well-planned landscaping. You want your outdoor greenscapes to beckon to you, to appeal to the kids, grownups, cats and other wild creatures in your life. Plug in the perfect set of paths and walkways, using your own wild creativity and you’ll make it happen.

Slate, popular for walkways, works well here in combination with other materials to help create stairs and a mortarless terraced front walk for a rustic setting.

Traffic and use dictate the width of your walkway. Four feet of width is enough to walk side-by-side, for instance, but overall, a walkway is wider and more formal than a path. The same materials you might consider for a patio are likewise excellent choices for your garden walkways, and a little planning effort can pay off in usability.

Everyone enjoys mysterious garden coves and corners that invite you to explore, but experts suggest limiting the number of meanders, especially if you are planning a main walkway that will get regular and frequent use, such as from a garage to your house. Take a good look at the area. Is the path you have in mind a place where people will probably walk? Curves and hills are interesting but if the path is too serpentine, people will take shortcuts.

Width and compatibility are key, generally a main walkway should be at least three feet wide, so everyone, including seniors and wheelchair users, can get around. While it may not be possible to avoid walkways along steep slopes or with many stairs, accessibility should play a role in your thinking. Make sure your landscape planner and contractor include edging to hold pavers, boards or gravel in place for smoother, more secure walkways.

Would certain materials and colors complement or clash with your home, or existing landscape or hardscape. Many homeowners want to enhance or improve existing landscaping, so use compatible materials.

Safety
Walkways and patios should be built level with surrounding terrain for easier mowing and maintenance, in addition to ensuring safe footing.

Transitions between steps should be well-spaced and avoid the use of materials that are too-varied (provoking tripping feet) or smooth (potentially slippery when wet). Stairs should be as wide as practical and standard in height and pitch.

Outdoor lighting enables you to enjoy your landscape and garden during the evening. New styles of wireless solar-powered LED fixtures have made placing illumination easier than ever. In traditional-style lighting, make sure to use longer lasting bulb types and fixtures that are weather protected.

Here are some other general safety tips:

• Sidewalks and walkways should be a minimum 36 inches wide, and wider at turns.

• Handrails should be provided at stairs and risers.

• Elevated paths should have 3-foot high guardrails.

• All walking surfaces and transitions should be level.

• Adequate, non-glare lighting should be used where required.

• Safety and security fencing should be part of your design.

• Storage should be provided for landscaping tools and other items that might cause injury.

• Surfaces should be free from standing water; adequate drainage areas should be provided.

The bottom line is that proper design not only enhances your landscape and green space experience, it reduces risk and the liability concerns that can accompany it.

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