Affordable garden path ideas

Instead of an expensive, labour-intensive formal path, save money and time with one of these casual garden paths. These walkway ideas will blend in better and will look like they’ve been in your garden forever.

Have the necessary tools for this DIY project lined up before you start – you’ll save time and frustration.

Bucket

Drywall saw

Garden rake

Spade

Wheelbarrow/Dolly

Tamper

Garden trowel

Check out these 31 yard tool hacks that’ll make your life easier.

This winding gravel path reflects the informality and ease of maintenance of the garden. Mulch and gravel are the cheapest pathway materials you can buy for rock walkways, and they make construction simple, too, making them two of our favourite walkway ideas. All you have to do is remove the sod, roll out landscape fabric and spread the mulch or gravel.

Mulch and gravel paths can be meandering, wood chip-covered trails or carefully planned designs, and they range from casual to formal depending on the design and edging material. You can choose from a wide variety of loose materials including coarse bark, decorative mulch, washed stones and crushed gravel or shells.

Learn more about paving a pathway.

Since these path materials are lighter than stone, they’re easier to haul and spread. Mulch is also a bit cheaper than gravel or stone pebbles. Remember, though, that organic paths decompose over time, so you’ll have to rejuvenate them every two to five years with new material. Also, don’t use bark, wood chips or mulch for paths that run through areas with poor drainage or that are wet. It’ll lead to a soggy path.

You’ll find bags of mulch at home centres, but for the best selection of organic materials for a path, check your local nursery or landscape supplier. Depending on how big your path is, it may be cheaper to have bulk material delivered than to buy bags. Plan on an 80mm-deep layer of mulch about 900mm wide as an alternative to grass.

DIY Basics: don’t miss our essential guide to mulchers.

Several types of inexpensive gravel are available for paths. Common types are: crushed gravel, crushed limestone and pea rock. For a path that’s more formal or longer lasting than a mulch path, consider washed gravel, crushed stone or crushed shells. These materials last indefinitely and only need occasional weeding to look their best. If you want to run a wheelbarrow or lawn mower along the path, choose crushed stone rather than smooth pebbles. The jagged edges of crushed stone lock together to form a firm surface. Crushed stone is also less likely to get kicked out into the yard.

Gravel for paths is sold by type and size. Smaller stones, averaging under 10mm, are best for paths because they offer more comfort underfoot and pack together better. Visit your local nursery or landscape supply specialist to see what’s available in your area. Gravel is usually sold by the ton. Measure the length and width of the path. Take these measurements to the supplier and ask for help to figure out the quantity of gravel you need. Unless your path is very short, it usually makes sense to have the material delivered. Gravel for a path 80mm deep and 900mm wide will cost about the same as mulch.

Gravel paths do have a few limitations, though. The stones can get tracked into the house, so don’t use them near entries. And gravel paths are a bad choice in areas where you have to shovel snow off them. The gravel can end up in your lawn or flower beds.

Learn more in our guide to gravel paths.

Rent a sod cutter to remove grass if the path is long. For short paths, use a garden spade to slice off the sod.

Set edging so it ends up about 25mm above the fill material.

Use a spacer stick cut to the width of the garden path as a guide when you set the edging or border. You won’t have to keep pulling out the tape measure to make sure the edges run parallel.

Cover the soil with landscape fabric to deter weeds and prevent the fill material from mixing with the soil. Don’t use plastic. It’ll catch water and create a soggy path.

Have gravel delivered, especially if you need more than a half ton.

If you want a path that’s firm enough to roll a wheelbarrow on, use crushed stone and tamp it after levelling it. (Pea rock or other rounded stone won’t compact.) Use a hand tamper for short paths. Rent a vibrating-plate tamper for long paths.

Gravel or mulch paths require edging to keep the material from spreading out onto your lawn or flower bed. You can also add a border or an edge as a design element. Here are some common types of edging you can use for walkway landscaping:

Plastic landscape edging is cheap. And it’s fast and easy to install. If you object to the look of the rounded top edge, hide it with a border of plants.

Steel or aluminium edging forms a crisp edge that gives the path a neat appearance. It costs more than plastic, though, and is less forgiving on sloped terrain.

Brick and stone borders are attractive and versatile, but they’re more expensive and a lot more work to install.

Concrete edging is less expensive than brick or stone but has the same advantages. Newer types that look like random pieces of tumbled stone are a great lower-cost alternative to a real stone border.

Landscape timbers are an economical alternative to stone or brick borders. They’re especially useful for building shallow steps on gradually sloping terrain.

Learn how to lay timber edging.

Metal edging is a must for mulch or gravel walkway ideas because it keeps gravel or mulch from overflowing into the yard or garden.

Brick or pavers create an attractive edge treatment, though they’re more expensive and labour intensive to install.

Stepping-stones are the fastest, easiest way to build a path, and another one of our favourite walkway ideas. There’s very little digging involved. And although the stone is heavy, a little goes a long way. Since there’s distance between the stones, you don’t have to worry about levelling them with one another. Stepping-stone paths also cost less because you’ll cover more distance with less stone. Stones that are flat and about 460mm across and 50mm thick are ideal. Check your local landscape supplier or quarry to see what’s available. If you’re building a short stepping-stone path, you can usually pick the stones you want from the pallet or pile of stones on hand at the supplier. For longer paths, ask for help to figure out the quantity and have the stone delivered. If you’re lucky enough to live in an area with naturally occurring outcroppings of stone, you may find stepping-stones free for the hauling.

You can also make attractive stepping-stone paths using 300mm square or round concrete patio blocks. These are available in a wide selection of colours and textures from home centres, landscape suppliers and masonry dealers.

Check out our guide to stone paths.