Sidewalks or paths are a part of the landscape that many people take for granted.
Placement is often a compromise between esthetics and practicality. When in a hurry, people tend to travel by the most direct route. Look at the grounds of any public institution and there will be well worn paths, shortcuts across lawns.
While planners can decide with a great deal of accuracy where to place sidewalks they often miss when trying to combine esthetics and practicality. One solution that is being used more often is to wait a year to place the walkways. By this time habits will be formed, footpaths will be etched into the lawns and paths can be placed where people will travel.
In yards paths are often put down as soon as or before the house is finished. A sidewalk between the street and house or the car and house helps lessen the amount of dirt or mud that will enter the house.
The front walk is a permanent part of the landscape that leads the eye to the front door. Take time and money to see that it is efficient and attractive.
Efficient means that it will lead people quickly to the door. They will not be tempted to take a short cut across the grass.
Attractive means that the sidewalk is pleasing to the eye. It will catch the attention of visitors and lead them to the correct door. The colour and design of the sidewalk will enhance the house and be a continuation of the overall theme.
Sidewalks can be made out of many different products including cement, brick, wood, blocks, rock or all of the above. Whatever the material, it should be smooth provide traction to make it less likely that people will stumble or fall. If the walk is used year round it must be easy to shovel. Uneven portions or rows of grass between blocks stop the shovel from sliding forward making shovelling snow much harder.
A welcoming path allows two people to walk side by side as they make their way to the building. This adds to the expense of the path but it also adds to the overall appeal of the property.
Utilitarian paths in the back yard are often similar to the front, direct and to the point. These ones can be narrow as long as there are not small children that use the path to ride their tricycle.
Paths in the garden are different. They should be pleasing to the eye but they don’t need to be practical, efficient or utilitarian. As they are rarely shovelled, the paths can be more fanciful such as well placed rocks or stepping stones. Paths in the garden lead the eye from one area to another. For this reason they can ramble as opposed to going by the most direct route.
Sidewalks, even if they are blocks, are permanent parts of the landscape. Take time to plan the walk before making a purchase.
Before choosing a type of walkway, research to find out how it should be made and how well it will wear in the local climate.
Background information will ensure that the correct questions are asked when hiring a contractor. Ask friends and neighbours what contractor they used and if they were happy with them. Contact a number of contractors getting quotes and a time line for the work to be completed. Ask for references and places you can visit to see their previous work.
Take time to learn and plan all paths and sidewalks to ensure that they will suit your needs now and in the future. Mistakes are costly and hard to fix.
Linda Tomlinson is a horticulturalist that lives near Rocky Mountain House. She can be reached at www.igardencanada.com or your_garden@hotmail.com