The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-06-14
IMPORTANCE OF GARDEN PATHS
They Make or Mar the Garden.

e gardens depends largely upon the walk
and paths which afford inviting change
D for stroll among the gay fower-beds
!, What would SO surely spoil a garden a
t awkwardly twisting paths, where pud
dies and holes in the ground make al
!, eyesore Of the whole placef
Thus, in making notes for some of tn
. new paths this year, it might be well Il
stop and consider the fact, first of all
that the actual size of the garden mus
: determine the number, length, ant
breadth of the paths. Success lies, "a {
rule, in broad walks for the large garden
and strip barely three feet wide fol
the smaller area. No form of path Ii
more generally pleasing than the grass
walk, with its soft green carpet, espe.
cially when appropriately edged, but il
will require proper drainage, thorough
care, much moving, as well as an alert
eye for weeds.
Gravel and Brick Paths.
| If gravel path is preferred, a good
foundation should be made by digging
out the earth to the desired width
(about a foot and half deep, and lay
ing old brick and stones in the bottom to
depth of six inches. On top of this put
| layer some four inches thick of small
err stones and unsifted coal ashes, when
the path is ready for the surface of
gravel This makes smooth. clean,
elastic, and satisfactory walk.
Brick walks are also very popular, and
afford a fresh bit of color against the
green of the lawn or low hedge. Few
plants can vie with it in color, and al
though the beauty of any path should
lie, not in its conspicuousness and far
ing tints las, for example, in the use of
gaudy tilesl, but in quiet effective
ness; still bricks often lend q pleasing
contrast, and are often appropriately
employed with excellent results. A brick
path is made by using for foundation
the same materials as in the first six
inch layer described above, and on this
is spread the second layer of small
stones. only mixed with lime and water
and sand, to a depth Of some four inches,
On top of this should be put layer
two and one half inches thick of sand,
when the path is ready for laying the
bricks.
For the average small garden, no walk
is more picturesque than the tagged
pathway, adding great charm TO gay
border Of hardy flowers, its soft and sub |
dued gray always lending additional
beauty to the brilliancy of the blossoms. !
There are various methods of preparing |
the ground for a flag walk, the more |
elaborate fashion being TO place a foun- |
I.ss a ~
to insure the stones being firmly set in
the ground. As a matter of fact, how.
ever, if the ground is perfectly level a
layer of sand and sifted soil sufficiently |
deep 10 enable the flags to be placed /
in IL without coming IN contact with
the earth beneath will make a very good
bed for the tagging. OF course, the sur
face may not always be as even as with /
the more expensive and laborious NOR.
tar foundation, but il loses nothing in
OF, II each stone is set
IN firmly, in usefulness.
Another merit of this old.fashioned
tagged path, especially significant to the
Hower lover, is the chance it gives Of
planting vines and low-gowing flowers
between the slabs and cracks, thus form
ng an unusual and charming feature Of
nv small garden. Indeed, the close as
sociation Of stone and flower a. indi-
,ated here furnishes an air of leafy
,oolness and effective wildness very un.
,ommon in even the most elaborate gar.
TENS. The best time 20 plant these
lowers between the flags Is while the !
path itself is being laid, for, ~ cutting
ind seedlings are TO be preferred to or
linary seeds, il will give the gardener .
chance 90 spread the abundant and /.
ibrous roots without their being dam. :
Ieed.
Creeping Allsing Plants Between the
Flags :
There il also the path which may be
aid with tiles, which, when Of soft col q
r. and neatly laid in artistic designs,
re often charming But - they are J
ather expensive, they will prove 10 be
omswhst irnpracticabls for the amateur ,
ardsner. In selecting plants for the
Bps IN a tagged walk. one must not
grget that the primary object of path
. % give aeeess b the garden; thus
MY creeping plants. and preferably d
hose which may BE- trodden upon with. e
n being damaged, should be made use y
& Plants - VERY bushy o. erect habit d
.ey b. suitable near the margins 81 4
an. bat they should not b. - piaoed q
lst they VIII come into coutsct with
b clothes ~ pssssr-iy. whifh . al z
Rys VERY annoying
For . path q ttis nsturs, i T. csH- T.
ally advisable ~ Hske use If see3s
- quite young Flnutss rooted cuttings i
81 seealinTs. ~ fsrfs are always crest @
a. b. preferred - thsv usually have :
.undsnt ftruus roots and develop into
q Hsssss the frs vssr, II PLANTED in
= SPRING Trey really nsei little at
ri iur hsvun1 that necesssrv fur the
.u1.ef rsuotti - sesfs ard faded hlus- =.
ma Rooted cutt inEs are especially :.
.iuahls u VERY usrTBm spaas have e. :.
. flled fsr 4 . hsrslv PCS BE- undsr =
- c.rrurnstanass a. have lsrrs rlsnts
], bnrt doing then considerable injury
a.urss. rsssts w.kish have henr ave.
~ rroEr In pcs. ard - haVs nftif "
ef EistnftEnaz Erf e1nsllazs Scr this =
.rraas ard far fhsr ths q Ne-w ~
- sszsdr - rlnrf the- uss r.
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