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The Front Walk: A Garden Design Basic

© Barbara M. Martin

Experienced gardeners know the importance of well-designed walks and paths throughout the yard and garden. Walks and paths serve several functions. They direct and carry traffic, divide space and guide the eye. They may be ornamental in their own right, or they may be unobtrusive. Too often a walk or path is created without enough careful thought. First of all, where should it lead? Who will use it and when? Does it need a hard surface or will a soft one do? Will it be a prominent feature in your garden? Would lighting be useful?

Stop and consider the typical front walk. Does it really need to run from the front door to the street? From the front door to the driveway? Both? Does someone use it every day or is it mainly for show? Is it in proportion to the house itself? How does it divide the space in front of your house? Does it harmonize with the setting? Last but not least, is it functional?

By functional, I mean some basic points. Do people walk on it or have they made a shortcut? Does it provide appropriate footing? Is it level enough to be safe at night, smooth enough not to ruin high-heeled shoes, easily shoveled if you live in snow country? Is it well lit at night? Is it wide enough to walk two abreast?

The typical builder-installed concrete walk is less than four feet across, even though we all know it is impossible for two adults to walk side by side in such a narrow space. (Have you measured your body width lately?) Furthermore, have you ever noticed that people tend to stand further apart and gesture more broadly when they are outside? I suspect this is a response to the sense of freedom and space we feel out of doors, but, in any case, this means we take up more space when we are outside than when we are inside. This means that often spaces we would consider adequate indoors are not adequate outdoors. For instance, an average dining room might measure about nine by twelve feet, and we can manage to maneuver around in it. But a deck or patio of the same size seems cramped. Using the same sense of space, a 40-inch width may be fine for a hallway but it is just not enough for a walk.

So how wide does a walk need to be? I notice I am making paths wider and wider, perhaps to accommodate my own increasing width, but more probably to provide a graceful and generous space for general pedestrian comfort and ease. I usually suggest a bare minimum of six feet for a front walk, and certainly eight is better. I also suggest a launch pad of sorts outside the front door. This creates a natural opportunity to integrate the walk with the existing steps or porch. Providing more paved space also allows plenty of room for the "meet and greet" rituals in what is essentially an outdoor foyer. It can also stage seasonal decorations, as well as a bench, a fountain or other special touches.

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