Landscape Design
20 Creative Path Ideas for Delightful Garden Journeys
See how steppingstones, boardwalks, trails and more beautify and enliven the walkways in these outdoor spaces
Well-designed outdoor paths connect a yard’s gathering areas and safely lead visitors through spaces. They also can create delightful and memorable garden journeys. We’ve gathered 20 examples of creative paths featured in previous stories, including three for which the homeowners found their design pro on Houzz, that bring style and solutions to landscapes. Take a look, and then tell us in the Comments which ones you like best.
2. Sunny Spot
A western red cedar boardwalk leads from the house over a new koi pond to a sunny seating area at the back of this small yard in East London. When designing the cozy, plant-filled space, siblings Caroline and Peter Clayton at Viriditas Studio were inspired by the homeowners’ trips to the Mediterranean.
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A western red cedar boardwalk leads from the house over a new koi pond to a sunny seating area at the back of this small yard in East London. When designing the cozy, plant-filled space, siblings Caroline and Peter Clayton at Viriditas Studio were inspired by the homeowners’ trips to the Mediterranean.
Read more about this project
3. Slightly Secret Passage
A path of staggered wood planks leads from the front walk of a home in Orange County, California, to a small front yard patio. Landscape designer Sacha McCrae of Living Gardens Landscape Design, whom the homeowners found on Houzz, framed the walk with aeonium (Aeonium urbicum, USDA zones 9 to 11; find your zone), star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides, zones 8 to 10) and ‘Elijah Blue’ fescue (Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’, zones 4 to 8).
She carefully placed the planks around the root system of an existing elm tree in the yard’s flatter portions. As a bonus, the rot-resistant wood will eventually weather to the same soft gray as the gravel seating patio and the concrete pavers used elsewhere in the front yard. McCrae also installed the wood on a gravel base to extend its life.
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Browse outdoor furniture on Houzz
A path of staggered wood planks leads from the front walk of a home in Orange County, California, to a small front yard patio. Landscape designer Sacha McCrae of Living Gardens Landscape Design, whom the homeowners found on Houzz, framed the walk with aeonium (Aeonium urbicum, USDA zones 9 to 11; find your zone), star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides, zones 8 to 10) and ‘Elijah Blue’ fescue (Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’, zones 4 to 8).
She carefully placed the planks around the root system of an existing elm tree in the yard’s flatter portions. As a bonus, the rot-resistant wood will eventually weather to the same soft gray as the gravel seating patio and the concrete pavers used elsewhere in the front yard. McCrae also installed the wood on a gravel base to extend its life.
Read more about this project
Browse outdoor furniture on Houzz
4. Thoughtful Connections
Large, irregular pavers from Lompoc Stone set in gravel (five-eighths-of-an-inch Palm Springs Gold) lead from a fire pit lounge off the primary bedroom to a dining patio at this Newport Beach, California, home.
Rather than create a direct route, the team at Garden Studio opted for a relaxed path past a rustic limestone fountain. Here you can also see one of the bronze path lights the designers used to subtly illuminate the yard.
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Large, irregular pavers from Lompoc Stone set in gravel (five-eighths-of-an-inch Palm Springs Gold) lead from a fire pit lounge off the primary bedroom to a dining patio at this Newport Beach, California, home.
Rather than create a direct route, the team at Garden Studio opted for a relaxed path past a rustic limestone fountain. Here you can also see one of the bronze path lights the designers used to subtly illuminate the yard.
Read more about this project
5. Modern Magic
Rectilinear pavers cut a crisp path through the naturalistic garden at this Toronto home. The design team at Plant Architect used flagstones that tie in with the home’s contemporary architecture. The stones also provide a pleasing contrast to the loosely planted garden beds filled with new and existing trees, grasses, perennials and sculptures. The result is what the homeowners call “garden magic.”
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Rectilinear pavers cut a crisp path through the naturalistic garden at this Toronto home. The design team at Plant Architect used flagstones that tie in with the home’s contemporary architecture. The stones also provide a pleasing contrast to the loosely planted garden beds filled with new and existing trees, grasses, perennials and sculptures. The result is what the homeowners call “garden magic.”
Read more about this project
6. Nature Walk
Landscape architect Inge Daniels turned the wide gravel path that bisects this front yard meadow in Dover, Massachusetts, into a sensory experience. The walk to the front door is immersive, from the sounds of the gravel underfoot and views of the nearby hawks to the rich colors, textures and fragrance of the predominantly native plantings.
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Landscape architect Inge Daniels turned the wide gravel path that bisects this front yard meadow in Dover, Massachusetts, into a sensory experience. The walk to the front door is immersive, from the sounds of the gravel underfoot and views of the nearby hawks to the rich colors, textures and fragrance of the predominantly native plantings.
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7. Woodland Path
Irregular stone slabs lead through iron gates and along the back of this house in Ontario, Canada, to a small deck overlooking the forested area just behind it. The team at Hutten & Co. Land and Shore chose the stone for its naturalistic character, blending it with carefully selected plantings to create the feeling of a natural woodland extension.
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Irregular stone slabs lead through iron gates and along the back of this house in Ontario, Canada, to a small deck overlooking the forested area just behind it. The team at Hutten & Co. Land and Shore chose the stone for its naturalistic character, blending it with carefully selected plantings to create the feeling of a natural woodland extension.
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8. Wood and Water
Landscape designer Colin Miller of Envision Landscape Studio borrowed from the traditional Japanese design principle of building relationships between wood and water in this Walnut Creek, California, backyard. The wooden bridge creates a graceful transition between the raised deck and the patio.
It also gives those that cross it a close-up view of the fountain built into one end of a planting bed, and of the shallow koi pond underneath. A black liner and Mexican pebbles on the bottom of the pool create the illusion of more depth, and also tie in with the rest of the yard’s color scheme.
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Landscape designer Colin Miller of Envision Landscape Studio borrowed from the traditional Japanese design principle of building relationships between wood and water in this Walnut Creek, California, backyard. The wooden bridge creates a graceful transition between the raised deck and the patio.
It also gives those that cross it a close-up view of the fountain built into one end of a planting bed, and of the shallow koi pond underneath. A black liner and Mexican pebbles on the bottom of the pool create the illusion of more depth, and also tie in with the rest of the yard’s color scheme.
Read more about this project
9. Invitation to Head Outside
A serpentine Lodi gravel path, slightly hidden by the exuberant plantings surrounding it, leads from the home’s entry path to a new outdoor living space for a family in Palo Alto, California. Landscape architect John Black of Verdance Landscape Architecture chose the custom Cor-Ten steel planters that follow the walkway’s curve as a nod to iron window boxes, a classic element of the home’s Spanish Colonial Revival style.
The team turned to Houzz for ideas and inspiration throughout the renovation. “Houzz is one of our go-to resources in almost every project,” Black says. “This one was no exception as we developed our inspiration and searched for precedents and sources.”
Read more about this project
A serpentine Lodi gravel path, slightly hidden by the exuberant plantings surrounding it, leads from the home’s entry path to a new outdoor living space for a family in Palo Alto, California. Landscape architect John Black of Verdance Landscape Architecture chose the custom Cor-Ten steel planters that follow the walkway’s curve as a nod to iron window boxes, a classic element of the home’s Spanish Colonial Revival style.
The team turned to Houzz for ideas and inspiration throughout the renovation. “Houzz is one of our go-to resources in almost every project,” Black says. “This one was no exception as we developed our inspiration and searched for precedents and sources.”
Read more about this project
10. Optical Illusion
The curving gravel paths and staggered plantings in the garden at this townhouse in Warwickshire, England, are designed to fool the eye. Landscape designer Sam Plant of Plantology used tree placement and winding walks to turn the long, narrow garden into a series of intriguing, and often hidden, garden rooms. The steps leading down to the yard are made from oak boards.
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The curving gravel paths and staggered plantings in the garden at this townhouse in Warwickshire, England, are designed to fool the eye. Landscape designer Sam Plant of Plantology used tree placement and winding walks to turn the long, narrow garden into a series of intriguing, and often hidden, garden rooms. The steps leading down to the yard are made from oak boards.
Read more about this project
11. Link to the Lake
At a lakeside home outside Richmond, Virginia, landscape designer Greg Koehler of Outdoor Dreams replaced steep stairs made of wood and gravel with this gradual, curving path of bluestone slabs. Fieldstone boulders frame the walk and help prevent dirt from spilling onto the steps when it rains. The owners now have an inviting, easy-to-navigate path down to the lake.
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At a lakeside home outside Richmond, Virginia, landscape designer Greg Koehler of Outdoor Dreams replaced steep stairs made of wood and gravel with this gradual, curving path of bluestone slabs. Fieldstone boulders frame the walk and help prevent dirt from spilling onto the steps when it rains. The owners now have an inviting, easy-to-navigate path down to the lake.
Read more about this project
12. Midcentury Makeover
Landscape designer Deborah Gliksman of Urban Oasis Landscape Design paid homage to this Woodland Hills, California, home’s midcentury modern architecture when designing the backyard. Gliksman, whom the homeowners found on Houzz, used rectilinear concrete pavers to complement the home’s clean lines, with black Mexican river stones filling the spaces between. A Trex composite deck off to the side of the path offers an ideal spot for lounging.
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Landscape designer Deborah Gliksman of Urban Oasis Landscape Design paid homage to this Woodland Hills, California, home’s midcentury modern architecture when designing the backyard. Gliksman, whom the homeowners found on Houzz, used rectilinear concrete pavers to complement the home’s clean lines, with black Mexican river stones filling the spaces between. A Trex composite deck off to the side of the path offers an ideal spot for lounging.
Read more about this project
13. Leafy Exploration
Landscape designers Paul Duffy and Peter Robinson of GRDN arranged long, thin concrete planks in a modern stack bond pattern to create this path in a North London backyard. Leafy plantings, including baby’s tears (Soleirolia soleirolii, zones 9 to 11) growing between the pavers, soften the space and help make the yard feel more expansive.
There are also a reclaimed wood bench and a water feature to discover along the walk, which leads from the home to a backyard office.
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Landscape designers Paul Duffy and Peter Robinson of GRDN arranged long, thin concrete planks in a modern stack bond pattern to create this path in a North London backyard. Leafy plantings, including baby’s tears (Soleirolia soleirolii, zones 9 to 11) growing between the pavers, soften the space and help make the yard feel more expansive.
There are also a reclaimed wood bench and a water feature to discover along the walk, which leads from the home to a backyard office.
Read more about this project
14. Safe Travels
Landscape designer Audrey Newell of The Foxy Garden replaced the precarious remains of an old staircase with this new centerpiece in a sloped backyard in San Francisco. Newell used dimensional Blue Select bluestone for the treads and the seating wall around the fire pit on the patio below. The walls framing the steps are concrete coated in integrally tinted stucco, custom-colored to match the bluestone.
To keep the look clean and minimalistic, the built-in Thermory wood bench also serves as the second step of the staircase.
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Landscape designer Audrey Newell of The Foxy Garden replaced the precarious remains of an old staircase with this new centerpiece in a sloped backyard in San Francisco. Newell used dimensional Blue Select bluestone for the treads and the seating wall around the fire pit on the patio below. The walls framing the steps are concrete coated in integrally tinted stucco, custom-colored to match the bluestone.
To keep the look clean and minimalistic, the built-in Thermory wood bench also serves as the second step of the staircase.
Read more about this project
15. Tunnel Traverse
Orange hoops create an open tunnel, add color and introduce garden art into this backyard in Sonoma, California. They also provide support for growing raspberry and kiwi plants. Brett McPherson and Danielle Davila of The Land Collaborative designed the walk to frame the views of the hills in the distance, transforming a simple crushed-gravel path into a joyous journey.
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Orange hoops create an open tunnel, add color and introduce garden art into this backyard in Sonoma, California. They also provide support for growing raspberry and kiwi plants. Brett McPherson and Danielle Davila of The Land Collaborative designed the walk to frame the views of the hills in the distance, transforming a simple crushed-gravel path into a joyous journey.
Read more about this project
16. Timeless Simplicity
A wood boardwalk opening up to a small deck brings a subtle hardscape accent to a plant-filled garden in southwest London. Landscape designer Lucy Wilcox chose wood because it’s a soft material that is more in keeping with the casual design of the space than stone would be. The result is a walkway that sits lightly among the plants while blending beautifully with the heavier brick of the home and perimeter wall.
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A wood boardwalk opening up to a small deck brings a subtle hardscape accent to a plant-filled garden in southwest London. Landscape designer Lucy Wilcox chose wood because it’s a soft material that is more in keeping with the casual design of the space than stone would be. The result is a walkway that sits lightly among the plants while blending beautifully with the heavier brick of the home and perimeter wall.
Read more about this project
17. Easy Access
Landscape designer Terrey Maufe of Outerspace Creative Landscaping took a dual-walkway approach when designing a path around this circular lawn at a home outside Bristol, England. The wheelchair-accessible path (seen here on the right) is edged by white walls. Its gentle slope and smooth surface allow the homeowner who is reliant on a wheelchair to get around, and are ideal for the family’s small child as well. To the left are shallow steps with Cor-Ten-steel edges that provide easy access to the vegetables and fruits growing on either side.
When designing the space, Maufe directed her clients to Houzz ideabooks she’d created in order to help them find inspiration and visualize ideas she had for the project.
Read more about this project
Landscape designer Terrey Maufe of Outerspace Creative Landscaping took a dual-walkway approach when designing a path around this circular lawn at a home outside Bristol, England. The wheelchair-accessible path (seen here on the right) is edged by white walls. Its gentle slope and smooth surface allow the homeowner who is reliant on a wheelchair to get around, and are ideal for the family’s small child as well. To the left are shallow steps with Cor-Ten-steel edges that provide easy access to the vegetables and fruits growing on either side.
When designing the space, Maufe directed her clients to Houzz ideabooks she’d created in order to help them find inspiration and visualize ideas she had for the project.
Read more about this project
18. Secret Garden Centerpiece
A walk of dry-laid New England flagstone sets the stage at this enclosed garden in Duxbury, Massachusetts. Landscape designer Amy Martin, whom the homeowners found on Houzz, grounded the space with the straight path and placed small garden rooms along the route to encourage lingering. A freestanding fountain at the end draws visitors further into the space, while the mix of paver shapes and colors adds a whimsical feel.
Read more about this project
A walk of dry-laid New England flagstone sets the stage at this enclosed garden in Duxbury, Massachusetts. Landscape designer Amy Martin, whom the homeowners found on Houzz, grounded the space with the straight path and placed small garden rooms along the route to encourage lingering. A freestanding fountain at the end draws visitors further into the space, while the mix of paver shapes and colors adds a whimsical feel.
Read more about this project
19. Classic Meets Modern
A path of irregular flagstones surrounded by creeping thyme (Thymus sp.) creates a classic cottage garden look at this Victorian home in Seattle. Landscape architect Leslie Batten of Board & Vellum also added a contemporary cedar fence with a gate that opens to the backyard. The more modern detail helps blend the home’s traditional architecture with the landscape that surrounds it.
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A path of irregular flagstones surrounded by creeping thyme (Thymus sp.) creates a classic cottage garden look at this Victorian home in Seattle. Landscape architect Leslie Batten of Board & Vellum also added a contemporary cedar fence with a gate that opens to the backyard. The more modern detail helps blend the home’s traditional architecture with the landscape that surrounds it.
Read more about this project
20. Pattern Play
Granite cobblestones and gray gravel paths zigzag through this sophisticated backyard in San Mateo, California. Designer Hallie Schmidt of Tierra Madre Fine Gardens mixed the materials to create interest and add more direct routes across the yard.
The cobblestones are 4-inch cubes, which the landscape contractors installed by excavating the soil, compacting a base, setting the stones with mortar and then filling in the areas around the stones with gravel. Metal edging helps to keep the gravel in place.
Read more about this project
More on Houzz
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Get landscape design ideas
Find a landscape designer or architect
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Granite cobblestones and gray gravel paths zigzag through this sophisticated backyard in San Mateo, California. Designer Hallie Schmidt of Tierra Madre Fine Gardens mixed the materials to create interest and add more direct routes across the yard.
The cobblestones are 4-inch cubes, which the landscape contractors installed by excavating the soil, compacting a base, setting the stones with mortar and then filling in the areas around the stones with gravel. Metal edging helps to keep the gravel in place.
Read more about this project
More on Houzz
Read more landscape design stories
Get landscape design ideas
Find a landscape designer or architect
Shop for outdoor products
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Decomposed granite paths wind through this garden in Santa Paula, California, passing flower-filled beds and cozy seating nooks. The paths flow like water, narrowing where the plants are mounded up higher and widening in flatter parts. The meandering shape works well in the plot’s somewhat narrow footprint.
Landscape architect Jack Kiesel designed the space — collaborating with the homeowners using Houzz ideabooks — to encourage those who visit to relax and take in the surrounding scents and the views of the nearby sheep, alpaca and mountains.
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