The Cottage Garden Path

Nectarine tree in
a flower border
- summer

You've successfully dug up and cleared your land.

At the same time, you laid out the contours of your garden paths while trudging backwards and forwards to the compost heap area with rocks, stones and plants.

Layout and construction of the paths you sketched in your cottage garden layout plan is easy to get started with as you've already "walked in" each path.

Based on our experience, we split path construction in two stages - a preparation and layout stage and the final construction stage.

Stage 1: Preparation and Layout

1. Use your spade to cut a trench and remove the earth to a depth of two spade blades - approximately 350 cm. or 12 inches.
2. Just throw the soil you remove over the ground that borders the path you're working on for the time being.
3. That's all you need to do for the moment.
4. Do the same for every path you've flattened during the preparation phase. If a path in your design plan hasn't been "walked in", add it to the path network in the same way as the other paths.
5. You now have a network of rough and ready pathways which:
   • Are usable as you add the features you require to your garden;
   • Are accessible for your wheel barrow (very important!) as you work;
   • Help prevent you trampling down the ground you've just finished digging up.

There is one more preparation stage to create a successful garden - it applies if your soil is waterlogged. This problem has to be solved, no matter what the type of garden you want to create.

After that, you can add the items on your cottage garden wish list to your layout.

Once you've completed adding all the elements of your choice, please return to this page to view our step-by-step instructions for the final construction of your garden paths.

Stage 2: Final Construction

Stage 2 will be completed as part of the add features list (ponds, paths - stage 2, etc.) - thank you for your patience.