A Handcrafted Garden Path

Berger says that if you don't have a defined pathway to an area, you're less likely to use the area. When building a pathway, keep in mind the statement you want to make. A straight path is more utilitarian and encourages you to keep moving, whereas a curved path suggests a more leisurely pace. Also, a path should reflect the style of your home; a solid brick path is more formal, while a steppingstone or flagstone path is more casual.

A professional would charge about $2,400 for the custom-made steppingstones and arches, but do-it-yourselfers can buy the materials for only $250. This project is rated a 2 on a difficulty scale of 1 (easy) to 5 (difficult) and can be completed in two weekends.

Step One: Preparing the Site

Start by marking a rough outline of a 3-foot-wide path, using landscapers' spray paint. Dig out the path to three inches deep, so that the steppingstones will be 1/2 inch above ground level.

Step Two: Building the Arches

To give a sense of intimacy and enclosure to the pathway, Berger designed arches entwined with vines, creating a green, leafy tunnel to walk through. The simple arches are constructed of 20-foot-long pieces of 1/2-inch rebar, bent to form the arches. You can let the rebar weather naturally or paint it.

Center a piece of rebar against the stakes and carefully bend it around the jig. Use a couple of rebar benders (available at concrete supply stores) to work the metal into a curving shape. Check that the arch is the proper width and make any adjustments needed. Make two to three more arches in the same manner.

Sink the legs of the arch into the ground on each side of the path, breaking up the ground with a shovel or pickaxe if needed. Be sure to allow plenty of headroom under the arch. Install two more arches, spaced out to create a passageway.

You can also add an arch to an existing gate to define the entry. Drill holes through the rebar and attach the legs of the arch to the gate's post using deck screws.

Step Three: Filling the Molds

Fill the bottom of the mold with 1/2 inch of fine concrete, such as a vinyl concrete patch mix, available for about $10 a bag. Tap the mold as you fill it to gently distribute the concrete and release any air bubbles. Fill the remainder of the mold with a standard quick-set concrete, an aggregate-based mixture that will give the stone added strength to keep it from cracking. After filling the molds, place them in the sun and let dry for 6 to 8 hours (but any longer will make it difficult to clean the concrete off of the mold).

Step Four: Completing the Path

To create a whimsical scalloped border along part of the path, paint sunflower stones, split them in half, and set them on edge into the ground in an overlapping pattern (figure F).

Planting: A Leisurely Path

Because the design of the pathway encourages walkers to show down and enjoy the stones, the plants are low and colorful to enhance the stones. A quick-growing vine trained up the arches provides a fragrant green canopy. Berger's planting plan called for:

• Society garlic (Tulbaghia violacea), Zones 7-10
• 'Flower Carpet' Rose (Rosa 'Flower Carpet'), Zones 5-9
• Passion Vine (Passiflora edulis) 'Incense', Zones 6-9