GARDEN PATHS 127 



yourself cannot wheel a barrow comfortably along such 

 " alleys." 



The Planning of Paths : The actual planning is not a 

 matter of great difficulty. Most paths should wind 

 gently in and out of flower borders, curving one way and 

 then another, by which means it is possible to arrange 

 many delightful surprises in borders of good length. 



The actual planning is done with flower sticks and a 

 tape measure ; 5 ft. wide is not too much, but 4 ft. will 

 do. Two sticks are put in, one on each side of the pro- 

 posed path, the measure being used to find the right 

 width. A couple of feet away two more sticks should 

 be put in ; and so on every 2 ft. Curves should not be 

 angular, though at times they may be fairly sharp. The 

 planning of curves is a little difficult, but can be done if 

 several sticks are put in where there would be only one 

 if the path were straight. It is also a little difficult to 

 keep a curved path the right width, but this only needs 

 care. When the path has been set out on the ground, 

 connect all the sticks on the right side of the path with 

 string, and then connect those on the other side in a similar 

 manner. Get a piece of sacking to kneel on and look at the 

 path from near the ground level. Do you think it will 

 do ? Are those corners too sharp ? Does it wind in and 

 out enough or too much ? Go and look at it from the 

 other end in the same way. You think it will do. Walk 

 up and down it once or twice and imagine flowers growing 

 on both sides of you. Do you think it will do now ? 



An Experimental Path : Yes, you think it will do, but 

 perhaps it is the first curved path you have made, so naturally 

 you are a little nervous. You would perfer to try it for a 

 year before making it into a solid lasting path. Very well, 

 there is no difficulty about that. The soil can be taken out 

 to the depth of 2 ins. and furnace ashes laid down ; or it 

 maybe taken out to a depth of 6 ins. and filled in with 4 ins. 

 of broken stone and 2 ins. of ash or grey gravel on the 

 top. An experimental path is extremely useful and quite 

 serviceable. 



