6 4 



THE CENTURY BOOK OF GARDENING. 



A COVERED WALK. 



excellent when wet, but cither Kick up loosely and patchy in clr\ w eather, or arc exceptionally 

 soft after frost. The term gravel is often applied to small sea-beach, which is also frequently 

 used. But this is always more or less loose, and, if dry and clean, by no means so pleasant to 

 walk' upon as a firm and well-rolled binding gravel. Burnt ballast and broken refuse from 

 foundries and brickyards are very useful and clean at all times. Then there are asphalte and 

 concrete, which if properly laid at first will last well and have the advantage of being weed- 

 proof. But the last two new er look so well in keeping with a garden as walks made of good 

 binding gravel, such as the Croydon and Kensington gravels. Lastly we have grass walks, 

 and few are more pleasant in the flower garden during summer. It is unfortunate that 

 we cannot alw ays use them during other seasons of the year nor in showery weather. 



Before going into the uses of the above materials, the formation and drainage of walks 

 must have attention. It seldom happens that a garden is perfectly level, so that the walks will 

 naturally have a slight fall in some direction. If this cannot be secured, and the subsoil is of a 

 retentive nature, side drains must be used. These should be about 3m. or 4m. below the 

 surface, and can be easily laid when filling in with material, for all w alk's should be excavated 

 to a more or less depth, according to their width and the nature of the soil. The ordinary 

 paths used in villa gardens are more particularly alluded to here, ranging from 3 A f t . to 5ft. in 

 w idth. Take out the natural soil to a depth of 6in. in the centre and Sin. or 9m. at the sides. 

 Then put down a layer of the roughest material possible, such as broken bricks, coarse gravel, 

 flints, clinkers, chalk, broken crockery, etc. Sufficient should be used to leave a fairly level 

 surface some 2^-in. below the- proposed height of the path. Upon this again place a layer of 

 less coarse material to be well rolled or beaten down. This will generally allow for 2in. or so of 

 surface gravel, and less should not be laid if a good path is to result. 



The surface of a path should not be perfectly level, nor, on the other hand, is there need 

 for so great a rise in the centre as is frequently given. An inch and a-half is ample for walks 

 5ft. wide, provided the top gravel has been well rolled and beaten down, which will rapidly 

 throw the surface water to the sides, where it either percolates to the rougher material beneath 

 or to the small drains laid down in the case of retentive subsoils. Always make the material 



