During the past 25 years, we have meandered through many flower beds, crossed countless lawns and trekked up and down endless hillsides in search of beautiful gardens and landscapes to showcase in our pages. Most often, we were guided by walkways that were designed as much for the journey as the destination. To help celebrate our quarter-century anniversary, we mined our archives for inspiring landscape paths that charm us as much today as when we first wandered their way.
To alleviate the formality of a linear gardenscape, landscape architects Jeremy Fillmore and Ryan Talbot created a serpentine flagstone path that leads guests through the gardens of an Avenues home in SLC.
Embedded with a stream-like flow of river rock, a broad walkway leads through modernized Torii arches to the entry of a St. George home designed by architect Rob McQuay.
Gravel mixes with large and small stones to create a natural look and pace-slowing surface for a casual garden path. Tall grasses and shrubs help hide the walkway’s destination, adding to its intrigue.
Contrasting with rugged desert terrain, a dark concrete walkway snakes through berms of lava rock masking a St. George home’s entry from the road. Landscape design by Kent Bylund.
The soft curves of a stepped, exposed-aggregate walkway counters the straight lines and hard angles of a mid-century modern home in Ogden.
A side yard’s walkway switches from concrete to stone flagging, indicating an adjustment in purpose and pace. “The material change encourages you to slow down, look around and notice the gardens,” says landscape designer Rob McFarland.
Landscape designer Dean Anesi softened the edges of flagstone steps with thick moss. The lush planting and loosely placed stones foster the passage’s intimate, informal style.
In Park City, large square pads lead from the street and driveway to a front yard patio inset with a modern fire feature. Design by Jayson King.
Landscape designer Willie Eschenfelder created informal paths of crushed limestone to slow the pace as they move through lush gardens and connect to stone steps crossing a tranquil stream.
Ready to start forging your own path? Read our top five tips for spring landscaping here!
