Walkways

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Strictly speaking, walkways are about transportation. The washing machine that needs to get to the laundery room, the guests for a dinner party, hauling soil in a wheelbarrow to a bed in the garden-all kinds of activities rely on the walkway.

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This does not mean that the utilitarian route shouldn’t be scenic.  This generously sized slate walk has some beautiful curves; a curved walk invites lingering and looking.  The walk is plenty wide enough at the drive to swing the car doors open, and drop off multiple guests.

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This is one of my favorite walkways. I managed to persuade my clients to install a wood walk; they were dubious both about its serviceability, and its longevity. However, it used to be that all roads were made out of wood; they fell for this.  4″ by 4″ pressure treated lumber, in 8′ lengths, were routed to look like bricks.  The boards were laid over a 8″ deep gravel base.  After 6 months exposure to the weather, I was able to stain it black.  It has been in place a good many years now.  The new owners of the house re-stain it every few years. The ends of the taxus hedges have fence posts of the same material, capped in rusty steel ball finials.

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Not all walkways need to be a hard surface; grass makes a beautiful walk.  These gravel troughs signal the change from the lawn, to a lawn walk.  The length of the gravel trough gives visitors plenty of time to contemplate the massive door, and what might lie behind it.

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Some walkways belong to a terrace, or a series of terraces. The identical material and pattern gives visual weight and grace to this walk between terraces.   The aged cut limestone tiles, punctuated with limestone dots, is a striking way to get from here to there.

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Some walkways are more about defining a view, than transportation.  I can attest to the fact that having pushed a wheelbarrow along this path countless times, I would much rather look at it, than use it. The simple stepping stones describe a view without intruding on it.

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Some are fortunate to own homes where the old or original materials still exist.  This house built in the 1920’s was graced with with a walk of old granite setts.  As they had heaved about with the frost, and were a little dicey to walk on in the winter, the entire walk was taken up and reset. This was a bit of maintenance that counted for much;  this old walk softens the newness of the new landscape.

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This steel and concrete walk is sharply contemporary.  The softly trimmed hedges of blue arctic willow are a great contrast.  There are so many good ways to get somewhere, are there not?

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In my opinion, the walkway to the pearly gates looks pretty much like this.

Comments

  1. Glad you have included my very favotite house. I go out of my way to drive down Stanley Avenue. I also love the walkway to the pearly gates.

  2. So many ideas! Maybe, I can find something for my yadr. Such pretty houses and walkways! Thank you!

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