Your garden: DIY IT: HOW TO MAKE GRAVEL PATHS

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, Jun 16, 2002 | by Edited by Adrienne Wild

IN a small garden every spot has to earn its keep. If you're looking to make paths more productive then turn to gravel.

It doesn't have to be boring - with the addition of a few pebbles and plants you can create an Alpine walk that will make your daily hike to the dustbin all the more enjoyable.

Alpines enjoy basking in the sun with their roots in cool, free- draining gritty compost - and once they're established they are virtually maintenance free.

To start, excavate the path. Reinforce the sides with boulders to keep gravel from spilling onto lawns and borders, fork over the sub- soil to improve drainage and line the area with a weed membrane such as Plantex before topping with gritty enriched soil and mulch of gravel. Choose washed gravel made up from different grades of material to create a scree effect. Place large flat pebbles to make stepping stones. Arrange Alpine plants randomly between the pebbles.

Use different varieties to extend the season of colour from spring to autumn. Water the plants well after planting. Deadhead regularly to encourage a second flush of flowers.