Pathway Plan If your property has an area that seems almost to narrow to either beautify or utilize, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the dramatic results produced in the course of this episode. Taking on the fourth major landscape project for the featured property of this series, host Mayita Dinos and crew transform a neglected, unused side yard into a gorgeous passageway using attractive yet practical surfacing materials and a wide array of plants. - Keeping in mind the European tradition of creating paths that offer an interesting journey with a "reward" at the end, Dinos sets to work planning the garden pathway using landscape design software and a digital image of the area to be planted (figure A).
- The first step is to determine what visual element will be most suitable as an asethetic payoff for visitors when they reach the end of the path. Dinos experiments with several items using digital images to preview the results.
- Option one, a birdbath (figure B), looks satisfactory but doesn't provide much interest in this setting; an image of a classical statue seems too pretentious. Finally she discovers the perfect element: a stone Celtic pedestal with a stone fruit basket.
- Next, Dinos moves on to the plans for the path itself. She explains that while the path shouldn't be a plain, straight line, too many curves will seem forced and will fail to provide a sense of direction.
- The solution is to design the path with a slight curve near the end (figure C) to give visitors a nice, casual stroll.
Pavers and Plants With the line of the path determined, it's time to look at surface material. Dinos has already decided to create the path with 12-inch square pavers that have a thickness of three inches. (The heaviness of the pavers will help them remain stable after they're set in place.) Since identical pavers were also used at the base of the deck steps in an earlier upgrade to this property, repeating this element will lend the landscape design good flow and consistency. First Steps - To get started, the crew removes all remaining grass in the area. Since this area is small with only a small amount of grass to be removed, a simple shovel and spade are used for the job (figure G). For larger areas with a substantial amount of turf, however, a sod remover (figure H) is recommended. Since the area has a substantial slope, the grade must be tackled before the pavers can be laid in place; a level path is not only more comfortable for walking, but also safer.
Note: Some areas require permits before starting any type of grading project, so check your local ordinances prior to starting the work. - Making sure to maintain the natural feel of the curved pathway design will ensure a natural feel. As noted earlier, too many forced curves or zigzags (figure I) will make the walkway seem forced and will restrict the "site circulation," or ease of traffic flow through the site. (A path with an unnatural line will also make visitors feel as though they're being taken out of their way.)
- While the property's front entry walk will provide primary access to the front door, this path should provide an easy route to the back gate.
Expert Note: Dr. Vergil Hettick explains that today's homeowners can often relate traditional Japanese-style passageway gardens to limited spaces. Since this type of garden design creates a transition area from the hectic outer world to our more tranquil inner space -- while only requiring a minimal area -- it's ideal for homes built on small lots. (Example: a zero-lot-line on one side and only four to six feet on the other.) Making the Grade - The 12-inch width of the pavers and the groups of plants that will be placed along the path are two major factors in determining the amount of grading to be done; slope ratio also impacts the grade. As the crew begins the grading process (figure J), they employ a "cut and fill" method, which is often used in areas where there's a substantial slope. This simply means that as dirt is taken from the "cut" area, it's used to build up the "fill" areas (here, on both the uphill and downhill sides of the path as shown in figure K.
- Another factor to consider when working on a sloped plane is surface erosion (figure L), which occurs any time soil particles are displaced by the movement of water or wind.
- To offset potential surface erosion -- sometimes referred to as "scouring" -- Dinos and the crew will employ what's known as "critical area planting," or placing plants in highly erodable areas; the vegetation ultimately holds the soil in place.
In most cases, the biggest erosion problem is the result of water runoff; ample amounts of runoff can actually cause the slope to come down. In these situations, a retaining wall or another hard stop would be required to hold the soil.
Slope Standards Slope ratio is defined as simply the amount of drop per horizontal foot. The maxium ratio to grow plants on a slope is 2:1, while the maximum ratio for a lawn is 3:1. - Here the horizontal distance is six feet, so in order to be within the proper range, the drop should not exceed two feet. Once the area has been graded and the pathway area has been firmly tamped (figure M), Dinos takes both vertical and horizontal measurements to make sure the slope is has an acceptable ratio (figure N).
Time elapsed: six hours.
RESOURCES :
Plants from Monrovia Growers
Monrovia Growers
Website: www.monrovia.com
GUESTS :
Vergil Hettick
California State University Long Beach
1250 Bellflower Blvd.
Long Beach, CA 90840
Phone: 562-985-4111
Email: hetix@pacball.com; jgarden@csulb.edu
Website: www.csulb.edu/~jgarden
Curator, Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden
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