5 Easy Ways to Spruce Up a Small Garden

Pretty Paths

Garden paths can turn a neglected area into a side yard sanctuary.

The key to this garden's design is a handsome walkway that traverses the narrow side yard. It serves as the garden's focal point around which all the plantings are arranged.

Notice how the simple plantings lend a sense of visual cohesion. Evergreen shrubs -- including holly, dwarf sasanqua camellia, Sandankwa viburnum, and cherry laurel -- rise from sweeps of mondo grass and asparagus fern ground covers. The evergreen shrubs add year-round color and also help to screen nearby houses. The ground covers tie together the plantings while minimizing maintenance.

How wide should the walk be?
Primary paths that receive heavy use, such as a front walk, should be at least 4 to 5 feet wide to permit two people to walk side by side. For secondary paths such as this one, 2 to 3 feet wide is usually fine.