Inexpensive material garden path, suggestions?

I need a good idea for inexpensive material for our pathway. I don't want to use flagstone or pavers. I want a softer material but not sure what I should buy. Are pine needles good for that?


moderator's note: added a more descriptive title to topic

 

Thanks, Eileen. I'm planning to use bark in the area where my dog does his business and I wanted the path a separate color and texture. I'm tearing out the grass as our drought conditions plus the dog make it hard to maintain.

 

pathway material

what about using Pea shingle, its attractive and cheap.

Anthony E

 

Pine needles will work if you lay them down thickly. However, they do tend to be a bit slippery underfoot. Personally I like a very thick wood chip mulch that is allowed to age and decay in place. Add to it yearly or as needed.

 

How about roofing shingles and cover with some type of mulch?

 

I use ground covers for some of my walks in the garden. Irish or Scotch moss (not really a moss) seems to spread and hold its own where the dogs don't run "hard". It doesn't take as much water as grass, but you do have to walk on it some to keep it "touching" the ground.

The other ground cover I have used is wooly thyme. Really soft on the toes, and does OK with moderate traffic. Does require full sun, and is pretty drought tolerant once establish. You do need to keep other weeds out of it though.

I realized you were thinking of something soft but I did see gravel used very handsomely. I had never thought of using gravel (comes in a variety of textures and types), but on a garden walk one neighbor had used it very effectively with a brick/rock or no boarder. It would not have to be replaced like bark does, and properly packed and installed doesn't move like bark seems to. Thymes are the colorful plants that are dark pinkish.
Blue Glass and Gravel Walkway ( photo / image / picture from Jewell2009's Garden )

Have fun whatever you decide to do!

 

Oh Jewell . . . your flowers are divine!

 

Thanks SongofJoy

 

Hey I reckon you cannot go past compacted gravel as a cheap and hardwearing path. It's usually a by-product of stone extraction, so no ethical worries there, and if it doesn't need too much transport can cost as little as $30 a cubic meter, which @ 100mm thick covers 10 sq. meters. All you need to do is pack it down and it will last for years. I have (literally) made 100's of kilometers of path this way, heaps better than bark or paving. Just Google some images and check it out!
E-worm