A garden path can create interest in a garden as well as being a practical means of walking from one area to another. However, there are several different types of materials which you can use for constructing a path.
Gravel is probably one of the most inexpensive materials to use. It requires little maintenance and offers good drainage and it won’t interfere with plant roots.
If you want a substantial path to put up with a lot of traffic, then you may want to consider dry laid paving stones. These come in a huge range of styles, shapes, colours and sizes. It requires more effort to lay paving stones than gravel and you will need to make sure you have a level base to start with, made up of sand or gravel.
A path of paving stones laid with mortar in between each slab or stone can look quite formal. It is an expensive option as it is often not considered a DIY job for most people but once the path is laid it will require minimum maintenance.
A wood mulch path laid with wood chips, shredded bark or mulch looks very natural and is cheap to do. To stop weeds growing through, you will need to lay the mulch to a depth of about 10cm. The path will require some maintenance and you will most likely have to top up your path every year with a thin layer of mulch or wood chips.
You could have a mix of stepping stones and mulch for a path. Set the stones at a good distance for walking on.