I'm looking for an interesting material to line a shady wooded garden path.
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Bricks and stone are too formal. I'd prefer something funky and not wood because the dogs chew on wooden things in the yard. Ideas? Pictures would be great!
44 answers
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Hi Walter, My wife has this odd hobby, whenever we go someplace, if she finds a rock she thinks looks interesting, she brings it home with her. Consequently she has quite the rock collection, all kinds, all shapes. Seashells as well. Granted, since we moved to Florida, the seashell collection has grown faster than the rock collection (which she insisted on transporting from NY), she does have some interesting stones. Apparently it's genetic, her family seems to all collect rocks and use them to line gardens. Perhaps any broken terra cotta pots or "found" objects from garage sales?
Dan's of Central Florida, Inc.
on Sep 10, 2011
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I find river stone to make a nice path, And no shoes needed. The colors are great to.
Hudson Designs
on Sep 10, 2011
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When the tornado came through the nursery amongst other broken stuff was a LOT of broken pottery. I used the broken pieces for a walkpath. I am sure you could stack it up as well. Another re-purposed material is scrap tile pieces that can give an interesting mosaic look.
360 Sod (Donna Dixson)
on Sep 10, 2011
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Walter, I lined mine with these undesirable rocks I found around my property. They are not good for much. My neighbor calls them "Leave um rights- leave um right where they are, cause they aint good for nuthin."
Culpepper Carpets and Interiors, Inc.
on Sep 10, 2011
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Woops! Forgot to rotate, here they are.
Culpepper Carpets and Interiors, Inc.
on Sep 10, 2011
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No bricks, no stone, no wood and funky. Bones? (no, the dogs). How about old clay roofing tiles?
Peace Painting Co., Inc.
on Sep 10, 2011
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Someone on here posted an idea about planting old glass bottles a couple of weeks ago, maybe.
3po3
on Sep 10, 2011
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How about recycled glass. I take glass bottles and a rock tumbler and make my own. If you have a lot of bottles you can also use a concrete mixer as a tumbler.
CAROL H
on Sep 10, 2011
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I really like hazelnut shells for lining paths...I had them at my home in WA State. Interesting and last quite a while...
Imagery
on Sep 11, 2011
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Steve, Carol, & Imagery I like all of those ideas,(yours too Charles) good & green!
Culpepper Carpets and Interiors, Inc.
on Sep 11, 2011
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Here is a link to the buried-bottle edging. I thought it was quite clever: http://www.hometalk.com/activity/49637
Douglas Hunt
on Sep 11, 2011
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for a particular nuance, half buried tires add their own atmosphere :0)
Peace Painting Co., Inc.
on Sep 11, 2011
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Charles, what color of beige do you suggest for the art walls that you are painting for my client this week? Remember the only accent is the blue walls the color of your Peace logo above.
Culpepper Carpets and Interiors, Inc.
on Sep 11, 2011
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SW 6101 "Sands of Time' is a nice 'frapachino' color beige; delicious, and goes with the blue.
Peace Painting Co., Inc.
on Sep 11, 2011
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Thanks, Douglas, for finding that link. I couldn't find it, but I must have been entering the wrong search terms.
3po3
on Sep 11, 2011
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@Steve: The search engine is picky!
Douglas Hunt
on Sep 12, 2011
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Walter, I like LeeAnn's "leave em rights" idea. Yes it's stone, but alot more natural than formal looking. Or, if you're not looking for an actual line, how about smaller boulders spaced in random fashion but just enough to show there's a path?. Sorry, no pictures available, just an idea. If you're like me and have plenty of rocks on your property that would be a good application for them.
Joe Washington
on Sep 12, 2011
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@ Carol H I LOVE THIS - Now I'll be collecting old bottles out of peoples recycling. My neighbor drinks a lot of wine (a lot) so if I can rent a cement mixer I'll give it a try.
Donna McCrummen
on Sep 15, 2011
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Donna, I have friends who save their bottles for me. You can use all kinds of different glass as well. This is a wonderful way to recycle and make your yard or planters look good at the same time. Have fun!!
CAROL H
on Sep 15, 2011
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where do you get hazelnut shells?
Donna McCrummen
on Sep 15, 2011
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I wondered about that as well, The nut plant I guess!! LOL
Culpepper Carpets and Interiors, Inc.
on Sep 15, 2011
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In Albuquerque, NM I noted that the Air Terminal and some boulevard medians had large areas of landscaping where they used ground/broken/dulled multicolored glass shards to simulate water rippling along a creek bed. If there's a cheap and readily available source of glassy shards, I think that would make fit in with your FUNK, Walter. By the way... your mom ("Ms Frances" is witty and precious and she doesn't mind commenting on where you received some of your down-to-earth upbringing.)
Ricardo B
on Sep 15, 2011
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Ya know Donna M, I have to comment on that precious dog. We have a yorki at the Tri-7 (My home) and he was supposed to look like yours, but he grew to 22 pounds & can not fit into all the little jackets that my daughter in law bought him. No worries about the hawks getting him, he runs the place.
Culpepper Carpets and Interiors, Inc.
on Sep 15, 2011
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Oh, that's better, I turned him.
Culpepper Carpets and Interiors, Inc.
on Sep 15, 2011
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Walter, what about using sea shells. I've seen them used on pathways in Williamsburg, Va and other gardens.
Mike and Anne
on Sep 15, 2011
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@LeeAnn - His name is Eno, he's four months old and is a Shorkie - a Yorkie - Shih Tzu mix. He is a cuddle buddy for sure. He weighs 4 lbs. now and I hope he stays small
Donna McCrummen
on Sep 15, 2011
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To cute! I'm sure he will. "Smeagle" is the ranch yorkie, he is registered but must have been on steroids cause he just kept growing! But he keeps the 3 big aussies in line.
Culpepper Carpets and Interiors, Inc.
on Sep 15, 2011
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I'm not sure where they get them but in the New Orleans area the country roads are paved with sea shells. Also a lot of the swampy areas are back filled with sea shells. That is something that would be very unusual around here if you can find out where to get them. Ha I guess I should read more first, I missed Mike telling you about that too! Anyway that is my suggestion.
Paul M
on Sep 15, 2011
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Since we are wind fanatics we have a lot of empty wine bottles. I line my beds with the wine bottles (I am away from home or I'd send a pic). Remove the label, dig a trench and place the bottle neck down. Makes a great boarder and can hold back mulch.
Stephanie K
on Sep 16, 2011
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Where do you get hazelnut shells????
Stephanie K
on Sep 16, 2011
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A friend lines one of her beds with planted wine bottles - looks great. You're in the Georgia piedmont; if you like the nut idea (creative), forget filberts, think peanuts. I like using what's already on hand, what's local. I like the "useless rocks" piled up along the path edges. And something I saw in Russia which I absolutely loved - large tree trunks cut into stepping stones, treated with wood preservative and planted into the path. Gives you the flexibility of choosing the size of your path "stones", and thickness, and even hardness (variety of wood.) Pebbles and/or mulch would be a lovely, naturalized filler. Hope you'll post a photo of the finished project.
Angela E
on Sep 16, 2011
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How about fallen acorns. Bet you could get enough from us Hometalkers.
Flowerscapes Garden Design & Landscaping
on Sep 16, 2011
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I would also like to know where to get the hazelnut shells.
CAROL H
on Sep 16, 2011
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I looked into it, it seems to be a more common product in the Pacific Northwest. I had them at my home in WA State, I think it is available elsewhere, but it's becoming really common up north. When the hazelnuts are wet, they look even better, more vibrant. I really enjoyed them, but gong barefoot was a bit of a challenge!
Imagery
on Sep 17, 2011
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Do you think other nut shells would work as well? In Georgia, we have an abundance of pecan orchards.
Joanne
on Sep 17, 2011
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Please DO NOT use acorns....ground squirrels (chipmunks) love them. The little critters are cute and fun to watch but are incredibly destructive. They get into foundations, gardens, etc. I have large Oak Trees and the chippies are running amok.
Donna McCrummen
on Sep 21, 2011
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So Walter, what's it going to be? Inquiring minds want to know!
Douglas Hunt
on Sep 22, 2011
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I'm considering two options. One is used bicycle rims, cut in half and pressed vertically into the soil, giving an undulating silvery edge. The other uses 1/2" flexible copper tubing and a series of copper T's to support it 8" from the ground. This will follow the curves of the path very well. And I'm thinking of wrapping solar LED lights around the tubing so the path is lighted at night. I haven't completed either of them but I'll post pix when I'm finished.
Walter Reeves
on Sep 22, 2011
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If it is near a road the copper tubing might be taken by a nefarious and unscrupulous person hoping to make a buck recycling your copper. But it sounds like a really cool idea!
360 Sod (Donna Dixson)
on Sep 22, 2011
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Both sound cool. Can't wait to see the pix.
Douglas Hunt
on Sep 22, 2011
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i think both ideas will look great. I am leaning a bit for the silvery smoothness of the bicycle rims and their reflective quality. It is more unusual and distinctive, just like you.
Flowerscapes Garden Design & Landscaping
on Sep 25, 2011
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I love the bike rims idea as a great way to recycle, and I'm a big bike geek and get really excited when I see bike parts put to interesting uses.
3po3
on Sep 25, 2011
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Walter, if you plan to use the copper tubing and are trying to achieve very even and uniform bends without kinking, I know a trick. If the radius is not too small, insert the copper into a length of pvc that is just slightly larger than the copper. The pvc will bend fairly uniform, and the copper inside will bend the same, without kinking. Just make sure you leave some extra on one end to pull out the copper. It will still take a little finishing off by hand, but the main curve will be very close. But if you are keeping the curves as tight as the original coiled copper, you might not have to bend much at all.
Southern Trillium LLC
on Nov 29, 2011
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Ah I'm sold. I just looked up some places to get this online. I hope they can deliver to my address. Here are some more pictures: http://www.hesellstheseshells.com/uses-for-hazelnut-shells/
Andrea S
on Mar 30, 2012
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