One of my gardens is about 40 x 12. The easiest, cheapest solution I've found is not cramming it chock-a-block full of plants so I've got a way to get in and bare space to put my feet while I'm doing my routine chores. Even though it appears full, there isn't a plant or group of plants I can't easily reach. Some of my simplest garden adjustments have been made by looking down at them from upstairs windows - you get a totally different garden perspective viewing it from above as opposed to at ground level.

In other gardens of varying lengths and widths, I use 12" square pavers strategically placed as landings. I put them in flush with the soil so there are no tripable edges. Those work for me much better than making an actual path.

Hey a2zmom, I'm kind of dealing with the same thing :) This is going to be my biggest garden yet too. It will be 10' at the widest point by about 25' long. Because it's in front of our front door, there will be a path going through the middle of it at the widest point. It's shaped irregularly, and part of it is only 3' or 4' wide. So, I dunno. I'm hoping I'm going to be able to reach everything! I think not planting too thickly is great advice. I like the stepping stone idea too.

I use the stepping stones too. Not an ideal situation, IMO, as I often find myself either trying to balance on the one stone, or I end up sitting on one... and let's say my, ahem, "footprint" is often bigger than the stone, especially if I'm turning this way and that. But I'm a little obsessive about not stepping on the soil, so I deal with it.

:)
Dee

I have a wide bed by the driveway. I just leave a central path unplanted and some smaller ones between plantings to give me access. I have lots of older square bales of bad hay and I peel off flakes and use them to line the 'paths'. Otherwise, I just leave the bare ground. If you mulch the whole bed, the mulch would be on the paths. I don't use stepping stones because I would have to buy lots....too much cost for me. A trick vegetable gardeners use in early spring when planting seeds and the ground is loose and moist is just lay a wide board along the row for walking on. Two boards would be better in my case! I don't balance well.

If you have access to lots of mulching material, be sure to lay down several thicknesses of wet paper first before mulching. It will last at least a year before breaking down and there will be no green things coming up through the mulch; sort of a lasagna path!

stones are just a big job over the years ....

how about just buying some good garden boots.. and just leave a dirt or mulch path ...

or leave 2 feet on the fence line behind ...

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: the daily ....

I have used both stepping stones and heavy straw mulch as a path, in different gardens. Both work well. The stepping stones are more expensive, but I have them in my front garden. The straw path is in my back garden. The main thing is to plan ahead how you are going to reach and weed the different areas of your garden. The path doesn't have to be a straight line. In fact, it is better to have a curved path(s) through the garden. It looks more natural. If your garden is against a fence, the classic plan uses a path at the back of the garden next to the fence. That way you can reach your plants to deadhead, etc., but the path isn't visible from the front of the garden.

I have 3' mulch paths that wind through the widest parts of my garden, which gives me room to steer a wheelbarrow or cart if necessary. I've been tempted to edge them but haven't yet... they're just a continuation of the same mulch I put down throughout the beds.

There's one stepping stone path between my garden and the neighbors; it's high-visibility for the utility people who occasionally need to move from backyard to backyard.

Also, I don't plant terribly thickly, so I can generally step off the path and next to the plant that needs attention.

Leave a path open running along the back side so you access from the back. Also, leaving a bit of space between plants in certain spots helps so you won't trample them as you need to get into the beds.

I have several large gardens that are minimum 10 feet wide. I design strategic paths through the gardens and usually mulch them with cardboard and wood chips. Sometimes I lay down stepping stones along the paths too - flat stones - either odd pieces of flagstone, bluestone, or regular old rocks that are naturally flat. I will also place flat rocks here and there in the middle of the beds to have someplace to step on when weeding or planting. I've never paid for any of these stones.

A couple years ago a buddy cut some 2-3 inch pieces from a 12 inch diameter log and I tried using those as stepping stones. They worked well until they started to split (Norway maple, which is a brittle wood0 and of course they will eventually rot.