The line you walk changes the way you see everything around it.
A path is more than a way to keep your shoes dry. It decides how quickly you cross a garden, where you pause and what you notice along the way.
Walk the line first.
We begin with the journeys that already happen. The kitchen door to the compost bin. The morning chair. The route children take without thinking. These lines usually tell us more than a neat shape on a drawing.
The best route is the one that feels natural under your feet.
A broad, direct path invites movement. A slight turn lets a view unfold more slowly. Neither is better on its own; each should have a reason.
Make the edge do some work
Planting can soften a path without swallowing it. We leave clear walking space and allow grasses to lean into the edges. A simple material, repeated carefully, is often all the garden needs.