A well-laid path is essential for the successful management of every
garden. The direction that it takes must be very clearly thought
through to ensure its efficiency. It must be arranged so that there
are no temptations to cut corners across the lawn or flower beds and
yet as far as possible it should be unobtrusive.

Like the garden itself, a path should be properly drained, especially
if it is to be constructed from gravel or a similar porous material.
Surrounding ground must also be drained in such a way that the path
does not become a watercourse during periods of heavy rain or after
snow-melt in colder districts. The scouring out of neatly raked gravel
by fast-flowing ground water can be a great source of irritation.

Before construction, consider the possibility of the path also being
the line that takes services. Water and electricity can very
conveniently be directed along
(continued at http://garden.siteburg.com/garden-path.html )