A NATURAL STONE PATHWAY IS AN APPEALING ADDITION TO YOUR LANDSCAPE.

The side yard of a home is usually not high on the design list for homeowners or professionals, as both front and back yards typically draw more attention. However, a well-designed side yard path can become the “star” and a great addition to your overall landscape design.

A side yard path and garden if space allows, takes up a previously unused spot and creates a feeling of enchantment. Side yards tend to be a more closed-in, almost secretive and with the right attention to the path material as well as flowers and plants, it will create a distinct feeling of privacy and charm, quite different from an expansive back or front landscape area. Do you have room enough for a seating area or water feature? The possibilities are exciting!

There are numerous types of pathway paving material options from mulch to concrete. Here are just three options that we’d like to share:

Cobblestone: Cobblestone side yard pathways are the epitome of traditional charm and allure and come in a variety of sizes. They can be laid with tight joints or separated to allow moss or other types of ground cover to grow in between. There are many ‘foot friendly’ types of cobblestone found in the Historic European Cobblestone collection. A cobblestone side yard path will tie in beautifully with a cobblestone driveway or a cobblestone back yard patio. Reclaimed curb or larger sized cobblestones can also add to the design by being used as edging or planter perimeters.

Stone Pavers: There are many types of natural stone pavers suitable for side yard use. Bluestone, flagstone, sandstone, to just name a few, in either cut to size or natural random sizes. This type of stone will create an exciting and inviting way to travel the garden path. They also lend themselves to large sizes that can accommodate a seating area or a nook with a table and chairs. The same natural stone pavers may sometimes be utilized in both the front and rear hardscapes for patio or driveway use as well.

Stone Gravel: Stone gravel can be used in many areas of a landscape, and is easy to work with. It has a welcoming and informal look. Gravel comes in a variety of sizes and colors. It can be combined with other pavers to create an interesting look. Careful ground preparation is a must and maintenance can be an issue and costly, but gravel’s up front costs are the least expensive of the three.

How wide should your pathway be? The more a path is used, the wider it should be.  Although a regular walkway should be at least four feet wide (allowing 2 people to walk side by side) a side yard path can be as narrow as 18”. A design trick that many professionals use is to vary the width of a path at certain points along the way. A wider area suggests that the visitor has arrived at a destination such as nearing a patio or when you’d like to call attention to beautiful flowers or when there is a nice shady bench to rest on under a tree.

Have fun dreaming of and designing your side yard pathway. Give us a call to help you select the natural stone material for your project!