A stepping stone garden path is an option that many people inherit when they move in to a garden and many people find it can be a struggle to change it even though it’s not quite what they want or need.
In fact, many garden paths prove problematic to their new owners, both by their existence and lack of existence. And certainly paths, stepping stone or otherwise, can be a tricky element of garden design and landscape design.
Tricky? I hear you say. What’s difficult about a path? Surely anyone can design and build a stepping stone garden path?
Well…
Where to Begin
Now, as you would expect, I have many conversations with clients, listening to how they use their garden, which elements currently work and which are an annoyance to them. As a garden designer, I am there for my clients to make use of my expertise so that they can achieve the garden they would like. Garden paths can take up a large part of a design meeting. It’s important to get them right as they make a garden practical as well as beautiful; but what is practical for one client may not suit another.
An early design conversation with clients might go something like this…
Them “We’d like a new path by the wall”
Me, looking at the existing overgrown and unused crazy paving path by the wall and the bare patch across the lawn from patio to summerhouse: “Why?”
“Because that one’s old and messy.” (They’re probably wondering why I can’t see this).
Me, turning round to view the house and considering the presence / absence of children / elderly relatives / dogs / cats. “Which door you mainly use to come into the garden?”
Cue their answer “French windows onto the patio unless we’re taking the recycling out because otherwise if you come out of the back door…”
I sip coffee and see the penny drop. “It’s in the wrong place isn’t it?” they chorus.
“Well, it’s certainly in the wrong place for how you use your garden; but then you didn’t put it there!”
And then we discuss desire lines.
What are Desire Lines?
Desire lines are critical in the whole discussion about garden paths, whether that’s a stepping stone garden path, a herringbone brick path or a gravel path.
You will have seen a perfect example of a desire line being ignored and a path laid in the wrong place in your local park. That bare patch of grass that runs from gate to gate and is the route people use as they’re walking through the park as a shortcut to the high street? That is a desire line. The path which has been laid around the edges of the grassed area, despite enticing benches to sit on and flowering shrubs in the border behind, is hardly used.
One only hopes that when a new path is laid across the grass along the desire line that they get all the angles correct. There should be an intuitive flow about a path, it should feel ‘right’ and ‘comfortable’ otherwise it will be ignored. Just like the old crazy paving path in our example above.
Back to our stepping stone garden path conversation
Let’s follow through with our couple above. I’ve suggested various options, they’ve responded with their likes and dislikes. We’ve decided on re-turfing the lawn with real grass; a new patio (complete with shape change) and that a path across the new lawn would be the practical solution for their needs. This garden path will lead down to the existing summerhouse which is being retained.
We’re now at the stage of considering paving options; two main alternatives: –
- A solid path, to match the patio
- A stepping stone garden path, again made with either the same pavers as the patio
They decide that the effect of stepping stones is what they would like, as being less intrusive to the view of the new lawn.
How to design a stepping stone garden path
Or if you’re not keen on the word ‘design’ try ‘plan’ instead. Ignoring such important items as soil type and budget which are very individual, lets consider most of the other factors. Because, whilst it’s not difficult to build the path, failing to plan will not give you the end result you wanted and needed.
What do we need to know?
- who will be using the path
- what will they be using it for
- where does the path lead from and to
who will be using the stepping stone path
A vital thing to consider is the height of the people who will be using the path, or to be more precise, the length of their legs. Children may like to leap from stepping stone to stepping stone but most adults would prefer that the stones are placed a step apart, for a smooth walk.
But what happens when two or more people are regularly using the path? Options: –
- have closely laid stepping stones which will still be less obvious than a fully-fledged garden path
- establish the shortest distance and the longest distance. Use stepping stones which are large enough to accommodate the longer stride yet are placed close enough for the smaller stride to reach them easily
what will they be using the path for
This is not always as simple as it sounds. For example, a stepping stone path leading to the washing line should be comfortable for the person who will use it most often. Obvious.
But I’ve had a number of clients who step out briskly when we’re gauging the distance between the stepping stones. So the second time, I load them up with a basket of washing, make sure they’re wearing the most likely shoes (or slippers) and send them to hang out the washing. Then we compare the two sets of markers.
You should also check the most usual speed at which people will walk along the stepping stone garden path. As we saw above, the speed at which someone walks affects the length of their stride
A popular stepping stone path idea that I often include is to create one or more within the borders. This is to make regular tasks, such as weeding, easier. They can be used in both ornamental herbaceous borders and within the kitchen garden. Stepping stone paths can also be added for access to prune hedges, harvest fruit from espalier trees and so on.
where does the path lead from and to
Or if you prefer, try the question, why is a path needed. In our examples above, we had them leading from house to summer house; from house to washing line and to give access for routine gardening tasks. But it may just be that a ‘proper’ path wouldn’t suit the style of the garden you want. For example, the informality of a stepping stone garden path lends itself to –
- wildlife gardens
- cottage gardens
- informal front gardens
- woodland gardens
- orchards
and that isn’t a definitive list
Building a stepping stone garden path
I’m not going into technical specification here, as what exactly is needed will depend on your individual garden, style, budget, etc. But these are a few general pointers to help you.
The stepping stone pavers are a single unit, so, unlike a path made of continuous slabs, they have no edge to prevent them moving – known as ‘lateral slippage’. And the simplest way to prevent the stones or slabs from moving is to bed them on mortar or compacted sand. But there will still be some movement over time, so this isn’t the best choice for someone unstable on their feet.
If you fancy a stepping stone garden path to meander across your lawn, be sure set the pavers slightly below the level of the lawn. That way, the lawn mower will sweep over the top when you’re mowing. This is much easier than having to trim the grass edges of each individual stepping stone!
However, if your stepping stone path is set in gravel rather than a lawn, set the pavers slightly above the level of the gravel. This reduces the likelihood of your feet slipping on the loose gravel surface.
If, for example, you have an excitable dog who runs up and down the path, you may need to regularly sweep gravel off the stepping stones.
Materials
The choice of materials will depend on various factors, including how visible it is and the style of the garden where it sits. Some of those available are –
- pavers, these might match your patio if its all being designed and built at the same time
- manufactured concrete stepping stones pre-cast in various designs. For example, wildlife motifs, those that look like rope and timber
- sleepers, to match your raised beds or decking perhaps
- hardwood timber rings of beech, oak or ash
- bricks, often 4 together to make a stepping stone
Some of these alternatives are more suited to an informal garden style. But then a stepping stone garden path has an air of informality about it anyway. Or perhaps that’s just me and the desire to hop from one stepping stone to another?
And finally
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