12 Stepping Stone & Garden Path Ideas

♛ By 7 Comments

Pinterest

Watch your step! Here’s a bunch of creative ideas for designing garden paths and walkways plus DIY stepping stone tutorials. Whether it’s stone, brick, hypertufa, or concrete pavers, there’s lots of things you can do with simple materials for a great look.

If you would like more ideas for using stones in the garden (plus crafting with them), also see Garden Stone Crafts and How to Make Hypertufa Pots.

Here's a bunch of creative ideas for designing garden paths and walkways plus DIY stepping stone tutorials. Whether it's stone, brick, hypertufa, or concrete pavers, there's lots of things you can do with simple materials for a great look


I may receive a commission if you purchase something mentioned in a link on this post for sites including Amazon.com. Other links may go to websites including eBay where I have been paid to write a blog or article. See the entire disclosure here.

Step Right This Way

Grass path | See ideas for creating pathways in your home garden including cement, brick, hypertufa, and stones.

Related: Weeds on a brick patio? Here’s how to get rid of them.

I became a little obsessed with garden path design last summer while I was trying to figure out possibilities for my own back garden. The pathway right now is grass and, with the extremely sandy soil, I know whatever I try will probably sink into the ground over a few years. There are some brick borders in the old front garden that have recessed into the ground and all but disappeared. But it doesn’t stop me from wanting a fabulous path of some kind.

I took these next photos on garden tours. There’s some creative and clever ideas here. I’ve also gathered up some DIY tutorials for stepping stones you can make for your garden.

Curvy is Good

These first few gardens have curvy pathways made from low cost materials. I spent a ridiculous amount of time debating curves or straight lines in my own garden and ultimately went with the most practical solution for the space (straight lines). If I had a do-over I’d probably go with some curves to obscure views and add a bit of mystery. Mind you, family members simply trying to get to the swimming pool may not be so amused.

This first garden is an incredible gem. The whole thing was so photogenic.

Curved brick path | Here's a bunch of creative ideas for designing garden paths and walkways plus DIY stepping stone tutorials. Whether it's stone, brick, hypertufa, or concrete pavers, there's lots of things you can do with simple materials for a great look.

This next garden shows two ideas I like. The simple, curved concrete pavers, plus the stones used to create raised beds.

Curved concrete paver path | Here's a bunch of creative ideas for designing garden paths and walkways plus DIY stepping stone tutorials. Whether it's stone, brick, hypertufa, or concrete pavers, there's lots of things you can do with simple materials for a great look.

This next pathway has a message in one of the stones that gathered a lot of admirers. I’ll show what it says in the next photo.

Here's a bunch of creative ideas for designing garden paths and walkways plus DIY stepping stone tutorials. Whether it's stone, brick, hypertufa, or concrete pavers, there's lots of things you can do with simple materials for a great look.

Here’s the enchanted garden stone. I’m wondering if you could use a Dremel tool to engrave something like this? If you know the answer, let me know in the comments.

Enchanted garden path | Here's a bunch of creative ideas for designing garden paths and walkways plus DIY stepping stone tutorials. Whether it's stone, brick, hypertufa, or concrete pavers, there's lots of things you can do with simple materials for a great look.

Speaking of stepping stones, here’s an arrangement of giant homemade leaf stones.

Leaf stepping stones | Here's a bunch of creative ideas for designing garden paths and walkways plus DIY stepping stone tutorials. Whether it's stone, brick, hypertufa, or concrete pavers, there's lots of things you can do with simple materials for a great look.

You can make these giant leaf walkway steps in an afternoon. The instructions are here plus information on making hyperfufa and concrete planters.

Stepping Stone Tutorials

Here’s some options for concrete, hypertufa (a mixture of various aggregates plus cement), and ready-made pavers.

Here's a bunch of creative ideas for designing garden paths and walkways plus DIY stepping stone tutorials. Whether it's stone, brick, hypertufa, or concrete pavers, there's lots of things you can do with simple materials for a great look.

  1. Hopscotch stepping stones | Wonderful idea for a child’s play garden.
  2. Leaf imprint stepping stones | Use real leaves to create beautiful stepping stones.
  3. Hand-painted concrete pavers | Use ready-made pavers and dress them up with paint.
  4. Hypertufa leaf-shaped birdbath | Use giant leaves to create imprints in hypertufa.

Circle of Stones

I photographed this stone maze years ago in a country garden. They used the heavily-shaded areas under the trees (where nothing much grows) to create this little work of art.

Garden stone circle | Here's a bunch of creative ideas for designing garden paths and walkways plus DIY stepping stone tutorials. Whether it's stone, brick, hypertufa, or concrete pavers, there's lots of things you can do with simple materials for a great look.

Checkerboard Herb Garden

Here concrete pavers are placed in a checkerboard pattern with various herbs and ground covers planted in the open spots.

Checkerboard herb garden | Here's a bunch of creative ideas for designing garden paths and walkways plus DIY stepping stone tutorials. Whether it's stone, brick, hypertufa, or concrete pavers, there's lots of things you can do with simple materials for a great look.

Here’s another glimpse of the garden I showed you at the start (the one with the curvy brick pathway). The contrasting colours of the plants were just breathtaking. So consider this a gratuitous shot with a nice flagstone path tossed in. And how cool are those garden art tulips? Here’s one version of them at Amazon.

Flagstone pathway | Here's a bunch of creative ideas for designing garden paths and walkways plus DIY stepping stone tutorials. Whether it's stone, brick, hypertufa, or concrete pavers, there's lots of things you can do with simple materials for a great look.

Here’s an idea that’s smart for grass lawns: place pavers between the grass and the raised beds. Keep the pavers at grass-level and it will be much easier to cut the grass. No edging required.

Here's a bunch of creative ideas for designing garden paths and walkways plus DIY stepping stone tutorials. Whether it's stone, brick, hypertufa, or concrete pavers, there's lots of things you can do with simple materials for a great look.

Okay, yes, I’m showing you lots of these stone-sided raised beds. But, since I live somewhere with zero stones, I’m a bit envious.

Here's a bunch of creative ideas for designing garden paths and walkways plus DIY stepping stone tutorials. Whether it's stone, brick, hypertufa, or concrete pavers, there's lots of things you can do with simple materials for a great look.

And finally, when it comes to arranging a pathway, consider flower power. Here the flagstones are cut and arranged to form giant flowers. There’s all sorts of possibilities for this idea. In a more modern garden, it would be cool to spell out a word such as ‘WALK’. Inventive, I know. But you get the idea.
Flagstone flower | Here's a bunch of creative ideas for designing garden paths and walkways plus DIY stepping stone tutorials. Whether it's stone, brick, hypertufa, or concrete pavers, there's lots of things you can do with simple materials for a great look.

May your pathways take you just where you need to be.

~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛

Here's a bunch of creative ideas for designing garden paths and walkways plus DIY stepping stone tutorials. Whether it's stone, brick, hypertufa, or concrete pavers, there's lots of things you can do with simple materials for a great look

You Might Like These Too

 Creative Containers for Growing Strawberries These are creative and unexpected ways to grow strawberries where the container and the display are as lovely as the fruit. Let's see what you can d...
DIY Succulent Garden Art Ideas Here's a bunch of ideas for displaying succulents in your garden. From wreaths to tackle boxes to old boots, you name it, succulents can be planted th...
Gallery of Favourite Garden Sheds If you're thinking of building a garden shed, renovating one you have, or simply love tiny buildings, this gallery is for you. There's so many ch...
Pinterest

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comments

  1. I’m SO HAPPY I found your website!!! I have an ugly chain link fence to cover and voila! You had a section covering that topic :o) Just read your section on Clematis propagation. Loved it! I’m going to take some cuttings this weekend. Thank you for being!

    Reply

  2. The 1st picture is what I want my front yard to look like when I’m done (dream on!), it’s mostly shade thanks to a Northern exposure, a huge Linden tree and if that’s not enough a line of 3 story houses across the street with very little space between them. I am in the process of putting a curvy old brick (in some cases old brick taken from our 1888 church when it was being remodeled or chimney brick from a turn of the century neighbor’s house) walkway through from the front walk to the driveway. I’m going to do it in a running bond and fill in shortages with gray & red 12″ square pavers which will eventually be replaced by handmade stained glass pavers (but that takes time & money). The few steps down the small slope to the drive are rectangles of marble that were found in the church, that I rescued from the trash!

    Reply

  3. I love each and every picture and each and every pathway. I totally understand your stone envy, though what I have more of is stone variety envy. I have been collecting lots lately and I’m so thankful for them but I would love a few smoothish ones like the ones you use in your “paint stones” segment.

    Thanks for all of your ideas, thoughts and pics. I love it all.

    Kathleen
    (neophyte gardener in love w/her new, favorite hobby)

    Reply

  4. Wow, what a great assortment of ideas. I wanted trellises, I got those ideas and now a path, are you reading my mind? Lol! Thanks Mellisa.

    Reply
Subscribe!