OK, the word "hardscaping" is not our favorite either. But a good garden path? That's poetry, that smooth solid feel of stone or the satisfying crunch of gravel beneath your feet. Without a garden path, Robert Frost could not have taken a late walk to find "the faded blue of the last remaining aster flower to carry again to you." We've rounded up ten of our favorite stone materials—in both their paver and pebble iterations—for you:
Gray:
Above: Large stone pavers make a simple and dramatic impact on a gravel bed. Photograph by Evelyn Müller via Fifty Limited. For more of this garden, see "Design Sleuth: Pavers and Gravel."
Above: A 24-inch Gray Square Patio Stone (L); $8.49 at Lowe's and a bed of Blue Gray Pea Gravel (R); for more information, visit Bradsher Farms.
Above: The vintage patio table and wire chairs belonged to the clients. Image via Foras Studio. For more of this garden, see Steal This Look: Modern Brooklyn Backyard on a Budget.
Above: Bluestone Pavers (L), are $8.99 to $9.99 (depending on size), from DFM. Crushed stone prices vary. One yard of stone typically covers 162 square feet to a depth of 2 inches; to calculate, visit Bedford Stone.
Above: Square cobblestone pavers set in concrete in a potting shed; for more see Steal This Look: The Perfect Potting Shed.
Above: Under foot, 4-inch-square Granite Cobblestone pavers; they're $6.09-$6.49 per square foot, depending on quantity, at Build Direct.
Above: Crushed blue granite gravel is often used on driveways and paths; for more information and prices see Soil Direct.
Brown:
Above: A layer of California gold gravel is spread on top of a weed barrier in a backyard. For more information about California Gold Gravel pebbles, see Bourget Bros.
Above: A complementary pavement: the brown tones of Crab Orchard Flagstone would work well with California gold gravel. Quarried from the Cumberland Plateau, Crab Orchard Flagstone is a particularly hard, weather resistant variety of sandstone because it contains high concentrations of silica. For information, see Stone Forest.
For more paving options, see Eco-Friendly Paving Solutions.
Above: Another example of Crab Orchard Flagstone, laid in a grid pattern. For more, see Steal This Look:Midcentury Mod Townhouse Garden in Brooklyn.
Above: Quarried from the Cumberland Plateau, Crab Orchard Flagstone is a particularly hard, weather resistant variety of sandstone because it contains high concentrations of silica. For another source, see Rocky Ridge.
Above: Pea gravel comes in a range of colors. Light colored stone, used in this project, has an environmentally friendly high albedo rating; it reflects sun and helps reduce temperatures, particularly in densely developed urban areas.. For more Decorative Gravel information and pricing, see The Stone Store.
Above: Above: A money-saving suggestion: Rather than paving an entire path with Arizona Pink Flagstone, you can set individual pavers into a bed of decomposed stone to create a walkway. Prized for its striking color, the desert-quarried stone is available in three thicknesses; for more information and pricing, see Bourget Bros.
For more, see Ask the Landscape Designer: Transforming a Tangle Into an Elegant Entryway.
Ready to install lighting? See 10 Easy Pieces: Pathway Lighting.