Not every path needs to be a walkway. In this garden, a run of broad, irregular bluestone flags climbs gently through ground cover toward a limestone terrace, each stone set on its own with planting in between. It's informal, it lets the garden run right up to your feet, and it shows off something rectangular paving hides: how much color is in Pennsylvania Bluestone.
What "irregular" means.
Irregular flagging is bluestone split along its natural layers with no sawn edges and no square corners. Every piece has its own outline. Fitted tightly, irregular makes a jigsaw-style patio; spaced out, as here, it makes stepping stones. Either way it's the least formal way to use the stone.
Why Full Color.
Bluestone is sorted into two color families. Blue Select is a calm, uniform blue-grey. Full Color keeps the quarry's whole range, with blues and greens alongside warm rusts, tans, and lilac, often in the same piece. On a large patio that range can feel busy; on a handful of stepping stones in a green garden it's exactly right, because each stone becomes a small, distinct object. Look at the rust-and-lilac face on the nearest stone in the photo. That's Full Color. (More in Blue Select or Full Color.)
Setting stepping stones that stay put.
- Size. Choose generous pieces, roughly 18″ to 30″ across, so your whole foot lands on stone rather than half on the planting.
- Thickness. These are 1½″, which is plenty for stepping stones set in soil. For an irregular patio where the pieces fit tightly and carry each other, we go to 2″.
- Spacing. Set the centers about 24″ apart for a relaxed stride on level ground; tighten it up on a slope, where steps get shorter.
- Base. Dig out each stone's footprint, add a few inches of compacted gravel or screenings, and set the stone so it doesn't rock when you stand on its edge.
- Height. Keep the top just above the soil and ground cover, so it stays visible and sheds water without becoming a trip edge.
Ordering irregular.
Irregular is usually sold by weight or by the pallet rather than piece by piece, because no two stones are the same size. For a stepping-stone path, the easiest way to order is by count: measure the path, divide by your stride, and add a few extras so you can pick the best-shaped stones and set aside any that don't suit. For a fitted irregular patio, plan on about 15% waste, as covered in our estimating guide.
On a path, every stone is seen on its own. That's where Full Color earns its keep.
Planning a garden path? Tell us the length and the look you're after and we'll suggest a piece size and count, and send a few samples so you can see the color range in your own light.