Backyard Landscaping With Steppingstones

Place the ropes or garden hose slightly in the general shape you want the pathway to follow. Allow the pathway to curve and wander around focal points in your backyard garden, such as a favorite plant, the shed or a garden bench. Avoid overly straight lines, or paths that lead to nowhere.

Adjust the width of the path to accommodate your needs. For example, main access ways should be wider -- at least 4 feet wide -- to accommodate more than one person at a time, or people carrying large objects. Less important walkways could be 2 to 3 feet wide.

Consider the overall style of your backyard garden area and the current decorations you have installed. If the area is formal, you'll probably want natural-looking steppingstones, such as bluestone or flagstone. If the area is whimsical and full of color, you might want decorative or colorful steppingstones, which you can purchase or create yourself.

Test your natural walk to see how far apart you should place the stones. Mark where your arch lands on the ground -- this would be the center of your stepping stone -- with either spikes on your shoes or someone using spray paint to mark your steps.

Count how many steps you take from start to finish of the path to determine how many stones you'll need.

Measure the length and width of the pathways to determine how many stepping stones you'll need. Take the measurements with you to the store to ensure that you purchase the correct amount of supplies. Purchase more steppingstones than you originally calculated. Some stones might break, or you may want to use two stones next to each other where paths diverge.

Dig out the pathway deeper than the thickness of your stone. Depending upon the style of the garden, you may want to cut out the sod in the exact shape of the stone, or you may want a larger area to surround the stone with pebbles.

Add gravel, then position the steppingstone on place, ensuring that you set the stones level in the ground. Place the level on the stone, and gently tap the stone with the rubber mallet. Gravel under the stepping stones limits future settling and helps with drainage issues.