I love flagstone. It’s easy to work with, looks great, and relatively well-priced. You can place the flagstone right next to one another, or you can space them out for a more country-like feel. Also make sure to choose a flagstone color and style that best fits your yard and house.
Upcycle an old garden pallet by making a pathway for your yard. The planks can be pulled off and touched up, then just place them on the ground. You’ll need to surround them with rocks to secure in place or push them into the dirt. You don’t want the planks getting moved around.
Stone and moss is a nice combination. The soft and hard textures work together really well. I prefer a gray or simple type of stone to go with the moss. I think it makes it look quainter and more rustic.
If you have a yard that doesn’t have much grass, do a combination of gravel and square (or rectangular) cement pieces. This looks particularly good in a dry climate like the Southwest. I like to see bigger squares of the cement and smaller, more reddish, stones, but that’s just my opinion.
A nice twist on the cement squares is to do the same thing but decorate them! You (and your kids) can each paint a cement step or create some consistent design. These look good in any type of yard and environment.
A fun project to do with your family is to make your own stepping stones for a pathway in the yard. You can use big leaves to make the outlines, or random materials you have around the home. You can even carve names and dates into the cement to make a memento.
Thinly sliced logs look good in a yard that has a sort of forest-y feel to it. I would suggest either using the same exact size and type of logs or vary them all. You don’t want a pathway that looks like it couldn’t decide to be consistent or not.
For a classic and simple pathway, use brick. It’s not some eccentric and unique idea, but it looks amazing. Try a few different designs and layouts to see which one you like best. This idea works well if you also have a brick patio (but it’s not necessary).
A cute little mosaic stepping stone collection is such a fun idea. You can be as creative as you want with this idea. It’s also one that you can enlist the children to help with.
I didn’t think I was going to like this design at first, but it really grew on me. The sort of eclectic nature makes it really fun and appealing. I believe it’s made from leftover granite from a kitchen remodel. What a smart way to upcycle.
Here’s a design that used to be really popular and is starting to come back in style. It’s the wooden box with stone in the center. You could also use rocks or bark or another material. They’re relatively easy to make, and they’re best for sloped yards that need stairs.
If you’re REALLY crafty, why not make seasonal pathways for your yard. You can do little reindeer for Christmas, pumpkins for Halloween, or tiny hearts for Valentine’s Day.
A super easy and cheap backyard pathway idea is gravel. That’s right, just plain gravel with some edging to keep it in the right spot. It looks pretty good, gets the job done, and is a really fast project.
