Sandstone Walkway
A purple sandstone walkway on Judson Street is finally finished. Now a few more boulders need to be placed and the beds will be ready for spring planting.
From the boulder I placed last week – the false stream bed is in place but needs more assorted river rock.
That Hosta has to go – that area is the sunny spot and I’m planning on more sun loving flowers there. A mass of coreopsis (Zagreb most likely), a smattering of coneflowers and Brown Eyed Susans and creeping sedum lining the borders. But that might all change. I reserve not to know what I’m dong until finished.
I’ve thought about digging out the island bed and lining it to hold wet soil. I’d like to plant some Ligularia and Yellow and Blue Flag Iris but the space is small and that just might not work out as I vision it.
On the far side of the ‘stream bed’ I can see a boulder in each corner. I’ve got a couple of nice weathered rocks in mind that will match the one along the walk.
I like the weeping pea tree in the island bed along the driveway. The bed is mainly planted with Iris, Coreopsis, upright Sedum with a couple of spots left for ‘undecided’. Like I said that Hosta has to go.
I loved this job. When the home owners said they wanted to eliminate the lawn – I was all ears. Originally the walk went straight to the front steps from the driveway. One requirement was that the garden had to be low maintenance. Rock is about as low as you can go. So a false stream bed was added to eat up space and to add a little interest for winter when the plants disappear.
The only lawn left is under the truck. Next year that area will be turned into a shade garden – I don’t have enough Astilbe planted yet 
This is one of the last stone projects I will do. I’m afraid I really messed up my back beyond it’s ability to heal this year. I have a large patio to finish and after that I’m going to call it quits.
One last walk – finally finished. It only needed to be leveled off but had to with 2 months before I could pick up my bar.
I’m now working slowly on finishing the patio in Lisbon. I probably won’t finish this year. I got another kink in my back and am going to take a bit more time off.
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October 12th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
I love how you have designed this garden. Using boulders in the landscape is one of my favorite ways to bring depth and texture & you don’t have to maintain them
October 12th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
Awesome photos! I don’t know if you received my last comment but I was interested in knowing if you would like to exchange blogroll links. I have a site related to backyards and gardens and I thought we could both benefit, since our sites were related. Please let me know at the email address I provided. Thanks!
October 12th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
Delicately crafted joints between slabs of stone are so appealing. Sorry to hear it cost you blood and guts.
October 12th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
I love it! Great job. And no lawn…
October 12th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
Great work on the stone ! I love the color.
October 12th, 2009 at 8:23 pm
Great stone work. I love the way you designed it. You take care of your back!!!
October 12th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Beautiful work!
October 13th, 2009 at 1:34 am
Outstanding(-: Every stone was placed perfectly(-: I am sorry your back is messed up though)-: Hopefully resting will fix it up and let you get back to enjoying what you love to do(-:
October 13th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
The flagstone rockwork is the bomb!
October 13th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
too bad about not doing anymore flagstone walks. yours both look really nice. but they are brutal on the back, like you say. with the slowed down economy i’ve put in three gravel patios and no flagstone ones and feel much better as a result. i guess they don’t do so many walls in your area, but i find them a lot easier on the body.
October 14th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
That flagstone walk is magnificent…a work of art.
October 15th, 2009 at 12:59 am
Wow, excellent vision and workmanship. So sorry about your back and hope it heals soon.
Tell the couple I like their plan for the home colors and craftsman design plan. I’m a huge fan of craftsman and especially with this sort of garden.
You landscape plan is so clean and has the perfect lines. So well done and congratulations—really like it. One of my favorites I’ve ever seen.
October 20th, 2009 at 11:27 pm
What everybody else said!
Too bad all that nice work is so hard on the body…perhaps you should recruit a young protoge’ (sp?) to pass your talents onto while they do the heavy lifting. Are those hostas going to the new shade garden? Ferns would be cool too, IMO…my ostrich fern can take a lot of sun (gets kinda invasive if it’s super-happy, though).
October 30th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
Sorry to hear that your back is suffering from the work -it is a very nice job. I am a fan of large stonework too. Yours, here, offers much motivation. It looks so convincingly “natural” -nice!
October 30th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
You do beautiful work, WA. It’s too bad it’s so hard on the back. That purple sandstone is gorgeous stuff. Looks great!