A Better Garden, Step by Step!

The original use of stepping stones was entirely practical, offering a safe way to cross over water or boggy ground. Today, the idea has been adapted into landscape gardening and stepping stones can be used as a beautiful alternative to a garden path.

At Greengates, your local builder's merchant, we can supply you with top-quality stepping stones made from either stone or timber, along with all of the tools and ancillaries you need for professional installation. This edition of the Greengates blog gives you a brief step-by-step guide on how to create a unique stepping-stone path that will bring exceptional character to your garden.

• First, you need to choose your stepping stones. Greengates stocks Cathedral Moss and Cathedral York stones or you can opt for the rustic Driftwood Log style. As with every product we supply, the stones are guaranteed to be of superlative quality and are made available to our customers at the most competitive price point.
• Now the fun starts! Ensuring that the distance between each stone is a comfortable, average step-length, layout the stepping stones in your garden where you intend them to be placed. This is your opportunity to experiment with different layouts, finding out the ideal balance between practical value and aesthetic appearance. If you want to add curves, all you need to do is adjust the space between corners; open the space between outer corners and tighten it between inside corners. 
• When you are sure that you have created the perfect layout, you'll need to cut away any grass that surrounds each stone. You can use a turf edger or a spade with a sharp, straight blade for this purpose.
• After cutting away the grass around a stone, lift it up and remove the turf underneath.
• Now you need to dig out the topsoil beneath each stone. Dig to a depth of 5cm more than the stone's depth for best results. 
• If the ground where you intend to lay your stones is especially soft or loose, you'll need to add a base layer of around 5cm of quality sand. Compact the sand before proceeding. 
• Place the stone into the hole you have prepared for it.
• Using a spirit level, ensure that the stone is perfectly flat and aligned at the correct height and orientation.
• With a rubber mallet, pound the stone to secure it firmly in place.
• Before walking on the installed stepping stones, give them 24 hours to settle into place. 

Check out the Greengates website for more details about our stepping stones, along with the tools and accessories you need to install them.