Stumped on my stepping stone idea

Hi, first post on DG. I've been landscaping a fixer-upper with a neglected yard - doing as much as I can myself and then I'll hire a landscaper for the heavy duty and skilled stuff. I've already rearranged some ailing shrubs and I plan to have a border put in and fill with mulch. Here is where I'm stuck. What I originally wanted to do was put in stepping stones that start at the front porch, run along the border of the shrubs, then angle 90 degrees around the house and under the fence gate, run along the flowers against the house, and end at the gate in the back. However, the fence gate was installed farther to the right than what I expected, so it's not a 90-degree angle. I think it would look weird to run the stones over to the gate and then hairpin them back toward the house. I do want something under the gate though. I don't have the vision to figure this out. Any ideas?

The other question is what to do under the meters. I'd rather not have grass, which does not grow well there anyway. I was thinking gravel or rocks, but I'm not sure how to design that either. Trying to keep it as natural looking and simple as possible.

Here's a better photo of the corner and side.

I personally don't like sharp ninety degree angles in the garden. I love the rock and natural look, which seems more organic. Were the stepping stones meant to be a regularly used path? Could you widen the path under the gate and then narrow it closer to the house?

Thanks for the idea, JulieQ. So a wide area of rocks under the gate and then taper them and curve back along the house? It's helpful to have this feedback, because I tend to plant things in a linear and symmetrical fashion even though it's not my intention. Need to break this habit! The path would just be used by me and for aesthetics. I don't want to make it look like the main entrance or anything. I'm going for a woodland garden look on this side of the house. The area off the right side of the photo is wooded.

I think a curve would be lively, natural and peaceful. And I like JulieQ's widening idea.

(Remember to step off the stone spacing, since you'll be using the path.)

Thanks both for the input. Sounds like a plan to me!

Use the largest stones you can, even if you have to hire the crew to install them. Especially at focal points like where you start and stop, and at the gate.

Lay out the main path with the garden hose, meandering and curving as suggested above.

You have a tall house near the gate, and I would keep the path away from the house to give you room to plant larger plants.

Whatever ground cover (plants, mulch, anything) you use between the stepping stones might simply spread into the area under the meters. A low growing plant that does not mind being walked on would be a very good choice between the stones.

In the picture with the numbers:
1) is larger plants, between house and stepping stones, centered on the wall and chimney.
2) is smaller plant as you turn the corner toward the usable part of the back yard (deck, patio...)
3) is show shrub for front yard, will hide the meters from the street.

In several of the pics:
green is a low ground cover. Depends on what grows in your area, but creeping thyme, creeping mint, isotoma, and similar plants are often used around stepping stones.
pink, blue, lavender are flowers. I have no idea what kind! Whatever you like!

Thanks Diana K! The visual helps and I like the look. Again, I never would've thought to make the front path curvy. I like it. I went on a garden walk last week and someone had used sedum between their stones. Wonder if that would work under the meter?

I'm hoping these shrubs will fill out in time. The spindly viburnum was saved from death a week ago. There were some offshoots tangled in the spirea and the main trunk was dead. The soil was bone dry thanks to garden cloth embedded in the soil. Long story short, the soil and shrubs are doing better now. They still need some pruning, but a vast improvement already.

Thanks for the inspiring ideas. Really excited to get started on this.

Several species and varieties of Sedum stay small enough to work between stepping stones. They do not all require full sun, either. I would try the one you have seen in your neighbor's garden. Ask for some cuttings, most sedums are really easy to propagate, even a single leaf falling on the soil can sprout and grow.

Looks like you have done a lot just opening up the space around each shrub. Gives them a good airy location and reasonable light. They should resprout from lower down and that will help them fill in.

I like creeping THYME, it can be walked on, mowed, cut with hand grass sheers, and is as tough as old boots AND when walked on or passed, it throws up a lovely smaeel, you dont have to have it everywhere, just a few plants here and there. IF possible, try grow stuff like Laverder and other perfumed plant IF suitable for your soil (dry and free draining) or your temps, this is a way to make walkways / paths more inviting when walking past these plants, you brush against them, this fills the air with perfume.
Good luck. Love all the designs being passed onto you. take your time though and do the hard landscaping first and properly or you not only waste money, you ruin all your efforts and the paths / walkways will require re-doing after a year or so which can mean disturbing your plants as well.

Make sure you also have fun doing this work as you will be enjoying it for many years to come IF done correctly.
Kindest Regards.
WeeNel.

Remember that the path needs to be the natural one - where do you walk to get from "A" to "B"... otherwise, it will be an annoyance to follow. Aside from that, I totally agree with winding, curving paths... not too many curves (curves for the sake of curves looks crazy) but, again, the natural path you'd take.

All advice and suggestions are so appreciated. I started this thread with no clue how to proceed and now I have a plan and lots of ideas. Thanks everyone!

altagardener is exactly right!

Easy way to figure it out:
Lay a hose down pretty much where you think you want to walk.
Then walk it several times, coming and going.
Stop to open and close the gate. Where to you stand?

If you want to plant more flowers etc between the house and the path, then make the path a bit farther from the house, but not too far out. It is indeed annoying to have to follow the path way out of your way.

Now introduce some gentle curves. I agree: not too many, no violent zig-zags.
Where you place a curve, add some special garden feature. A fragrant plant, a boulder, a birdbath... something!