11 - 24" stepping stones

My friend Mardella needed to get rid of these. She gave them to me. I had to buy a hand truck to get them to my van.

Now, please help with ideas on where to put them. Here's some pictures of possible places.

You may notice that even though I tried to go for a bit more neatness in my garden when I moved here last fall, I still tend toward the "eclectic" LOL

First place of thought is south side of house from the gate past the trash bins. Only weeds grow over here down the centerline.

Or make a 180 behind me down the path between the wooden fence and the gym, by the perennial bed.

Or on the north side of the house along my zone 9 bed. (now don't laugh, even down here in S Florida the zone 9 plants need to sleep for a bit.

Or over here in the back someplace. I have that bench trellis sitting in front of the dead palm (woodpecker nesting in it). There are already 3 small handmade stones in the front of the bench for foot rests.

There is a pathway that runs around back of that mango tree. My greyhound does her runs around there. The mango tree is on the left in the center of those ferns you see there.

And the last picture for ideas is the center back of the house. There are already stones leading from the patio on your right to the door to the gym.

That wooden ladder is there waiting for those castor seeds to get ready. Then maybe it will be painted and become yard art/plant holder.

Any thoughts? ideas? They are still in my van waiting for a place to rest. At 45 lbs each (or more), they will wait until we decide.

Molly
:^)))

What area gets the most foot traffic? That's where I'd put them.

Hi Darius,

The dogs walk both the north side and the south side looking for cats to eat. I'm tempted towards the north side by the zone9 bed. Landlord never makes it over there to mow the weeds and Snowy is always running through the carport to see who is out front.

Molly

So, the north side will still need to be mowed so the stones won't help much... nor be visible. Hmmm... maybe where you can use a garden path that's easily seen?

Actually Darius, I only just use the weed wacker on the north side, just weeds and dirt.

Well, I had to get those stones out of the van, too much weight to drive around with.

I decided on the north side. Maybe I will plant some rock soapwort cuttings between the stones and the fence, if they will grow there.

Poor Snowy, yesterday she was tip toeing between the stones. She just didn't know what to think. But now she is actually walking on them.

It does neaten up the pathway, doesn't it? (I have 3 left to put somewhere......)

Molly

Looks good!

looks great thats a lot of stepping stones!

That looks great. They really add to that area.

Thanks all,

I thinned out my rock soapwort yesterday. Thought I'd put some down around these stones to see if it would grow. Did that, now will wait and see if it takes.

I had to do something with those cuttings.

Molly
:^)))

I like that alot Molly. It does neaten it up quiet a bit and it dosnt look quite so dreary there. Dont ask me to explain it but it just looks much better.

Janet,

At the end of that pathway, right by the carport pillar is where I am watching for your Hosta Standard to come up.

No eyes or anything yet, but I figure it took a while for it to go to sleep, so it will be a late riser.

Thanks,

Molly
:^)))

I have no doubt youll see it soon. Mine are up and leafing out now but then I put it to bed early too.
I want to see if I can get some nice pieces of slate or something that looks like slate with better non-skid during the rain abilities. I want to put it on top of the path that the dogs made from the deck steps to the large side gate and then maybe more going the other direction to the small gate too. I figure it would help with runoff when it rais and since I could put it at pretty much any depth I wanted it would help me mow the lawn easier without that big ditch there.

MollyMc, Your stepping stones look just great where you put them and I bet there will be no problem with the soapwort coming along nicely. Good job. DonnaS

Got a pic of the soapwart before I go look it up?

The stepping stones look really nice. The fact that they're round rather than square adds alot of interest to the linear/rectangular area.

Now for the question....is that a REAL duck?

Toni

Janet,

Here's the Rock Soapwort. I just got home from Ft Myers, sorry it took me so long. http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/1090/index.html

Donna and Toni, Thanks for your encouragement. You are right and I never even thought about the round stones fitting in better than square ones. Wasn't it opportune that the round ones were freebies?

And the duck is real, a real statue and very stained from the well water. I have a lot of fake critters in the yarden as well as whimsical figures, trolls, knomes fairies and such.

Molly
:^)))

Id like to get a duck like that tho, I really like the way he fits in too. I wonder if I can find one around here, Ill have to start looking.

The Soap Rockwart is pretty, I cant believe it would live in my zone too. Now to debate on planting grass in between the stones or a ground cover. Is there such a thing as a slow growing ground cover that isnt a vine so I can mow it and it wont die from getting trampled a couple times a day by dogs? Am I being too picky here? LOL

Janet,

The Rock Soapwort is more likely to survive in your zone than mine, but you know me....never say never. I will have to think really, really, really hard to come up with a ground cover in your zone. I shall do my best thinking, but maybe someone will see this, and know exactly what you need.

In the meantime, I shall be back.....

Molly
:^)))

Yeah, its gonna take some thinking on that one. I know Im asking alot with all the criteria but I know what Im gonna need in that area too. I might end up having to put small rocks around the stones just to have something in between them. But Im going to try and do some researching myself too.

Okay Janet,

I was out doing inventory this morning and came up with a possible idea for a ground cover.

This might be a variety of wandering jew. It does grow as a vine, but more of a creeper. As it creeps across the ground, it grows little roots off its joints along the way. It grows in full sun, part sun, and shade. (Matter of fact, it even grows under the gym building. It grows in dry and wet and in the middle.

It is also easy to remove. It kinda grows like a carpet, stays low and flat. When I want it out of the way, I just pull it up and it comes with no resistance. Your mower would never even hit it.

Two pictures for you. This is pretty well defined since its laying on the red mulch.

This one shows how it makes a carpet. If you need any to try, you know where to find me.

Molly :^))))