Creating a Mulch and Stone Path

Did you know that a new heat pump, wood rot repair, and yard drainage issues will put a hefty dent in your bank account? Apparently it will also wreck your yard after all those contractors have been traipsing through it on a rainy Saturday!

That is 100% authentic Carolina red clay! Yummy! It will stain everything you own and make housekeeping a nightmare. With this mess, I had to come up with a fast and frugal solution to our mud problem.

While searching Lowe's for some solutions, I stumbled across this landscape edging. I was very excited to see that I wouldn't have to dig a trench to bury half of it! Instead, it comes with pegs that you nail into the ground. Suh-weet!

Materials:
Flat stones or stepping stones (cost will vary)
2 Garden Plus 20' No Dig Landscape Edging Kits - $16 ea.
2 Extra bags of Garden Plus Edging Pegs - $4
Two different colors of mulch (I used 20 bags -10 for each color) $3 each
3' or 4' stick or yardstick for your width template - free
Hammer
Garden Rake

Tutorial:
Gather all your materials near your path site. Layout all your stones and walk on them to make sure they are spaced for a comfortable gait. Do you see that stick in the above picture? That was my path width template.

Use your path width template (aka stick) to keep your edging equal distance apart the entire length of your path. (You may need to put a weight on your edging or set a peg in halfway to hold the edging in place.)

After you have your path and the edging laid out, step away from it and take a look. Make any tweaks in the layout now.

To set the path, start from one end and hold the peg at an angle.

Then hammer the peg into the ground...

...until it is flush with the earth.

Set a peg every 4-6 feet and especially at the peak of any curves.

Repeat for the other side of your path.

Open a bag of mulch and spread the mulch to the top of your stones and the edging. Use the back side of your garden rake to smooth the mulch and eliminate any high or low spots.

Repeat until you have filled your entire path.

Then spread the second color mulch on the outside of your path. Don't you just love the contrast between these two? The lighter color mulch is cypress mulch and the darker is hardwood mulch.

Walk on your stones and put some mulch, dirt or sand underneath any that wobble.

Now stand back and admire your finished path! I think my favorite stepping stone is the broken heart stone I made with two rocks.

The entire path took me just over two hours. Not bad and the bonus is that I didn't need to go to the gym to workout that day!