How To Set Stepping Stones In Grass

How to lay stepping stones

Stepping stones are a great alternative to a path and can make small gardens look bigger. We show you how to make one.

Published: Sunday, 14 April, 2019 at 3:00 pm

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At its best
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
At its best	Plant is at its best in January	Plant is at its best in February	Plant is at its best in March	Plant is at its best in April	Plant is at its best in May	Plant is at its best in June	Plant is at its best in July	Plant is at its best in August	Plant is at its best in September	Plant is at its best in October	Plant is at its best in November	Plant is at its best in December
To do
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A path in a lawn can become a feature in its own right. Where constant use is likely to wear bare patches in a lawn, an inexpensive solution is to set stepping stones into the ground at regular, paced-out intervals and sow grass seed around the stones. Choose stones that are attractive and practical to walk on.

You Will Need

Stones
Garden fork
Garden spade
Rubber mallet
Cane
Riddle , or sieve
Soft brush

Step 1

Mark out the path and lay all the stones in place to check spacing before digging. Loosen compacted soil with a garden fork, removing any stones or roots you come across.

How to lay stepping stones – marking out the path

Step 2

Dig a hole for each of your stepping stones that measures 2cm deeper than the thickness of the stone. Then spread a 1.5cm layer of sharp sand in the hole.

How to lay stepping stones – adding sharp sand to the hole

Step 3

The stones should lie just below the level of the surrounding soil so that you can mow over them, rather than having to go around. Tap down firmly with a rubber mallet.

How to lay stepping stones – fixing the stones in place

Step 4

Place a cane over the stepping stone to check that it sits lower than the level of your lawn. This is to ensure that your lawnmower blades will be able to pass over it.

How to lay stepping stones – checking the level of the stone

Step 5

Use a riddle or sieve to shake soil into the gaps around the stones, pushing it down firmly with your fingers, so that there are no spaces around the edges.

How to lay stepping stones – sieving soil into the gaps

Step 6

Gently loosen soil around the stones with a rake and scatter a mixture of riddled soil and grass seed, spreading with a soft brush. Alternatively, you can plant low-growing alpines, or similar plants, in between the stones. Water it well unless rain is imminent.

How to lay stepping stones – the finished path

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