50+ landscaping ideas with stone

Add stylish and practical touches to your outdoor space with these great ideas for paths, patios, firepits, showers, and more.


Chic cut-stone walkway
Pebbles are too smooth and round to make a suitable paving if left free to roll around. But when set in concrete with their flattest side up, they create a perfectly ­navigable path with an interesting texture.
> Related: 41 gorgeous garden paths


An artful walkway
Geometric steppingstones crossing a small pool give the illusion of walking on water. A piece of art tucked amid greenery at the end of the path treats visitors to a visual surprise.


A stylish optical illusion
Individual concrete pads create the illusion that they're hovering lightly above the desert floor. Their exposed aggregate finish blends in with the native soil's stony texture.


Space to unwind
Using large pavers and a sleek stone fireplace turns a small lawn between house and garage into a "decompression chamber" perfect for relaxing after work.


Low-water yard
Flagstone paths curve through a low-water front yard. A low berm of soil on either side of the walk adds interest, and weed cloth topped with permeable pea gravel allows excess water to soak into the earth rather than run off into the street.
> Related: 21 ways to lose your lawn


Striking steps
Terraced stone steps in a mix-and-match pattern creates a strong focal point, while "character" plants create visual interest on both sides of the path.


Transform a driveway
Transform an unused back half of a driveway into a curving path of concrete pavers, making room for a lush garden bed to the side.


Charming cobblestone patio
Rectangular chunks of tumbled Connecticut bluestone, set on a bed of decomposed granite and sand, form a 12-foot-diameter dining patio in a wooded backyard.
> Related: 40 perfect patio designs


Shady gravel patio
An elegant semicircular wall separates the gravel patio beneath a shady sycamore from the wilder garden beyond.


An entertaining-friendly outdoor fireplace
This friendly-looking fireplace sits on a gravel patio, accompanied by a traditional arrangement of furniture. The structure was built from concrete blocks and covered with manmade, though convincing, river-rock veneer.


Pebble shower wall
Interlocking 4- by 12-inch tiles faced with pebbles create an eye-catching texture for the back-splash of this outdoor shower.
> Related: 12 refreshing outdoor showers


Gravel borders a modern fountain
Versatile gravel works beautifully surrounding a modern fountain and echoing the colors of the cityscape beyond. High edging keeps gravel in bounds while giving the impression of a pond within a pond.


A go-native stream
Plant natives, and birds will follow. Install a meandering stream bordered by boulders to create a framework for integrating native plants.

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