Many Thanks to "Ward Landscaping"

James Ward (Owner)                  Lance                                        Tyler                                        Zach

.  .  .  .  two flagstone sidewalks had replaced the hand-made “weedy” sandstone paths to our front doors, the house was completely circumnavigated, a grand stone stairway curved past our pavilion down the hill to the base of our west gardens, and lastly a meandering path that eventually terminated below our east gardens at the family cemetery.

Most of these walkways are 3 to 4 feet wide with a very tightly laid 1-2 inch thick flagstone walking surface which is bordered by heftier edge pieces.  Other walkways have much larger edge stones and quite large “stepping” rocks to negotiate elevation changes with ease.  The completed walkways total about 220 yards in length.  All of this material was quarried out of Kansas and integrates well with our osage orange wooden walkways.

While flagstone contributes an impressive architectural dimension to the property, the incentive and justification for this endeavor is much the same as for our other projects.  The gardens are our central focus and anything we can do to complement them is a worthy project to pursue.

Flagstone at Last

So we did the unthinkable; we hired it done!  At 67 years of age I must admit that this was a good decision; some of the limestone blocks weighed over 100 pounds each.  Without being too much of a micromanager, we outlined the basic design that would please us.

When the project was finished some three months later  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .

Pre-Flagstone 

The natural beauty of wood is very hard to surpass.  However rock, though having never been alive, is perhaps the perfect companion to wood.  Gayle and I envisioned rock sidewalks leading to our two front doors.  And again, to be able to harvest our own natural resources off the place is the most satisfying scenario.    The base of the various creeks in our timber is composed of large, relatively flat sheets of sandstone, shale, and slate.  Limestone (which was once alive) can be found on the ridges but mostly buried.  Thus began a new project of transporting these sandstone rocks to the home place.  Using gravel and sand as a base, we fitted these (so called) flagstones together randomly and created an acceptable sidewalk leading to the house and partially circumnavigating the house.  These dull gray and somewhat soft sidewalks served us for several years, though I must say - were a slight trip hazard and, to Gayle's chagrin, they required much weeding to keep them from being overrun with unwanted vegetation.   Ultimately Gayle had her own vision.  Her idea of a perfect sidewalk consisted of real limestone - neatly fitted, stable and definitely flat.  Complementing the great walking surface, Gayle also wanted larger, limestone boulders for edging and a grand stairway down the ridge.  Lastly, she wanted that lonely, seductive pathway leading from the house to our family cemetery.  Alas, I could not supply the material required for such a grand vision by merely mining rocks “off the home place!”