An Artistic Entryway

Landscape Smart : Episode LDS-404 -- More Projects »

Homeowner Suzie Maitland-Smith wanted to replace her concrete entryway and patio, which didn't blend well with the style of her home. She envisioned a more natural flagstone and pebble surface, jazzed up in a colorful mosaic pattern. Landscape Smart enlisted the help of landscape designer Scott Soden to achieve this unique look. To achieve a creative twist on the traditional flagstone patio, he proposed cutting colorful flagstones and arranging them with smaller stones in a curving mosaic.

Flagstone comes in many different colors and textures that would fit well with Maitland-Smith's rustic American arts-and-crafts-style house, says Soden. He adds that it's best to stick with just a few colors to add visual interest to the area without overdoing it. The rough edges of the flagstones and random spacing between stones create an informal look; smaller multicolored rocks between the larger stones add natural curving shapes to the entryway.

Soden estimates that a professional would charge about $4,000 to build the entryway and patio, but do-it-yourselfers can buy the materials for about $1,200. Soden rates this project a 3 on a difficulty scale of 1 (easy) to 5 (difficult), commenting that moving the heavier flagstones would require the help of a friend. The project would take about two weekends to complete.

Step One: Preparing the Site

Hose off the surface of the existing concrete path (or pour a concrete foundation if you don't already have one). Then draw the mosaic design, using chalk or landscapers' marking paint. Incorporating lots of curves and leaf shapes gives the design a natural, fluid look. Use large shapes to make the area appear more spacious.

Soden chose Arizona flagstone, one to two inches thick, in two colors (rose and peach) for contrast. Inspect the stones for flaking, bumps or cracks, and select the side with the smoothest surface.

Step Two: Placing the Flagstone

Use the following tools to cut the flagstones to the right size and shape:

a seven-inch circular saw, fitted with a diamond blade that can cut wet or dry
a hand grinder fitted with a diamond blade for tighter curves
a hammer and a chisel to make the edges look more natural.

Get a friend to help you set the larger pieces inside the chalk lines. Mark the flagstone where it needs to be cut to conform to the shapes marked.

Figure A

Wearing protective eyewear and earplugs, use the saw to score the stone several times. Chisel through the deeper layers (figure A) to save wear and tear on the diamond blade. Tap the flagstone gently with a hammer to complete the cut. To give the rim of the stone a rougher, more uneven texture, chip the edges with the back of the hammer, creating an old-world, hand-chiseled look.

Figure B

Continue this process one stone at a time, and adjust the layout of the flagstone as needed. Vary the spacing between the flagstones for a more informal look. Use the hand grinder to create more precise curves for the leaf-shaped pieces (figure B).

Figure C

Soden chose smaller rocks with aqua, mauve and dark blue tints to add color and contrast. Lay out the smaller rocks around the flagstones to see how they'll look. (All stones will be set in mortar later.) Use colors that contrast with the flagstone and bring out the mosaic pattern. Place groups of colored rocks so that they flow one into the next, tying the pattern together and creating a dramatic effect (figure C).

Step Three: Mortaring the Flagstone

Make sure the elevation is consistent above existing grade. With flagstones ranging between one and two inches thick, plus a minimum 1/4-inch-thick bed of mortar, the resulting elevation over the existing grade would be 2 1/4 inches.

For a big mortaring job such as this, you'll want to rent a mixer (about $30 a day). A mixer blows out a lot of dust, so be sure to wear a dust mask and goggles. Mix the mortar according to the directions, and add a brown powder tint for a warmer tone that will help the mortar blend with the stones.

When applying mortar, work beneath one flagstone at a time. Spread the mortar to a thickness of at least 1/4 inch, and set the stone into it. Tap the flagstone with a rubber mallet to sink it into the mortar and get rid of air bubbles. Check that it's set at the proper 2 1/4-inch elevation.

Figure D

Fill the joints between flagstones with mortar, then set in the smaller leaf-shaped flagstone pieces. Set the colored rocks into the gaps, sinking them into the mortar (figure D). Use a large sponge to make sure they're completed embedded in the mortar and to wipe away excess mortar. Continue until all stones are mortared in place, and let everything dry for at least three days.

Figure E

Finally, wearing goggles and gloves, use diluted phosphoric acid and a wire brush to clean any remaining mortar from the stones (figure E). When the surface is dry, apply three thin coats of sealant to the flagstones and rocks to bring out their colors.

Now that the entryway and patio are complete, you're ready to plant.

Planting with a Tropical Touch

Figure F

Soden chose plants that would give a tropical feel and jewel-tone flowers as vivid accents. His goal was to blur the line between the patio and garden, bringing the patio into the garden and vice versa. Plants with large leaves gave a lush effect and contrasted with finer-textured plants, and bright flowers provided the look of a tropical shade garden (figure F). He selected:

Canna 'Tropicana', Zones 8-11
Honey bush (Melianthus major), Zones 8-10
Scarlet banana (Musa coccinea), Zones 10-11
Phormium 'Sundowner' (Zones 9-10).

Because these plants are tender, in colder climates they would have to be dug up and brought indoors during winter.

Guests
Scott Soden
Landscape Designer
Artscapes
603 Alameda de Las Pulgas
Belmont, CA 94002
Phone: 650-591-1222
Website: www.artscapesonline.com
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Landscape Smart : Episode LDS-404
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