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davissue_zone9

pathway finally done

davissue_zone9
19 years ago

Last year I posted pictures of the leaves I'd made in anticipation of making a pathway. I promised then I'd post a picture of the finished path. Finally last month I got those leaves in the ground. Here's how it turned out. The leaves were made using the formula provided in the faq section- white portland cement, white sand, buff liquid coloring. I used several species of leaves to make the steppingstones.

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Comments (64)

  • meredithptown
    19 years ago

    do you mind saying exactly how pricy?

  • Cflower
    19 years ago

    Beautiful, where is the hylpertu link?

    I'm new to gardening, but tryinhg to get back yard landscaped arounjd new pool and rest of yard. I want a wrought iron arch way leading unjder a treed area and a path, this is beautiful and I'm up for the challenge

  • Judy Lodin
    19 years ago

    Wow!

  • DebZone8
    19 years ago

    Cflower, there's a link to the Hypertufa Forum about 1/3 of the way down on the Garden Accoutrements page, right above "Messages." The Hypertufa Forum is a spin-off of the Garden Accoutrementf Forum.

    Deb

    Here is a link that might be useful: Hypertufa Forum link

  • davissue_zone9
    Original Author
    19 years ago

    Hmm, I made enough leaves for a 30 inch wide, thirty foot long pathway. I think materials cost under a hundred dollars, but not by much. I shelled out two hundred to get a friend's teenager to do the digging out of the soil from the pathway, hauling it to the dump, getting, spreading and leveling the sand bed. I probably overpayed him, but if it means he's happy and will be willing to help me in the future, I don't feel too bad. And it meant I didn't have to break my aging back moving all that weight myself. The layout didn't take long. At first I layed them all facing the same direction, but it looked awful.The random arrangement worked the best. I wished I'd made a few more smaller leaves to use to fill in where the big ones didnt quite fit together perfectly.

  • davissue_zone9
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    I had a garden photographer come by recently to take my picture for an article for the local paper. While he was here, I suggested he take a picture of the walkway to show the garden writer. The writer was impressed enough to call me and get instructions on how I built the walkway. The article on the walkway came out today. I got in a plug for Gardenweb and the Garden Accoutrements section. Maybe we'll see some new posters soon! Sue

    Here is a link that might be useful: my walkway, getting famous!

  • thorspippi
    18 years ago

    Wow! That's great!

  • ohiotransplant
    18 years ago

    Wow! looks great! A real inspiration!!

  • cindydj
    18 years ago

    Wow I love this! The color really make a difference. I did some elephant ear leaves last year....What are the leaves you used? I had been wanting to do this but have a lot of natural stone and for some reason kept thinking the leaves would only look good if they were green and now I know I was wrong! Thanks and great job!

  • davissue_zone9
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Hmm, Colocasia, Solanum quitoense, Strelitzia, Morus alba, Paulownia, Catalpa, Fatsia japonica, Piper sanctum, Canna, Acanthus and Arum pictum, are what I remember off the top of my head. I do live in California, so the selection is probably better than a colder area of the country. The Solanum quitense (available mailorder from Annies annuals) and the Piper sanctum gave the best leaves, the cannas were the least impressive.

  • pennycp
    18 years ago

    That's FAB! It's better than fab - it's AB FAB!
    My hat is off to you!!

  • lovebnretired
    18 years ago

    Thanks, DAVISSUE_zone9, love your path and hope to try making some leaf stones myself. Thanks for sharing your treasure. Hugs, nannycmc

  • getanjiggy
    18 years ago

    That is beautiful! You just gave me a solution to my ugly broken concrete front walk! I've been wondering what to replace it with, and you solved my problem! Thank you,
    Jill

  • joyce_zone5
    18 years ago

    What a beautiful path! Lots of work, but well worth it! The article in the paper was very nice too.

  • Bright199
    18 years ago

    That is AWSOME!!!!Would love to have something like that. Great job!!

  • laurelann
    18 years ago

    That is absolutely gorgeous! And the stories you can tell about it's creation! Very nicely done!

    Laurelann

  • shaybass
    18 years ago

    Great path. Hope you don't maind that there will be numerous copies of your path around the country!
    I couldn't get into the link for the newspaper article, could you email it to me?
    Thanks again for the inspiration!
    Sharon

  • jleek
    18 years ago

    I couldn't get into the link either

  • rozaholik
    18 years ago

    Yes, I also tried to see the walkway article but couldn't...could you post a picture perhaps????

    Great job on the path!

  • davissue_zone9
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    I thought about cutting and pasting the article, but there's warnings all over the site about copyright, so I guess I better not, sorry. Sue

  • Ladydesireus
    18 years ago

    I could not get the pictures to open to see this path.Anyone here know how to open them and link it so I can see this.Thank you very much.

    Annette

  • Gardengirl
    18 years ago

    Boo. Am I the only one who can't see the pictures at all?Just empty boxes w/red X.

  • Marie_zone5
    18 years ago

    I can't see them either. Even tried to register for Sacramento site and didn't get past that.

  • davissue_zone9
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Sorry, I'm having trouble with my yahoo based website, they have pulled it for some reason, and I am having a hard time figuring out how to contact them to solve the problem. Hopefully the pictures will come back once I get them to fix things, since I did not save them on my computer. Sue

  • petalstx
    18 years ago

    I'm stuck- I can't see the pictures. What do I need to do? I see a box with a red 'x' in it, but nothing happens when I click it. Thanks

  • Ratherbgardening
    18 years ago

    Did you get the coloring at HD or Lowes type of store or elsewhere?

  • davissue_zone9
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Home Depot, it's the buff coloring. I used three bottles total for the fifteen foot walkway (and enough left-over leaves for another three feet)

  • Dena6355
    18 years ago

    Sue,
    The pathway is georgous!!! I have been re-reading this and now have a couple questions. After a summer time how did the pathway fair? Did you use any sort of sealant on the leaves, and the colorant appears mottled did you mix the colorant in after you had your mix ready, instead of adding the colorant to the water? I think I read that you used the wet colorant, right?
    Dena

  • billie_ann
    18 years ago

    Dena, Sue said the coloring looks mottled because the walkway was wet and just starting to dry out. Billie

  • davissue_zone9
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Still looks good, but one leaf cracked when my contractor who must weigh 220 lb put a ladder leg on it and climbed up to the top carrying a bundle of shingles. I didn't bother with a sealant. I live where the ground does not freeze so I don't know if that would be an issue elsewhere. Sue

  • Gozalda
    18 years ago

    Sue, love your path. It looks like it took forever to plan and execute. It's a job well done and will last forever. I wanted to know if you laid down any barrier paper to prevent weeds?

  • davissue_zone9
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    No, and I have the weeds to prove it! Sue

  • SEWigardnut
    18 years ago

    I live in Wisconsin. Could you do one for me???lol

  • davissue_zone9
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Here's some new pics, taken after the plants I'd cut back out of the way regrew. Sorry they're so washed out, the sun was brighter than I realized at the time.

    {{gwi:375}}

    {{gwi:376}}

  • sive
    18 years ago

    i like your pathways, i wonder what makes you go that way, anyway that is the way; beautiful. can i ask you something please. can you use you stepping stones in more public areas like parks or popular gardens-are they not susceptible to pressure, or the stone is strong? i am disoriented-please give me a map, i must go now-siviwe mayekiso

  • dixiesmom
    17 years ago

    This is defiantly worth seeing again. Beautiful job!!! Bravo!!
    I've got the fever again.

    Dixiesmom

  • dosaye
    17 years ago

    Wow,
    Slap me silly & call me "Stunned" I am so impressed!!!!!!!! I love this!!!!! Excellent job.
    Now I have to go learn how to do this.. Dreary me now I am down to 2 hrs sleep a night.
    Kudos kiddo!!!!!!!!!

  • magnoliasouth
    16 years ago

    Well blow me down and hello new project!! I know precisely where these adorable bad boys are going to be placed. Now if I just had a leaf, I'd be doing good. :D

  • diggerb2
    16 years ago

    just amazing!!!

  • natalie4b
    16 years ago

    Fabulous!!!

  • Chemocurl zn5b/6a Indiana
    15 years ago

    I have this thread saved to my clippings, and come and admire the path every so often. I also link to it...hoping to maybe find others wanting to tackle trying it.

    I am finally getting some big leaves, so hopefully this will be the season I will finally get to at least make a few stones.

    I find the job you did just amazing....or as someone else said above...Blow me down!

    Sue

  • diane_v_44
    15 years ago

    As you can see, we are all impressed with this path of yours

    Seems to me, as I get older, I have more and more great ideas for my garden, but don't get around to doing many of them.

    Seems, one can spend the day in the garden, working, but at the end of the day not as much is accomplished, as expected

    Here is to you kiddo, for quite a major accomplishment and the inspiration for me, to get more of these great ideas, accomplished

  • playinmud
    15 years ago

    Simply fabulous Sue! I'm wondering what type of leaves you used. Were they things growing in your garden? This is a very inspiring post.

  • butterbeanbaby
    15 years ago

    I saw this and my chin hit my chest. Your leaf path simply rocks my socks off! I love your new "grown in" pics, and especially your garden furperson.

  • lovebnretired
    15 years ago

    Love it!!!
    I am guessing your garden is fantastic. So many tropical leaves. Thanks for sharing the photos and info, it is so beautiful.

  • freshair2townsquare
    15 years ago

    suh-weet!

  • gldno1
    15 years ago

    Congratulations! The path is stunning.

  • Carol love_the_yard (Zone 9A Jacksonville, FL)
    13 years ago

    All the photo links are broken. :-( Anyone have updated links to the photos of the pathway?

  • jollyrd
    13 years ago

    I cant see them either, PLEASE PLEASE post them again

  • Chemocurl zn5b/6a Indiana
    13 years ago

    All the photo links are broken
    I know the links have been broken for some time...I had suspected it was maybe just my computer. I emailed the OP asking that they post the pics again. In doing a little searching, I see they have been active recently on GW, so hopefully their email addy with GW is up to date.

    Sue...who misses seeing the path and dreaming of what I could try and do.

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