This front walk is mortared because the slope of the land creates heavy erosion during a rain. Any dry lay walkway would wash away.

We lay a cement pad, then carefully measured out and lay a brick border.  We matched the house brick by using the Shade and Wise Brick Company specialist to help us choose by showing us several brick samples at the site.

This brick edge pulls in the red from the brick house, and serves as the perfect boundary and edge to hold the bluestone.  A cement footprint goes down first, then mortar under each individual stone and then the stone itself.  Lastly, the mortar is mixed and the same batch is used so the color matches.  Our artisans actually use a bag resembling a pastry-frosting sac.  Mortar goes on slow and exact.

Instead of one large step to the doorway, we created 2 rectangle tiers.  The Palladium style arcs above the front door entrance, rectangle landings, and bluestone squares laid on the diagonal create a geometric blend that compliments the modern architecture.

Christie lives in Manakin Sabot , Virginia where she manages a 3 acre garden. Her blogs are written from her 35 years as a personal and professional gardener.