I like how this walkway uses rocks and stones as a transition to the adjoining deck and to the entrance of the structure.

I like the planter that is on a raised platform parallel to the walkway because it adds to the intimate scale of the space.

Source: Reader's Digest

There are two kinds of rock hounds: those interested in the mineral content and those who can't resist a rock with a pleasing shape and texture. The latter ends up with a pile of rocks at home and wonders what to do with them. The rock enthusiast who lives in this California house used part of his collection for a walkway and has carefully arranged others around the base of a tree.

The walkway was laid out in a bed of mud and the surface was made level. Then, each rock was lifted and set back in place with concrete mortar. The borders, made when the walkway dried, are of concrete poured over chicken wire and topped with a surface of exposed aggregate.