Home Forums Miscellaneous Topics Rural Living Dry Laid Stone patio walls and steps

Been working on getting our new place landscaped. Winter broke enough for me to start work early this year. Used the old Kubota to scoop out the patio I wanted to build. This stone is native Colorado sandstone from Canon City. Ordered up 32 tons of assorted types and got it delivered along with the first load of crushed granite to pack behind the walls.

The soil is sand and clay mix, it tends to want to stay vertical when you cut it so thinking the walls should hold fine. Have between 6" to 12" of packed gravel behind all the walls.

Have to build a curved stone wall at the front of this still to separate the dirt yard from the patio area. Then have 11 tons of the same colored flag stone as the walls to go down. So thankful for the Kubota tractor, really has been nice.

Have to get this done so I can get my Blue Gramma grass and Buffalo grass seed plot planted next. Then more trees.



This kind of manual labor makes you respect some of the beautiful self standing stone walls that folks have put together.

Looking good. I really like working with stone but its some hard a$$ labor. Not good on my rebuilt shoulders but I like the look. How big of an area are you seeding with the Gramma and Buffalo grass?

It is definitely hard work. Those steps went over 600 pounds each, but other than those, it was all hand done. The flagstone won't be easy either is my guess.

I am only doing a 1000 square foot test plot along the front sidewalk with the buffalo grass and gramma. We have some gramma growing naturally and I see a lot of big bluestem and little bluestem in the surrounding area. We get 14-19" of rain on average and I don't plan on irrigating or mowing more than once a year so hoping I can amend the soil and get some native grass growing.

Ponderosa pines flourish in this area and I may get a few transplanted in once I get these other projects finished up.

I grew up in SW MO, lack of rainfall is usually not a problem for you guys.

Looking good. What part of Denver is this?
Keep in mind when using evergreens like ponderosa the winter/snow aspect. The shade they provide in the summer will also allow the snow to linger.

Actually southeast of Parker CO. Have learned quickly this year that I do not want pines around the driveway. My driveway blew mostly clear on all 3 large snows we had. Neighbors with pines near their drives all had 3-4 foot tall drifts to contend with.

Looks great.