Courtyard Garden Update: DIY Paver and Mulch Pathway

Every year since we moved in, I’ve tried to give a little love to this quirky section of our yard—what I’ve come to call our “courtyard garden.” It’s tucked away just enough to feel like a defined space, but it’s never quite made sense design-wise.

When we removed the trees a few years ago and left the stumps in place, it created a kind of sectioned-off zone that stumped me (pun absolutely intended). I knew it had potential, but I just didn’t know what to do with it.

Courtyard Garden Progress Over the Years

Over the seasons, I’ve chipped away at the awkwardness—cleaning it up, experimenting with plantings, and trying to find a purpose for the space.

Our First Year Here: Just tried to make it useable

Our Second Year Here: I focused on the breezeway entry and pathway

Our Third Year Here: I extended the garden and walkway

Earlier this season, I decided to move my vegetable garden here. It seemed like the perfect spot for raised beds, and that gave the area a bit more direction—but honestly, I still didn’t have a solid plan.

Last weekend, I woke up intending to simply get my second garden beds in place. (I reconfigured my old raised garden beds to create 2-3×4 beds). Nothing fancy, just another step forward.

Then I did what many of us do—I opened Instagram. And just like that, I stumbled on a post from @pattijaneroberts that sparked a new idea. I was instantly inspired to lay down a little paver and mulch pathway between my two garden beds. It wasn’t part of the original plan (because, well, there wasn’t really one), but I ran with it.

And I’m so glad I did.

DIY Paver & Mulch Pathway:

Materials I Used:

• $2 Square pavers (you could easily use bricks or stepping stones)

• Cardboard or Landscape fabric (optional but helpful for weed control)

• Mulch

• Garden Spade/edger

• Rake

Quick Steps:

1. Sketch your path – I laid out the shape with a garden hose first to see how it would flow.

2. Prep the ground – I cleared away any grass or debris, and leveled the soil a bit by raking.

3. Add landscape fabric – This step is optional, but I wanted to keep weeds at bay.

4. Place your pavers – I placed mine at a diagonal, and I love how charming this looks.

5. Pour mulch around and between – It helps lock the pavers in place and gives everything a tidy look.

6. Step back and smile – Because the difference is instant!

We use the inexpensive brown mulch from Walmart (you can have it delivered if you have Walmart+, up to 8 bags where I live) and these inexpensive concrete stepping stones from Home Depot.

That simple addition gave the space so much structure and charm. It suddenly felt like a garden in progress rather than just a patch of ugly grass and potential.

I added this conversation set that we’ve had for  a few years, and it created a perfect spot to have coffee and admire my garden.

And since I have no plans to grind the old tree stumps anytime soon, I figured I might as well make them blend in some.  I gathered some plants (daylilies and stonecrop) from around my yard and planted them in front of the stumps to sort of disguise them.

There’s still more I want to do—but for a spur-of-the-moment idea, it was exactly what the space needed.

I’ve learned over the years that sometimes the best progress comes when you stop waiting for the perfect plan and just start trying things. This garden has evolved bit by bit, season by season. And while it’s still not finished, it’s finally starting to feel like a space we’ll enjoy spending time in.

Stay tuned—there’s definitely more to come!

Follow: