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October 14, 2025

A garden salute to flagstone

Natural looking flagstone adds texture to the garden

The famous American poet, Muriel Strode was intelligent, gutsy, free willed and not afraid to push poetic boundaries. One of her best-known quotes is “I will not follow where the path may lead, but I will go where there is no path, and I will leave a trail.” Although this quote is great for inspiration, maybe the rest of us could stay on the path as we walk throughout the garden, especially if it is made of attractive flagstone.

The word flagstone covers many different types of sedimentary stone such as sandstone, shale and limestone consisting of soft and grainy layers called strata. Sandstone is transformed through high pressure and heat into slate, a metamorphic rock. Its composition and texture becomes denser and smoother. It is also considered a type of flagstone.

Flagstone has many other hardscaping uses in the garden besides paths. It can be used for patios, steps, walls, facades, tabletops and driveways. Occasionally it is used for interior flooring and roof tiles. Flagstone offers versatility when used in lieu of concrete because of its natural aesthetic and weather-resistant properties. A flagstone path, patio or driveway can be installed using carpenters sand or decomposed granite. Walls, steps and table tops can be dry stacked. Although flagstone can be cemented in place, dry laying in these applications makes it possible to reduce, expand, change or remove flagstone from finished projects with minimal effort.

Arizona Rosa brings warmth to the garden with pink, peach, orange and burgundy. 
Daniel O’Donnell
Arizona Rosa brings warmth to the garden with pink, peach, orange and burgundy. Daniel O’Donnell

Large flagstone blocks are removed from a quarry and then split into flat irregularly-shaped pieces, usually between one to three inches thick and between one to five feet long and wide. These pieces are named after the Middle English word for flat stone, flagge or an old Norse word for stone slab, flaga. They are used to create natural looking paths, patios and driveways. Flagstone can also be cut to create square or rectangular tiles in modest sizes with a consistent thickness or into different sized steps six to eight inches thick. 

Ash Fork, Arizona, a small town of approximately 600 people, proclaims itself the “Flagstone Capital of the World.” Arizona produces the most flagstone in the US with Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Idaho, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Connecticut and New York all quarrying significant amounts as well. Canada, Scotland, Ireland, China, India and Brazil are the most notable countries outside of the US that produce substantial amounts of flagstone. The color, patterning and type of flagstone varies from region to region due to different geological conditions. 

Many types of flagstone can be purchased in a single color or a full color range. Below is a small selection of noteworthy types readily available in the Bay Area:

Arizona Buff is a sandstone and is primarily a light beige color with small splashes of orange and brown. 

Arizona Rosa is a sandstone with a single-color range of deep magenta/rose color. Its full range color includes blends of pink, peach, orange and rich burgundy.

alifornia Gold flagstone imported from India or China has a dramatic mix of gold, tan and gray.
Daniel O’Donnell
alifornia Gold flagstone imported from India or China has a dramatic mix of gold, tan and gray. Daniel O’Donnell

Arizona Chocolate is a sandstone with a single-color range the color of milk chocolate. Its full color range includes streaks of pink, mahogany and dark purple.

Arizona Sedona Red is a sandstone that is the same vibrant deep red color as the mountains of Sedona, Arizona.

Connecticut Blue is a sandstone quarried in Pennsylvania and New York. It has a single-color range of blue/grey. Its full color ranges from blue/grey to green with amber and purple streaks.  

California Gold is a slate primarily imported from India but also China. It has a dramatic mixture of gold, tan and gray hues. 

Galaxy Black is a limestone imported from India and neighboring Asian countries. It has a single-color range of a matte black/dark grey.

South Bay Quartzite is a sandstone that has undergone a metamorphic change to turn into quartzite. Quarried in New York, it has a full color range of bands of tan, brown, gold, amber, grey with white finishes. 

Chilton limestone is a dolomitic limestone quarried in Wisconsin that is harder and more weather resistant than other limestones. It has a full color range of strokes of grey, gold, purple, red, rust and buff. 

Despite its name, Connecticut Blue is quarried in Pennsylvania and New York. 
Daniel O’Donnell
Despite its name, Connecticut Blue is quarried in Pennsylvania and New York. Daniel O’Donnell

The names of different flagstones can vary from supplier to supplier even if the flagstone is sourced from the same geographical region. Although flagstone from one quarry might have the same characteristics as one with another name from the same vicinity, there could be differences. This makes it important to purchase all the flagstone for a particular project at the same supply company for continuity. Even pallets from the same company can vary, so purchasing a full pallet or pulling pieces from the same pallet is recommended.  

There is an abundance of flagstone colors and patterns to choose from and whether installing a path, patio or garden wall, the addition of flagstone will make a banner garden.

Daniel O’Donnell is the co-owner and operator of an organic landscape design/build company in Fremont. Chrysalis-Gardens.com

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