craigslist in your area lists free bricks, and if you keep an eye on it, from time to time, i bet someone will have pavers. http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/zip/ http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/zip/2418781475.html Also, agree, that you can make your own with concrete mix and have some fun with it. Is your pathway in sun or shade or both? I have used wood chips on mine, and love the look of it. I have three such pathways. Now, as for walkability, that would be a personal preference. If it gets a lot of use, pavers or concrete stones that you make are the best bet. If light traffic, thyme is a great idea, as well as several other plants. Someone has even made a business of this: http://www.stepables.com/ Have fun with this project! I bet it will look great when you are done. :-)

Like any investment , be it education a business or a major consumption of time and money it makes good sense to do some homework. If I was going back to school for a second career I would like to know how the industry is doing and what the outlook for work would be . I'd like to know who my competition is going to be so that I can be prepared and I'd like to know that if I should become a sole proprietor what the potential of my social-economic area can handle. I live in an affluent area of the country and prior to 2008 there was a great movement of people entering the landscape design field and my area was able to handle the influx of 'talent' and 'not so much talent'. Many , if not most of the people entering the land design field were women seeking their second or third career change. It's hard to say what makes someone 'successful' in their work, but most of these new designers were doing some form of garden design to a various degree of design . Then the Great Recession hit and a huge % of these people are no longer working in the landscape design field, yet they have a few years of experience , a few jobs under their belt and some certificates or degrees . Many of these landscape designers didn't want to leave the field and have taken jobs at nurseries or with garden maintenance companies. Some have gone back to school for their masters or BA in landscape architecture. I'm hedging my bets that as soon as there appears to be a steady up tick in economy there is going to be a great deal of experienced + educated talent hitting the dirt running. That is going to be your competition. Be prepared. Landscape design has always been a romanticized profession. I would suggest interviewing a few successful designers who have been in the field for a good twenty some odd years to get a real taste of the profession. See what it took and is taking for them to weather this depressive job market and what they expect for the profession in the future in order to continue to stay on top of their game and gainfully employed.

I read your thread way back.... I guess about a year or so ago and just today decided to come back to this forum to check and see what's going on. Lot's have gone on in the time past. I am glad to hear you got your SSDI. I am at the hearing point on mine, I have a lawyer but not sure he's any good.... he has not called and talked to me once and when I've called the office I never get to talk to him it's always his assistance. she tell me it takes about three months once the appeal has been turned in. It's been over three months...I called the SS office to check and make sure it was at the hearing office and it checked out. The wait is awful. I'm so thankful for this forum it is so helpful, One of the members stated to write everything down how life was before and how life is now and that is something I must do for the impending hearing. There is no medication I can take other then pain medication and my doctor will not proscribe anything for more then a month at a time. I don't agree with the doctor that I was being seen for my back so I did not go back to him. The 4th and 5 th lower lumbar is fused together and I have scoilosis curving of the spine. I've had problems with my back off and on but in my younger years it never was that bad. It wasn't until it seem all of a sudden it hit me, Well I guess not really all of a sudden but the worst part is. I now cannot sit for long drives after an hour of sitting in the car I may or I may not be able to get up out of the car seat and at times when I do get up and put my foot down to get up my back may not be able to support me, I have a pain that will run through me as I put my foot down on the ground. Now that the scoilosis has started giving me problems it is hindering the use of arms and moving my neck, when it acts up I can't turn my head to look around when driving I have to use the mirrors. I've also started having problems with my hands and arms. So off I went to the doctor and after some test found corporal tunnel to be the problem but the nerve is don't damaged to the point of being able to do surgery weather that is good or not I don't know but it has changed my life 100% where I use to be very active do what I wanted when I wanted. It's only been 5 years ago that I was working and come home to clean house, cook dinner, do a load of laundry all in a days time now I'm lucky to get through doing a couple of loads of laundry in a day, I can't lift the clothes basket I have to push it with my foot from the bedroom to the laundry room, if I had to go out and do laundry I guess I'd be in a world of hurt. I clean house one room at a time one day at a time just when ever I'm able to. I started to oil the cabinets down but hands and arms can't take it so I stopped. I have started carrying the cell phone with me outside just in case I fall and can't get up. I can't do the thing's I use to do with the grandkids any longer if it's not something simple then forget it. I can no longer walk around the mall. I haven't gotten to the point of asking for a wheel chair ... not wanting to go there. Although I have told my family that I cannot walk around much. I know long find my bed a comfort anymore, for me it is hard cause of pain or discomfort laying down. At times I give up trying to get comfortable and get back up. It is not visible to ones eye of my problems. Just to look at me you would not know I had anything wrong. Wishing you well with your surgery and happy gardening come spring time.

I am a Master Gardener with the Guelph group. I took the test instead of the courses. You can take MG courses at either Guelph or Dalhousie. the latter are a bit less expensive. The members who have taken the courses really liked them. they like the ongoing, online interactions with other students. Author of GardenMyths.com