Unless one is using very casual/natural materials for a walkway - wood chips, bark, etc. - I believe a rigid edge restraint is absolutely necessary to define/restrain a laid flagstone walkway. I typically recommend or spec an edge restraint that is made specifically for this purpose. There are various manufacturers but I haven't seen many offered by home improvement stores - they tend towards lawn edging which is an entirely different product. You may very well find what you are looking for through a landscape supply outlet, but in my area, these items are typically available through the same place you get your walkway materials - stoneyards and masonry suppliers. FWIW, as long as it is intended for the purpose, the material is somewhat irrelevant - rigid plastic/PVC, aluminum, steel..... it just should have a sufficiently rigid structure and sufficiently wide flange(s) for anchoring. And of course sufficient depth to restrain the thickness of all the materials. Here's a couple of sources for you to check out to see the type of product available: PVC rigid and flexible edging permaloc aluminum hardscape edging

Jeff, the level is up to you. You can level the area by increasing the amount of mortar or maintain the slope. After you have laid the thin flagstone on the concrete base, and it has dried, you will grout between the stones. Be sure to use some admix (like elmers glue) in your mortar mix so you get a good bond to the old concrete pavement. On the grassy area: You are going to remove the grass down maybe 3" and add crushed stone or granite gravel, lower than the old sidewalk and depending on the thickness of your flagstone. Now tamp it down (again leveled or slopped)and sprinkle some dry portland cement on the top. In this area you want to use a thicker flagstone and you are only going to use enough sand to level the stone. When all the stone is down mist everything so that the portland grabs onto the flagstone and the gravel. Now you are ready to grout between the stones and it will look like one continuous patio. The only place that you will need edging is where the stone is not held in by something e.g. the edge where the steps are. I've actually used the thin edging for pavers that you get at the big box stores. My step comment had to do with the blue line and the lag bolt trim pcs but if you mortar the flagstone you won't need anything special there. Bailey

sorry no one has given you any advise to date. What sort of bed do you have? Is it sloping towards the path? You may need simple creeping plants but do take note that creeping plants by nature do get into the pathway. These kinds will hug the earth and so is perfect for soil errosion controls. It is a simple matter of cutting them whenever it gets in the way. Thyme will do and there are several types to create an interesting combination. Avoid invasives such as goats beard, creeping jenny or sweet woodruff. However you can also consider sedum autumn joy which has a clumping look to it. lavenders or even some low ornamental grasses such as a blue fescu. I like the looks of euphorbia but its sap is toxic and may break easily when one brushes against it, so if it is by a pathway, perhaps it's not such a great idea.

The pools look nice. I would make a comment on using cutouts that are uncovered in Spas. When the Spa is turned off the water level in the Spa is right at the edge of the cutout. It seems as though every furry and feathered creature will find that is their favorite drinking place. Of course they leave behind all sorts of droppings and sometimes the leftovers from their dinner(which you get to clean up). On my current Spa I covered the cutout and made the water come out of a slot under the Spa deck. Problem solved, although it was amusing watching the birds try to figure out a way to get to the edge of the slot and land, after a while they quit. The furry creatures just fell into the pool until they learned. No more mess to clean up. Cliffs