Depends whether you want to fit it onto the current patio, or extend the current one. If the former, then I think a bed of sand with flagstone/pavers would work, but you need to stabilize the edges. Maybe mortar would be a good idea. Ask at your local stoneyard. If the latter, you need to support the new additions with a good solid base.

I would like to extend the current patio. I guess hiring professionals would be my best bet. I will stick to what I know - planting :).
Thank you Karinl.

You're more than welcome, Natalie, and thank YOU for coming back to say thank you or even to acknowledge response to your question. I am so burned out by people who ask a question that requires and receives a lot of thought from other people, and then never show up again. It's why I was a little brief in my reply, because it's discouraging.

However, I can elaborate a little more now that I know what you want to do. In Zone 8, you shouldn't need to do that much work underneath; for example you probably don't need compacted crushed gravel but rather just sand. You'd have to dig out your area, compact the dirt quite well, fill with sand until slightly higher than current concrete, then place pavers and compact. It will be difficult to ensure that your new pavers stay level with those on concrete over time; even a professional may not get it right. Good compacting and support of the edge are probably key. Good luck!

There must be something done with the edging around perimeter, since the ground kind of gets low all around. Especially if I build up with the flagstone on top of the existing concrete. I guess that scares me the most.
Thank you Karinl with your advice. I might get the nerve, take a chance and do it myself. I've done it before with various success :).
~Natalie

Not to get too hung up on trying to solve this for you... but more options emerge as you provde more information. Problem seems to be you don't like your patio. Changing the shape and changing the surface are the proposed solutions as alternatives to the jackhammer (sounds good to me).

Depending on how much slope you have (lay a two-by-four off the edge of the patio and see how high it is by the time you get where you want the new patio edge to be), you could build a little footing wall of masonry brick around your proposed perimeter, fill inside it with sand, and lay your flagstone extending to on top of the masonry. The masonry may still need to be stabilized, especially if the ground falls off sharply, but if your edge pieces of flagstone are big, their weight will help.

You can give the impression of a more rounded patio, rather than actually making it rounded, by putting a circle of flowerbeds, edged with quite prominent boulders or a rockwall, around it. If you really don't like the concrete you can alter the surface of the patio only in this scenario; that won't be hard to do as it is getting the transition right between the concrete and dirt surface that is the challenge.

You can make your round patio, as I described in the last post, and edge the whole thing with a fairly heavy duty row of boulders or a rock wall of some sort.

I'd encourage you to go to a local landscape supply/quarry type place and talk to the people there about the job; take pictures with you if you can. Look at the materials they sell, and ask what kind of options they would suggest. Or look at landscape how-to books; there are zillions.

Posting pictures here might also help someone point you in the right direction.

You are right Karinl, I don't like my patio. It is lame, cracked, square (I like wavy soft flowing lines in my garden). Actually I was thinking of creating a flower bed around it. There are two beds on each side of it. I just need to change the brick line, and dig-dig-dig... carefully (so many wires are burried in there. I cut them on several occasions).
Ideally I would like my patio round with a flower bed around it. We will see. Frankly I am sweating just thinking about getting the job done by myself. Not as much just a flower bed, but the stone work. Talking to landscape people is a good idea. Thanks!!!
~Natalie

Natalie:

I hated my patio, too. It took up too much space in my back yard. I have a shallow yard shaped like a lazy L. Imagine fully half the long part of the L in cement. And then imagine a lame two foot walk on the short side of the L right up against the house.

Initially, I thought I'd have to tear up the walk, and at lease cut a curve into the 90 degree angle of the patio. But, I am sort of lazy, and cheap, so I kept thinking until I came up with another solution.

I built 3 foot high planter boxes, that are two feet deep and placed them beginning the last 1/3 of the long side of the L and on top of the the entire two foot walk. I then added a curving garden bed that begins 1/3 into the long side of the L and then curves around the 90 degree angle, to the short side of the L.

The boxes get a lot of shade. In the boxes I planted white and green hosta, white azaleas, white impatients, and a green and white trailing vine, its a vinca -- I think -- to run down the boxes. The curving garden bed is rather large and bold. In it I planted an Althea standard, a Snowball Viburnum, lots of bulbs and day lillies, a Dogwood, and a Japanese Maple (with new shrubs and perennials to be added at a later date).

These simple changes completely changed the look of my yard and actually have turned my too large and too square cement patio into an asset. Stand in your yard, stare at your patio, and think outside the box, so to speak. You may find a solution that requires less work and expense than you originally thought.

westhighlandblue:
I have a similar patio situation and am sort of lazy and cheap too!! Thanks for your great solution of using planter boxes and your plant selections. I am all for less work and expense when it comes to gardening.

jackrusselljen:

I bought the wood for the planter boxes from the culled wood section at Orange Box home improvement store. I got 4 foot lenghts of 2 x 6 pressure treated pine for $2 each.

Hey thanks Natalie for asking and Karinl for answering.

I hate the shortness of the slate-formed curve from my door to the path to the driveway--wanted to increase the size--yet couldn't due to the slope in the grass.

Have been looking all over for an answer and thought I'd at last try the "Gardening with Stone" forum which I thought had to do with rock gardening!

Anyway am going to try the masonry brick as foundation for the slate.

Again, gratzie

Westhighlandblue, I like your plant selection and ideas. One day my patio will look amazing. I just know it!
Thanks everyone for sharing and your suggestions.
Sorry to be late with my response - have been out of town for a while. Good to be home again. It's amazing how much my garden have changed in such short time. It was a first thing I have done upon arrival - checking up on my flowers.
I know my fellow gardeners will understand :-).

Natalie, would love to know how your patio project is progressing. I'm probably nearby and could benefit from any sources for stone, etc. you've found in the Atlanta area. I'd love to do this myself, with help excavating and laying the base. "How hard could it be?" LOL and thanks,

Rosie in Sugar Hill

Rosie,
I have been working on other projects in a garden creating more beds around, so patio is my next step. Someone will be coming soon to give me an estimate. You are a brave woman Rosie to be doing it by yourself! Way to go and good luck!
~Natalie in Roswell

I inhailed deeply, and started digging. Outlined the perimeter of my existing square concrete patio (that I desided to leave intact and work around it) in a circular shape. Removed the grass, digged the soil few inches deep. Piled up the special pavers sand, stomped it with the special tool I bought, laid few stepping stones in a jigsaw puzzle manner, and today turtle began digging a hole to lay her eggs in the sand... Glad I cought her on time and moved to a flower bed.
I think the entire project will look good when it's done. I need to get a metal edging to kepp the sand in place, since there is a slight slope at the curve. Few people in Home Depot gave me different advice on material to use for the base: just sand, or sand mixed with portland concrete, or just concrete. I told them I want to be able to move the blocks and not mend them permanently. Well, I am just using a special sand, and will add some pea pebbles in between when I am done, and also perennial groundcover here and there.
Any suggestions? Frankly, I am very nervous about doing it on my own. Probably the biggest project I have ever attempted.
Thanks!

Oh, boy, do I understand that nervous part! And the money part. And the keep it simple part. But please keep us posted and post some pictures if you can.

My goal is to have my tiny little back garden mostly paved with a few in ground plants and the rest in raised pots. The idea is that the in ground plants will be more or less maintenance free (azaleas, heavily mulched, that sort of thing) and then not have to bend over in my (upcoming) old age. I have lots of plans for a rainwater barrel, gravity fed irrigation, a small falling water feature for the sound outside our bedroom, and many, many more or less tropical plants I'll have to move to the garage & artificial light to keep alive in the winter. (We don't get a lot, but we get several freezes and every year or so it can be a fairly hard freeze for 24 hours.)

My point, I'm so glad I had neither funds nor energy when we first moved here a year ago. My "design" has had to grow and mature to deal with the problems: very poor, heavily compacted soil -- underground wiring and pipes so spaced that I can only dig across the back fence out about 2 feet and nowhere else -- utility rules allow nothing permanent to be built over the lines (no concrete slab); location of the AC condenser; stark white plastic fence that cannot be changed. But limits can also be challenges and even open doors in our imaginations.

It'll be cooler weather in the fall before this gets done, but I'll post pictures.

David