Ruchi: This flagstone was already on the property - we just realigned it for this project, so there was not a lot of expense involved, other than the labor and new base material below. As for the cost, all flagstone is going to be more expensive than just gravel, crushed rock or other inert materials. I don't know where you live or what's generally available, so I can't give you an idea of comparative costs. This might seem a little odd, but using slabs of reclaimed concrete sidewalk and staining them is a technique I've used on projects where a patio slab was being removed. There are many water-based liquid stains you can experiment with if you can find enough scrap concrete. You might also need to chisel/chip/saw them into more natural shapes. Also, look at the underside of the concrete - often the side that's been underground has a nice texture from sitting on sand and looks less like city sidewalk. I hope this information is helpful if not a magic bullet. be well ... bg