I got there in the end the way I wanted it to look. See comments

I SAID GOODBYE TO MY LAWN ✌🏻 ⤵️ 🌱 | This strip has been my arch nemesis. Served no real purpose other than a walkway that had to be manually watered, was a pain to mow, and just wasn’t happy with it. 🪴 | So, we extended the garden by another bed for tomatoes and will make a flagstone walkway to the outdoor space. ♻️ | We did, however, recycle most of what we tore up to other parts of the lawn - which I recommend doing as long as it’s the same grass type(s) and not a lemon with problems in it.