I spent half a year or so working as one of the few Americans on-site at the Portland, Oregon Chinese Garden Project.  It was one of the most fascinating experiences I ever had in landscaping.  Initially, I worked just supplying irrigation throughout.  A very small crew and I laid alot of pipe, cored through the underlaying concrete stems walls for the gorgeous buildings built there, arranged and designed on the fly the rudiments of water supply for the plants my company was also selected to provide.  During the course of it all, I was able to witness the Chinese techniques and artisanship that the 150 guys from Zouchou, China provided.  Among many fascinating techniques was the installation numerous pebbled sidewalks and plazas, constructed of series of pebbles, presized to match, basically, and inserted into cement.  The theory is even nicer than the look:  the pebbles “massage the feet” as one walks.