Garden Edging Ideas

Garden edging can make your garden look neatly finished and add huge amounts of kerb appeal. When planning new garden edging a lot depends on whether you are going to edge an existing border or design a new one from scratch. If you are planning a new border, you could mark out a pattern using sand or even your hose pipe. Once you have the layout correct, you can cut the desired pattern, removing the hose pipe as you go. If you have used sand, this will brush away into the earth as you dig your new border. Borders or flower beds designed in curves are the most pleasing to the eye and can be useful in an otherwise square or rectangular garden as they will help soften the hard lines of the garden and add appeal.

Choosing the Right Material

Now you have your new or existing border ready to edge, there are many different products you can use:- bricks, rubber edging, sleepers, for example:

Depending on the style of your home and garden you may want to choose a garden edging that compliments or contrasts. Older cottage style homes would look best with trellis, woven wood style or timber garden edging, for a softer natural look that will suit the planting around it.

White picket style fencing can suit this look as well, it is just right framed with pretty, colourful flowers, which will trail and weave their way around it. More modern homes can take a more futuristic or industrial style edging for a striking look. There are types of edging that make your borders really stand out and make a feature of your flower beds, or there are types that blend more subtly for a more understated look. Edging your borders has a very practical use as well as being attractive. Having edging makes a clean line to mow your lawn to and it helps prevent weeds and grass growing into the garden border. This makes for much easier gardening as there will be less weeding to do, saving your back and knees. For footpaths and driveways, it means there is an edge to stop gravel or other pathway material disappearing into the flower beds. This makes for much tidier paths and driveways and easier clearing up.

Another useful feature of edging is that you can make it whatever height you wish, this can be a great advantage as you can make your borders into raised beds. These can be a great help to persons with limited mobility and anyone not wanting to bend down to do their gardening.

Preparing your Garden Edges

Certain types of edging need different preparation types. The plastic or wooden "tap in" types of edging need just that, once you have your layout just tap the edging into place around the edge of the border. This creates a really simple, but effective edge, and the materials are robust and lightweight to handle. Border log rolls are especially good for this, they are made in pre-formed rolls of logs that you unwind and tap into place. This is a quick way of making a real feature for your garden and finishes off your borders beautifully. Heavier stone or brick styles will need a layer of gravel underneath to rest upon, also you may need help to manoeuvre the pieces - so rope in a friend to help. Rocks and stones make great garden edging as an informal almost rockery style edge, these can help enormously if you have trouble with waterlogged borders and beds as they will help with drainage. Rock and stone edging can look especially good when combined with gravel paths for a rustic, natural look.

Garden Edge Versatility

Garden edging can be used to create a feature around garden decking as well, perhaps by using gravel to make a low finishing edge around the decking. This helps with drainage, keeping your decking dry and long lasting and makes it easier to mow your lawn. For feature edging near to the house and around patios and decking, there are some great decorative stones and coloured glass pieces that would add sparkle and glamour.

Another option with garden edging is to add some garden lighting at the same time, you can buy edging with lighting incorporated or simply add some to your choice of edging. With solar lighting, this is very simple and cost effective as there is no need for cables, but for stronger lighting perhaps on a driveway edging, you may need to install an outdoor plug that has a weatherproof cover to protect from the elements.

You could also use your garden edging to create a useful seating area in your garden. By using a stronger form of edging such as bricks or sleepers to create a robust wall, then make a wider section that can be used as seating. Built at the right point in your edging project you can use the seating to its best advantage, to make the most of garden views and sun or shade as you prefer.

Remember, you can Recycle

There are many types of recycled materials that can be used as border edging, like reclaimed railway sleepers. This can be an environmentally friendly way of edging your garden, but ensure whatever you are using does not contain any dangerous chemical residue first.