Question

Garden Edging

Answer 1

Garden Edging
One of the most effective ways to keep weeds and unwanted grass from getting into your flowerbeds and gardens is to use a form of edging. Edging can be made of many different types of inorganic materials but basically acts as a barrier between the lawn and the landscaped area. The edging material extends below the surface of the soil and ideally below the level of the roots of the item to be excluded from the landscaped area. For most lawn this would be approximately three inches.


 
A garden that has been edged will have a more defined appearance, as there is a clear line around the landscaped area that separates it from the rest of the lawn. This makes weeding and care of both the garden and the surrounding lawn easier. Some edging such as blocks or bricks function to raise the flowerbed above the level of the lawn for emphasis and to add contour to the area. The bricks or blocks in this situation act to both retain the soil in the elevated garden and prevent lawn grasses from growing into the side of the flower bed and then surfacing.

Garden edging can be used as both a decorative and functional addition to landscaping. There are many different materials that work well as edging items. While the majority are inorganic plastic or metals there are also some very decorative natural edging materials that can be used.

Types of edging
Organic materials used in edging include:
Woven willow. This unique edging material is pre-woven to form a basket like edging that has stakes or legs every few feet to hold it into the soil. This looks terrific around rustic or herb gardens.
Bamboo. This durable edging is unique as it is usually various in heights as the bamboo is placed along the border in a stake type effect. It can be very exotic and an excellent edging material for landscaping around water gardens.
Other materials commonly used in edging are:
Recycled plastic or rubber sheeting. This is a very durable edging that is terrific at stopping grass from spreading into the landscaped area. It is environmentally friendly as it is made of 100% recycled items.
Terra Cotta tiles or shingles may be used to form a raised border or edge. With a little imagination they can be tiled in mosaic patterns to create a totally unique edge that is color coordinated to your garden scheme.
Digging a shallow trench and placing strips of limestone or other quarried stone can create a flat wide or narrow edge in the trench will create a soft look to the garden. This edging can be mowed over without fear of damaging the material as long as it is flush with the surface of the ground.
Old house bricks can be recycled into a creative looking edge by trenching and then playing the bricks on an angle on their edge in the trench. The top half of the brick is exposed and is a nice color compliment to ground cover plants often found at the edge of gardens and landscaped areas.
Wrought iron or decorative metal panels provide a beautiful edging material for Victoria type gardens or for rose gardens.
 

Edging materials can be created from almost any material with a bit of creativity and ingenuity. Edging does not have to be expensive if you are able to use items that you may already have around the house and yard.