As you will be working out by now, I love reducing what I have to do on a day to day basis in the garden. Garden Edging is by far the easiest way to reduce garden work. It divides areas, separates different plants and adds a formal, well thought through character to the garden. Let's see what edges we can create with different materials.
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Using Wood For Edging
This is still one of my favorites when it comes to edging. Wood just goes SO well with grass and other plants that it is really hard to pass by. It has that natural finish (obviously) that just fits in perfectly. It also avoids adding another element into the garden which can be overbearing and end up making the garden overpopulated with ideas. Just remember that wood that is not well drained, will end up rotting, sometime in the future.
Wood Used For Edging
Wood Sleeper Used For Edging
In the left photo above the gardener has used a large beam of wood and cut it down to different sizes, allowing it to follow the fall in the land while keeping the top of the edging wall the same height. There is a combination of formal (the flat, uniform top edge) and informal (the change in colours between each piece), that really works well here.
On the right the landscaper has opted for sleepers to be the edge. If you want to see all the ways you can use sleepers then click HERE to read some of our ideas. In this case the dark brown wood totally encloses the bright green grass and it is the contrast that makes this yard pop. By lowering the grass so that it sits inside the sleepers, it makes for easy mowing as well. Certainly worth the little extra effort to get that right.
Edging Gardens With Steel
So one of the new ways to edge gardens is with steel. Interestingly, bright, shiny steel doesn't work very well in a garden as it often clashes with the natural feel of the garden. It can be done of course but bright and shiny is hard to do. However, there is a nice synergy that happens when steel rusts. The rust blends in perfectly, making wonderful harmonies with the plants.
Form Boss Steel Edging
Steel Edging
The steel company we are using to deliver all this magnificence is FORM BOSS and you can read all about their benefits HERE.
The steel is easy to use and and great on the eye. What I like most about it is the ability is has to create really clean lines between different substances. Separating grass from plant beds, or stones from garden mulch, has never been easier.
Steel Edging For Separation
Get Creative With Steel Edging
This is what you can achieve with steel edging. Look at that perfect separation of stones and mulch and grass. This level of detail really takes your garden into the next stage. On the right I have included a picture from a commercial property that clearly demonstrates what you can do if you let your mind go free. Looking like a golf coarse green, this makes the commercial centre look totally professional.
Traditional Edging
If we are talking about edging then we should not miss out on two of the classics. The brick edge and the stone edge. Both of these have their place in the edging world and depending on the look you are chasing, they can work in most gardens.
Traditional Brick Edging
Traditional Stone Edging
The brick edge works perfectly as a simple, easy to do edge that makes mowing a breeze. Just dig out a small channel to lay the bricks in.
At the bottom of the channel put in a small gravel or sand so we can have a solid base for the bricks to sit on.
As you lay your bricks (they can be long ways or side by side) tamp them down so the tops are all level with each other. The more level the tops are the more professional it will look.
Pebbles And Rocks Edges
On the left below we have a large yard that has used the lawn as the hero. But that doesn't mean that the rest of the garden should be ignored. In this case the gardener has applied a beautiful technique of running small stones or pebbles in a steel channel to separate that grass from the mulch. I must say I love it. It is clean and professional and low maintenance.
Pebble Edging
Rock Edging
In the right photo above, the gardener has used a mixture of flat stone and small to medium rocks. It has created an interesting boarder to the grass and draws the eye to the garden behind it. It would still be easy to mow but is more interesting than a flat piece of concrete. Keep in mind though that this sort of edging will quickly overpower a smaller yard. If you have a small yard I suggest you stick to steel edging as it is the easiest to achieve clean, crisp lines without being heavy on the eye.
So there are a few ideas on edging. I am sure there are some other ideas that I have not shown here but I can't think of them right now. If you can think of anything new, tell me and I will update this article to include them.
I hope you enjoyed it, so long for now.
Cheers,