Edging a garden not only provides a cleaner, landscaped appearance, it also can cut down on weeding and maintenance. The simplest methods of edging a garden involve clear divisions, such as making a small trench with a spade or similar tool, but a variety of edging materials are available to line a garden or flower bed. Wood, stone, brick and plastic edging materials can give a garden a decorative touch, and low-maintenance flush edging can make gardening easier.
One can give a yard a finished, manicured appearance by edging a garden. This simple delineation, separating a garden or flower bed from a grassy yard, looks neater and makes a home more appealing. Edging a garden is not only decorative, it is functional as well. The use of edging can help keep a garden free from sprouting grass or mulch from a mower.
Cutting a trench is probably the most straightforward method of edging a garden. It doesn’t require edging materials, so it’s also the cheapest. A trough can be dug around the garden, with the sod being cut away and removed. Edging tools that use a rolling cutter for smooth, straight lines are also available. Trench digging provides neat, clean lines without decorative flourishes for an understated look, but it will need periodic maintenance to remain tidy.
Smooth, straight lines are crucial for edging a garden. For straight lines, a simple tool such as a string pulled tight between two stakes works best. Even flowerbeds with irregular curved shapes need smooth lines. A garden hose is perfect for marking out a curved edge.
Garden centers and hardware stores have plenty of options for edging a garden with a decorative touch. A garden can be lined with timbers, brick or stones. Rolls of wooden or plastic edging are readily available as well. A look that complements the home is best, but one also should look for sturdy materials that are able to withstand lawn care tools such as electric or motorized weed trimmers.
When edging a garden with these materials, one must dig a shallow trough so that they sit straight and even. This is especially important for irregular shapes such as stones, particularly if the garden is on a slope. After the edging materials are in place, the gaps in the trench can be filled in with soil so that the edging is snug and held firm.
Yard care gets more involved with above-ground edging. Mowers can’t get close enough, and weed trimmers are needed to give the garden a finished look. One low-maintenance alternative is flush edging, which is level with the ground. Flat materials such as brick can be used for flush edging, or purpose-built strips of edging are available. Edging a garden with flush edging allows a lawnmower to pass and removes the need for a weed trimmer.