Garden edging serves as a simple yet powerful technique to elevate the structure and presentation of any landscape. It establishes a crisp, defined boundary between cultivated garden beds and surrounding areas like turf, walkways, or driveways. This fundamental element of landscape architecture introduces order and visual clarity. Proper edging transforms a soft transition into a sharp, intentional division, giving the space a professionally maintained appearance.
Functional Reasons for Garden Edging
The utility of garden edging extends beyond aesthetics, performing several practical functions important to landscape maintenance. A primary benefit is the physical barrier it creates, which significantly restricts the lateral spread of creeping grasses like Bermuda or St. Augustine into planting areas. By sinking the edging material several inches into the soil, this barrier interrupts the growth of surface runners and shallow rhizomes, protecting the integrity of the garden bed.
Edging also acts as a containment system for loose materials such as mulches, gravel, or topsoil. This restraint prevents erosion and scattering, ensuring these components remain in place and maximizing their soil insulation and moisture retention capabilities. Furthermore, a properly installed edge provides a firm, level “mowing strip,” allowing lawnmower wheels to pass over it easily. This enables a clean cut right up to the bed’s edge, reducing the time required for trimming or manual cleanup.
Selecting the Right Edging Material
Choosing the appropriate material balances the desired aesthetic, longevity, and budget. Metal edging, often made from steel or aluminum, provides a durable solution with a sleek, minimalist profile that virtually disappears into the landscape. Its strength allows it to maintain perfectly straight lines, though it can be bent for gentle curves, offering a long service life with minimal maintenance.
Plastic or vinyl edging is highly flexible and the most budget-friendly option, ideal for navigating tight curves and irregular shapes. While offering flexibility, plastic has a shorter lifespan than metal and can become brittle over time due to UV exposure, necessitating eventual replacement.
For a more formal or permanent appearance, materials like stone, brick, or concrete pavers offer substantial longevity and a rigid structure. These masonry materials are well-suited for high-traffic areas and creating raised beds, providing visual weight and texture. They require a more intensive initial installation but offer unparalleled durability.
Wood, such as rot-resistant cedar or pressure-treated lumber, provides a natural, rustic look that blends seamlessly into informal settings. Wood has the shortest lifespan of the common materials, as it is susceptible to decomposition and moisture damage when in direct contact with soil.
Step-by-Step Guide to Installing Flexible Edging
Installation of flexible edging, such as rolled plastic or thin gauge metal, begins by defining the boundary line. Use a garden hose for smooth curves or a string line stretched between stakes for straight runs. Once the path is established, use a half-moon edger or spade to create a shallow, V-shaped trench along the marked line.
The trench must be wide enough for the material and deep enough so the top edge sits flush or slightly below the surrounding turf level (typically 1 to 2 inches below the surface). The flexible edging is then unrolled and positioned into the trench, following the contours. If the material comes in sections, overlap the ends by at least 6 inches to maintain continuity and prevent soil migration.
Secure the material by driving specialized stakes or anchors through the edging and into the soil at regular intervals, typically every 3 to 5 feet, or closer on tight curves. These stakes provide the necessary lateral support against the pressure exerted by the soil and mulch. Finally, backfill the trench on both sides with the excavated soil. The soil should be firmly tamped down to stabilize the edging and lock it permanently into place.
Installation Techniques for Stone and Brick Edging
Installing rigid materials like brick or stone pavers requires creating a stable, load-bearing foundation to prevent shifting and settling. Start by excavating a wider and deeper trench than used for flexible materials, typically 6 to 8 inches deep and wide enough to accommodate the material plus 2 inches on either side. This depth establishes a robust sub-base layer, which determines the edging’s longevity.
Add a 4-inch layer of crushed gravel or paver base material to the trench and heavily compact it. This compacted gravel provides excellent drainage and prevents frost heave from displacing the edging. On top of the compacted base, spread a 1 to 2-inch layer of coarse sand and screed it to achieve a level setting bed.
Each unit is placed firmly into the sand bed, using a rubber mallet to tap it into the final height and angle. Use a straight board and level continuously to ensure the top surface remains aligned. For maximum stability, some installations require concrete haunching along the back and sides of the units. The joints are then swept with polymeric sand, which hardens when misted with water, locking the components together and inhibiting weed growth.