Edging around a flower bed not only gives it a tidy, sleek look; it also makes the bed look finished. The character of different edging materials selected enhances or detracts from the flowers and the overall design of the flower bed. When you finish planting your flower bed, make certain you keep these facts in mind when selecting your edging. Does this Spark an idea?
Function
Flower bed edgings help control the outward growth of the plants within it, stopping the spread of vines into the lawn or into other planting areas. Edging a flower bed also contributes to the look of the overall design of the flower bed, and makes it look finished as well as neat and contained.
Types
The edging for a flower bed can be as simple as small rocks picked up from a field and laid on the ground around the outside edge of the flower bed. Bricks can be used instead of rocks, or sea glass or even driftwood. Brick pieces made specifically for edging can be purchased and inserted into the ground with their pointed edge facing upward, giving a zig-zag effect. Different types of fencing are used for edging, as are metal strips that are buried in the ground with only the top portion showing, which controls the spread of vines. Stones or tiles that are covered with mosaics have become popular in recent years. Some flower beds are edged with a very narrow trench in the ground that goes down about six inches and is only about an inch or two wide. This serves to prevent encroachment of growth in either direction.
Features
Materials used to edge your flower beds--the color, the texture and style--add another element of character to your flower bed's design and to the overall look of your home, lawn and garden. For example, pebbles give the look and feel of a country lane. Bricks suggest elegance, substance or urbanity. White picket fencing makes one think of a cottage or even of Tom Sawyer. Black wrought iron fencing imparts the feel of Tuscany or someplace else on the Mediterranean. Select the materials for your edging keeping in mind the overall look you hope to achieve.
Effects
The flowers in your flower bed can be enhanced by the type of edging you select. Simple plants like geraniums, begonias and herbs go well with white picket fencing, pebbles or brick edging. Exotic plants, such as hibiscus, look nice with low wrought iron fencing, tiles or mosaics. Sea grasses look nice with sea glass edgings or seashells. Bring home a sample of the edging you are considering and see how it looks with your plants, as well as with the overall design of your garden, lawn and the exterior of your home. If you have stone or brick on the outside of your home, you may want to incorporate some that match into your flower bed edges for a unified look. Even the narrow trench edging gives the effect of a finished, neat flower bed because it establishes a distinct boundary.
Considerations
Keep in mind that the edging shouldn't be so large or distinctive that it detracts from the plants in the flower bed or makes your garden look cluttered. The flowers are the show; the edging is the functional accompaniment.
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