Raised edging keeps grass from spreading.
For homeowners, a lawn is an integral piece of their landscaping, offering a smooth green expanse to enhance the house and provide a play area for young and old alike. A trick to raise any lawn from a patch of grass to a garden feature is to define its edges. Much like the right frame completes a picture, the right edging sets borders, keeps grass out of flower beds and adds contrast to your lawn. Does this Spark an idea?
Utility Edging
While some lawns are meant for walking on, playing on, trampling and using, others are intended for your to admire and appreciate them from a distance. Set the tone for how you want your lawn treated with the edging you choose. A flagstone path border is a subtle indication that the stones, not the grass, are for walking on. Or create a border with colorful mosaic tiles or solar garden lamps that light up the lawn dramatically after dark. Alternatively, a brick or metal/plastic decorative edging sunk level with the grass gives the lawn an accessible edge that is easy to mow as well as to step over to get to the picnic table, croquet field, badminton net, dog fetching or Frisbee-tossing areas.
Budget Edging
Flowers are an eye-pleasing lawn edging, either in a single line of blooms or in full, flowing beds. They can define the lawn shape and lead the eye and feet from one area to another. The biggest expense is your time spent digging up the beds, preparing the soil, planting the flowers and weeding and deadheading the spent flowers. A definite advantage is the ease of shaping. Beds are linear or curve a defining outer edge to the grass; create separate use areas by entwining beds between them. Alternatively, hedges create an edge that frames your lawn and adds height to your landscaping. Choose plants that are thick for privacy or that produce blooms for beauty and fragrance. The maintenance is minimal with cedar or requires continuous pruning with cotoneaster.
Deluxe Edging
Fences are a traditional lawn edge, and the styles are nearly endless, from rocks to split rails to wrought iron. The most expensive of edging, they can require professionals to install. Fences add a formal look and allow privacy by keeping out neighbors and others. On the other hand, fences are good for climbing plants and flowers. If there is a private area of the garden where you want to put a hot tub, picnic patio or sunning station, choose a solid fence like rock, brick or cedar planks. For more casual areas, an open fence of wood sets landscape boundaries while allowing friendly contact with others. Add metal or plastic edging to contain the grass under the fence line.
Tags: your lawn, edge that, keeps grass, metal plastic
