10 Simple Ideas for Edging Your Garden Borders
Give a beautiful finish to your flowerbeds by considering one of these options for creating an edge
Amanda Pollard
27 July 2021
Senior Editor at Houzz UK and Ireland. Journalist and editor specialising in interiors and architecture.
Senior Editor at Houzz UK and Ireland. Journalist and editor specialising in interiors... More
To give your garden a finished look, think about edging your borders. There are several different options available, and the one you choose will depend on the style of your garden and the shape of your flowerbeds.
Check out these creative, often inexpensive garden edging ideas for inspiration.
This article is from our Most Popular stories file
Check out these creative, often inexpensive garden edging ideas for inspiration.
This article is from our Most Popular stories file
Lay bricks flush to the path…
A neat way to create an edge for your flowerbeds is with bricks. For a streamlined look, lay them flush with the ground. This is particularly effective when the border is next to a lawn, as the mower blades can easily move over it.
The bricks here separate the borders from the path and allow the flowers to overlap without blocking the walkway.
Bricks can be an inexpensive garden edging idea. There are online tutorials that show you how to lay a row of bricks between your borders and lawn, but for a really neat, solid finish, it’s best to get some help from an expert.
A neat way to create an edge for your flowerbeds is with bricks. For a streamlined look, lay them flush with the ground. This is particularly effective when the border is next to a lawn, as the mower blades can easily move over it.
The bricks here separate the borders from the path and allow the flowers to overlap without blocking the walkway.
Bricks can be an inexpensive garden edging idea. There are online tutorials that show you how to lay a row of bricks between your borders and lawn, but for a really neat, solid finish, it’s best to get some help from an expert.
…or proud of paving
You could also position the bricks above the ground, as with this border. The mini wall adds interest to the space and allows plants to tumble over it attractively.
This works to demarcate a flowerbed and patio, but do bear in mind that you’ll need to get the shears or strimmer out to keep the lawn edges trimmed.
Find landscape contractors and gardeners in your area.
You could also position the bricks above the ground, as with this border. The mini wall adds interest to the space and allows plants to tumble over it attractively.
This works to demarcate a flowerbed and patio, but do bear in mind that you’ll need to get the shears or strimmer out to keep the lawn edges trimmed.
Find landscape contractors and gardeners in your area.
Stack bricks on an angle
For a natural, cottage garden look, sawtooth brick edging will give an interesting finish to your borders.
The jagged look is created by laying bricks along a trench at an angle. If you’d like your sawtooth edge to be more secure, consider using cement to form a base.
For a natural, cottage garden look, sawtooth brick edging will give an interesting finish to your borders.
The jagged look is created by laying bricks along a trench at an angle. If you’d like your sawtooth edge to be more secure, consider using cement to form a base.
Give it some rope
Victorian-style rope-top edging gives a classic look and is a good choice if you’re searching for something that’s in keeping with a period property.
You can buy these clay designs in either a straight style or as a curved edging, and many come with a mowing strip – or lip that protrudes out to the lawn – which sits flush with the ground to make it easier to mow up to the edge.
Victorian-style rope-top edging gives a classic look and is a good choice if you’re searching for something that’s in keeping with a period property.
You can buy these clay designs in either a straight style or as a curved edging, and many come with a mowing strip – or lip that protrudes out to the lawn – which sits flush with the ground to make it easier to mow up to the edge.
Raise up railway sleepers…
Railway sleepers have been popular for building raised beds and steps for a while now, but you can also use them around the whole perimeter of your garden to create an edge for your borders.
Here, two straight runs sit opposite each other, with some smaller, more interesting beds at the end.
New ones are widely available, but if you’re going for reclaimed railway sleepers, make sure you buy untreated ones, as the chemicals can damage your plants.
You might also enjoy 5 Ways to Design a Long, Thin Garden.
Railway sleepers have been popular for building raised beds and steps for a while now, but you can also use them around the whole perimeter of your garden to create an edge for your borders.
Here, two straight runs sit opposite each other, with some smaller, more interesting beds at the end.
New ones are widely available, but if you’re going for reclaimed railway sleepers, make sure you buy untreated ones, as the chemicals can damage your plants.
You might also enjoy 5 Ways to Design a Long, Thin Garden.
…or set them on edge
For something more sculptural, try a creative garden edging idea like this. Oak sleepers have been inserted upright into the ground to form a jagged edge separating the flowerbed from the lawn.
For something more sculptural, try a creative garden edging idea like this. Oak sleepers have been inserted upright into the ground to form a jagged edge separating the flowerbed from the lawn.
Neaten with steel
If you’re looking for a super-sleek, unobtrusive edge, a steel design like this is ideal. Lengths of steel can be inserted into the ground to form a discreet, hardwearing division between the borders and the adjacent lawn or path.
There are different types available with various installation devices, but many have sharp pegs along the bottom edge to easily slot into the ground. It’s also possible to manipulate the thin steel around a curved border.
If you’re looking for a super-sleek, unobtrusive edge, a steel design like this is ideal. Lengths of steel can be inserted into the ground to form a discreet, hardwearing division between the borders and the adjacent lawn or path.
There are different types available with various installation devices, but many have sharp pegs along the bottom edge to easily slot into the ground. It’s also possible to manipulate the thin steel around a curved border.
Tie in with the backdrop
In a contemporary outdoor space like this one, a cohesive look works well. One way to achieve this is to paint your border edging in the same colour as other structures in the garden.
Construct an edge from timber, stone or concrete and use exterior paint to tie it in with the rest of the space.
Here, the white border edges form a continuation of the bright walls behind the flowerbeds to create a striking frame for the plants.
In a contemporary outdoor space like this one, a cohesive look works well. One way to achieve this is to paint your border edging in the same colour as other structures in the garden.
Construct an edge from timber, stone or concrete and use exterior paint to tie it in with the rest of the space.
Here, the white border edges form a continuation of the bright walls behind the flowerbeds to create a striking frame for the plants.
Build a rocky wall
Looking for something rustic and traditional? Try a dry stone wall, which provides a rugged, natural edge to a flowerbed. Here, the stones look informal and slightly haphazard, but in fact they’re carefully arranged to ensure they stay in place.
There’s a technique to creating a dry-stone wall like this, as the stones need to be tightly packed. However, once installed, the edging will give your garden bags of character.
Looking for something rustic and traditional? Try a dry stone wall, which provides a rugged, natural edge to a flowerbed. Here, the stones look informal and slightly haphazard, but in fact they’re carefully arranged to ensure they stay in place.
There’s a technique to creating a dry-stone wall like this, as the stones need to be tightly packed. However, once installed, the edging will give your garden bags of character.
Continue the patio
In this contemporary garden, the designers have used the stone from the patio to create a striking edge around the straight flowerbeds.
The continuation of materials is simple yet incredibly effective, and the flush, wide edges are practical for passing the mower over, too.
Tell us…
Which of these ideas would work in your garden? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
In this contemporary garden, the designers have used the stone from the patio to create a striking edge around the straight flowerbeds.
The continuation of materials is simple yet incredibly effective, and the flush, wide edges are practical for passing the mower over, too.
Tell us…
Which of these ideas would work in your garden? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
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@mi2ct - Thanks for the reminder. I definitely have too many edges to install a lot of expensive edging and I have ended up using the V shape trench. I am happy with it. It's not all that difficult or time consuming to do and keep up with. Thanks for the tips on the best way to do it too. Not sure I've been making mine wide enough or deep enough.
I laid brick edging all around my lawns separating them from the beds and gravel paths. They worked a treat. One thing that is important is to ensure they are laid just below the cutting level of the lawn so that you can take the mower over the edge. For that reason I cannot see how the raised sleepers around the lawn edge will work. You won’t be able to get the mower up to the edge so will have to resort to cutting it by hand. Unless of course it’s fake grass!
Old slates are also great for edging