Garden edging adds a crisp and polished look to any backyard. A tasteful garden edge separates and highlights the different areas of your garden, adding structure and definition. Here are a few ideas to inspire you as you make decisions about styling your garden.
For garden inspiration and expert styling advice, visit the display gardens at All Green Nursery & Garden. Our friendly staff can advise you on the different types of decorative garden edging you can choose.
Garden edging can be just about anything — so use your imagination to create a tasteful style and structure in your garden.
Timber garden edging
Railway sleepers can provide a garden edge either placed flat or upright to create more height. Sleepers are a useful garden edge where your garden or yard is on a slope. Railway sleepers can help to form levels and steps within your garden, creating a flat garden bed at each level.
Sleepers are quite large, and you may want a smaller timber garden edge with a delicate appearance. Join timber strips to form straight garden edges or curve lightweight timbers for a rounded garden. A simple lattice border fence is another charming way to separate areas of your garden.
Using a hardwood garden border roll, you can create elegantly curved garden sections. A border roll can be conveniently cut into smaller pieces to edge the areas you want to separate.
When choosing timber garden edging, look for treated timbers that will have a longer lifespan. Pine and natural bamboo are popular timbers for garden use. Hardwood timbers such as merbau are durable when properly maintained.
Here are some tips for choosing a durable timber edging:
- When selecting a lattice-style fence, look for edging that is nailed together rather than stapled, as it will be sturdier and last for longer without needing repairs.
- Look for products sourced from legally verified forest sources
- Treated timber will be more resistance to fungi and insects such as termites.
- Check if the wood is stained — if you have white stone in your yard, darker wood stains may leak onto the stone.
- If edging a larger area, check that the colour of each timber matches.
There are many different options to incorporate timber edging into your garden, so whichever look you want to create, you are bound to find an attractive solution.
Metallic decorative edging
Metal garden edging gives any yard a crisp, modern look. With steel or aluminium garden edging, you can create seamless lines for the edges of your garden beds or paths. Metal generally won't crack, split or rot and it doesn't attract pests, making it an easy choice for your garden.
Aluminium garden edging won't rust or decay, making it ideal for coastal homes or wetter gardens.
Steel garden edging comes in a variety of different finishes. Stainless steel will provide a sharp, modern look, while galvanised steel can be easier to mould to the desired shape. Steel edging can create curves through your garden, border pathways or keep lawn separate from garden beds.
Decorative steel edging may be corrugated or smooth to suit the aesthetic you want to achieve. Powder-coated steel is another durable option that will last longer than most other types of garden edging.
Metallic edging can form steps for gardens that are on a slope. For sturdy steps, use an angled stake, not a standard tapered stake.
Here are some tips for choosing and installing metallic garden edging:
- Concrete footing used in conjunction with steel edging will provide maximum strength
- You can paint most metallic garden edging. Always install new garden edging first to prevent cracking in the paint when the metal is bent.
- Look for metallic garden edging with a rolled top lip to ensure it is safe for children and pets.
- Check that metal edging is resistant to sun damage.
- Read product reviews to find out which metal edging other gardeners have used successfully.
Concrete or stone garden edging
Stones or concrete makes for durable and sturdy garden edging. You may even have rocks on your property that you can use. To achieve a specific aesthetic, select stone with the texture and colour that will highlight your plants. Stones provide a natural-looking appearance to a garden path or water feature.
To create a boundary around individual plants or trees, you can use circular concrete rounds. Curved concrete segments can create a circular edge — be sure to measure your garden diameter first to help you choose a curvature that will give the desired result. When installing straight garden edges, remember that you will need corner pieces for a seamless finish.
Decorative plastic garden edging
Plastic garden edging is sturdy, flexible and affordable. It can generally be moved and reinstalled if you decide to rearrange the yard in future. For an environmentally-friendly option, choose a recycled plastic edge that is resistant to UV damage.
Be sure to check the dimensions for the garden edging before purchasing your supplies, to ensure that you get the right amount to complete the job. To ensure that you can install your garden edging right away, you'll need garden edging accessories, such as stakes, connectors and ties. These may come included in a garden edging pack, or you may need to purchase them separately.
