9 ideas for garden edging

Garden edging is what gives a garden a neat, clean appearance. It's also useful for containing weeds and dirt. The challenge is to create edging that complements your garden and reflects your lifestyle. Here are 9 common and not-so-common ideas to consider for your garden edging.

• Brick edging
• Timber garden edge
• Sleeper garden edging
• Pine garden edging
• Concrete edging
• Metal edging
• Natural stone
• Pebbles
• Improvise!

Brick edging

Brick garden edging is a tried-and-true standby that can also be cost-effective if you have some bricks left over from other projects. You can lay bricks loose for a homemade look or as a temporary stopgap or you can hire a bricklayer to lay them for you and get a more professional and permanent finish. Use different coloured bricks for a more striking effect.

Timber garden edge

The natural look of timber makes it the best choice for garden edging that blends seamlessly with your outdoor space while also being very attractive. There are plenty of options to choose from, and a landscaper or garden supplier will be able to help you choose the right timber or direct you to a timber supplier.

Sleeper garden edging

Railway sleepers are a classic way to create garden edging, as long as you only want straight lines. With their uniform shape and sizes, sleepers are easy to install and long-lasting when they're properly treated against moisture. If a sleeper gets damaged, it's a simple job to find a matching replacement.

Treated pine garden edging

If you don't like the look or sleepers or they're not available in your area, you can substitute thick planks of treated pine instead. The effect of pine garden edging can be just as impressive, even if the planks have to be cut to size, and treated pine is still affordable. Just make sure you buy treated pine that's rated for ground contact so it doesn't rot.

Concrete edging

You've probably seen concrete edging before, but you might not have recognised it as concrete. Concrete edging is shaped in moulds and it can be made to look like natural stone, brick and other materials, including as an alternative to wood for sleeper garden edging. Concrete is easy to install and comes in straight and curved blocks which give your edging a professionally laid appearance.

Metal edging

Some types of metals can make great garden edging. You can buy commercially made aluminium edging, improvise by using lengths of aluminium flashing or look for a supplier who can custom-make your metal edging for you. If you use flashing, you can disguise it by inserting it into the ground and placing stones around the edge. The flashing will prevent weeds from encroaching on the garden outside the lawn or plant bed and allow you to build up the soil behind the edging.

Natural stone

Stone is one of the oldest edging materials and still a favourite, though it can be more expensive than other options and harder to install DIY. Large cut stones can be laid without the need for mortar when they're arranged carefully, but you should consider having them professionally installed if you're concerned about heavy lifting or harming your back.

Pebbles

If you don't need to build up a garden bed before making edging, simply laying pebbles around the perimeter may be the only edging solution you need, with the advantage that they can follow curves easily. Pebbles combined with pavers can make a beautiful garden path and the pebbles will help to prevent weeds from coming through spreading.

Improvise!

Your garden edging doesn't have to be made from a standard edging material. Some people have used old glass bottles, lengths of clay piping, logs and whatever else they could find to create a garden edge. It's not so much the material you use as the way you use it and the plants in your garden that will make your edging material work. You can also try mixing materials, like using stone for one section, timber for another and clay or brick for another section.

Getting quotes for garden edging

Pebbles and sleeper garden edging are easy to install DIY, but for other options you could benefit from hiring professional landscapers. When you're comparing quotes from landscaping services near you, ask what materials they use and if you can see examples of their previous jobs so you can get an idea of whether they're the right people to handle your project.