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Garden Edging can be discreet or be made a feature of a garden. Incorporating a garden edge helps define areas of your garden, dividing ares such as lawn, garden, pebbles and/or decomposed granite in the most neat and easy to maintain way. Most garden designs will have a line style, meaning a style of which the designer has used throughout the design. This line style could be the use of straight lines only. It could be of curved lines only. The design may only have 90 degree angles or a combination of angle changes.
Garden edging is used to create and maintain these line styles, so that the integrity of the design is not lost.
Below are some recommended garden edging solutions that we like to use.
 
  • Brick edge
  • Link edge
  • Corten edge
  • Galvanised steel edge
  • Sandstone edge
  • Timber edge

 


Brick edge
An old favourite. The use of new or second hand bricks can be either laid on edge or flat, depending on the look you desire. The bricks are laid on a sand and cement mortar bed with approximately 10mm joints. A brick edge can be laid in straight lines or curved. Generally the brick will finish flush with the lawn or garden, but to add a slight level change, 30-50mm of the brick can be left above the lawn.  Brick edge is a good, solid solution to create a garden edge, however care should be taken laying a brick edge on soft ground or over roots and both of these will ensure the mortar joints will crack.

Link edge
A great product that is simple to install and can create a simple, discreet change between finishes. Link edge is aluminium and pre-fabricated to sit flush or slightly above lawn level. It is secured using galvanised pegs of varying lengths depending on how hard the underlying ground is and has aluminium joiners and 90 degree bends to allow for quick and neat joining. The edge comes in a range of sizes depending on the application.
When using for a turf edge, I’d recommend the 75mm or 100mm option so that the turf won’t grown under the edge into the garden. The edge can be installed in straight lines or curves.

Corten edge
Corten is a steel product that rusts naturally to create an orange/brown appearance on the surface of the product. This rust actually helps protect the steel while providing a great appearance. Corten can be cut from sheets to a desired size or a pre-fabricated product by Form Boss can be used. Form Boss has joiners and pegs to secure the edge and also comes in a range of sizes.
I’d recommend a minimum finished level of 50mm above lawn. Corten can be used from garden edging right up to retaining raised garden beds.

Sandstone edge
For a more solid and robust solution to garden edging, sandstone can be used in many applications. For informal, native gardens, simply placing medium to large boulders can create a great divide. Keep in mind the maintenance of lawn around these boulders through as getting a whipper snipper in and around the boulders can prove a little tricky. Sandstone flagging is a popular solution. Like Corten, this product is best seen and exposed above lawn level. Flagging can be shaped and rock faced to create a very formal look while not appearing too ‘Chunky’. I’d recommend a minimum of 100mm of sandstone is left exposed above finished level. This also helps create a level change adding interest to the garden.
The next step up from flagging is the use of dimension stone. This is sandstone that is either cut or split to a desired dimension. Different finishes include Rock faced, Hydra split, gang sawn and Diamond sawn. All sandstone apart from the random boulders should be laid on a sand and cement mortar bed to ensure no movement once installed.

Timber edge
The cheapest solution for garden edging, H4 treated pine timber can be used to create a simple and effective garden edge. Most commonly, a timber edge will finish flush with a lawn leaving only the top 20-25mm surface of the timber exposed. The treated pine is fastened to either treated pine or hardwood pegs with galvanised screws or nails.
Treated pine can be installed to create straight lines as well as curved. There is a limit to how curved the timber can be so tight curves are best avoided.
 This will hopefully help you get an understanding of some of the garden edge solutions available to create a divide and/or level change in your garden.

Written by Nick Mason