Best Landscape Edging for Your Yard (2024)

FAQs

What type of edging is best for landscaping? ›

Metal Edging

Metal landscape edging is often the go-to choice for modern landscape designs. It comes in a range of materials and is highly durable and long-lasting. Metal edging is also relatively low maintenance, with little to no upkeep required.

These materials can include natural stone, cobblestone pavers, wood, metal, plastic, concrete, and brick. Each material gives a different look and has different pros and cons.

Brick + Stone Lawn Edging

This type of landscaping edging is considered as much a design element as a physical barrier. It can be more labor-intensive than stake-installed edging, but typically lasts much longer and can be a permanent part of your home's landscape.

Using a Lawn Edger

Lawn edgers cut a trench between the grass and hedges or other areas using a very sharp blade. A lawn edger is a tool that you can use to trim the grass on the very edge of a lawn or flowerbed that the lawnmower may not be able to reach.

Before you lay the stones over the fabric, install the edging you selected to create a border around them. Tuck the fabric underneath the edging, and then lay out the rocks or stones you want to use.

Despite its drawbacks, metal edging is the perfect solution for most gardens. It is hard-wearing and long-lasting, which makes it a viable long-term solution.

In fact, it installs so effectively and deeply that it can be an effective barrier against many kinds of grass — even Bermuda — crossing over into flower or garden beds. Even better, you can edge and mow right up to Edge Right without fearing that you might damage the edging itself.

Embedding the plastic edging 3 to 6 inches into the ground prevents grass roots and weeds from traveling underneath your edging and making its way into the garden bed. Some plastic edging can stand above ground about 6 inches while others are more discreet, only standing above ground about half an inch.

Metals boasting their intrinsic qualities are hard, strong, and last a lifetime. This is why when it comes to edging, you'll find that metal is the material of choice for most. No doubt, it's more expensive than plastic, but the investment will definitely pay off.

No-dig plastic edging is a popular option that is easy to install. Spikes are used for a secure hold without digging. Some heavy-duty, contractor-grade edging requires a narrow trench along the installation location.

Do you mow first or edge first? ›

Mow First

By mowing first, you know how short to trim grass along edges and will be less likely to scalp those areas, giving rise to bare or weedy patches.

The ideal manual tool for cutting crisp lines in turf is a half-moon lawn edger, also known as a step edger. Long handled with a semi-circular blade – sometimes with a serrated edge – it is designed to be stood on with one foot and pushed cleanly into turf to create a clean cut.

If the landscape edging is for decorative purposes only, then it is fine to use 4-inch or 6-inch strips where the strips don't need to be buried in the ground. You can use a wider strip as well, it just depends on personal preference and the look you want to achieve.

This metal edging option will do a great job of keeping grass clippings out and keeping the mulch in your garden bed. It may not be the best option for preventing grass roots from invading, but it should last you quite some time with minimal maintenance.