| You have a good garden, but everything in your garden is clearly marked? Is there a clear line of distinction between the lawn and the plants along the border? The landscape edges are designed just for this purpose. Read all about the edges here in this article.
Landscape Edging
Why install the edges in the garden? The clean edges given by the edges make the garden look more beautiful than it is without edges. The overall effect of the flowerbeds merging into the lawn is accentuated by the clean lines provided by the edging. The color combination can also be changed by use of imaginative edge color. The overall look of the garden changes when you have garden colorful garden edges
Framing Your Garden
The edging material is a bit like the picture frame. It increases the value of the picture and keeps it in good condition for a long time. If the picture frame is colorful, the whole picture looks better and the same can be said about the edging materials in the garden.
The material should have a width comparable to the picture size and should add to the beauty of the picture without riveting the attention on the frame itself. Some of the edging materials discussed on these lines.
Edging Materials for Landscaping
Edge material can be anything from cut out tree stumps to thin metal edges and anything in between. The variety of material available in market can overwhelm you or bewilder you.
Concrete Landscape Edging
Concrete edging is being used since long in the gardens for separating the lawns and flowerbeds. The material is versatile and can be put in shape by even untrained individual with a minimal training.
With color mixes available, edging in any color is possible. If finished properly, the concrete edging looks good and stays in position for a long time without degrading. The long life and the possibility of being repainted with cement color or acrylic colors make it a cost effective solution.
picture from madisonblockandstone.com
On the down side, the minimum width of concrete is about 4 inches and therefore it is not very suitable for the small gardens. The concrete edging with curves requires skilled persons to make it look good. The color mixes in the concrete fades with passage of time and requires to be painted again after some time.
Preformed Concrete Bricks
Interlocking preformed concrete bricks is another substitute for concrete edging material. The bricks are made in molds. The bricks are made under pressure and have good tensile stress. The bricks are of uniform shape & size and can be interlocked.
Interlocking capability makes the installation of bricks easier and therefore no skill is required in setting the bricks in position. The bricks can be had in many color and design and therefore your garden will have a different feel if use the bricks.
Since the die used can be made easily, customizing the bricks is easy and you can even select your own design if you give a large order.
On the down side, the custom design makes it difficult for maintenance. Unless you have ordered and kept the custom-made bricks in your stock, you will not be able to change a broken brick or a line of bricks. With weather, the bricks laid in position changes color and even if you have a replacement brick with you, the replaced brick stands out.
Wooden Edging
Wooden fencing has been in vogue for a very long time and it was not surprising that this material was used for edging too. Wooden edging material is used when you wish to have a rustic appearance to your garden and when you wish that the lines between the lawn and the border not very distinct.
The wooden edging consists of smaller stumps of wood, and is best for keeping the decaying vegetative material to where it belongs, that is within the close vicinity of the bigger trees, and not allow it to go on the lawn where it might not look good. The smaller stumps have a height of about 6 to 8 inches above the ground and can be painted if you so desire. Wood can also be purchased in sheet form for use as an edging material. The sheets are thinner in width and can be bent in shape and fixed in ground permanently.
On the downside, the stumps do not look very god compared to other material and since it remains near a source of water, the painting is not a very attractive option. The diameter of the stumps makes it as unsuitable for gardens that are smaller. The painting also becomes a recurring maintenance problems adding to the coast and effort of maintenance.
Steel Landscape Edging Material
The edging can be made long lasting and made colorful if it is made of steel. Steel bands can be used for the edging and are very effective. The steel edging materials are also long lasting and remain colorful for a long time and require very less maintenance.
Steel or other metals edging material can be made out of painted steel or stainless steel strips or other metals, but generally stainless steel is widely used. The painted material lasts as long as the stainless steel and rarely requires painting. Once fitted in ground the possibility of removal is remote and once removed it might need replacement altogether.
Both the painted material and stainless steel material can be made available in thinner sections and can be put in position with help of clips. This ensures that the bands or the strips can be fixed by individuals with little knowledge of working with metals.
Metal landscape edging material is preferred by professional gardeners, as it is best in look and can be fixed up easily. When fixed it can also retain water and not allow it to go other places. Places where the water retention is a major consideration, the edging material is driven deeper into the soil and water seepage avoided.
The downside of metal landscape edging material is the high cost of material but the beauty of steel edging material gives your garden a look that cannot be achieved with other materials. The thinner sections make it as an ideal material for smaller gardens.
Plastic Materials
Plastic materials can replace the steel edging materials at a fraction of cost of the steel materials and can look as good at the start. The look of plastic is not liked by many and it is perhaps preferred only as a low cost alternative. The plastic can age quickly and heat of the sun can make it crack early if the material is not protected against it. Chlorinated PVC is a good material for edging and has resistance to aging action by sun’s rays.
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