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Feb 5, 2016 7:22 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Deb
Planet Earth (Zone 8b)
Region: Pacific Northwest Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Garden Ideas: Master Level
Almost all of my beds are adjacent to lawn. I started with raised beds, edged with free sawmill ends (curved with bark still on). This was a rustic look which worked well for many years. They eventually rotted or fell apart to the point it just became a big mess. I've also tried a couple types of plastic edging - the small pieces that link together pounded into the ground, and the rolled edge that is buried. I didn't care for the look of either of those. River rocks or used bricks have been employed, which is a nice look, but difficult to keep neat and tidy, the weeds insisted on sprouting in all the cracks. What I have settled into is just a simple cut-in edge, using a square spade, cutting straight down about 6" and then mounding the soil back into the bed to keep the grass roots somewhat challenged to colonize my flower beds. I cut the edge during spring cleanup, and often again in the fall. During growing season, I will often hand-cut the grass edge while weeding, although my husband also will use the weedwacker to neaten up the edge (not my favorite look, it ends up being a bit haphazard). I also try to be sure each bed is easy to maneuver around with our riding mower, so the edges get at least a cursory weekly trim during mowing season. What methods have you found that work well (or not)?
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I want to live in a world where the chicken can cross the road without its motives being questioned.
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Feb 5, 2016 7:34 PM CST
Name: Jennifer
48036 MI (Zone 6b)
Cottage Gardener Houseplants Spiders! Heucheras Frogs and Toads Dahlias
Hummingbirder Sedums Winter Sowing Peonies Region: Michigan Celebrating Gardening: 2015
I have two sections of garden with a hand cut edge. I love the look. But it is high maintenance!

When I moved to this house there was mostly dark brown aluminum edging. It works pretty good. As an added bonus there were several sections left in the shed. I quickly put them to use.

When I made my new bed this year I decided to purchase more aluminum edging. Wow! Expensive. But the design was improved. The sections slid together tightly via a tiny almost hidden channel. The stakes also now had a bend at the top which made them easy to drive in and best of all no more screws were needed to secure them to the edging.
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Feb 7, 2016 1:47 PM CST
Name: Rose
Oquawka, IL (Zone 5a)
Echinacea Hibiscus Dahlias Clematis Charter ATP Member Region: Illinois
Garden Photography Heucheras Hummingbirder Hostas Garden Art Birds
I use river rocks but I have to dig them out of the sand every so often since they tend to sink. I like the look of your edging Jennifer. Where did you find it?
When all is said and done, there’s more said than done.
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Feb 7, 2016 2:02 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Deb
Planet Earth (Zone 8b)
Region: Pacific Northwest Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Garden Ideas: Master Level
OK, my ulterior motive was to hope folks would post photos of their gardens. Rose? I'd love to see how you use river rock. I use them around my blueberries and like the look but it surely is high maintenance. The second photo is grouted together, less maintenance.

High hopes...
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The reality...
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One that has been grouted together (works much better)
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I want to live in a world where the chicken can cross the road without its motives being questioned.
Avatar for Shadegardener
Feb 7, 2016 2:47 PM CST
Name: Cindy
Hobart, IN zone 5
aka CindyMzone5
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Plant Identifier
Most of my beds have a cut-in edge which works will with all of the curves. One "public" bed has those interlocking pavers normally used for retaining walls and it works well as it transitions into one raised area and one retaining wall.
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize that we can't eat money. Cree proverb
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Feb 7, 2016 3:10 PM CST
Name: Jennifer
48036 MI (Zone 6b)
Cottage Gardener Houseplants Spiders! Heucheras Frogs and Toads Dahlias
Hummingbirder Sedums Winter Sowing Peonies Region: Michigan Celebrating Gardening: 2015
Rose, a few of my local nurseries carry the aluminum edging. I got mine at Rocks'n' Roots in Washington MI. I don't know the actual brand. But you could call them to find out.

http://rocksnroots.com/
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Feb 7, 2016 3:21 PM CST
Name: Arlene
Southold, Long Island, NY (Zone 7a)
Region: Ukraine Dahlias I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Houseplants Tomato Heads Garden Ideas: Level 1
Plant Identifier Photo Contest Winner: 2014 Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Celebrating Gardening: 2015
I like Jennifer's edging as well,

One garden has some river rocks as a path/dividing line to keep lilies separated from other plants because I don't like looking at their bare stems for months. They need lifting every few years because they sink, like Rose said.

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We had the black edging with the rolled top (a haven for slugs) for many years and I had more of it ripped out in January. I may replace it with bricks, set dogtooth style, or may just let it be since it's out of my view. The one garden where I did use the bricks is doing well.

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We bought an entire pallette of stones in 2012 and I used them to edge many gardens. So far, so good. I used the cobrahead weeder and that was a huge help in keeping things neat.

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Deb - for the area you showed in the above photos you could use some Envirotiles (sold at Home Depot) after you've weeded it, then pile on some nice neat mulch of your choice so they won't be on view but will keep it weed free. They can be cut (I've never had to try it) to fit.

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Our next door neighbor doesn't weed, he weed whacks and all the weed seeds land on our side. This was the only solution I found that worked for me.
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Feb 7, 2016 3:40 PM CST
Name: Anne
Summerville, SC (Zone 8a)
Only dead fish go with the flow!
Plant and/or Seed Trader Birds Cat Lover Greenhouse Tropicals Bulbs
Seed Starter Garden Ideas: Master Level Hibiscus Hybridizer Garden Sages Butterflies
Thanks Jennifer for the aluminum edging tip! Getting out my measuring tape tomorrow and will be ordering!
Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.
Douglas Adams
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Feb 7, 2016 3:47 PM CST
Name: Jennifer
48036 MI (Zone 6b)
Cottage Gardener Houseplants Spiders! Heucheras Frogs and Toads Dahlias
Hummingbirder Sedums Winter Sowing Peonies Region: Michigan Celebrating Gardening: 2015
I think the brand is Permaloc
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Feb 7, 2016 3:50 PM CST
Name: Jennifer
48036 MI (Zone 6b)
Cottage Gardener Houseplants Spiders! Heucheras Frogs and Toads Dahlias
Hummingbirder Sedums Winter Sowing Peonies Region: Michigan Celebrating Gardening: 2015
This must be what I got last summer

http://www.permaloc.com/produc...
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Feb 7, 2016 4:48 PM CST
Name: Rose
Oquawka, IL (Zone 5a)
Echinacea Hibiscus Dahlias Clematis Charter ATP Member Region: Illinois
Garden Photography Heucheras Hummingbirder Hostas Garden Art Birds
Thank you Jennifer. I'm going to check the local nurseries around here.
When all is said and done, there’s more said than done.
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Feb 8, 2016 10:01 PM CST
Name: JoJo
Texas (Zone 8b)
Bee Lover Region: Texas Enjoys or suffers hot summers Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Native Plants and Wildflowers Irises
Hibiscus Garden Art Frogs and Toads Dragonflies Dog Lover Daylilies
What nice pix and info
The favorite edging I ever had was soda and beer bottles, it looked so old timey and I remember my GF had a couple of beds surrounded by them. When I remembered his beds, I put out the word to my neighbors I wanted bottles, I had them in short order. One neighbor that I had known for years but never knew how much he drank till he started bringing me beer bottles, Rolling on the floor laughing Rolling on the floor laughing Rolling on the floor laughing Blinking
They were buried halfway, upside down and a few right side up and the wind made those hum and whistle sometimes
I had to remove them after having them for years when my DH weed eated around them once and broke several and then I worried about future grand kids after that
Gardening is learning, learning, learning. That's the fun of them.
You're always learning !
Helen Mirren
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Feb 15, 2016 10:28 AM CST
Name: Caroline Scott
Calgary (Zone 4a)
Bulbs Winter Sowing Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Peonies Lilies Charter ATP Member
Region: Canadian Enjoys or suffers cold winters Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Garden Ideas: Master Level
Having taken out the lawn----I want plants to be the edging---but may use some plastic edging, and then try to grow the plants so they hide it. Some places need a short wire fence because I don't have all of the pathways done. Bark mulch is so far the new pathway, and also the bed is mulch too, so definitely need the fencing.
Eventually I will get stepping stones for pathways and then sow low growers along them. For-get-me-Nots in shade area paths. Dwarf sun plants along other paths.
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Feb 15, 2016 10:54 AM CST
Name: Rose
Oquawka, IL (Zone 5a)
Echinacea Hibiscus Dahlias Clematis Charter ATP Member Region: Illinois
Garden Photography Heucheras Hummingbirder Hostas Garden Art Birds
Pirl,

Have you tried laying you rocks on top of the tiles? I wonder if that would keep them from sinking and keep the weeds down around the rocks? I might give that a try this spring...
When all is said and done, there’s more said than done.
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Feb 15, 2016 11:02 AM CST
Name: Arlene
Southold, Long Island, NY (Zone 7a)
Region: Ukraine Dahlias I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Houseplants Tomato Heads Garden Ideas: Level 1
Plant Identifier Photo Contest Winner: 2014 Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Celebrating Gardening: 2015
Rose - I haven't tried it. Actually, I find cleaning that area to be relaxing as opposed to other jobs that are not! It's moss, ground cover sedums, ajuga, that all want the cool damp soil around the stones, so I lift and replace when it bothers me.
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Feb 15, 2016 11:45 AM CST
Name: Rose
Oquawka, IL (Zone 5a)
Echinacea Hibiscus Dahlias Clematis Charter ATP Member Region: Illinois
Garden Photography Heucheras Hummingbirder Hostas Garden Art Birds
That is very pretty! I can see why you wouldn't want to mess with a good thing!
When all is said and done, there’s more said than done.
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Feb 15, 2016 11:56 AM CST
Name: Arlene
Southold, Long Island, NY (Zone 7a)
Region: Ukraine Dahlias I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Houseplants Tomato Heads Garden Ideas: Level 1
Plant Identifier Photo Contest Winner: 2014 Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Celebrating Gardening: 2015
Thanks. It works for me. All we can ever hope for is a solution that works for each of us. It isn't a large area so it's nice to keep it neat.
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Feb 17, 2016 8:24 PM CST
Name: Mary
Lake Stevens, WA (Zone 8a)
Near Seattle
Bookworm Garden Photography Region: Pacific Northwest Plays in the sandbox Seed Starter Plant and/or Seed Trader
Winter Sowing
I have the same issues with edges. I have been thinking hard about how to make my yard relatively easy care so if I need help with yardwork that unskilled people can help me, and it would be quick and straightforward. I have spent too much of my precious gardening time weeding out the stuff that encroaches from the lawn, and using a weedeater on the edge.. So this last year I coughed up some money, and had my little area of lawn enclosed by a concrete edge. I hired a guy who has a local business doing only this, I found him at the Everett Home and Garden Show. He has a machine that puts concrete in place as curbs, just pick your shape. I picked a "mowing strip" so the garden side is higher to hold in mulch, and the side on the lawn is low so the lawnmower wheel can be on it. Then once or twice a year I can run an edger along it. He put a bit of coloring agent in the mix, but said I might want it darker, which I do. He said to go to a concrete supply place and get some iron concrete stain which I plan to do this spring (btw Bonehead this is the guy who is doing the edging at the new private Botanical Garden near you).
Just yesterday, I was as the home of a young couple I know. They both work, and had hired a friend to put in the edging seen in the last picture, I like the color, and the brick-like embossing is nice too. This fellow has a little side business putting these in. Interesting that young working people have come to the same solution as me.
The third photo also shows the old edging in place at my house, probably installed almost 30 years ago when the house was built, sections of scalloped concrete. You can see how it leans over time and eventually falls over-not a good look.


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Feb 18, 2016 12:24 PM CST
Name: Rose
Oquawka, IL (Zone 5a)
Echinacea Hibiscus Dahlias Clematis Charter ATP Member Region: Illinois
Garden Photography Heucheras Hummingbirder Hostas Garden Art Birds
That really looks nice and should last forever!
When all is said and done, there’s more said than done.
Avatar for havingfun
Aug 20, 2017 12:33 PM CST
Pacific NW (Zone 8b)
I realize this is thread is a year+ old, but wanted to share on this topic:

I've tried a number of different solutions over the years, from fiberglass and plastic edging, to hand-cutting with a sod cutter. In the end, I relented and installed 8" wide pavers, serving as both a hardscape edge and a mowing strip:

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It takes a bit of effort to install, and the look may not be for everyone, but to my eye and for my application it works well. With a properly prepared gravel base and edge guide to prevent the pavers from creeping out of position, this solution has held up through several seasons with very little maintenance.

I have installation notes if you're interested, just drop me a note and I'll share them.

Have fun!

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