Alternative to Concrete Edging

Timbers

• Wooden timbers can easily fit into contemporary, traditional or historic landscapes in natural or casual settings. Treated wood or railroad timbers are generally long-lasting and can be used for strong, stout borders. Untreated log edgings are affordable or readily available but will generally decay and require replacement within a decade, unless the wood is naturally rot resistant.

Plastic

• Plastic or fiberglass edging is relatively inexpensive and easy to install. Heavy-duty plastic is available in flat or coiled strips about 6 inches tall and in varying lengths. It is installed by cutting down through the sod around the edge of the bed, then driving stakes through the bottom of the edging into teh soil The round lip should sit at soil level. Plastic edging is suitable for either straight or curved edges but may not work well on sloped sites. If the edging is not installed well, it can shift and be hit with a lawn mower blade. Installing plastic edging may also prove challenging in rocky soils.

Brick or Stone

• Brick or stone edgings are available in several forms and can be laid differently to seem traditional, rustic, contemorary or formal. Bricks can be on edge or laid flat to make a strip that is easily mowed over. Bricks can either be laid dry, without mortar, or mortared to create a more solid and permanent structure. A simpler, low-cost edging comes from partially burying a single row of field stones along the bed border or creating a low stone wall.

Cut or Natural Edge

• A simple and free edging method is to simply dig or cut a shallow trench for an edge. This method can work on virtually all types of sites, Regular maintenance may include hand-pulling, raking or hoeing throughout the growing season, to prevent grass or weed spread.