What Is the Least Expensive Landscape Border?

Flexible Plastic

• Flexible plastic edging is one of the least expensive borders available. It typically comes in black, brown or dark green so it blends with grass and plants. Plastic edging strips are a practical choice if you want edging to be about an inch above ground level or even with the grass. The simple installation process is fast and entails hammering lawn spikes through the pre-cut slots to secure the strips to the ground.

Old Lumber

• Scraps of lumber or old fencing can be re-purposed into landscape borders. There are several ways to install wood edging, depending on the type of wood you're using. Lengths of boards, old railroad ties or pressure-treated timbers can be half-buried in a trench. This style is a good fit for straight or angled beds. If you have old fence panels, cut them down to 6-inch strips and insert them partially into the ground. If you have clay soil or poor drainage, consider setting wood edging over a gravel base to improve drainage and help block weeds.

Rocks and Bottles

• If you live in an area with rocky soil, collect rocks when you dig in your yard or go on hikes. Ask friends and neighbors to help by putting rocks aside for you as they find them. Once you have enough to complete a border, bury them a few inches into the ground around the plant bed. If you have medium-sized flat stones, dry-stack them for a rustic stone border. Another item to gather and recycle for borders is empty bottles of different colors, shapes and sizes. Bury them close together half-way in the ground and upside down.

Broken Bricks and Concrete

• Bricks and concrete pavers offer a classic, elegant look to a yard, but they can be expensive. Used and broken bricks and pieces of concrete offer the same color and textural contrast, and are typically cheap or free. Embed the bricks or concrete chunks partially in the ground over a bed of gravel and pack stone dust between the crevices for stability. Check salvage yards for used brick or concrete at a discount.