Landscape Border Installation

Design

• Landscape borders can hug the existing shape of the area they are bordering, but they can also bring balance to the overall appearance of a landscape. For instance, a row of flowering shrubs along the front of the house can be softened with broad curves on the ends and a wavy line across the front to offset corners of a house. Drawing a basic diagram of your yard with the features you want to border will help you visualize what different border lines will look like in relation to each other. The design plan will also enable you to measure the total length of the borders you are installing to help you figure the amount of materials to buy.

Laying the Base

• You can lay landscape borders over a base of concrete and mortar or compacted gravel and sand. A gravel and sand base gives you more flexibility because it's easier to move this type of border if you want to adjust the shape or expand a garden in the future. Stones or pavers are less likely to shift out of place when set over concrete, but the mortar does require you to work fast to set your stones before it hardens. You'll need to dig a trench that is slightly wider than your stones or pavers, and 4- to 6-inches deep for a concrete or gravel base, respectively.

Setting the Edging

• Installing paver, stone, gravel or timber edging in your landscape is a straightforward process once the foundation is built. Pavers should be set flush end-to-end or side-by-side, and placed so they are level with each other. Once finished, they provide a uniform, polished look. Natural stones come in different sizes and shapes and can enhance a rustic setting. Use the large and medium-size stones to line the trench and fill in gaps with smaller stones. You can use crushed limestone to pack the spaces between the stones and prevent debris from building up.

Maintenance

• Edging reduces maintenance and makes it easier to mow the lawn, but the edging itself will require a little tending in order increase its life span. Pull any weeds that grow between the stones, and pack crushed limestone or pea gravel over open spaces to prevent them from growing back. If a frost heave dislodges stones or pavers, your base is not deep enough. Once the ground dethaws, remove the edging materials, shovel the sand and gravel into a wheelbarrow, and dig the trench below the frost line. Tamp the soil with a hand tamper to stabilize the ground, and then re-lay the base and stones.