Ideas on Grass Meeting an Island in the Yard

Edging

• Structural garden edging creates a distinct separation between grass and garden. Edging materials such as scalloped bricks, flat bricks, wooden timbers and interlocking plastic edging are all viable options if you wish to purchase a ready-made solution. Create your own unique edging with polished river rocks, colored glass bits, sea glass, gravel, broken terra cotta or reclaimed bricks from old buildings. Choose edging materials whose color and style will complement those of the island's plants. Edge part of the island and step back to double-check that you like its look before acquiring more materials or expending additional effort.

Low-Lying Plants

• Short plants can also be used to create a distinctive separation between the lawn and the island. Blue or lavender woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata) thrives in shady areas in U.S.Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 to 8, while creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) does better in sunny locations, thriving in USDA zones 3A through 10. Lamb's ears (Stachys byzantina, USDA zones 4 to 8), named for its fuzzy gray leaves, flowers purple in late spring and requires little maintenance.

Plotting the Perimeter

• Plot out the perimeter of the island before setting edging materials in place. Use a long garden hose or clothesline to create a temporary border around the island. Inspecting the island from all angles allows you to make adjustments to the size and shape of the border for maximum visual impact. This process will also help you better determine how thick or tall a suitable border will be for the plants within the island, as well as which materials will look best against the backdrop of both garden and lawn.

Soil as Edging

• Exposed soil, rather than additional plants or edging materials, creates an abrupt, highly visible separation between the island bed and the lawn. This design requires continual maintenance to keep garden plants and grass from intermingling. Keep grass edges along the border trimmed with garden shears or a weed trimmer. A flat spade or shovel creates the initial line of demarcation between island and lawn, giving the lawn a distinct stopping point. Inspect and maintain this "cliff" surrounding the island on a regular basis with a spade or shovel. Create a ditch or dirt-only area several inches wide around the island for a more distinct border. Bark mulch added to the dirt perimeter offers color variations.