The Art of Edging

Trimming

• The first and most common type of edging is general trimming. The edge of the lawn is usually trimmed by a handheld weed-cuting machine. The string or blade of the machine cuts the grass short. You can use the string-style machine to trim around fences, trees and other obstacles although the string impact will degrade the surface material if it isn't a stone or concrete. The benefit of trimming is the tidy appearance of edges along the perimeter of the garden.

Cutting Blade

• A cutting blade is used along walkways and between gardens and lawns to physically cut and remove a narrow section of sod. This machine slices through the sod much like a saw, cutting vertically. This creates a small trench and a clean edge to the lawn. Edge cutting is often done several times a season when the grass appears to spread beyond its preferred area. An edge cutter is usually used along with a trimmer to keep the lawn looking good.

Edging Materials

• Many gardeners use edging materials to create a defined division between the lawn and nonlawn areas. The materials used for edging include brick, stone, small fencing or wattle, bottles, bending board, wood boards, plastic or metal edging and concrete. The type of division created depends on the material being used. Stone is frequently used to create a small wall while concrete is poured to create a gutter effect.

Maintenance

• Maintenance of edging materials can be considerable. While edging materials are beneficial for creating divisions, the materials decay, are disturbed, break or heave as the property changes. The most common maintenance problem is the failure to plan the bed to the appropriate mature size. This means that edging is installed that becomes overgrown over time. Keeping edging in top condition has a strong impact on how the garden looks. For this reason you'll often see well-maintained gardens having edging work done each season as the gardeners adjust the edging to fit the changing needs of the garden.