Ideas for garden borders, classic and original. Stone, terracotta, bottles, plates, flowerpots, etc…
Garden borders are the indispensable finishing touch to a well-maintained space. Borders are installed not only because they’re pretty, but also to facilitate maintenance, prevent the lawn from encroaching on flower bed areas, protect shrubs from a robot lawnmower or facilitate the passage of the mower. Here are a few ideas for garden edgings, easy to install with materials commonly found in garden centers or even at recycling centers.
I’ve finished planting in the brand-new flowerbed at the entrance to the garden. I’m waiting for spring to take photos! All that’s left is to find a solution for garden borders, to prevent the lawn from “biting” into the planting space!
I searched the internet for ideas. There aren’t many. In fact, all the articles on this theme use other people’s photos. I’ll add my own stone to the edifice when I’ve finally chosen and laid some borders. I’m currently using old logs, but I’ve run out! (Update 2024: some photos of my edging solutions have been added).
So I did what everyone else does: a list of photos found on the Internet!
Wooden borders
Log borders are very labor-intensive. You have to cut the logs, install them and start all over again 4 or 5 years later. But it’s pretty, rustic and the material can be sourced locally.
You can also use wooden planks or (fake) railroad sleepers. If the wood is treated, it will last a little longer. You’ll find sleepers in DIY stores. I found some at Leroy Merlin.
There’s also the option of recycling garden branches.
I bought these half log borders to protect the fruit trees from the robot mower. They have the disadvantage of rotting quite quickly (about 4 years) but the advantage of not being expensive. I buy a small stock every spring during supermarket specials.
Brick or terracotta curbstones
This is the easiest border to make, and not necessarily the most expensive.
I’m currently testing this wide border. It’s made up of large cobblestones that serve both as a border and a walkway. I laid them directly on the lawn. I’ll reposition them with sand once the lawn underneath has completely disappeared.
Advantage: wide enough to keep grass and quackgrass off it. Wide enough to be used as a walkway.
Disadvantage: these concrete slabs are very heavy.
Natural or reconstituted stone edging
Like pavers, stones are easy to lay. Ideally, garden stones should be used. Some stones are no more expensive to buy than concrete pavers.
Stones can be simply laid on the ground, or laid as a border for cut stones.
Metal edging
Some metal edgings are heavy and difficult to bend. I’m thinking in particular of corten metal edgings. They are also less easy to modify. So we choose them to delimit a space that won’t move. This isn’t the case with my flowerbeds, which will certainly expand or even move.
However, lightweight aluminium edgings are now fairly easy to find. I found mine at Lidl.
I used these metal edgings in the tunnel greenhouse to demarcate the cultivation areas we tended to walk on, especially in winter when the tunnel was used as a storage area. These borders are lightweight and very easy to install. They’re easy to bend to make corners.
Other materials
Bottles, plates, garden hoses – all these materials are perfect for a bohemian garden.
The Bottles
Playing with colors can create cool effects.
Plates
Probably a bit fragile
Garden hoses
The choice of edging depends on your budget. Logs are ideal for temporary edging. You can also make your own concrete pavers.
A few ideas for commercially available borders
