Garden Edging Advice Needed Please

0) Hi, I have a smallish walled garden where the flower beds are round the edge with the grass in the middle, as you can see in the image. My problem is the raised flower beds. When we had the grass put down (about 5 years ago) we had a wooden border put in, but these are now rotting and I need to replace them. I don't really want to use wood again (due to the rotting) and wondered if anyone has a similar set up or if anyone has any solutions I could use. Thanks, Gill

 

Hmmm ... not sure I have got any good ideas. You could lay a couple of courses of bricks, which would last a lifetime, or more, if they are well laid - some trailing plants along the edge would soften the edge.

Treated timber should last a decent while. Sawn timber won't look any more natural than bricks (and not as natural as the half-logs you have now). So, again, trailing plants might help. I think that treated timber would last longer than the (probably "untreated") half-logs you currently have.

Only other ideas I have is to put something rigid / "unsightly" to retain the raised bed and then create a new, narrow, strip along the edge (in what is currently lawn) and plant a Box "parterre" hedge and cut it as a very low edging-hedge (about 18" tall - behind that would be whatever unsightly barrier you use to retain the raised bed, but it would not be visible behind the box). Depends rather on whether you like Box edging to borders?

 

Welcome to the board (or madhouse, depending on your perspective) Gill.

There's all sorts of things you can use, railway sleepers, naff plastic edging that will fade (sorry!), or bricks, a huge choice there.
Wood tends to rot, so bricks are the best permanent "fix"

I've dealt with it in two ways in my garden.

Two courses of bricks between the patio and the border.



Small square pavers flush with the lawn. The beds are about six inches higher at the back and there's a bit of a channel between the border and the pavers. (they look a bit "bright" as I took the photo the day after I laid them earlier this year, they've softened down now).
You could alter yours in the same way, to cut down the height and number of the bricks used.



If you choose bricks of any sort, you will need to lay a hardcore base and a fine concrete mix to set the base bricks in before going higher. My patio wall is actually on the edge of the York stone so it wasn't necessary there.
But the pavers between the lawn and the border are well fixed in concrete and then pointed up and there's a ramp of smooth mortar over the concrete sloping up to the bricks on the border-side. This is because it's a narrow course and I walk on them when I run my Flymo over them, it gets rid of the need for "edging."

But laying bricks if you've not done it before, ain't easy to get them looking "right."

But others may have more options for you.

 

Hello Gill
As Doghouse states brick/stone edgings do look very nice but if they are not built right they look like a dogs dinner. One option is no mortar bricks made by Marshalls and other walling companies. These can be laid up to 5 courses deep with no mortar. Pic below shows one I built a couple of years ago, if you look to the left it shows how it is constructed. Problem is it does run out expensive at about £4 a brick. As you seem to have about 14 metres of garden to edge , I would stick with the wooden roll . It costs around £5 for 1.5m and with a coating of preservative should last a good few years.

 

Hello Gill.

I laid a lawn for a client a few years ago and used "toothed" brickwork round the edge. It's quite easy to dig a trench and stand the bricks up at about 45 degrees as each leans against the one next to it. Also there's plenty of depth so when you backfill with soil, they remain quite firm.

Chris

 

Had same problem before and found easy non expensive material, It is sold as easy enviro raised beds. flexible but tough material made from recycled plastic.It should be strimmer proof so no problem near the lawn


you can find same product at the garden organic catalog, or at best4garden online.

 

Thank you everyone for your advice . . . all your gardens look beautiful. I think I'm going to have a go at a wall, but think I'm going to have to get someone in to help. Does anyone know anyone in the Richmond, Surrey area who offers good gardening advice/help? Thanks again. Gill

 

Hi Gill

sorry if this is a bit late and you have already built your wall. Filcris make a range of sturdy, tough, recycled edging planks and stakes in natural looking dark brown which will not be visually intrusive, will last a lifetime and will not fade. I have them in my own garden and they are as good as they day they were installed, by myself (and i'm no DIY expert) 5 years ago.







Cheers

Chris

 

Hi Gill,

I know you said you weren't keen on wood. I have railway sleepers around my raised bed which will go on for a good few years. I'm yet to treat mine as the bed's fairly new.

 

If you`ve the availability you could try a dry stone or earth stone wall. The availability of the stone is one problem but something we are well blessed with here in the West Country. Its not that difficult once you`ve got the hang of it although the experts will tell you otherwise. Bit like gardening really!!!Just some basic principles which you can gleen online. IE use the stone you`ve picked up and tie in regularily certainely if going up any height. The big advantage is you can redo what your not happy with and recycle in later years. They will outlast you if built correctly. I`ve two long ones underconstruction (each 25 mtrs long and at least a metre high) as retaining walls on my terraced garden.JD