Lawn edging suggestions please

Hello,

In our back garden we've created some borders, planted some shrubs and put down bark. It looks good, but when it comes to cutting the lawn it's a bit of a nightmare doing the edging as I have a flymo strimmer which I can angle and roll along the edge in a straight line. But I have to wear eye protection as despite having to scrape back the bark from the edge, every now and a again a stray piece of bark is flicked up.

Is there a better way? Can I create a neater edge so I don't have to scrape the bark back?

Can you recommend anything to do with the edges of the lawn so that it's neater? I've seen wooden gravel boards partially buried, and I've seen various concrete edging stones which are expensive.

Any suggestions? What's worked for you?

Many thanks

 

Everedge would work well but frankly if you want to keep using a strimmer eye protection is sensible no matter what edging you choose. How deep is that bed, it looks quite skinny to me, would be the best time to make it a bit more generous...too many people regret that later on when their plants are well established and there's not enough space to add more layers.

 

I put pavers down, bedded into concrete to make a neat edge. However, if you mulch with bark, blackbirds tend to throw it around looking for insects, so you'll have to sweep it back into the border before using your edger.
Once you have a hard edge, it can be simpler to use a half moon cutter to tidy up the lawn.

 

I use lawn edging shears, most of my borders contain bark, they’re simple and effective.

 

If you do not want a hard edge, then ensure your grass edge has a gulley about 50 -75mm deep and use some good quality long handled edging shears.

You can use a good sharp half moon cutter that @CarolineL mentions to trim that edging against the patio and also cut a one time nice clean straight edge to the open grass making it ready and easier for the shears.

The shears take a bit of getting used to but do a good job.

 

Thank you @shiney, your edges look great, but I have stones in my clay in France so I don't think the edging shears would work like that. I use a half moon once a year then edging shears after mowing.

 

Thank you, @shiney.

 

is there any cheaper alternative edging to Everedge? ~£100 for 10m it's a bit pricey.
My edge does not have to be razor sharp. I just want to keep the Cotswold chippings separate from the grass but at the same time regular concrete edging is too bulky.

 

I just looked at Bosmere lawn edging. As it's plastic I assumed it would be cheaper. Nope! Each section is 50cm long and costs £5.99. That seems to be more expensive than metal Everedge!!

 

A gulley at the edge of the lawn never worked for me. The vertical (or vertical-ish) edge would crumble away as soon as the sandy soil dried out. I assume it would work on heavier soils that stay stuck together when dry.

I have edging made from block pavers cemented down, widthwise, so the edging is 8 inches or so wide. Enough for me to stand on when I'm working on the front of the border, and for plants to flop over a bit and soften the edges without shading out the grass.

 

I found some rubber edging strips that look like cobble stones in three foot strips with holes for plastic long nails to keep them in place from my local garden centre.