Anna K. Cottrell
Bringing the best lawn edging ideas is not only a practical choice but will pull the overall look of your outdoor space together.
Garden edging can be used in a variety of ways, from giving a lovely definition to your borders to framing a feature. Flowers, stone, wood, and more are just a few ways you can use this technique to add a polished feel to your backyard.
If you're looking for backyard landscaping ideas and are ready to put the finishing touches on your lawn or flowerbeds, edging is a beautiful way to enhance your fine trimming work.
The best lawn edging ideas for beautiful beds
Whether you're looking for front yard landscaping ideas or ones for the back of your home, lawn edging will come in useful.
Where our experts have recommended specific garden edging buys, we have shopped these wherever possible to help you get started.
The prices below were correct at the time of publishing this article.
1. Use stone garden edging to enhance evergreens
For a long-lasting, elegant finish, you can't beat real stone lawn edging which happens to look beautiful next to evergreen planting.
Pick a material and finish that complements other hard landscaping in your garden, such as retaining walls or any garden paving ideas you have going on.
We recommend combining straight and curved sections to create the perfect contour for the shape you're working with.
2. Choose flower edging for natural borders
Bring color into your lawn edging border by going for an abundant mixtures of flowers.
You could go for an abundant mixture of Dahlia, Lilium and Gladiolus to keep your space free-flowing. Mix it up and add in more plants for fragrance, including herbs like lavender, rosemary and thyme (the Burpee Organic Thyme Herb Seeds from Walmart are easy to grow and non-GMO seeds), and be sure to keep some evergreens in there for year-round structure.
Just be sure to remember that your flower bed ideas are also your garden edging ideas, so make sure to add height to create the separation you desire.
3. Use sleepers to DIY garden edging
Add a rustic touch to your backyard by adding lawn edging with wood to your space.
You can DIY this yourself simply by cutting wood planks to the desired size, sanding them down, and then giving them a varnish.
They're also one of the best low-maintenance garden ideas, as once they're in your desired spot, you can just leave them be.
4. Line bright borders with natural rocks
This is another beautiful and natural garden edging idea. Rocks not only look and work a treat at not moving if you choose heavy ones, but they're also a total breeze to install easy to install.
There's also more variety in terms of shape and size. You could even paint them to add to your backyard decor, such as by using the Daltack Large Painting Rocks from Amazon which are large, hard, and smooth.
5. Edge your garden pathways with brick
Using brick to edge your garden space will give a lovely, relaxed finish to your borders. The soft look will suit cottage-style gardens perfectly.
You can even use reclaimed bricks for an even cheaper DIY project. Either way, this is a smart way to keep mulch for evergreens and other garden plants in place.
6. Use roped edging posts for modern definition
Want more definition to your lawn edging? Edging posts are a great way to achieve a flawless finish and create a laidback look.
These can easily be built yourself with strong wooden posts and sturdy rope. While they might not stop weeds coming through, they will still visually define your edging.
7. Cheat with plastic lawn edging for a real stone effect
If you're looking for cheap backyard ideas that are easy to install and aesthetically pleasing to look at too, look no further than stone-effect plastic lawn edging.
It's also a good idea to pick edging that slots directly into the ground such as the Novashion Garden Edging from Walmart pictured above, which is made from durable PP plastic and has pieces that lock into each other.
Our advice? Bury it deep and plant right up to it in your garden borders, so no one will notice it's plastic.
8. Use wood garden edging to add height
Timber lawn edging works particularly well in rustic garden schemes and in cottage gardens.
Look for one that's flexible, such as the PaMeer Natural Wooden Border Edging from Amazon that's Amazon's Choice, is easy to install, and is corrosion resistant.
You can either leave this natural for a simple look or stain or paint it for a more contemporary effect.
9. Use garden edging inside a patch of lawn
If you have a patch of grass or a flowerbed right in the middle of your lawn, make it really shine by adding a lawn edging border around it.
This is an especially fabulous choice if you're looking for small backyard ideas and want to create a focal point that distracts from the size of your space.
10. Pick pebble lawn edging
Pebbles are not only great for creating a natural look in the garden, but are also ultra inexpensive to bring in.
To make sure they don't move around too much, we recommend mounting them onto mesh or finding ones that come with this pre-done, such as the Parkland Pebble Border from Amazon. There are three different pack sizes to choose from and it can also be used in bathrooms, too.
11. Keep garden edging neat and modern with metal
For those looking for sturdy and strong garden edging ideas, metal lawn edging is a great way to combine style and strength.
What's really great about this type of lawn edging is that it won't rust, and you can pretty much forget about it once you've fitted it. It's also ideal for contemporary backyard ideas and designs.
These can come in a range of shapes and sizes, but if you just want a classic design, the Lovshare Steel Landscaping Edging from Amazon is flexible and can be instantly installed.
12. Use low box hedge as garden edging
Dense, low-growing hedge plants are excellent candidates for natural garden edging. All you need to do is remember to trim them with a hedge trimmer every year.
The traditional box hedge is easily the best shrub for this purpose, as it can be trimmed to the exact height and shape you require, all while maintaining the thickness you need for your lawn edging.
13. Mark out a garden pond with paved edging
If you have a natural water feature like a garden pond in your backyard, it will look even prettier if you frame it with paved lawn edging.
We advise using stone paving slabs, as these look more natural than brick and look lovely alongside raw lawn edging.
14. Use woven edging to define beds
For a rustic, relaxed look, woven or pleated garden edging is a beautiful choice that looks even more characterful than stone.
Here, a kitchen garden has been separated from the rest of the backyard with woven hazel branches.
This is a great DIY option that can be made for free if you can source fallen branches from a woodland.
The lawn edging material you use depends on the space you're working with, as well as your backyard's style and your budget.
Many of these will also complement backyard privacy ideas, enhancing the look of both privacy screens and plants.
