How to install rock garden border

Before prepping the space, be sure to measure how far your materials can stretch and how much space you need to install your DIY landscape edging. Or mark your border and then build forms to pour the entire length of concrete edging , curves and all.

This avoids miscalculations and accidentally infringing on a garden bed or path because 3 inches of edging material now sits on the wrong side of the mark! The best way to install landscape edging varies based on the material, use, and location in the landscape. For example, if you use edging to form a path, think about how high the edging should be to hold your path filler such as gravel or pavers without creating a tripping hazard.

For most edging materials, dig a trench about 4 to 6 inches wide and 3 to 4 inches deep along your spray-painted line, or a few inches deeper and wider than your material. It is important to dig down enough for the bottom of the edging to sit slightly below the ground for a more natural look and a solid set. For edging to stop grass from spreading into beds, dig your trench to just below the grass root line.

When using pavers, bricks, and similar materials, fill the bottom of the trench with a 1-inch bed of sand, and pack it smooth and level. Remove as much gravel or other debris as possible to help keep a level edge and save time during install. Place your edgers snugly next to one another in the trench.

Make sure you start at the most visible end or corner of the space, so that if a final edger piece needs to be cut to fit, it will sit in the least noticeable area of your yard.

Most pavers and bricks can be separated into smaller chunks with a small chisel. Tap the edgers evenly into place carefully with a hammer or rubber mallet. It helps to pull out a small level and check each section of edging as you go. Gently push some sand or soil from the trench scrape it with a hand trowel and use the handle side to push dirt against or under the edging to raise the low edge. Or hammer a high spot down. Keeping the edging fairly level as you go can help avoid a reinstallation.

Some edging material might need sand or other light dirt to fill the cracks between pieces. Gently brush the sand into the cracks with an old paintbrush or soft hand broom. Fill the empty spaces in the trench with soil or some other stabilizing material like mulch or gravel. Now stand back and admire your work! This little bit of sweat equity rewards you with instant curb appeal. Installing landscape edging is an easy DIY project that can add plenty of appeal and order to a landscape.

Still have questions? See below for more information. The best way to install landscape edging bricks , blocks, and pavers is to follow the steps above. Some pavers have a longer front and shorter back. This might require turning every other block over to match the side edges, so be sure to get two-sided pavers that are the same on the top and bottom.

Interlocking pavers have a lip on the bottom to help hold stacked pieces in place; unless you plan to make an edge of more than one row, avoid interlocking blocks. River rock lends a water theme and blends well with a variety of themes, such as coastal, mountain or tropical. The variety of river rock sizes commonly available will provide you with multiple options for your landscape.

Determine the area along which river rock will be used as an edging. Use a length of garden hose to create the desired shape. Transfer the shape along the garden edge with turf-marking paint. Remove the hose at this point. Measure the length of the area marked along the garden edge. If it is a curved shaped, you can straighten out the length of garden hose you used in the previous step and measure that.

Decide on the width of the edging at this point also. Consider the size of the river rock you want to use, such as smaller pebbles that are 2 to 4 inches; cobbles, which are about 6 inches long; or larger river rock up to 10 inches or more.

Dig a shallow trench in which the river rock will sit. Follow the paint outline along the garden edge and remove 2 to 3 inches of soil to create the trench.

Slope the trench by digging first on one side at an inward degree angle and then on the opposite side at an inward degree angle. The trench is primarily to hold the rock in place. The depth can be varied based on personal preference, the amount of rock used and the size of the rock. For example, if the rock is 10 inches in diameter, a 3-inch-deep trench is preferable to stabilize the rock and keep it from shifting.