| You've planted the flowers, put in the shrubs and | | | | You can always create a living edging by using a |
| even added a bird bath and a few garden | | | | border plant. Some great border plants includealpine |
| decorations, but what's missing? Could it be the | | | | phlox which is suitable for most climates and can be |
| edging? | | | | divided and planted again and again, gazanias, pansies, |
| Almost as important as the flowers, the edging is like | | | | petunias and violas. |
| the frame to your garden. The picture can be | | | | If you pick perennial plants, like the alpine phlox or |
| interesting and beautiful, but it needs a frame to | | | | gazania, then you can divide them and propagate |
| really enhance its appearance. Just like a picture, your | | | | them throughout the border. This will help reduce |
| garden needs it's frame to really bring out the beauty | | | | costs as you won't have to keep buying new plants, |
| of your living "work of art". | | | | but will take longer to establish a full border. |
| There are many different types of edgings and you | | | | For large gardens, comfrey can make a good border. |
| must plan which one will look best in your garden. | | | | It has thick growth and will prevent grasses from |
| One popular type of edging is to use a low brick or | | | | encroaching on the garden. Also, you can use the |
| rock wall, cemented together with mortar. This will | | | | leaves for mulch around y our other plants. When |
| create a beautiful and permanent edge to your | | | | blooming, the tiny flowers will add interest to your |
| garden. Of course, not everyone has the means, | | | | border. Keep in mind, however, that comfrey is not |
| money or desire to do this. | | | | suitable for small gardens as it can easily overwhelm |
| Another lovely way of edging is to simply place | | | | the other plants. |
| bricks around the borders of your garden. You can | | | | One of my favourite ways to edge a garden is to |
| put them in a line, stacked in a double row, set on | | | | use an herb border. Even strawberries can be used |
| their edges or tip them diagonally and lean them | | | | as a border and their bright flowers and lush fruits will |
| against each other. | | | | add quite a bit of interest to any garden. When |
| In a similar fashion, you can use large rocks to edge | | | | preparing meals, simply step out in to the garden and |
| your garden. Use rocks that are big enough to make | | | | cut some fresh herbs each evening! |
| an impact, but ones that you can easily carry and | | | | Perhaps the simplest form of edging is to take a |
| move yourself. You can gather the rocks from fields, | | | | shovel and bevel and edge all around the garden. The |
| the woods or friends yards for free! | | | | can be a nice subtle way to break up the line |
| In your garden supply store, you will find many | | | | between garden and grass. You can rent a gas |
| manufactured edgings to suite any style of garden. | | | | powered edging tool if shovelling by hand seems like |
| Miniature fences, fake rocks, plastic, metal - you | | | | too much work. This type of edging will need to be |
| name it, they have it. I prefer a more natural type | | | | redone each year. |
| edging, but if you must buy one of these, choose a | | | | No matter what option you choose, your gardens will |
| good quality product and not something that looks | | | | take on another dimension with it's framed edging. |
| cheap and will only last for 1 season. | | | | |