Edging to keep out grass - ????

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Author Message   Oakiris  My Weather Posted on Thursday, May 04, 2006 - 08:57 am:    I love clumping ornamental grasses and add more to my garden every chance I get. But, lawn grass.... I am constantly fighting to pull out this most invasive plant from my flower beds and borders as I have yet to find an easily installable, good-looking and effective edging to keep lawn grass at bay. Pulling out grass is one of my most frustrating and constant gardening tasks and I am sick of it! What do you folks use for edging? Bamboo barrier comes to mind, but I really can't dig 3 foot trenches around all of my beds. (j/k) Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Holly Oakiris - Colorado, Zone "5, USA"   Missgarden  My Garden Posted on Thursday, May 04, 2006 - 12:47 pm:    There are various choices out there. Plastic or metal edging probably about 4" deep so you don't need to dig down very deep. I installed brick edging around some of my borders and will do more of that this year. You could also use small paving stones. Missgarden - Ontario, Zone "5b"   Starzgarden  Posted on Thursday, May 04, 2006 - 08:08 pm:    I also use brick edging around my gardens and found them to be both attractive and effective. By the way Luiza, that is a very pretty shot of your yard. Starzgarden - Michigan, Zone "five"   Missgarden  My Garden Posted on Thursday, May 04, 2006 - 10:23 pm:    Thanks Tammy. I really like the brick edging. It just looks so 'clean' and I don't have to fuss with the grass. Missgarden - Ontario, Zone "5b"   Oakiris  My Weather Posted on Friday, May 05, 2006 - 08:40 am:    I have considered using flagstone pieces for edging as flagstone is a bit less "formal" than brick in my definitely not formal garden, but I am afraid my grass (Kentucky Bluegrass, I think, grows via stolons) would just send shoots under the flagstone and into the beds. Do you not have this problem with the bricks? Or perhaps you have better behaved grass! Your beds do indeed look very nice, Missgarden, and the brick edging is a great match for your brick house. Thank you for the picture. Holly Oakiris - Colorado, Zone "5, USA"   Fenwillow  Posted on Thursday, June 08, 2006 - 01:25 pm:    My garden is quite informal as well, and I've used a lot of brick edging. It keeps most of the grass and buttercups out of the beds and is great for running the lawnmower along... no more blowing mulch all over the place. I highly recommend it. I've attached a photo of my front garden. You can't see the bricks - they're between the flagstone path and the bed close to the house, but you can see that it's very informal. Hope this helps. Fenwillow - British Columbia, Zone "6"   Terryk  My Weather My Garden My Time Posted on Friday, June 09, 2006 - 06:48 am:    Just a bit off topic-Fenwillow your garden is beautiful! Terryk - NY, Zone "6"   Gardenbug  Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 06:06 am:    I would call that 'personal'...and 'HOME'! A very lovely and secluded garden Fenwillow! As to the grass problem, I have it too and try various things, none of which work for me. I am constantly edging and weeding and it is not an easy task! Gardenbug - Ontario, Zone "4/5"   Cooper  My Favorite Photo My Weather My Garden My Time Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 06:42 am:    I found the only solution was continuous concrete edging like this. It doesn't have the cracks like bricks which the grass runners like to go between. I run a line of glyphosate along the edge once a month for a quick kill of the grass and this keeps it neat and no need for using edger. Cooper - NSW, Australia, Zone "Warm Temperate"   Susanq  My Favorite Photo My Garden Journal My Weather My Garden My Time Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 09:11 pm:    I love your 'informal' garden, June! It has such a cozy, cottage feel. Steve, that looks just perfect! SusanQ - Zone 4b-5b Wisconsin   Countrylady  Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 02:13 am:    I also love your informal, cottage-like garden June. It's has a free flowing look about it. I can appreciate an informal looking garden. That's more of my style. Countrylady - Ontario, Zone "zone 5"   Denaw  Posted on Thursday, June 29, 2006 - 10:38 am:    Hi all, I am new here and hope it's OK to jump in. I had tried using the big rocks/stones and found the bermuda grass that I have wiggled it's way right into that bed, and now its a mess...The best thing I have tried and will continue to use is the brick also.. Here is a new bed I created this year using the bricks as the border. I love all the pictures and I love that continuous concrete, is it expensive to do??? A CLOSE UP FROM A SIDE ANGLE: Dena Denaw - Texas, Zone "8"   Missgarden  My Garden Posted on Thursday, June 29, 2006 - 12:11 pm:    I love your border and the brick color of your home. Missgarden - Ontario, Zone "5b"   Denaw  My Garden Posted on Thursday, June 29, 2006 - 12:20 pm:    Thank you very much missgarden I am putting in another one to continue around the garage this year, just gotta find more brick!! Dena Denaw - Texas, Zone "8b"   Starzgarden  Posted on Thursday, June 29, 2006 - 10:41 pm:    Dena, I agree. The lovely brick of your home is a stunning contrast to your beautiful gardens! Starzgarden - Michigan, Zone "five"   Suzyqt1968  My Favorite Photo My Garden Journal My Weather My Garden Posted on Friday, June 30, 2006 - 12:48 am:    Dena your beds are beautiful. Very neat and I love your hot looking colors! Suzyqt1968 - Washington, Zone "7-8"   Denaw  My Garden Posted on Friday, June 30, 2006 - 08:20 am:    I apologize, I will learn everyones real name eventually... Starz (Tammy?) and Suzy..thank you very much..it has a long way to go...I have a tendency to 'over' fill my flowerbeds I love fenwillow's (June?) freedom in her gardens, and missgarden(Luiza?) I have seen all you have done in your gardens and am soo impressed, its beautiful!! Especially your rose pergola..new dawn?...and cooper (Steve?)..I really love the concrete border it is just wonderful!!! Whew...Im sorry if I got someones name wrong...bare with me, Im old and my brain doesn't hold near as much anymore Dena Denaw - Texas, Zone "8b"   Cooper  My Favorite Photo My Weather My Garden My Time Posted on Sunday, July 02, 2006 - 06:35 pm:    Dena Hi and welcome to Gardenbuddies the only problem with the continuous concrete border is the expense down here it costs about US$5 a foot Cooper - NSW, Australia, Zone "Warm Temperate"   Rain1950  Posted on Wednesday, July 05, 2006 - 07:02 pm:    Lawn; what lawn? Green and boring. I destroyed what was left of mine last year; it's going to be all beds. Rain1950 - Washington, Zone "8"   Ladyhawke  Posted on Wednesday, July 05, 2006 - 09:35 pm:    Denaw, I'm new here too and just familiarizing myself with some of the postings and trying toremember some of the faces,names and places. I had to jump in and comment on how much I love your pictures. My gardens look so messy and my colors don't always go together the way I thought that they would. I guess I have more of a cottagey look and will have to post some pictures when i get a moment to figure out how. Anyway, I use brick as an edger myself but have not seen it used the way that you do and I just love it. I don't call your flower beds "packed" they are great, neat and colorful. I also wanted to say how much I liked the continuous concrete edging that Steve (?) used. One can only be inspired by visiting here. Ladyhawke - Ma, Zone "6b"   Cooper  My Favorite Photo My Weather My Garden My Time Posted on Wednesday, July 05, 2006 - 09:41 pm:    Welcome to Gardenbuddies Helene come down to the Social Gallery and introduce yourself Steve Cooper - NSW, Australia, Zone "Warm Temperate"   Denaw  My Garden Posted on Wednesday, July 05, 2006 - 09:47 pm: