Edging Stones

Summary:  Edging stones can provide a professional streamlined look to your garden. Edging stones can also help to preserve the appearance of your landscaping and protect against damage from weather and walking traffic.

Edging stones can provide the finishing touch for your landscaping project, whether you are trimming a flower bed, driveway, or other area. Edging stones will help preserve your project by keeping your pavers from moving, as well as providing a clean and decorative edge to your landscaping. They will help preserve the appearance of your landscaping and protect against damage from weather and walking traffic.

Before you get started with your landscape edging project, you'll need to make several decisions, such as size, color and pattern, material, and edging method. For materials, there are three main materials used for edging stones: stone, brick, and concrete. Stones can be used to create many decorative looks, and can be purchased in different colors, sizes, and shapes. Bricks are also available in a wide variety of colors, and you can choose from new or recycled bricks. Just made sure that you select a brick that can withstand weathering. Pre-cast concrete edging stones are easy to work with, as they are designed specifically for this purpose, and they are built to withstand the elements.

These materials are all widely available at home improvement or landscaping supply stores, and they are available in multiple colors; you'll want to shop in-person to see the colors, comparing them to any mulch or other landscaping materials, as well as nearby paint colors. This will also be your opportunity to compare prices, as each material will vary depending on size, exact material, and manufacturer.

Installing Your Edging Stones

Now that you've selected your material and color, it's time to decide how you want to install your edging stones. Typically, you can use either a vertical or a horizontal pattern. With horizontal placement, your edging stones will be flush with the ground, which will make it easier to mow or edge around the area. For vertical placement, you will dig a trench to hold your edging stones, so that you will only see the edges of the material.

With either placement style, you'll want to dig out enough dirt to allow placement of the edging stones, although the vertical style will, of course, require a deeper dig. Once you have dug out the area, put down a layer of sand. This will help the edging stones sit securely and reduce future movement. When you are placing your edging stones, you can make a slight curve design by fanning out the edging stones somewhat. If you want sharper curves, however, you will need to buy special wedge-shaped stones designed for this purpose. After you have placed your stones, tamp down the stones to make sure they are seated securely, then sweep any excess sand between the edging stones.