Lawn plants like to grow over the edge of the lawn. This not only looks unsightly, but also makes it more difficult to maintain beds or garden paths. By delimiting the lawn with lawn edging stones, you prevent the grass from spreading uncontrollably in the garden.
How do you use lawn edging stones correctly?
To place lawn edging stones, dig a small trench along the planned edge and fill it with gravel or sand. Insert the stones, hammer them firmly and fill the soil back up. If necessary, the edge can be reinforced with concrete.
The large selection of lawn edging stones
Lawn stones are available in a wide variety of designs. The following materials can be considered:
- Paving stones
- Granite stones
- Metal profiles
- Aluminum profiles
- Plastic lawn edging
- Wooden palisades
Advantages and disadvantages of materials for lawn edging stonesEvery material has its advantages and disadvantages. Stones are very durable and are extremely decorative as they are available in many different colors and shapes. However, paving is time-consuming and stones are not necessarily cheap either. If you put paving stones instead of granite stones it will be a little cheaper.
Profiles made of metal or aluminum are also weather-resistant. However, they do not suit every garden style. However, they are quite easy to lay. Aluminum profiles are cheaper than metal profiles, but they don't last as long.
Plastic lawn stones are cheap to buy but are not always frost-resistant. They tend to tear. Wooden palisades are very decorative in natural gardens. The wood must be pressure treated otherwise it will rot. Wood quickly becomes unsightly if it is not cared for.
Get advice
If you are not sure whether you should use simple paving stones or whether it would be better to use high-quality granite stone, please seek advice.
In local garden shops and on the Internet you will find many sample examples that can serve as inspiration for edging your own lawn.
Planning and preparing the lawn edge
If you want to pave a lawn edge, you should first draw a plan of how the edge should run later. You can make them dead straight or add playful waves and curves.
Mark the course of the planned lawn edge. If you want to create a straight edge, work with a string. For curves, cut a template out of cardboard so that they are nice and even.
Then measure how many meters long the lawn edge will be. Calculate how many paving stones or other lawn edging stones you need.
Set lawn edge stones in sand or concrete
If you want to use granite or paving stones as a lawn edge, you have two options. Either provide a foundation made of gravel and sand or a base made of concrete. Only on very dense soils can a special subsurface be dispensed with.
For flat lawns that abut beds or sidewalks, a base of sand or gravel is sufficient. If you want to use the lawn edge to separate the lawn from the garage entrance or the lawn is on a sloping area, it is better to set the paving stones or granite chunks in concrete. The lawn edge then serves as a fastener and protects the area from slipping.
Instructions on how to set the lawn edge correctly
If you want to make the lawn edge yourself, dig a small trench along the desired edge. It should be deep enough that you can lay a foundation and the paving stones or granite stones still protrude two to three centimeters above the ground.
Fill the subsoil with a layer of gravel or sand and tamp the foundation firmly. The stones are then inserted and hammered in with a rubber mallet (€8.00 on Amazon) or a special paving hammer.
Then fill the soil back on both sides of the stones and tamp them down well. If the lawn edges are horizontal, use a spirit level to check whether the edge is precisely aligned. Then do the wiggle test. If the lawn edge is stuck, you've done everything right.
Have lawn edge stones set in concrete
Having lawn edge stones paved in concrete is a complex job that requires a lot of know-how. If you are not familiar with this, you should not do this work yourself but have it done by a garden specialist.
This will save you a lot of trouble later because the lawn edge will then sit correctly and you won't have to constantly touch up because the stones slip or sink into the ground.
Lawn edges made of metal, aluminum, plastic or wood
You can easily set lawn edges yourself from these materials. All you have to do is dig slots or small trenches along the lawn and insert the profiles or wooden palisades into the ground.
The lawn edges can be placed at ground level or raised two to three centimeters into the ground as desired. Laying it at ground level makes it easier to mow the lawn edge later.
If the edges are higher, you must trim the lawn edges with a grass trimmer or secateurs.
Tips & Tricks
When laying lawn edging stones, you should create at least two rows in which the stones, profiles or wooden palisades are staggered. This will prevent the grass roots from slipping through the gaps in the lawn edge.
