When landscaping with flowers, flower bed edging is one of the most important factors in achieving beautiful flower landscape. Flower bed edging creates a defined border, limiting the amount of vineyard grapes, shrubs and trees that can grow on the bed. The design of the edging may be varied, but plants must be confined to a specific area, which should include planting height, as well as the type of flower that will grow best.
Flower Bed Edge Cost. The cost to plant a flower bed typically ranges from several hundred to several thousand, with the most expensive homeowner spending up to $3,000 on a complete flower bed edging, with soil, tilling and mulch removed, and the most common plants planted. More affordable flower bed edging is possible, without removing the entire flower bed, and includes the planting of borders, mulches, and landscape fabric. However, flower bed edging does require more time and effort than traditional landscaping with flowers.
Flower Bed Edge Designs. Edging a flower bed, allows you to keep things uniform and consistent, so that the same-sized plants will grow equally well, regardless of where they are planted. You can create your own unique flower bed edging designs, by adding plants of varying heights, or using borders and mulches to keep things interesting. Keep in mind that the edging will not only limit how much you can grow, but it will also limit the color and texture of the flowers. For instance, tall growing grasses will completely shield the lower foliage of blooming perennials, whereas colorful flowers will break the pattern and spread further along the edges.
When creating a flower bed edging, the first thing to consider is how your landscape will appear with the edging in place. Will the edging slow the growth of taller plants or will it provide a frame for smaller plants? Many landscapers choose to make their landscape consistent by planting everything in an even height, and then dividing the garden into separate flower beds, one for annuals and one for perennials.
There are many different types of flower bed borders available, but brick borders, plastic edging, and wood edging are among the most popular. Brick borders are fairly straightforward to install, and allow for the most creativity when choosing borders. Plastic edging is inexpensive and easy to install, and adds a touch of naturalism to flower beds. Wood edging is available in a variety of types, including ornate, classic, rustic, and decorative. Decorative types may be painted or left natural. Keep in mind that flower beds will need extra foot traffic for successful gardening, so consider this when deciding on which edging type is right for your garden.
Some landscaping professionals like to use a raised bed edging to give an instant border. In raised beds, the plants are planted at the base of the garden and then topped up by vertical flower beds. Raised bed edging allows you to plant things higher up, and still have a well defined border. This type of border is great if you are planning to use many different types of flowers or plants.
Edging your flower beds gives you the opportunity to plant more varieties of the same species. You can also have more flower beds planted at one time. This will allow you to fill your garden with more textures and colors. Another benefit of using raised edging is the visual effect. Plants that border a flower bed will seem to wrap around the edges, creating a natural look. This natural look can be achieved with different textures and allows you to create a one-of-a-kind look in your flower bed garden.
One popular natural look that can be achieved with mulching flower bed edging is a stone wall flower border. You will want to make sure that your flower beds do not have any rocks or other objects that could damage your edging. Some landscaping companies may sell pre-made stone flower wall borders, or you can create your own. With stones, you can let them sit on top of the soil while you mulch them up. This will add a unique look to your landscaping project.