One of the easiest ways to make a powerful impression with your garden is to ensure lawns, borders and pathways are all neatly defined, which calls for the best garden edging material to do the job. In this practical guide, we’ve narrowed down the best wood for garden edging alongside other popular materials to help you decide what your garden needs.
What you should look for in garden edging
When shopping around for garden edging, there are a whole number of considerations you should keep at the forefront of your mind. First, the durability of the material and whether it’s a good investment. Next up, is the environmental cost – after all a healthy garden is a happy garden. And finally, there is the aesthetic appeal of the material.
You will need to ask the following questions: is it strong, cost-effective, sustainable and attractive? Evaluating these properties plus your priorities will help you take a step towards the best garden edging material for you.
The best types of wood for garden edging
Wood garden edging has often been used as a cost-effective solution to brick or paving as it can easily be cut to size. But of its numerous types, which is the best wood for garden edging?
Timber garden edging
The most high quality edging timber is pressure treated so it’s made to last against the elements. Often a classic finishing touch to garden beds and lawns, this type of wood edging can be cut to size with ease, allowing you to plan around your garden without sweating it.
Railway sleeper edging
There’s something unspeakably nostalgic about wooden railway sleepers, so why not add this nostalgic charm to your garden? You can either buy them new or give a reclaimed sleeper a newfound purpose. Ideal for rustic gardens, they’re beautiful but also practical due to their weight and density.
Landscape logs as edging
Landscaping logs are a natural solution to neatening up your garden. Whether it’s some log roll or full-width logs, you can make a beautiful, organic impression to guests and keep your garden in check with a brilliantly durable material.
Woven hurdle edging
Also known as “wattle”, woven hurdle is a material weaved from branches that is used to make fences, walls and other types of borders. A beautiful accompaniment to English or country gardens, it offers a traditional European look that will transport your garden beds to a romantic past. What’s more, it boasts strong eco credentials compared to other materials.
Other garden edging materials
Although wooden garden edging is our recommendation, there are plenty of other garden edging materials available to suit a myriad of tastes and needs.
Galvanised metal edging
Metal edging is an unassuming material with the chameleon ability to lend itself to a variety of landscape styles. Typically forged from steel, iron or aluminium, metal edging has a relatively easy installation and works tirelessly to keep your garden edges neatly in place, unencumbered by weeds.
Painted or galvanised finishes are more enduring, but unfished metal is also an option, the rusted appearance creating a vintage charm. However, this comes with the downside of a shorter lifespan and the potential to cause rust disease.
Paver stones as edging
Paver stone or brick edging is a brilliant choice if creating a line of defence against unwanted plants and weeds is your priority. With stone edging keeping roots in place, garden maintenance is made a breeze and with the additional bonus of beautiful, crisp edges that will draw positive attention.
Natural stone
You can acquire natural stone and rocks in an array of different colours, sizes, textures and shapes, which allows you to be creative with your landscaping design. You can create a stunning visual impact with creeping flowers and plants, cascading over them. If you want to create the cottagecore garden of your dreams, natural stone will make this a reality.
Plastic garden edging
Whilst certainly the cheaper option, we wouldn’t recommend plastic garden edging for a number of reasons. Firstly, it’s one of the weakest garden edging materials, meaning that it requires replacement more frequently and resulting in more plastic waste.
Another reason to avoid the use of plastic for edging, is the microplastics it leaches into the ground. With already a profound release of microplastics into gardens, a conscious landscaper should try to minimise this where possible.
Recycled rubber edging
Recycled rubber edging has a contemporary look unsuited to formal, country gardens, but it does the job well. Commonly manufactured from recycled rubber tires, this is an eco-friendlier choice than single-use plastic edging.
It lasts a lifetime, brilliant for your garden, but not so much for the planet so again we’d suggest considering another edging type before you commit. For instance, natural rubber is also an option.
So, what’s the verdict?
When it comes to garden edging materials, FSC-certified wood is unrivalled. With timber taking the throne as the construction material of the past, present and future, it’s a brilliant sustainable solution that will leave your wallet and Mother Nature happy. Its versatility and unwavering charm make it a timeless choice and one of the best garden edging options on the market.
