While some choose elegant brick or miniature wooden fencing to edge their flower gardens, landscape rocks are another attractive choice. While these rocks come in a variety of colors, styles, and sizes to match any outdoor decor, there are a few methods for arranging them as an attractive garden border. The methods depend on several factors. Obviously, personal choice plays a large role in how you will edge your flower gardens. The most important other factor is the type of rocks you choose for the role.
Large Landscape Rocks - The Wall Border
Choosing landscape rocks that are just a little smaller than one foot at the widest dimension dictates the style of flower garden edge you plan to make. Essentially, you will be building a wall with the landscape rocks, fitting the edges of the rocks together to make a nearly seamless border. Begin by digging a trench along the edge of the flower garden. Set the landscape rocks into this trench and then backfill the hole to support the stones.
This type of flower garden edging is ideal for larger plants and bushes only. Small plants or ground covers will be overwhelmed with large landscape rocks as a border.
Flat Landscape Rocks - The Easy Mow Edge
If your goal for a flower garden border is to create an easy to mow edge that keeps flowers in and grass and weeds out, flat landscape rocks are a good choice. Begin by clearing a flat area along the edge of the garden that is as wide as your widest rock. Then, lay the rocks end to end along the edge in a pleasing pattern. This works well with regular shaped rocks. If there are spaces between the rocks, you might like to fill them with smaller rock fragments or gravel.
Small Landscape Rocks - Fluid Garden Border
Whether you choose shards of slate or tumbled river rock pebbles for your landscape rocks, you can create a fluid garden border with these stones. Begin by clearing a three to four inch wide path along the edge of your flower garden, and then simply lay or pour the small landscape rocks along the edge. Tamp them down or let the rain and time do the work for you.
This method may result in weeds or grass growing up between the small landscape rocks. Over time, the rocks will sink into the earth and disappear. To counteract both these things, consider pouring down a strip of concrete and putting the small rocks on to of it. The concrete can be completely covered, but will still do the job of keeping the edge of your flower garden neat.