From my rock haul the other day I managed to finish edging a couple locations in our yard and get a pretty good start on some others. I love using the rocks for my garden borders. Rocks look natural (because they are), they define the garden beds (because they create an edge), and the weed wacker can be used right up against them to make some very clean edges (because I can!) without risking harming the plants .
One of the first locations I put the rocks in was the front sidewalk garden. That bed was completely without a border before and now has an edge all along the side with the grass.
I replaced a few of the original rocks I used in the front garden with different ones that I think have more character. The one on the left is my favorite. It has a nice round shape that will look very cool once the phlox grows in all around it. The one in the upper right has a round flat top that hangs over the rock next to it and the one in the bottom right I like because of it’s thickness and consistency. It almost looks like a retaining wall block.
The self-seeding garden also got the stone border treatment, at least on the backside where it joins up with the border garden. I really like having rocks that are large enough to sit on spaced every now and then in the border. It adds a convenient seat for anyone walking by who might want to stop and enjoy a particular angle of the garden. It also makes for a great spot to sit and weed the garden.
With these rocks I edged the entire length of the border garden except for about 5-7 feet. I’ll have to go on another rock hunt soon to finish it all up.
I still have a couple other uses for all that rock to show you. Stay tuned for more rock gardening!
Looks good Dave. I like the rocks for edging too. I think it looks much more natural. Plus they don't rot. My landscape timbers are rotting bad. Must do something about that soon.
I love rock borders, and yours is rockalicious Dave! But I have trouble with grass growing over mine. What do you suggest I do?
I love the look of beds edged in rocks, they look great! I just got caught up on your previous two posts, and I love the praying penguin!
Lola,
Even though most of those timbers are treated anything that makes contact with the ground seems to rot eventually. Stone or concrete are good ways to go!
TC,
Thanks TC! On the grass I get out the old weed wacker and get as close as I can to the rocks. Usually anything that is left can be pulled easily. Sometimes I fold over newspaper longways and put underneath the rocks with mulch, that helps some.
Catherine,
I'm glad someone else likes my praying penguin!
Great looking rock borders! I have a few of those that I've done, too. I think it's a wonderful way to make your beds look "finished." You have been working hard, though. Hope you are taking enough sit-down-breaks! 🙂
Your borders look terrific, Dave — that's a lot of rock to move around. 🙂
The rocks really look great! They add something really special to your beds.
Jake
Dear Dave (still can't help myself!) .. I have a love of rocks too .. along with some touches of drift wood. What I really want is a dry river bed so I can find a home for my ceramic fish .. river rocks are so pretty along with the big ones. It all looks wonderful ! You are doing a great job : )
Joy
It looks great Dave! Sure gives it a finished look.
I am so glad you were given all this stone! It's right that your garden have limestone from Tennessee! It looks great. gail