Month: August 2017

Granite Cobblestones for Garden Edging

/ Oreo

If you prefer garden edging that are eco-friendly, one of your choices might be granite cobblestones. Granite cobblestones are rectangular-shaped blocks made from granite, a type of ingenuous rock and often used in paving for its rustic charm. However, because granite when installed on trench creates durable edging and adds beauty to gardens, granite cobblestones became a popular choice for garden edging. They are available at home improvement shops and garden stores. Granite cobblestones come in different colors like pink, white, black, orange, and gray.

Granite cobblestones just like other garden edging materials will help keep grass and your perennials from interacting. However, this type of edging material is quite expensive especially if you have a large garden.

There are many other materials that you can use as garden edging like metals, aluminum, and steel but none of them can give the rustic and eco-friendly effect granite cobblestones can only give. Granite cobblestones usually last a long time as garden edging. You do not need to replace them like once a year. They are not vulnerable to weathering because of rain and snow. They are good investment to your garden.

If you really want to cut cost but cannot give up the idea of using granite cobblestones in your garden edging, here are some options:

1. Buy recycled or reclaimed granite cobblestones – Recycled or reclaimed granite cobblestones usually come from the streets of some historic cities like Chicago and Philadelphia with colors like gray, deep purple, brown, and red.

2. Install new granite cobblestones few at a time – If you do not want reclaimed granite cobblestones, you may buy new ones but few at a time as you can afford them. You can temporarily use natural stones on spots that hadn’t been edged yet with cobblestones and replace them with the same color and size of granite cobblestones when you already have the budget. Just remember to inform the home improvement store that you will be keeping their number for future purchase.

3. Watch out for discounts – Some home improvement shops hold annual sale on granite cobblestones. You may plan ahead the purchase and make the sale when the discount scheme arrives.

3. Do the installation yourself – Installing granite cobblestones is easy. First, you need to make an outline of your desired course of edging with stakes, strings or a garden hose. Then, make two parallel lines along that outline. Measure the thickness of your cobblestones and space the parallel lines equal to the thickness of the cobblestones.

Using a garden trowel, dig a trench between the lines. Dig a trench to a depth equal to the width if the cobblestones. Using a spade, smooth out the bed of the trench and tamp it with a 2 X 4 to compact the soil.

Add at least a one inch layer of crushed rocks to the bed of the trench. Fill the gaps of the crushed rocks with sand. Then, gently insert the granite cobblestones one by one into the trench until you edged the whole area of the plant or flower bed. Using a rubber mallet, carefully tap the top edges of the cobblestones to settle the pieces into the gravel bed.

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Considerations When Edging Your Garden

/ Oreo

Garden edging provides a protective space for your garden beds, keeping away pets, annoying grass, and other elements that may destroy your plants. If you are installing your edging for the first time, you may be overwhelmed by the wealth of garden edging ideas that you may pick from websites and garden magazines. To help you choose the right edging for your garden, here are some factors you need to consider:

1. Garden Design – Your material for edging should fit your garden design. For example, if your garden is English style garden, you should use English styled materials for your edging like natural blocks of gray stone, wrought iron, and natural wood. You can also use natural willow branches and dwarf garden flowers for a country and formal English garden feel.

If your garden design is formal, your flower beds will have straight edges. You will need standard materials for this type of design. Wrought iron edging is one of the popular edging for formal garden design. They are not only long lasting but also very durable and stand with any type of climate.

If your garden is informal, your flower beds will have curves. You will need edging that is easy to install and flexible. Plastic and steel are just some of the cheaper materials for informal type of garden design.

2. Cost – Cutting cost doesn’t mean you will sacrifice the quality of edging for your garden. There are actually plenty of budget-friendly materials you can use for edging if you just look around. For example, you can visit junkyards for materials that you can recycle and use as edging. You can also use low-growing plants like forget-me-not, baby’s breath, and lilac as garden edging.

3. Functional Requirements – Edging’s main function is to protect your garden bed from lawn grass, annoying pets, rabid lawnmowers and playful kids. It should also keep the mulch from washing away because mulch serves as protection to your flower or plant to grow healthy.

There are edging that are not appropriate to use when you have kids in the house like steel edging. And there are also edging that cannot stand cold winter season like low quality of wood edging. To fully utilize your edging, choose a material that is appropriate to the climate you have in your area.

4. Ease of Installation – There are edging materials that require professional help in installing like wrought iron edging. And there are also edging materials that are easy to install like plastic, steel, wood, and natural stones. If you want to make the installation yourself, make sure that the edging that you buy is easy to install and not hazardous if you do the work all by yourself.

5. Decorative Requirements – Decorative products like fencing, benches, and walk paths should be considered when choosing material for edging. You should maintain your garden’s theme by buying the right material that accentuates your furniture and other decorations in the garden.

6. Garden Path Design – Garden edging should also accentuate your landscape path. Your choice of color, texture and material should match the walk path to create a gorgeous combination.

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