How to fit lawn edging

Video by Garden Ninja. This walk-through is based on the video "How to fit lawn edging: metal and plastic edging guide" by Lee Burkhill, the Garden Ninja. He runs through both metal and plastic edging options and covers the installation from start to finish. The tips on getting curves to sit smoothly are particularly useful if your beds are anything other than dead straight.

1. Choose the right type of edging for your garden

The two most popular options in UK garden centres right now are flexible steel edging and plastic edging strips. Steel is more durable, holds a sharper visual line, and suits both formal and cottage-style gardens. It does cost more, but it should last a decade or more. Plastic is cheaper and easier to cut, though it can become brittle in cold winters over time.

For East Kent gardens, where a lot of front gardens are small and formal, steel edging tends to look the part. In larger back gardens with sweeping borders, flexible plastic can follow tighter curves more easily. It depends on the look you are after and how long you want it to last.

2. Mark out your edge line clearly before you dig

For straight edges, run a taut string line between two pegs. For curved edges, lay a garden hose on the ground and adjust it until the line looks right when you stand back — then use a cane or sand to mark the position before you move it. Do not try to mark the curve freehand; it will wander.

Take your time at this stage. A slight kink in the line will bug you every time you look at the garden. It is far easier to adjust the string or hose now than to realise after an hour of digging that one section drifts to the left.

3. Dig the trench to the correct depth

Use a half-moon edging tool or a spade to cut a clean vertical trench along your marked line. The depth needs to match the height of your edging strip, so that the top of the edging sits flush with or fractionally above the level of the lawn. Most standard edging strips are between 75 mm and 150 mm tall — check before you start digging.

Flush-to-ground edging lets the mower wheel run over the top, which eliminates the need for hand-trimming alongside. That alone is worth getting the depth right. If the edging sits too high, you catch it with the mower; too low and grass creeps over the top within a season.

4. Lay the edging strip into the trench

Start at one end and work along the trench, pressing the edging strip firmly into the base. Keep checking that the top is level as you go — use a straight-edged piece of timber or a long spirit level for straight runs. On curved sections, flex the edging gradually. Steel will hold a gentle curve well; for tighter bends you may need to make relief cuts or use a connecting peg.

Most edging systems come with anchor stakes that push through holes in the strip and into the ground to hold it in position. Hammer these in every 600 mm or so. On harder ground you might need to pre-make a pilot hole with a screwdriver or steel spike. Do not skip the stakes — without them the edging will eventually push up or twist outward.

5. Backfill and firm the edging in place

Once the edging is staked along its full length, backfill the trench on both sides with the soil you removed. Firm it down with your foot or a tamper. On the lawn side, press the soil tight against the edging so there is no gap for grass stolons to sneak under.

On the bed side, you can top up with compost or topsoil to bring the level up to just below the top of the edging. This gives you a neat planting bed with a clear, defined boundary. Check the level one last time once everything is firmed in — it is much easier to lift and re-bed a section now than after the soil has compacted down over a few weeks.

6. Tidy up the lawn edge and bed for a finished look

Run a half-moon edger or long-handled shears along the lawn side of the edging to remove any overhanging turf. Rake the bed side smooth and remove any stones or root sections the digging turned up. A light water after installation helps the soil settle around the stakes.

To be fair, the job looks a bit rough immediately after installation — the disturbed soil and cut turf takes a few days to green up and settle. Resist the urge to over-neaten things while it is fresh. Give it a week, mow normally, and the edging will look exactly as it should.

When to call a handyman

Call Richard if the garden has a lot of ground to cover and you want it done in a day, if the existing edges are very overgrown and need significant re-cutting before the edging goes in, or if you want the edging installed as part of a wider garden tidy-up. It is a reasonable afternoon job for one person on a small garden, but on a large plot it quickly becomes a two-day task. Get in touch to discuss what is involved.