How to Get a Seamless Finish Where Your Lawn Meets a Patio or Path
A new lawn or patio can completely transform the appearance of a garden. However, one of the details that’s often overlooked is the final finish in the point where the two meet.
It may sound like a relatively insignificant point, but in reality, how you design the transition between your lawn and hard landscaping can have a dramatic impact on the final overall aesthetic.
Not only does a well-defined edge create a cleaner, more professional finish, but it also makes ongoing maintenance easier, helps prevent grass from spreading onto your paving and reduces the amount of soil that gets washed onto paths and patios during wet weather.
In this article, we’ll go through some of the most effective ways to create a neat, crisp and long-lasting edge between your lawn and hard landscaping.
Why does the lawn edge matter?
The main benefits of achieving a clearly defined edge include:
- Reducing the risk of grass spreading over the surrounding paving when it grows
- Following periods of heavy rain, reducing the risk of soil spilling onto patios and pathways
- Keeping your garden looking neat and tidy, even after bad weather spells
- Making mowing faster (with a ‘mowing strip’, this allows the mower blade to pass straight over the area, without the need for further strimming)
- Making routine maintenance much easier (e.g. by reducing the amount of trimming that’s needed after mowing)
- Visually separating different areas of the garden
- Creating clean lines between lawns, patios, paths and planting beds
- Achieving a neat, professional finish
- Visually tying the whole garden together
The most popular options for lawn and hard landscaping edging
Flush-laid setts or brick mowing strips
This involves installing a row of setts, bricks or paving blocks flush with the surface of the grass.
This creates a smooth, uninterrupted finish, while also providing a solid edge for the mower to follow.
It is a great durable, low-maintenance option, with a style that is compatible with both traditional and contemporary gardens.
Metal or timber edging
For those that want to lean towards a more modern effect, metal edging can create a sleek and contemporary design feature.
It achieves a simple, well-defined border between the lawn and the landscaping.
In particular, steel and aluminium edging are popular in modern landscaping, thanks to their clean, crisp lines (while still being relatively discreet).
Alternatively, timber edging can be used to create a softer, more natural appearance. This is commonly used around planting beds or in more traditional properties, for example.
However, it’s important to note that timber requires much more regular maintenance, and will have a shorter predicted lifespan.
Raised borders or gravel edges
For garden designs where the lawn and patio sit at different levels, a raised edge is a practical and stylish solution.
Raised borders help to retain soil and create defined planting areas, while achieving clear separation between different parts of your garden.
Or, gravel-contained borders can be used to create a natural yet clear transition between grass and paving, while also helping to improve drainage.
Creating a finished garden
The most successful garden designs are usually those where the turf, patio or path have all been planned and installed together at once (rather than being added during two separate jobs, completed at different times).
When these features are installed separately, it can be more difficult to achieve a seamless finish where they meet. After all, consistent levels and a properly prepared edge are dependent on both elements being carefully coordinated.
At Buckley Turf, we provide complete landscaping services, including the supply and installation of patios and slabbing, plus the supply and laying of premium quality turf.
Whatever you require, our skilled team of specialists can cover all elements of your garden redesign, in one dependable, comprehensive service. That way, you can be sure to achieve a flawless finish and crisp professional-looking edging.
If you’d like to find out more, or receive a quote for your garden, our team are on hand to help.
