How much landscape edging do I need to buy for my garden?

Garden edging is essential for edging lawns, flower beds, gravel paths and many other surfaces that you have in your garden, to reduce maintenance in keeping defined borders that look perfect all year round, but how do you know how much to buy?  There are different ways of measuring the lengths and a number of questions to consider when selecting which option to choose which we will look into now.

Firstly, measuring the garden borders where you want to install a landscape edging. 

If you are doing straight lines then you can use a tape measure to simply measure out the sides.  A rectangular flower bed can simply be measured on two sides and then multiplied by two.  If the edges are curved then its easiest to use a measuring wheel to simply walk around the desired edge shape, however if you do not have one of these then you can use a piece of string or twine, just make sure you have a nice long length! A garden hosepipe is an excellent way of laying out curves, then measuring the length.  It is usually in the garden anyway and just sits in place on the ground.  If it’s yellow, it’s also a lot more visible, which is great for figuring out the look of the design. Use stakes along the edges to wind the string around as you count around the edges.  Once you have gone around the complete perimeter of the edges then mark the string using tape or simply cut it and then measure the length using a tape measure.  It is best practice typically to allow an extra 10% on the quantity you measure to cover for any slight variations.  

What lengths does garden edging come in? 

Would shorter or longer landscape edging lengths work better for your garden borders? If you have a small area that you want to edge, then smaller lengths can often work better because it makes it easier to handle them and fit into tight spaces.  Longer lengths work well for larger areas and long paths as it makes it easier to keep to a straight line. You also need to make sure the edging you purchase is really as long as it says – there is often an overlap at the joins that needs to be taken into account. Basically, the fewer joins you have the better because these are the areas that can look unsightly if the sub-base moves over time causing a gap to appear.

Will there be curves or corners in your garden design? 

Creating curves, circles and other shapes can look fabulous in a garden and really transform a lawn into something of a traditional parterre from Kew Gardens. If you have quite a few corners then do consider having them preformed by the Kinley Team. This is a great option as it makes it faster to install or sometimes you can purchase pre-made corners off the shelf which are also an excellent time saver.  If there are curves, then longer lengths work best because joins in the edging could cause the curve to be faceted, a bit like the edge of an English fifty pence piece!

What landscape edging material are you using?

Steel and aluminium are the main materials used to create a durable, quality edge.  Other materials used are plastic, wood and concrete however these either degrade quickly and can cause the adjacent plants to die off. Steel is going to be a lot more rigid than an aluminium edging so it tends to be a lot thinner.  You can find out more about the benefits and disadvantages of different edging materials in this blog.

Measuring up your garden to decide how much landscape edging to purchase should not be an onerous task, however it does take some thought (and a calculator) to get it right.  You may have an idea of what you want, and we’re certain that when you start installing the edging and seeing the amazing results you’ll be thrilled.  So do make sure you order sufficient quantities to avoid any annoying wait and additional delivery charges for just a few more lengths.
 
We wish you all the best with your quest in taking your garden to the next level!  If you have any questions please do not hesitate to get in touch with our team by phone (01580 830688) or email ([email protected]).   We’d love to see the finished results using our metal edging, so if you have some photos you can share with us or simply tag Kinley into your Instagram post then that’s what gets us excited!! We look forward to working with you transforming your outdoor space.