Garden borders: 12 suggestions for all tastes and needs

by Cinzia Borgia

June 27, 2023

Garden borders: 12 suggestions for all tastes and needs
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We pay attention to this all the time, at home and around town: marking out spaces helps keep order and often improves the appearance of rooms as well as a street or park. Here then, when you want to animate your garden by creating flower beds, paved areas, driveways and the like, it is good to outline each space well, taking advantage of dividing elements that mark their respective boundaries. That is, borders.

There are a thousand different types of them depending on the function they are to serve, whether they therefore divide two flat areas or must also contain the ground; they also differ enormously depending on the material, from solutions born precisely for this purpose to (even broken) creatively recycled objects. There really is something for everyone.

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For a sleek, modern design, borders can be used flush with the ground or slightly higher, with stone slabs laid flat to mark the perimeter.

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Even if you prefer to use bricks or stone slabs vertically, which are excellent for containing soil that would perhaps slide out, it is also always convenient to add a flat border on the outer side, especially if this is bordering the lawn. This way, you can mow the grass with the mower right up to the edges, without having to use a brush cutter as well.

The flat edge, then, could be an opportunity for more artistic decorative ideas!

The traditional edging with natural stones also never fails to fascinate. There are many different types, sizes, and colors to suit every setting.

Another timeless classic are wooden borders, sometimes even made like small fences. They are still very beautiful, but require more maintenance.

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More modern and contemporary designs feature borders often with bold geometric lines, with a strip of pebbles of various colors between each area of the garden.

And they are solutions that also match taller edges right next to the flower bed, if desired.

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For those who prefer artistic and whimsical solutions, there are many creative recycling ideas to take advantage of, such as glass bottles, especially if they are colored.

And even these fit flat borders flush with the ground.

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You didn't know what to do with broken plates from some service? If you use them as a border, no one will care that they had cracks and fissures!

A high border can also be made with many metal pipes, perhaps copper, placed side by side.

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Finally, a lovely rustic idea: a row of terracotta pots. When we decant bought plants, in fact, the ones that are too small sometimes go unused (unless we like to take cuttings), and then it would be nice to make use of them this way. Great idea for the somewhat broken ones, too!

Which proposal do you like best?

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