If you want to have a perfect manicured and crisp edging lawn then choosing the English style lawn edging is the perfect choice for your place. The style lawn edging forms part of the 17th century wealthy English landowners techniques and then perfected by landscape designers in England and the U.S in the 19th century. It has been developed to maintain a perfectly edged and this type of lawn is still being used in today’s time. Although there are many other ways, the English methods are perfect for smaller yard and ornamental gardens that are closest to a house. You can opt for modern power tools, which is more appropriate for larger lawn. There are many methods, but here are the easiest steps on how to do the English Spade method, also known as the English style lawn edging.
You will need:
- Plastic Tub With Nylon Rope Handle
- Flexible Garden Hose
- Square End Shove With Sharp Edge
- Round Bottom Straight Edger Tool
- Retractable Metal Measuring Tape
- Large Steel File For Sharpening
- Garden Gloves
Lawn Edging
Steps:
- First, use a garden hose to lay out bed lines. Curve or circle the hose around tree specimens, shrub plantings and flowers.
- Do not lay out any sharp curves and angles; keep the lines sweeping and broad. Measure the width and the length of the areas, which need to be symmetrical or mirror edges of each other, using a retractable metal tape.
- To maintain and manage less work, use wider curves as they are easier. Make sure that your lawnmower can handle the turns easily as the mowing process will get close to the curves of the beds.
- Then, use the steel file to sharpen the edge of the square end spade or shovel. The shovel’s blade must be very sharp to edge the lawn properly. Follow the outline that you have made previously with the hose.
- Cut a deep trench by digging down 4 to 6 inches deep, but only as wide if needed to remove a thin strip of glass from the trench.
- With each shovel width stroke, make clean cuts while cutting through the grass roots. Keep cutting the trench around the bed along the hose line until it is finished.
- Next, remove any excess of dirt and grass from the length of the trench. Remove any roots, lawn debris and rocks. When performing this task, it is better to wear gloves for protection.
- Repair the worn spots in the lawn using grass plugs in good shape. Renew the mulch for the entire bed that you have edged in the spring season. Cover with fresh mulch around the lip of the trench to give a better definition at other times.
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Additional Reading:
Picture Perfect: Mowing Techniques for Lawns, Landscapes, and Sports
