DIY Lawn Borders: Creative Ways to Frame Your Green Space

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By Harley Grandone

Creating well-defined and beautiful lawn borders is a great DIY project. There are many creative ways to frame your green space, such as using various edging styles, employing stones to accentuate pathways and key features, and incorporating plants to utilize natural elements. Here are some creative ways to frame your green space.

Edging

Edging is one of the easiest ways to level up your property with curb appeal and define your green space (lawn areas) from garden beds. Installing edging can be an excellent DIY project for beginners, allowing you to enjoy the satisfaction of hands-on work in your garden.

Edging materials include cobblestones, pavers, brick, and flexible landscape edging. The material you choose will depend upon the look you’d like to achieve. Do you prefer a chunkier garden edge with cobblestones that reflect tradition or a more minimalistic approach with metal edging?

Edging establishes clear boundaries for mulch, garden beds, plants, and shrubs. It can transform your yard into a beautiful oasis. Here are some of the benefits:

• Boost curb appeal with a simple and cost-effective upgrade.
• Prevent grass from encroaching into garden areas.
• Define a clear path for your lawn mower.
• Create a raised layer for mulch, rocks, or soil.
• Stop lawn weeds from reaching your flower beds.

Cobblestone Edging

Cobblestones have been used for centuries on roads, walls, and buildings. They can still be found on some streets in Philly, where I live. As a landscape designer, I often used them to outline driveways, make rumble strips, and separate garden beds from the lawn. They also add a nice formal touch to any garden.

Cobblestones are a great way to give your garden beds a clean edge. They help keep mulch in place and add a touch of elegance to your garden. You can lay them horizontally or vertically, and you can choose a straight line or get creative with curves to match the shape of your landscape. It all depends on the look you’re going for.

If you don’t want the traditional cobblestone (which can be heavy) for edging, manufacturers have developed a lighter recycled rubber version with the same shape, appearance, and eco-friendly qualities. This version supports sustainable gardening practices while offering durability.

Paver Edging

Pavers offer a versatile edging solution. While they are commonly used for patios, walkways, pool decks, and driveways, they also make an excellent alternative for edging garden beds. Typically, they are made of clay, stone, brick, or concrete.

With a vast array of shapes, colors, and sizes, pavers can seamlessly integrate into any landscape and make it look good. They can be set flush (horizontal) against a grass edge in a double soldier course or positioned vertically, end-to-end, to create a more defined separation between your garden beds and lawn.

Pavers used as edging for garden beds will be softened by the plants you install. For example, if your garden bed is in the shade, a line of hostas adjacent to the pavers will soften and complement it.

Brick Edging

For a long time, brick has been a popular option for constructing homes, patios, walkways, and driveways. It’s also effective for creating garden borders and distinguishing the boundary between your lawn and garden. Texas follows suit, as it is home to the largest independent brick manufacturer located in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex.

So, why not take advantage of its natural look and use it to frame your green space? Bricks offer great design versatility, allowing for various patterns that create unique aesthetics. They can be laid end-to-end horizontally in a single course or installed vertically for a more definitive edge. Multiple courses can be installed in herringbone, running bond, or basketweave patterns.

As a landscape designer, I particularly enjoyed using bricks to complement concrete walkways adjacent to garden beds by the house’s foundation. However, it’s essential to consider that when installing bricks to enhance your walkways, the colors may clash if your home is also made of brick, especially if there’s a mix of old-style and newer bricks.

Flexible Landscape Edging

If you’re a homeowner looking to spruce up your yard, flexible landscape edging is an awesome DIY project. It’s super adaptable, easy to install, and offers tons of options. Unlike stone or pavers, which can require a lot of prep work, flexible edging makes things a lot simpler. You can find it in all sorts of materials, such as plastic, metal (aluminum or steel), and even composite wood.

Plastic Edging

Plastic edging is lightweight, easy to install, and affordable. It can be used in straight and curvilinear designs and in various colors and styles. Additionally, flexible plastic landscape edging can withstand the elements, making it a durable choice as a lawn border. Its adaptability allows for creative design solutions, helping to define spaces while keeping mulch and soil contained.

Metal Edging

Looking to give your minimalist outdoor area a fresh, modern vibe? Try using metal edging with a matte black or stainless steel finish. It’s perfect for creating those clean lines and a sleek look. You can find it in aluminum or steel; both are rust-resistant. This kind of edging compliments the design intent of a contemporary garden, like a zen garden with small stones.

Composite Wood Edging

If you’re aiming for a charming country cottage garden aesthetic with a quaint fence, wood edging is the way to go. Also known as bender board, this flexible material resembles natural timber but offers resistance to moisture and rot, unlike real wood. It’s ideal for cottage-style gardens, raised flower beds, and more organic-looking landscapes featuring winding pea gravel paths.

Stone

Pea Gravel, Red Tipple, and River Stone

Pea gravel, red tipple, and river stone are awesome low-maintenance options to add texture and visual appeal to your outdoor space. Not only do they look great, but they’re also eco-friendly and help keep weeds in check. They are also an option for areas where grass or plants have a tough time growing and for drought-resistant gardens.

They come in a range of sizes, and you can use them for various applications in your yard. For best results, be sure to use a weed barrier landscape fabric underneath to keep everything looking neat and tidy.

Pea Gravel

Pea gravel is a popular option for lawn borders. It features small, smooth, rounded stones in a mix of colors, such as grey, brown, white, and tan, that offer a natural and tidy look. Pea gravel works well for creating winding garden pathways, accenting garden beds, or serving as a base for potted plants and water features.

With its excellent drainage properties, pea gravel should be installed over landscape fabric to prevent weed growth. It can be easily raked to maintain a smooth surface. However, it’s not ideal for sloped areas, as heavy rain or snow can cause it to shift, making it best suited for flat surfaces.

Red Tipple

This crushed, clay-colored stone is a perfect way to add a vibrant touch to your outdoor space, creating a striking contrast against lush green grass. Ideal for achieving a modern or desert-inspired aesthetic, these stones pair beautifully with drought-tolerant landscapes featuring succulents and ornamental grasses. To ensure optimal placement, it’s recommended to lay landscape fabric underneath before spreading. While similar to pea gravel, its rougher, more angular texture helps it stay in place better, though containing it can prevent it from encroaching into grassy areas.

Note: Red tipple stone tends to creep into grass areas, be picked up by the lawn mower, and be pelted around as a projectile. So, if there is a red tipple nearby, wear safety glasses and long pants when mowing your lawn.

Riverstone

Riverstone, also known as river rock, consists of larger stones than pea gravel and red tipple, offering a smooth, rounded, and natural appearance. Available in sizes ranging from 1-3 inches to 6-12 inches, river stones are ideal for creating borders around flower beds or lining walkways.

Their neutral hues complement any landscape, and when wet, their colors become richer and more vibrant, enhancing their polished look. In one of my designs, I used the larger river stones as an edge to contain the smaller river stones within a rock garden.

For best results, install weed barrier landscape fabric underneath. Since river stones are too large for comfortable walking, consider using pea gravel or red tipple for pathways.

Note: For a pea gravel or red tipple walkway, it’s recommended to use one of the thinner metal landscape edging options mentioned earlier to help contain the material as effectively as possible. To help keep the gravel in place, you can apply a product known as mulch glue or gravel binder.

Be aware that smaller stones like pea gravel and red tipple are more prone to shifting—especially on slopes—than larger stones, particularly during heavy rain or snow.

Garden Bed Stone Walls

Dry Stacked Stone Garden Walls

Garden bed walls built with dry-stacked stone serve as retaining walls that are more visually appealing, lower in height, and offer a more natural, intimate feel compared to the industrial appearance of concrete block retaining walls.

These walls can be used to create raised garden beds, define garden spaces, enhance drainage, and serve as eye-catching focal points. Flat stones, such as slate, are typically used for dry-stacked walls, while rounded stones are generally avoided for this construction style.

Rounded Stone Garden Walls

Rounded stone garden walls are also popular and give a natural, organic look that blends easily with your landscape. You’d see the concrete in between the round stones whereas with the dry stacked garden wall, the concrete is on the backside of the wall. This design has more of a traditional feel and is a great companion in your yard as a lawn border, creating intimacy within your garden and framing your green space.

Walkways

Walkways aren’t just for getting from one place to another. They also offer a fantastic design opportunity that defines a lawn border, frames your green space, and enhances both movement and aesthetics. Walkways are commonly crafted from materials such as flagstone, pavers, brick, or slate, each offering unique visual appeal and durability.

These materials can be used to create a wide range of styles, from rustic and traditional to sleek and contemporary. Whether you prefer the warm, earthy tones of flagstone or the clean, geometric lines of pavers, your choice of materials can greatly influence the overall look and feel of your outdoor space.

Stepping-Stone Walkways with Irregular Stones

A great DIY option for lawn borders is using stepping-stone walkways. They bring a charming, rustic vibe to your yard while letting grass or moss grow between the stones for a lush, natural look. Stepping stones blend effortlessly in your grass, making them perfect for balancing hardscape and landscape.

Not only do they look beautiful, but they’re also a practical way to create smooth, natural transitions throughout your outdoor space. When you install them, they must be placed upon a smooth gravel base to make them level with the ground. They should be flush with the grass.

Bluestone Walkways

When strategically placed, walkways create a visual guide that naturally leads the eye through your outdoor space, contributing to a more cohesive and inviting atmosphere. Bluestone natural walkways are an excellent choice for those seeking a timeless and elegant option. Bluestone is renowned for its durability, rich color variations, and ability to complement various landscape designs.

Granite or Limestone Walkways

Granite or limestone walkways provide a striking and sophisticated border to your lawn, offering long-lasting beauty and functionality. Whether you opt for a structured, uniform design or a more freeform, meandering path, incorporating stone walkways into your lawn border design is a creative and effective way to frame your green space.

Rubber Paver Walkways

Rubber pavers are a great option if you’re looking for a walkway that’s easy on the feet and won’t slip. While they might not have the classic look of stone, they have some solid advantages: they won’t crack, require very little upkeep, and help reduce noise. So, if that sounds appealing, give rubber pavers a thought for your next project!

Organic Lawn Borders

For a natural, more eco-friendly option, you can design and frame your green space with organic materials like mulch/wood chips, groundcover, edible plants, evergreen buffers (living walls), and hedges.

Mulch

One of the easiest ways to create a natural edge is by using mulch. It’s also wonderful for the plants in your garden beds as it retains moisture, helps suppress weeds, and defines your beds. It’s also a beautiful way to frame your green space with the contrast between your green grass and the dark color of the mulch.

Groundcover Plants

Groundcover plants like English ivy, pachysandra, and vinca (periwinkle) are perfect for those tricky spots, especially under Norway maples that can block the sunlight. They not only add some life to your yard during the winter months, but they’re also low-maintenance and bring a classic vibe to your garden. These three stay green even in harsh northern winters with freezing temps and snow. They’ll team up fast to create a thick, lush blanket of foliage that really brightens up the area.

Edible Plants

Incorporating edible plants like herbs in your garden beds as lawn borders is a popular way to bring pollinators and also utilize the herbs for culinary delights. They add both beauty and functionality. Imagine a gorgeous border of lavender or kale. Lavender can be used in many recipes and added to teas and honey, while kale can be added to protein drinks, salads, and savory dishes.

Pollinators will love you for having these plants in your garden and will visit you often.

Living Walls

Evergreen trees such as arborvitae, spruce, and pine trees can be used as buffer planting, while privet and boxwoods can be installed as hedges to frame your green space, providing year-round privacy and a lush backdrop. These living walls not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of your yard but also serve as effective noise barriers, creating a serene outdoor environment. Additionally, incorporating a variety of plants can add texture and visual interest, making your lawn border a vibrant and inviting feature.

Garden Beds/Flower Beds

Garden beds filled with colorful shrubs, perennials, and flowers can bring a pop of color and structure to your landscape. They delineate your lawn and create visual interest. You can fill them with colorful shrubs, perennials, and flowers that bloom throughout the year for seasonal interest.

Varying or tiering the heights of your plants, taller shrubs to the rear, perennials in the middle, and flowers in the forefront can transform any yard into a charming setting. When installing them, make sure to research their mature size and space them based on that information.

The garden bed might have big spaces between plants in the beginning, but give it time, and within 2-3 years, your plants will grow and spread. They’ll thank you for considering their growth requirements. Use mulch as a top dressing to help retain moisture and prevent weeds from growing.

Note: If you have pets, be sure to avoid any plants, flowers, or mulches that could be poisonous to animals.

Conclusion

DIY lawn borders are a creative way to frame your green space while providing beauty and function. Using materials such as edging, stone, and garden bed walls, you can clearly define different areas within your garden and create a structured yet inviting environment.

Walkways guide you through your green space, making it feel more cohesive. Adding organic elements like mulch and living walls fosters a natural look that integrates beautifully with the landscape.

Ultimately, it comes down to personal taste, design style, and the look you are trying to achieve, as your yard is your own personal oasis. With the creative methods I’ve outlined above, you now have some choices to consider for your DIY lawn borders.

Harley Grandone is a writer and landscape designer with 20+ years of experience. In her free time, she enjoys spending time on her sailboat, completing DIY home projects, and having fun with her family in the Philadelphia suburbs.