Borders

[kpandolfi]

Help! I am in search for border ideas. I live on 2.5 acres with about 50% in mowable yard, 3 children and 2 large dogs. A couple of years ago I put next to my sidewalk salvia and gravel with blocks on the outside. Looked good!!! Until the kids decided it was easier to walk through than around and the dogs... like they know what "walk around" means. Therefore I am constantly picking rocks out of the yard in order to mow. Otherwise I am flinging rocks everywhere. I am going to get rid of the rocks and the brick border that holds the rock from the yard and I am also going to get rid of the large stones that border everything else I have. I am tired of string trimming around everything. I want ideas for a natural boarder. I want to put mulch around the salvia next to the sidewalk but do I have to dig down to keep the mulch from flowing into the yard. I want something I can just mow around with the rider lawnmower. I want to minimize the time I spend string trimming around everything. I also heard not to put black screen under mulch to let it compost. Right?? ANY SUGGESTIONS????????? Any and all would be greatly appreciated.
kp

[Newt]

Hi Kpandolfi,

There are a few ways that you can edge flower beds that will help with the mowing. You could lay pavers or bricks flat on the ground along the edge of the bed that would give your lawnmower wheels something to ride on. They would have to be level with the grass.

Another option would be to make a trench along the beds about 4" deep using a flat shovel. When digging the trench, cut in at an angle where the grass is, so that the inside edge where the grass is looks like this with the grass to the right of the symbol: \

Another option is to use terra cotta roofing tiles or slate drainage tiles to line the trench. This works especially well on an incline as it gives the water a trench to drain off in and doesn't wash away the soil.

As to your question about the "black screen' under the mulch, I think you are talking about some type of landscape fabric. I find that the fabric works best behind a stone or brick wall to keep the soil in place. They are often difficult to dig through for planting and can keep the soil too damp. Weeds will sprout in a 3" layer of mulch, but can be easily pulled out. Cultivate the mulch once a year before adding more so that the mulch and is loosened and not forming a crust. Take a look at this site about landscape fabric.
http://www.doityourself.com/gardenma...apefabrics.htm

You might find this interesting too.
http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/s...720018213.html

Hope this helps,
Newt