Create A Low Maintenance Garden Border

Posted on 8th November 2022

When it comes to your garden, ideally you want to spend more time enjoying it than maintaining it. Weeding is a laborious task that we all want to avoid, so that’s why creating a low maintenance garden border is the solution to the problem.

Stone edging helps prevent weed growth and adds a beautiful finish to patios, pathways, water features, flower beds and walls. At Stone & Surfaces Direct we have all the high quality products you need to create a stylish framework for creating a stone garden border.

Browse our range of decorative chippings, gravel, pebbles, and paddlestones; each with their own unique colour, size and texture to improve your garden design and create structure.

You don’t have to be a gardening expert to create a garden border because all you need are some basic tools and the perfect sont products to compliment your garden aesthetic.

Here is our step-by-step guide to creating a low maintenance garden border.

What are the benefits of a stone border?

One of the many advantages of a stone garden border is that it is a low maintenance garden solution and therefore does not require trimming or weeding. Decorative aggregates are also porous and provide natural drainage to ensure plants and flowers receive sufficient hydration.

Stone borders are simple and easy to install and do not require a professional garden landscaper, only some digging and shovelling. They are also attractive and our wide range of choice on aggregates means that they can match any garden style.

How much stone is needed?

At Stone & Surfaces Direct we’ve made it easy for you. To calculate how much stone you require simply enter the length, width and depth of your garden border edging on our helpful calculator and you have the answer.

Choosing the right aggregates

Before you make a start on your garden border project, you will need to decide the decorative stone you are going to feature. All of our chippings, pebbles, and gravel are ideal for creating beautiful borders. Browse our range here.

Gravel

An extremely popular option for garden edging, gravel couldn’t be easier to lay and provides any practical benefits that help reduce maintenance. These benefits include good drainage and a hard wearing finish that is rarely affected by adverse weather conditions.

Slate chippings

Attractive and versatile, slate chippings are perfect for creating stylish borders for any style or size of garden. We have many colours and sizes of slate chippings available, from green and blue to plum and grey; plus the colour looks even more vivid and stunning when wet.

Decorative slate chippings help prevent weed growth and are more eco-friendly than other garden stones.

Pebbles

To ensure your garden stone border is easy to maintain, we recommend pebbles to help prevent weeds growing because the small size makes it harder for them to protrude.

Check out our options for pebbles here.

What you will need to create a stone border

• Your decorative aggregates of choice
• Wheelbarrow for moving stone, debris and dirt
• Square edged garden spade for excavating
• Weed prevention membrane to prevent weed growth
• Garden rake to spread the stone evenly

How to create a stone border in four simple steps

Let’s get started!

1. Mark out the area for your stone garden border with string or marker spray. Decorative aggregates are versatile and can be used to create curves, so remember that your border doesn’t need to be square or rectangular.
2. Use your spade to dig out a trench along the marked area and clear any loose debris of weed growth.

If you are using slate chippings or gravel to design your garden, we recommend digging to a depth of 4-5cm. For larger pebbles we suggest digging to around 10cm.

1. Cut your weed prevention membrane to fit the excavated area and lay it to cover the border area.
2. Place the border stones into your trench and distribute them evenly with a rake.

With over 25 years of experience distributing natural stone paving, porcelain paving, aggregates, rockeries and interior solutions worldwide; Stone & Surfaces Direct are the people to help you achieve the perfect patio, garden, or home interior.

Talk to one of our experienced stone professionals about your specific needs today.