Don't Forget This Important Step When Reshaping Garden Beds

Are you planning a stunning backyard makeover to inspire you to get outside more? Perhaps you're looking for new flower bed ideas that will bring your outdoor space to life? In-ground flower beds are a key element of many gardens. Practically, they keep your plants separate from the lawn. They also offer limitless garden design opportunities. However, shaping or reshaping garden beds takes time. It's something you need to do properly if you want sharp, well-defined borders.

There's one particular step you shouldn't skip before committing to a new flower bed shape. You need to make sure you can successfully maneuvre your lawn mower along whatever border you create. The last thing you want is to reshape your flower bed and then be left with an unmowable edge. The grass will eventually grow long, leaving the border looking messy and unfinished. To remedy this, you need something to sketch out your new border on the lawn before you start digging a formal edge.

Have you already got a vision for the shape of your new flower bed? Before getting out the spade to start digging your new bed, remember to practice mowing your temporary edge first. This will ensure you can match the angles of the border with your mower and avoid leaving patches of uncut grass. There are a few ways to mark out a mowable edge. Whether your garden beds are straight and formal or wildly curved, a length of old garden hose, a long piece of string, pieces of scrap wood, or a pile of medium-sized river rocks will do the job nicely.

@everydaygardeningtips

The number #1 question I get asked when I share my garden is "how do you keep the grass from growing into the rocks?". It's taken me a while to figure this out and I've DEFINITELY learned the hard way. But truly, the easiest way to maintain your garden edges are to make sure they're easy to mow. The easier they are to mow, the more likely you are to maintain them throughout the season. ... although I'm probably not burning as many calories these days when I mow because I'm not lifting the mower as much to pivot it around my edges 🤔 Hope this helps! #gardentips #gardening #landscapedesign #landscapetips #southerngarden #atlanta #georgiagardener #zone8a

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Run your lawnmower along the makeshift border. If you notice there are bits of grass that you can't quite reach with the blades, alter the shape of bed by repeating the process. When planning the new shape of your beds, try to avoid creating small angular patches of lawn. It's a simple rule that makes mowing your lawn easier. Similarly, narrow patches of grass between beds can be a pain to maintain. It's wise to shape your beds to meet the edges of existing boundaries, for example paved patios, concrete driveways, or other hardscaping. Once you're satisfied with your design, simply sprinkle some flour or sand along your temporary garden border. Remove the hose, rocks, string, or wood and you'll be left with an outline that you can see easily yet won't damage with a spade.