Not Brick, Not Pavers: The Driveway Edging Alternative To Light Up Your Front Yard

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Driveway edging is a good way to make your front yard a little more appealing; it also can help ensure that the limits of your pavement are respected when parking cars at night. Rather than expensive bricks or pavers, which can be fairly time-consuming and exhausting to install, however, there's an edging alternative — rope lighting — that can beautifully edge your driveway, boosting curb appeal and lighting up your front yard.

Wrapped in a durable but flexible plastic casing, rope lighting provides easy installation surrounding your driveway without the same back-breaking effort that bricks or pavers require. Thanks to the super-bendy nature of the rope, it's also perfect for hugging the contours of the driveway, making its integration pretty seamless. Rope lighting is available in many sizes — both in diameter and length; so make sure to measure the space you hope to cover first to prevent running out of length too quickly. You'll also want to optimize your search for rope lighting that has an outdoor wet rating, which will keep it operating well over time.

Since rope lighting is electrical and will need access to an outlet, choosing linkable strands like this best-seller from EcoSmart ($19.98) helps illuminate outdoor spaces without the hassle of hardwiring lights (it's remote-controllable after installation, too). To keep the rope lighting in place, you'll also need some U-shaped fixing nails or double-pronged fasteners to press or hammer into the ground every six inches of lighting or so.

For everyday use, white rope lighting is a great option, keeping things bright while looking classy and versatile; for festive times of the year, however, you can branch out and try colored lighting like these Govee Outdoor Neon Rope Lights ($199). These colorful lights are ideal for Easter, 4th of July, and birthdays (or really any day on which you want a burst of color surrounding your driveway). These permanent lights really last for years with 8 hours per day of usage, making them a smart investment.

If you already have a driveway edging solution that works for you, the rope lighting concept could still easily be put to use elsewhere on your property. For starters, you can line the front walkway with rope lighting for a bright entry to your porch or home, which can be especially helpful as the days become shorter. Install them around your back patio, as well, to brighten up the outer limits of this exterior living space.

While it's common to use small accent lights in garden beds, consider installing some rope lighting around the perimeter of your gardens instead, which will create a fantastical and magical visual year-round. For walkways in your backyard, installing rope lighting on either side adds to this charming appeal and can protect your lawn from too much foot traffic.