Feature plant of this month

Lavandula angustifolia
True Lavender, English Lavender

Lavander is a small evergreen shrub. Short spikes of deep purple-blue flowers cover the compact, shrubby mound of aromatic silvery foliage and attract butterflies. Used in perfumes, sachets, oils and for medicinal purposes. May also be used as a deterrent against insects. Lavander is a small evergreen shrub.

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..... palace gardens .....

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..... designing your entrance .....

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..... shade garden ......

Edging Beds

Planning a garden can be a complicated affair of selecting materials to achieve a specific appearance. The role of edging is to tie everything together and make maintenance of the garden more manageable. Sensitively combining aesthetics with functionality brings the best results. The wide selection of edging materials we can choose from could be overwhelming, I would like to talk about a few.

Easiest to work with when installing is probably wood. Simple edging can be built out of 2x6 or 2x8 treated wood or cedar simply sunk into the ground a couple of inches and built into a frame for support. Or you can experiment with using logs in horizontal or vertical positions. Treated landscape ties or cedar beams will do the trick, with one or two ties stacked on top of each other and nailed together with 8” galvanized nails.

Natural rock is suitable for rustic and woodland gardens. When installing rock keep in mind that weeds and especially grasses have deep roots and it is necessary to sink rocks into the ground in order to prevent the roots from infiltrating. Using the appropriate size can improve the appearance and functionality of the edging dramatically.

A clean and urban look can be achieved by using bricks, pavers or prefabricated blocks. They are easy to use and proper installation can make them last for a long time. The base should be on a hard surface topped with sand. By placing one row of bricks upright and another flat down you will create edging that will allow you to run the wheel of your lawnmower on the flat brick and will save you needing to use a trimmer to cut the grass along the edge.

A trench is the least expensive way to edge and surprisingly low on maintenance if up kept regularly. If you let the grass and weeds grow into the trench, it could be time-consuming maintenance job. The benefit of this style is the soft and natural look.

Whatever material you choose to use, keep in mind that edging can disappear in the weeds over one growing season and it could be a back-breaking job to clean up. Avoid skimping on materials and labour for the appropriate edging. Doing the job right, at the beginning, will save you time & money in the long run. After all, gardening should be fun and not back-breaking labour.

Viktorie Hladik
Horticulturist
Landscape Designer