“The definition of an outdoor living space is an area that extends your home lifestyle outdoors.” – John from Kelly Masonry
Do you have a patio that is in need of a little TLC?
Perhaps you just moved into a new house and the backyard patio leaves much to be desired. Or, you may be wishing to build a brand new patio on your residential or commercial property.
Wherever you are on your journey to the perfect patio, there is one very important thing to consider: patio edging.
When edging a patio, the goal is to create a perfectly defined outdoor space that serves a purpose and feels like an extension of your home. When you add edging to your patio, it will complete the look and make you feel so proud to invite your guests over for gatherings.
There are a million ways to define a space, but in order to achieve the aesthetic patio of your dreams, you should consider a few things:
- the logistics of your outdoor space
- the materials you use throughout your patio and whether they complement your aesthetic
- and what unique features will help to make it feel like an extension of your lifestyle
And keep reading to learn our tips and tricks for saving time and money on edging your patio.
Step 1: Evaluate your space carefully
Whether you’re creating a new patio from scratch or updating an existing space, you should give some thought to the time, effort, and money that you’re willing to invest in materials and furniture to achieve the perfect aesthetic backyard patio.
Speaking of patio furniture, if you want to make the most out of your space, you should consider the priorities for your patio. Is it a space for hosting friends or family? Do you need a space for the dog to run, or the children to play? Considering these questions is important to get closer to thoughtfully choosing furniture, accessories, and garden features that not only complement your design scheme but also create a welcoming and functional space you feel proud to share with others.
Thinking of adding a raised patio? Check out these tips below.
Garden edging ideas for a raised patio
If you already completed a raised patio project, or if you just moved into a home with a raised patio and you are looking for edging ideas to decorate your space, there are plenty of suggestions to bring it to life with beautiful landscape edging.
Although you could just plant grass, it can be difficult to mow alongside raised patios, especially if they are rounded in shape. Not to mention, grass can be a pretty boring option and there are lots of other ways to edge your raised patio to add more color and life to your space.
Related article: No Grass Alternatives for your Backyard
If you’re looking for a lower-maintenance option, rock garden edging is very trendy and a great way to edge a raised patio. Whether you choose small pea gravel or large slabs of natural stone, there are so many ways to use rocks in your landscape edging.
One of our favorite edging ideas is to plant shrubs or trees alongside your raised patio. You can plant them directly in the ground, although the downside is that this leaves your plants more susceptible to damage from pests and inclement weather. Plus a large patio needs a lot of time and effort to dig around for your new plants.
You may want to add plants to your raised patio in areas where there is no soil, like on the actual patio for example. Potted plants and planters allow you to do this. Arrange plants anywhere you like and instantly complete your desired look!
Our #1 Top Patio Edging Tip: Fiberglass planters
Here at Planters Etcetera, we believe that one of the keys to creating the perfect space is to define it in a way that is functional and adds value.
Fiberglass planter dividers are our preferred way to edge an outdoor patio. You can decorate with plenty of different plants, flowers, and ornamental grasses to add a lovely splash of greenery to your space. Our fiberglass planters are made from a durable composite blend that will last for years and with minimal care.
Our planter collection is great for indoor use, and luckily our patented fiberglass is UV resistant and, unlike competitor planter materials like ceramic and terra cotta, which are much less likely to crack, fissure, and break over the course of many years, especially when left outdoors in the changing weather.
Learn more about the benefits of fiberglass planters and make sure you supply the planters that your customers need!
Native plants are a great addition when planted in fiberglass planters. It is durable enough to protect the plants from pests, disease, and other conditions that they’d be more susceptible to when planted in the ground. Frosty winters, little access to sunlight, and increasingly common storms that precede floods or strong winds are other life-threatening events for a plant, so planning the location of your garden and the type of plants that will do there is also an important factor to consider.
Learn the best native plants for the pacific northwest!
Investing in fiberglass plant pots is the right choice for many gardeners and landscape developers, and it might be right for you, too! We’ve got tons of styles and colors available that are sure to bring your patio to life, but before you begin decorating your patio edges with planter beds, consider how you might use other edging materials to create a more dynamic space.
Step 2: Choose Garden Edging Materials To Complement Your Style
After you’ve considered the general logistics of the space, it’s time to delve into the nitty-gritty details of how to achieve the patio space of your dreams!
To create the perfect aesthetic, you need to choose what kind of materials complement your lifestyle and find a way to implement them in your backyard.
Here are a few patio edging ideas for using a wide range of materials to create beautiful borders that are the envy of all the neighbors.
For a rustic look
The first material to create that cozy rustic feel is wood. A wooden patio edging uses varying heights of wooden cedar planks to create more curb appeal for the patio edge, while also functioning as a divider for the grassy area and the water feature.
This particular design layers mulch and plants between the lawn and the pond to create an eye-catching border that defines the space while also providing layers of texture that create the perfect rustic look.
If wooden landscaping edging is already present in your yard, you can stain the wooden garden edge you have with a deeper, richer brown color to give it that more rustic feel. Be careful when doing this around flower beds though, as the stain may be harmful to your plants.
This outdoor patio uses concrete slabs to create the walkway area into a rustic fire pit. Pavers of many different shapes and sizes surround the firepit to add texture to the overall environment. Stone slabs are used to create the seating area and contain the raised beds of small shrubs behind it. This looks like the perfect place to roast marshmallows on a cool autumn evening!
For a contemporary look
Stone is a great material for creating a more contemporary ‘secret garden’ feel. This garden uses a natural stone for a multi-layered retaining wall. The flower beds add a pop of color to the gray stone edging, and when paired with a water feature, this patio has a unique vibe that would make just sitting outside a favorite activity.
Brick edging adds a more modern rustic feel, and the raised beds of dark soil offer contrasting color to the green grass, leaving your garden borders looking clean and satisfying.
For an industrial modern look
Colorful accents are an interesting way to add a personal feel to your patio space. Use furniture, flowers, or planters to add a splash of vibrant colors to your patio.
Colors are also perfect for creating focal points that draw people to the area in your garden where you want them to gather. This particular design uses a colorful focal point with different shades of red that make people feel welcome on your patio.
Looking for planter advice for your business? Try these commercial landscape designs!
Combined with the small smooth rocks garden and the rusted appearance of the metal edging, this patio edging for raised beds of succulents creates a unique industrial look that makes this garden edging feel so cool.
Step 3: Accessorize To Make It Your Own Garden
Whatever your style, there are an infinite number of different garden accessories out there to make your patio come to life, such as:
- Patio Furniture
- Potted plants
- Ladders and trellises for vertical garden edging
- Wind chimes
- Trailing plants and vines
- …and more!
No matter what your personal style is, our high-quality fiberglass planters will make wonderful accessories on any patio. With 20 different colors and many different shapes and sizes, you’re sure to find one that matches your aesthetic.
Try these front porch planter ideas to add value to your front lawnscape.
FAQ: Patio Edging Ideas For Saving Time & Money
Should I edge my patio?
Here at Planters Etcetera, we believe in creating an outdoor space that is functional and an extension of your home that mirrors your personal taste and style.
Edging your patio is no doubt the best way to create a cohesive outdoor space. No matter how much time or resources you have, you can create beautiful borders within those constraints.
One of the most inexpensive edging materials is pea gravel. When combined with a short barrier made from brick or even plastic, you can define separate areas of your patios, such as walkways and garden edging, without breaking the bank.
DIY is the best way to save money overall, but there’s no doubt that it is a time-consuming process. Especially if you have a larger space, you could break even once you factor in the time and energy it takes to plan, design, and execute your patio edging ideas.
If you have the time for a DIY project or the money to hire a professional landscaper, go for it! But if you’re like most people, you’ll need to find more practical, functional ways to define your patio edges that are easy enough to remove if you ever sell your home, but long-lasting enough to remain on your patio for years to come.
To complete your aesthetic, try these ideas to add texture with plants!
What is the easiest edging to install?
Potted plants and planters are likely one of the best options for saving time and money on your landscape edging project.
They require minimal set-up, and no digging is required! Once your planter beds are placed on your patio, all they need is the correct water and sunlight conditions to thrive.
Potted plants are great ideas for raised patios because you can create alternating heights with your planters. It also helps to use planters of different shapes and sizes. For decoration on the ground level of your patio, use taller planters.
Round planters look great on the upper level of your raised patio, adding curb appeal to corners.
Long planter beds can be used to create privacy along railings or between separate areas, like the swimming pool and patio.
Want to have a more attractive property? Learn how to improve your fence line!
Design An Exceptional Space With Planters Etcetera
Edging your patio is a must to design an exceptional space for you and your family. There are an infinite number of patio edging ideas that will bring inspiration to you.
We would love to help you create the patio space of your dreams. Our high-quality fiberglass planters, made from a durable composite blend of materials, ensure long-lasting use for years to come. Our planters are available in 20 different colors that will match any of the accessories on your patio, and hundreds of different styles and heights to create the perfect look for your raised patio.
We think you’ll love our planters so much that we guarantee a 3 year warranty as a commitment to the quality and durability of our product.
If you’re ready to transform your patio space into a place where you love hanging out every day, visit our shop to bring the patio of your dreams to life!
