We have brick edges to some of our lawns, and they're great. They look good and it's easy to mow over them. I've seen pavers used in the same way.

We had the same problem with the grass growing into the borders so my husband put in a two brick wide edging (they were actually left-over block paving bricks off the front drive). He dug out a trench the same depth of the brick, put sharp sand in the bottom (to stop the bricks sinking) then stamped on them to level and settle them. As they're level with the lawn, the mower just goes straight over them. They do get bits of grass growing between the bricks but these are easily pulled out. Also, instead of laying them in a straight line, we put them in a sort of scallop shape - it looks quite good!

I'm not in favour of lawn edging, unless you have really light, sandy soil - I am very much in favour of a long handled, sideways on pair of edging shears being used at least fortnightly, and preferably weekly. That's more important than cutting the lawn itself, to stop problems with grass invading everywhere. I just find lawn edgings create problems long term - I've concluded people who use them think it means they don't have to trim the edges, so the grass goes over the top and into the border anyway. In theory, even with a brick edge to a lawn, a quarter to half an inch of soil should be removed where lawn meets brick, just big enough to get the edging shears into, and the lawn clipped regularly to stop it growing into/over the brick edging, and giving a neat edge to the lawn where it meets the brick. But people don't do that, they just let it grow over. I expect you can tell from this little rant that this is one of my pet hates - nearly every garden I've taken on has a problem with grass growing in the borders, edging or no edging, and the edging makes it more difficult to sort it out properly, once neglected, invading grass has taken hold.

Not in my garden it doesn't, Bamboo! Neglect? What's that? lol.

Seriously, yes, I do have a narrow gap and I do use edging shears along the edges of the lawns, brick edges and all. I do the edges every time OH cuts the grass - the 'look' is important to me.

Ah well, there you are then, I wouldn't have expected anything else from you, Spritz, but for most people, they just think it'll stop the grass spreading. I know because that's what I thought when I was 26 and first getting into gardening...

When you apply to get into the NGS, you get a list that 'they' look for from Carol Klein herself...one of the items is to have good lawn edges. I totally agree with her! Just cutting the grass and edging makes the world of difference out there.

yes I agree, tidied edges make all the difference. [mum told me plump cushions swept hearth spray of furniture polish = tided room: emergencies only though] similar idea.

I always told my customers that not clipping the edges of the lawn regularly was like doing the housework and not vacuuming...

..... and don't i hate doing it all ;-)
Spritz will tell you how i loathe edging !
:-((((((

I'd rather edge the lawn than hoover any day, Louise - but recently I discovered that edging shears vary in the length of handle, so my most recent pair has longer handles, so much easier on the old back. Oh for the days when I'd squat and do it with the hand shears with no trouble at all...

I have some of those adjustable length ones and they're really useful .... if i have the energy i'll do the squatting bit .... would rather delegate the entire job though ;-)

Tsk, tsk, Louise! What would Carol say? LOL.

I do squat sometimes, as my plants decide to 'flop' and so the hand shears have to be used.