The gardener’s guide to avoid garden edging mistakes

A well-designed garden isn’t just about the plants you choose; it’s the finishing touches that make all the difference. Garden edging frames your beds, pathways, and lawns, creating a clean, structured look while keeping soil, mulch, and grass exactly where they should be. But despite its time-saving capabilities, small mistakes during planning or installation can leave you with an untidy or high-maintenance garden – exactly what you didn’t sign up for.

As a supplier of the best high-quality steel landscape edging products in New Zealand, EverEdge has heard it all – from shallow installs that allow grass to creep back in, to cracked or warped materials that ruin a carefully designed border. To help you get it right the first time, here are the top three garden edging mistakes and how you can avoid them.

1. Choosing the wrong edging material

One of the most common mistakes is selecting edging that doesn’t stand the test of time. Plastic and timber edging might look appealing initially, but they deteriorate quickly over time, accelerated by harsh weather. Plastic warps under the sun, while timber is prone to rotting and shifting. Both often require replacement within just a few seasons. Even if you opt for the more expensive concrete garden edging it is vulnerable to ground movement and freeze-thaw cycles.

By contrast, metal landscape edging, particularly steel garden edging, offers durability, flexibility, and a clean aesthetic. It can be shaped into sweeping curves or sharp angles without cracking, and it resists corrosion for decades. EverEdge products are designed for professional results and are trusted by landscapers across New Zealand for everything from garden bed edging and metal tree ring edging to driveway edging. Choosing a long-lasting material from the outset saves you time, money, and endless frustration down the line.

2. Installing at the wrong depth

Even the best edging material won’t perform if it’s not installed correctly. A frequent error is laying edging too shallow. This allows mulch and soil to spill over and gives grass and weeds the perfect opportunity to creep back into your beds. Too deep, on the other hand, and the edging becomes buried, disappearing from sight and failing to give that crisp separation between lawn and border.

EverEdge garden edging is available in three depths: 75mm, 100mm, and 125mm (excluding the spikes, which are 95mm or 100mm). The ideal installation depth depends on where you are installing the steel edging. We recommend burying the edging to the top of the spike (15mm into the visible edge face). If the edge depth doesn’t match the sizes, drive the 75mm edging deeper into the ground until it fits perfectly. Getting the depth right ensures your edging does exactly what it’s designed to do: keep your garden sharp, tidy, and low-maintenance. If you have any concerns about which depth to buy, contact us directly – we’re more than happy to advise!

3. Overlooking curves and corners

A common oversight in garden design is failing to plan for the natural flow of curves and corners. Straight lines can feel too rigid in a garden, while awkwardly forced bends can break the visual rhythm of a landscape. Laying out your intended shape with a rope or garden hose first is a simple trick to help you visualise how the edging will look before installation.

This is where EverEdge flexible Corten steel edging and the Classic garden edging products NZ shine. Unlike concrete or timber, our steel can be bent smoothly to create elegant arcs or precise right angles. The result is edging that not only performs but enhances the overall design of your garden – without compromising.

EverEdge steel garden edging: the unassuming hero of garden design

Steel garden edging is a visually powerful addition to any garden design – when done correctly. It transforms a space from ordinary to immaculate. Avoiding these three mistakes ensures your edging delivers both beauty and practicality for years to come. If you’re looking to upgrade your garden, explore EverEdge’s full range of steel landscape edging solutions, available across New Zealand.

If you have any questions about how to use EverEdge steel edging, please contact us today on 021 925 389 or email simon@everedgenz.co.nz .