Some advice on edging stones, please
By Jan65
North East England,
United Kingdom 
I have an idea for how to create some planting areas in my front garden which is, at the moment, a rectangle of pea shingle with a centre circle planted with a shrub and begonias (photo on my profile page). I think I'd like to create triangular beds at each corner of the rectangle. Eventually I'd like to take up the pea shingle completely and replace with some sort of paving, but as funds won't allow this at the moment, I need to use some sort of edging to the new beds to retain the shingle that will be left. I quite like the idea of using old bricks, up-ended, at an angle, but am not sure if they need to be concreted in and would like some advice - or if anyone has any other, (cheap but tasteful!) ideas I'd love to hear them.
19 Jun, 2009
Answers
Thank you for the advice on the bricks, Seaburngirl, much appreciated. I'd never have thought about the lath idea, your friend is v clever!
19 Jun, 2009
as long as the bricks are dug in 1/2 their length/mass they dont need concreting.
a friend bought a lap fence panel and removed the end boards and used the laths. they were flexible enough to be bent around quite tight corners too. she then put a 2" bark mulch down on the path. 5yrs on they are still looking good.
depending on the type of planting i have also used 3-4 " branches as an edging.
19 Jun, 2009