With all the moisture we get here in the Orlando area, it doesn’t take much effort to have verdant, abundant landscaping. Of course, with all the rain and wind, erosion is also a common concern — especially as new landscaping is trying to establish roots. Landscape edging not only adds some stellar visual appeal to the space, but it also helps to segment and protect your plants and flowers. Of course, there are an abundance of different options out there, so narrowing down your choices for landscape edging can be overwhelming. Before you decide, it’s important to know your options. Here’s what you need to know about one of the most flexible options: poured concrete border edging.
Poured Concrete Border Edging: Pros and Cons
Concrete Border Edging
In a nutshell, this landscape edging option is pretty straightforward — it’s poured concrete, just like a sidewalk or driveway. The big difference is that concrete border edgings are typically stamped with a decorative pattern, and can also be stained to give it a more vibrant, exciting color. Basically, concrete border edging takes a bit more set-up to get the areas ready to pour, but it can offer a lot more flexibility than other landscape edging options like pavers or flagstone.
Sounds good so far, right? Let’s break down the pros and cons:
Durability
Concrete is an impressively durable material. That’s why we use it for everything from building foundations to sidewalks and driveways. If you’re looking for a long-lasting border edging, concrete is a great option because it’s a material that is made to last for years to come. Concrete is made to weather just about any climate, but it handles well in Florida since we don’t have freezing temperatures that would expand moisture and weaken the structure.
The downside to concrete’s durability is one that you might have guessed: it can crack and split. To combat this, most concrete border edging is poured and either scored or patterned into smaller segments, which helps the rigid material shift a bit more as the ground underneath it shifts.
Design Flexibility
Arguably the biggest benefit that concrete border edging offers over pavers or flagstone is that it offers greater design flexibility. If you need to create a border that fits within a specific and non-uniform space, it can be hard to get pavers or stones that fit the bill and don’t take up too much or too little space. Since concrete starts off as a liquid-like mixture and relies on a customized structure to give it shape, it can be molded into pretty much any design or dimensions. It’s a great way to get a custom fit for your landscaping.
Matching Existing Styles
If your existing landscaping needs a bit of a revamp, not a full overhaul, one of the toughest parts of that project is finding barriers and walkway options that match your existing styles. Since concrete can be stamped and stained, it gives you a huge range of different style options that can be customized to match your home and any existing structures in your yard that don’t need to be replaced. Even if you’re starting from scratch, concrete border edging is a great way to easily match the style of your home and fit in with the styles required by an HOA.
Safety
Most border edging options are made for the outdoors, which means they’re porous and can handle a lot of different weather. Concrete is no different. Not only is concrete porous enough that it can absorb a bit of water when it rains, but concrete border edging specifically tends to be patterned or textured, which gives additional traction if you’re walking across it. This is great for border edging that you want to connect to a walkway or garden path of some kind. Of course, most of us don’t walk along our landscape edging without a connected walkway, so safety is sort of a moot point if your design is just the border.
Yard Protection
More often than not, landscaping borders go into the ground an inch or two, basically just enough to hold the elements in place. If your yard slopes and you’re worried about runoff, concrete can be a great option to help you out. Concrete border edging can be installed so it runs deeper than pavers or flagstone, which can help with erosion concerns from heavy rains and shore up your garden so plants have a chance to take root.
Cost-Effectiveness
Another seriously big benefit to concrete border edging is that it can provide a beautifully high-end appearance without the corresponding high-end price tag. Concrete itself is one of the less expensive building/landscaping materials out there. In addition to that, concrete usually calls for a few specialty tools or equipment to get your border edging installed.
Are you looking to install or update your landscaping? Connect with the pros at Border Magic of Lake and Orange Counties for guidance throughout the process.