Soft Edges: Using Plants Instead of Hardscape to Define Garden Borders

From medieval knot gardens to Victorian carpet bedding, delineating landscape features has always mattered. Today, hardscape — brick, concrete, terra-cotta — still dominates edging, but plants offer compelling advantages: cost-effectiveness, year-round interest (foliage and flowers), and an unmatched ability to soften the joint between path and planting.

Schmechtig Landscapes

Formal Edging: The Boxwood Standard

17th-century botanist John Parkinson praised boxwood (Buxus sp.) for knot gardens; it remains the formal favorite. Whether hard-clipped or looser, it's stunning. Low box edging maintains crisp lines, while creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia) softens the transition to brick paving.

Pam Adams

Double-Layer Drama

Contrast foliage, shape, and color by double-lining edging plants. Purple-leaf Heuchera against deep green boxwood creates a striking border edge.

Stefan Laport Landscape Architect IFLA

Grasses as Formal Edgers

Ornamental grasses are gaining popularity for formal edging. Japanese blood grass (Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra') creates a sharp, vertical edge that clearly defines paving — and it's low-maintenance.

Jamie Van De Vanter

Tall Edging for Sculptural Impact

Not all edges need to be low. Tall Miscanthus sinensis defines a path edge with almost sculptural presence.

Randy Thueme Design Inc.

Naturalistic Edging: The Gertrude Jekyll Legacy

Lamb's ears (Stachys byzantina) — a Jekyll favorite — blends border to path with soft, silver-gray foliage that harmonizes with any flower color. Lavender (Lavandula stoechas 'Hazel') and lamb's ears create a low, fragrant tunnel without blocking passage. Post-bloom, the glaucous lavender foliage mirrors the silver Stachys. Both thrive in dry, sunny, well-drained conditions.

Shades Of Green Landscape Architecture

JMSDesignAssociates

Gray-Green Workhorses

Lavender cotton (Santolina chamaecyparissus) — another gray-leafed natural edger. Its wayward habit, lemon-yellow pom-poms, and pungent scent aren't for everyone, but it blurs path edges beautifully. Trimmed, it makes a neat 12–18 inch formal hedge.

WBLA_Corky

Perennials and Creepers for Seasonal Edges

Euphorbia martinii with acid-green flowers creates an informal, knee-high barrier that deters animals and children. Stonecrop (Sedum sp.) draped over steel raised-bed sides contrasts texture and color effectively.

The Garden Route Company

D-CRAIN Design and Construction

Parterre: Where Formal Meets Informal

A formal structure softened by a cloud of white astilbes — the best of both edging worlds.

More: How Low Can Hedges Go? Interesting Garden Borders