This is how the garden looks when the grass is mown, the border weeded and the edges cut..
This is how it looks before..
So there is no doubt that cutting a nice defined edge really shows off the border, and the lawn. The point of contention is whether the "edge" is in fact the edge of the lawn (and therefore the responsibility of the Lawn Cutting Operative - the said Mr Wilkinson) or whether it's the edge of the border and consequently the job of the Border Patrol - me. There is no doubt in my mind that even our rather weedy old lawn is enhanced by the clear definition of the edge, but Mr Wilkinson is adamant. Doing the edges would entail him descending from the mower and wielding a tool, not within his remit. So in the end, for the sake of marital harmony I do the edges, and it does make all the difference, don't you agree?
It does look so much better.
ReplyDeleteWe have a similar division of labour in this household and it's an unwritten law that I do the edges. I must admit that I do it very rarely but seeing your before and after pictures may spur me into action more often!
I don't mind doing the edges but when the mower goes over those edges and cuts down my plants, which is not infrequent, it really ticks me off...does that ever happen to you or am I the only one??
ReplyDeleteI have reduced the number of edges in our garden by steadily eliminating the lawn. We're both happier that way. For the small lawn we still have,I deal with grass along the flower beds. My hubby handles grass that reaches onto the sidewalks.
ReplyDeleteIt looks so much neater with the edge done - no matter who does it.
ReplyDeleteTell Mr.W it's the lawn cutters job to do the edges.
ReplyDeleteYou have to stand on the grass side to edge not on the border side.
Enough said :-)
When I started work as a garden boy at Chatsworth House (featured in some of my posts last week) I was taught that trimming the lawn edges was just as important as cutting the grass simply because neat edges are so important to the appearance of the garden as a whole. When you talk about who's job it is to keep the edges neat, if you are simply trimming the edges with shears I think it should be the person who cuts the grass who should do it because it's grass cutting. If you are putting a new edge to the lawn then I guess the border person should do it because it involves working with soil. That's just the way I see it but really I don't mind doing the edges because when you've done them you can see what a very worthwhile job you have done and this always makes me feel good.
ReplyDeleteToday was spent doing battle betwixt the 'lawn' and the 'flower beds' out in the 'front garden'. The reality was that I was trying to make a patch of weed strewn soil look like a flower bed by cutting an edge to separate the hillocks of grass which is the 'lawn' from the 'flower bed' of weeds. Ah well, a garden will somehow eventually emerge in the years to come, and I do agree with you, and say that an edge looks real smart!
ReplyDeleteOh dear...what have I started!
ReplyDeleteI used to be all about the clean, cut edges until I moved to the farm. But after we moved to the farm, it became quite clear, that wasn't going to work here. I miss it, though. :)
ReplyDelete