How to Make a Grass Edge With Rocks

The edge of your lawn is created by many things, such as your driveway, street and landscaping; however, this doesn't mean it must look plain or simple. Adding rock to the grass edge, especially along other landscaping areas, not only provides added texture and interest to the area, it also helps stop weeds from spreading into plant areas. And the edging may be used to highlight certain elements. Use rocks that are native to your area for a natural look, or select stones that harmonize with the overall theme of your landscape.


Dig a trench around landscaping areas with a shovel. Make the trench 3 to 4 inches deep. The width depends on the type of rocks you are using. If you fill the trench with small rocks, such as pebbles, then a width of 4 inches is fine. If you use larger stones, this may need to be wider depending on their size.


Fill the trench with the rocks. For small stones, pack the rocks down level with the surface of the ground. Mix different colored stones together for a more unique look, or create patterns with different types of small stones.


Place larger rounded stones end to end along the trench to create a more decorative or higher border. The trench keeps them from rolling out of place.


Set flat stones end to end in the same manner as more rounded stones. Cut the edge of the trench flat and smooth with a square bladed shovel, and fill the bottom with 2 inches of sand for leveling and drainage purposes. If you want a higher edging around the grass, use gravel instead of sand as the base. Stack a second row of flat rocks on top of the first. Place them so that the seams from one row to the next are staggered. Use masonry adhesive between the rows to ensure they stay in place.