The main types of border strips for beds, how to install them

Colors and texture

The width of the strip varies from ten centimeters to half a meter. High borders are used to form multi-tiered structures. The thickness of the material is from one to two millimeters.

The thicker the material of the tape, the stronger it holds the bulk soil.

Border tape for beds is packaged in rolls. The footage can be from ten to fifty meters. The texture of the stripes also varies. You can find a ribbon with waves or corrugated, like an accordion; there are options with a figured and carved edge. The simplest and most common texture is the usual straight line. Borders come in green, brown, yellow, gray and black.

Pegs are used to securely fasten the strip

Brown ribbon looks most natural. It is not conspicuous and neatly limits. White, green and yellow specimens will be very noticeable, so they are used if a flowerbed with a special decoration is planned.

Benefits of use

What are the benefits of using border tape for beds?

What is border tape and what are its advantages?

A special strip, which can be used to frame beds in the garden and vegetable garden, can now be found in any garden center. It is made mainly from plastic. You can find a wide variety of colors, but most often they are black, green, brown and khaki.

Advice. If you plan to frame the garden bed inconspicuously, then a brown tone is most suitable. Bright colors are best used as a separate flowerbed decoration.

The width ranges from 10 to 50 cm. The second is ideal for decorating multi-tiered compositions. The thickness is usually about 2 mm. The tape is sold in rolls from 10 to 50 m long. It can be strongly or weakly corrugated in shape, have a carved edge, etc. The direct option is most in demand.

Border tape

The advantages that curb tape provides are as follows:

1. The tape is endowed with significant flexibility, so it can be used for beds and flower beds of various configurations, and not just for framing strict round or rectangular shapes.
2. Comparatively cheap. Plastic edging will cost much less than edging with other materials, such as metal, wood, concrete, etc.
3. It is very easy to install such a border yourself, and it will take very little time. If necessary, it can be removed just as quickly.
4. The tape has the advantage of being durable. Plastic is not subject to corrosion and does not fade.
5. This type of fencing holds the shape of the garden bed remarkably well. It is environmentally friendly because it does not decompose and does not release harmful chemicals into the surrounding soil.
6. Border tape is universal. In addition to its direct purpose, it can be used to protect concrete and stone paths from spreading. It is also used to seal greenhouses and greenhouses.

Where can you use decorative borders for flower beds?

Flower beds of various structures, including multi-tiered structures, are created from corrugated plastic strips.

Advice! To create a stepped flower garden, create levels step by step.

First, the first tier is fenced off with tape, then a new border is made in the center of the tier and filled with earth. For these purposes, strips from twenty centimeters to half a meter wide are used.

Formation of a multi-tiered flower bed

Places of application of plastic borders:

• Flower beds. With the help of tape, clear boundaries are created and the flowerbed does not spread out after rains.

Flower garden with plastic fence

• Rock gardens and multi-tiered flower beds and beds. The tape is indispensable if it is necessary to raise the soil level. Thanks to its flexibility, multi-level structures look very natural.

Using tape, clear boundaries are drawn for the colored backfill.

• For fencing lawns. The clear boundaries of the green area, outlined with green plastic tapes, look attractive and neat.

An example of using a fence on a lawn

• For decorating beds. On hot days, the soil dries out so much that when watering, water spreads beyond the plantings without having time to be absorbed into the ground. The fence will help retain moisture within the garden bed.

Decorating plantings in the garden with plastic

• Paths. Decorating paths with tape will not only make them neat and beautiful. The tape will prevent gravel or other decorative topping from extending beyond the path. In addition, it will protect the paths from weeds.

Example of design of an embankment path

• Other household needs. Using plastic, you can close the cracks at the bottom of the fence, make compost, and raise garden strawberries above the ground.

The scope of application of the tape is very wide. You can buy borders for flower beds at any garden store.

Related article:

Beautiful garden beds at the dacha with your own hands. How to apply a scientific approach and build beautiful garden beds with your own hands, photos and descriptions of the processes are in this article.

How to install border tape on beds: beautiful framing of garden beds

The territories of private houses and summer cottages are landscaped with the help of various decorative elements: fountains, garden figurines, artificial ponds. To make the area more well-groomed, flowering plants are planted.

And border tape for beds is used to frame flower beds, lawns, and paths. This lightweight, easy-to-use material helps give planting areas a neat appearance and maintains their shape.

Features of border tape for beds

Garden border tape for beds is a functional device for creating both simple and the most intricate configurations of beds, mixborders, lawns, and paths. It is installed for the following purposes:

• zoning of a personal plot, separation of the root areas of trees;
• protection from mixing of crops planted nearby;
• increasing the efficiency of fertilizing and fertilizers;
• economical water consumption when watering, since the tape border does not allow water to flow outside the fenced area;
• designing flower beds with various types of plants in several tiers;
• creating frame beds from border tape;
• preservation of fertile soil layers;
• protection of plantings from certain insects and pests;
• facilitating plant care and soil cultivation;
• ease of installation of greenhouses and covering seedlings and adult plants.

Tip! To mark the boundaries of certain crops, it is convenient to use brown tape. And when creating original flower arrangements, it is appropriate to use fences of brighter colors.

Garden bed tape is a universal material for landscape design. Its texture can be different - flat, wavy, corrugated, curly. The width of the product can also vary from 10 cm to 100 cm. The average thickness is 1 - 2 mm. The tape border is sold in rolls of 10 - 50 m.

Using tape in landscape design, they form gravel embankments, warm beds, flower beds, alpine slides, multi-tiered flower beds, protect the root zones of trees and shrubs, and enclose seedlings.

Strips of tape are effectively used in greenhouses to create a tightness around its perimeter, to maintain proper heat exchange, create paths, and protect against small animals. Important! Practical and durable strip borders withstand various natural phenomena - winds, temperature changes, heavy rainfall.

Advantages and disadvantages of strip borders for beds

Tape for beds is actively used in personal plots due to the following advantages:

• Flexibility. The tape made of plastic can take any shape, which makes it possible to form flower beds, beds, and lawns of any shape with its help.
• Preservation of shape and color. The border practically does not lose its decorative appearance and holds the shape specified during installation well.
• Affordable price. Ribbon borders made of plastic are much more affordable in price than their analogues made of wood, brick or natural stone.
• Strength and durability. The material is not subject to rotting processes. Its service life is 10 years.
• Simplicity and speed of installation. There is no need to hire a professional to install a strip border for garden beds. You can do this yourself. Fences can be used for several seasons in a row, removing the structures for the winter.
• Safety. By limiting the area where flowers or herbs grow, the border does not disrupt the natural processes occurring in the soil, it does not interfere with the passage of air, and does not harm the environment.
• Protection of soil from leaching. Fences prevent erosion of the soil during heavy rainfall or heavy watering.
• Mobility. If necessary, the tape can be easily moved and installed in a new location.

In addition to a large number of advantages, border tape for beds has a significant drawback: plastic or polymer fences are not able to withstand heavy loads. They break under the weight and require replacement.

Types of border strips for beds and flower beds

Before buying tape for beds, you should study all the options for such devices. They are different in size, color and material. As borders for personal plots, tapes from:

• plastic;
• metal;
• stone;
• bricks;
• wood;
• concrete.

The main criteria on which the choice of a particular type of fencing is based: strength, durability of structures, cost and ease of installation.

Plastic tape

Plastic border strips for garden beds are the most affordable and versatile option. They are manufactured in the form of border strips, sections and ready-made borders:

• Most of the tape is placed in the ground, giving flower beds and beds a neat appearance and remaining almost invisible. With its help it is convenient to form straight and curved paths.
• Border sections are devices that have special grooves that greatly facilitate the installation of border strips for beds.
• Ready-made borders for garden beds are one-piece structures that can be immediately installed on your garden plot. They imitate the texture of wood, tiles and other materials.

Concrete curb

A popular solution for private households due to the strength of the material and relatively low price. Concrete fences are installed in gardens, orchards, along paths if they are lined with stone, tile or asphalt.

Metal fence

Metal borders are leaders among other options in terms of durability and strength. They are made of steel, aluminum, copper. The beds are decorated with strips of border metal tape. They are inconspicuous in garden plots, their height above the ground is 3-4 cm.

Wood border

Wood is a material that allows you to achieve a variety of appearance of fences. Not only boards are used as borders, but also tree cuts, bars and pegs. Fences woven from wicker look very elegant. Such designs are purchased in specialized stores or made on their own.

Brick fence

Brick is a worthy alternative to concrete fences. It looks good along paths lined with stone or tiles. A very popular option for designing flower beds is when the bricks are installed on an edge or at an angle.

Stone border

For lovers of natural beauty, natural stone is a good replacement for brick. This is a durable decorative material. Thanks to the wide variety of types of natural stone, it is easy to choose the most suitable structure and shade. Shell rock, limestone and sandstone are budget proposals for garden design, more expensive options are granite and marble.

How to make border tape for garden beds with your own hands

To give your garden plot a beautiful and well-groomed look on your own, you don’t have to make expensive purchases. You can implement the ideas you have seen from landscape designers using available materials by creating beds from border tape with your own hands.

Border for beds made of slate

Not so long ago, wave slate was actively used in the construction of roofs. It was replaced by more practical profiled sheets, soft roofing and tiles. And slate that has become unclaimed can be used to arrange a garden. It is used to fence off beds and also create various low fences for flower beds.

Bottle borders

Another cost-effective way to tidy up your garden is to take regular plastic bottles and make cute borders out of them. To do this, they are filled with any bulk materials, such as sand or earth. Then they dig a groove and place several dozen bottles close to each other, necks down.

To fence a flower bed, you can install one or more of these plastic rows.

Car tires

Old tires can take on a completely unexpected look if you successfully fit them into a garden composition. If earlier tires were simply installed one after another along the perimeter of flower beds and painted the same color, now landscape designers and craftsmen are experimenting with shapes and compositions.

How to choose garden border tape

Before you buy garden border strips, you should decide for what purpose you plan to use them. The width of the stripes is 10, 15, 20, 28-50 centimeters. To create stepped compositions, it is better to purchase wider strips; the deeper they are dug into the ground, the more securely the tier will hold.

Stripes for decorating flower beds are produced by Chinese, Polish, German and Russian manufacturers. According to users, Chinese and Polish material is too soft and does not hold the borders of the beds tightly. Domestic plastic is not of good quality and can be fragile. German curbs with reinforced edges are considered the highest quality.

All borders are resistant to precipitation and can withstand temperature changes from minus to plus fifty degrees. Their material does not decompose and releases toxic substances into the soil

Decorating a flower bed with border tape

Using border tape you can create the most incredible flower beds and flower arrangements. You can design a flower garden of absolutely any shape, because the canvas bends easily without forming creases. Do you want to make your dream of a multi-tiered garden masterpiece come true? Please! It is even possible to combine flowers with decorative stone.

Ribbons can be of different widths and textures, which can be used to give your flowerbed originality and charm. Intricate, complex or simple laconic - what your flower garden will be like depends on personal taste and flight of thought.

How to attach border tape to a flower bed? It’s not difficult, the main thing is to follow a few rules:

• It's better to do the work together.
• To begin with, it doesn’t hurt to prepare a drawing: shapes, location of objects, etc.
• Dig a hole or holes according to your plans. The wider the tape, the deeper the hole.
• Insert the border strip into the prepared hole and cover well with soil to prevent the fence from wobbling.

Tips for a multi-tiered composition:

• You need to buy ribbons of different widths.
• You need to start with the top element. To do this, take the widest tape. Make a high tier out of it - dig a fence, and pour earth on top.
• Create lower tiers around the first element. To do this, take tapes of a smaller width.
• It is not recommended to make more than three or four tiers, since special skill is required to make the “high-rise building” look as aesthetically pleasing.

How to properly install plastic borders for flower beds

The plastic tape is extremely elastic. It can bend, repeating the most intricate shapes. Quite thin, it can be easily cut with ordinary household scissors. The strips can be fastened together by welding with a regular soldering iron or even a burning device.

You can install the tape alone, but it is much more convenient to do it with a partner

Installation algorithm:

• Using a tape measure, cord and pegs, the future flower garden is marked.
• A groove is dug along the marking lines to the required depth. If the tape is narrow - 10 centimeters, there is no need to dig a groove, just loosen the soil along the contour. A flowerbed with perennials should be limited by a border at least twenty-five centimeters high, twenty of which should be buried in the ground.
• The tape is installed in the prepared trench. The narrow strip is simply stuck with its edge into the loosened soil. To properly tension the strip, use stakes. They are installed at bend points. The edge of the strip should protrude above the surface by two, maximum five centimeters.
• After installation, the tape is sprinkled with soil. If the flowerbed is round, the edges of the border are placed one after the other, making an overlap.

Installation of plastic fencing

If you buy borders for garden beds made of plastic with one reinforced edge, when installing it, it is placed on top.

Installation Tips

To install border tape for beds in a summer cottage or vegetable garden, you need to prepare a set of tools:

• diagram of the intended design;
• border tape;
• scissors or sharp knife;
• soldering iron or liquid nails.

It is advisable to carry out the work with an assistant. First, separate the area and plow it. The depth is determined by the types of plants that will be planted in the garden bed. For example, the roots of perennial plants penetrate much deeper than annual ones. Depending on this, the height of the tape is selected.

The next stage is to dig a small trench around the entire perimeter or circumference of the future site. Carefully insert the tape perpendicular to the soil, fix it and cover it with soil. The structure is ready.

As you can see, with the help of border tapes you can create beds of various shapes at your summer cottage without much effort. And the result is an original design of the landscape of the dacha area.

Laying border tape - video

Caring for borders for plastic beds

Caring for the tape is not difficult. It is resistant to temperature changes and immune to humidity. Flexible plastic is stored in rolls. Care must be taken to ensure that the tape does not break during storage.

Although the plastic border is not afraid of frost, in winter it is better to sprinkle it with snow along with the flower bed. This way you will protect both the fence and the perennials from freezing. German manufacturers offer lawn mower resistant tapes. But it’s better not to take risks and carefully trim the grass in the area where the fence is located. Try not to step on the tape; it may become too deep under your weight or simply break.

Alternative: galvanized border for garden beds

Galvanized metal is known to be corrosion resistant and highly durable. Products made from it can last twenty to thirty years. The only drawback of this material is that in an aggressive environment, zinc interacts with other chemical compounds and its sulfate gets into the soil, and then into the plants.

To avoid such a reaction, modern manufacturers produce galvanized curbs, additionally coated with a polymer compound. The material protected in this way is not afraid of fertilizers and acidic soil.

The polymer coating can have any color: from yellow to black

You can choose a border with a polymer coating that imitates wickerwork, stone or wood. On average, the service life of such material is about forty years.

Advantages of galvanized curbs:

• long service life;
• compactness;
• height from 20 centimeters;
• ease of installation;
• great appearance.

A galvanized border will become an insurmountable barrier for rodents along the perimeter of the greenhouse and will protect the area from the penetration of small animals under the fence. You can safely attach watering hoses to it and fix geofabric.

Advantages and disadvantages of strip borders for beds

Tape for beds is actively used in personal plots due to the following advantages:

• Flexibility. The tape made of plastic can take any shape, which makes it possible to form flower beds, beds, and lawns of any shape with its help.
• Preservation of shape and color. The border practically does not lose its decorative appearance and holds the shape specified during installation well.
• Affordable price. Ribbon borders made of plastic are much more affordable in price than their analogues made of wood, brick or natural stone.
• Strength and durability. The material is not subject to rotting processes. Its service life is 10 years.
• Simplicity and speed of installation. There is no need to hire a professional to install a strip border for garden beds. You can do this yourself. Fences can be used for several seasons in a row, removing the structures for the winter.
• Safety. By limiting the area where flowers or herbs grow, the border does not disrupt the natural processes occurring in the soil, it does not interfere with the passage of air, and does not harm the environment.
• Protection of soil from leaching. Fences prevent erosion of the soil during heavy rainfall or heavy watering.
• Mobility. If necessary, the tape can be easily moved and installed in a new location.

In addition to a large number of advantages, border tape for beds has a significant drawback: plastic or polymer fences are not able to withstand heavy loads. They break under the weight and require replacement.

Reviews and price of border tape for beds

As already mentioned, you can buy plastic borders for garden beds at any garden store. The cost of a roll depends on the footage and width of the tape. Here are the average prices for rolls of 10 meters:

Many gardeners have been using border tape for their beds for a long time. Reviews of this material note positive and negative aspects of use:

Irina, 34 years old, Rostov-on-Don: “I have been using plastic tape for flower beds on the site for a long time. It doesn’t require any special care; I wipe it down from time to time, especially after rain, but otherwise no hassle.”

Yana, 40 years old, Tver: “I didn’t like the use of plastic tape. We often mow the lawn with a trimmer. We touch it all the time, the edges crumble, it doesn’t look good. I had to remove it completely and replace it with a brick border.”

Olga, 26 years old, Kaluga: “We bought the dacha relatively recently, and I just started creating flower beds. At first I made them small, and then gradually increased them. Everything is simple with the tape - take it out of the ground and grow it to the required size. I can’t even imagine how much of a hassle it would be with a brick or concrete curb.”

Susanna, 37 years old, Belgorod: “I used ribbon for planting tulips. There were some rodents in the area and they ate almost all the bulbs. I planted each onion in a ring of ribbon. This is the second year that all the tulips are blooming.”

What is border tape for beds

Border tape is a plastic flexible tape that helps to fence beds, flower beds, and flower beds. This type of fencing for garden beds is strong and durable: it does not rot, it will not develop corrosion or rust due to harsh natural conditions or soil. A frequent choice of summer residents are brown and green shades that do not stand out against the background of the earth or plants.

Tape fencing is used in a number of cases:

• decorative element;
• a fence for the beds will make the area smooth and well-groomed;
• Raised beds: With their help, you water the entire plot of land evenly.
• giving shape: a flexible border will make a bed of any shape, dividing the area into several zones;
• water saving: will retain moisture within a given zone;
• fencing for greenhouses;
• garden paths;
• weed control: tape fencing will prevent weeds from spreading;
• formation of multi-tiered structures.

How to make a border for a flower bed with your own hands: photo ideas

You can fence a flower garden without plastic tape. There are several options for arranging a fence:

• The edges of the flower bed are decorated with a groove . It is dug to a depth of ten centimeters, cleared of roots and debris and covered with decorative material: colored chips, pebbles, shells. Such a fence must be constantly maintained.

To decorate flower beds, you can choose colored material

• Mosaic fencing . You can use fragments of colored bottles and broken plates for it. To secure parts of the mosaic, a cement-sand mixture is used.

Mosaic design of a mini-flower bed

• Stone fencing. To create it, just find flat stones and dig them around the perimeter of the flowerbed. This border looks very natural and is suitable for any type of flower garden. You can fence the flowerbed with marble, granite, sandstone and limestone. The stones do not have to be fastened with cement, but it will help firmly fix the elements of the fence and prevent soil from spilling through the cracks.

Large stones will give the flower garden a special flavor

• Weaving. Fences made of willow twigs look very colorful. It's not difficult to do. You need to drive wooden pegs into the ground at equal distances from each other. Then simply intertwine them with willow twigs. To prevent the ends of the vine from sticking out in different directions, they are tied together or fastened with small screws. To preserve the structure for a long time, it can be varnished.

Wicker fences look like baskets

• Living fence. You can also fence a flower bed with tall plants with a hedge. It is formed from low plants, up to forty centimeters high. They are planted in a dense row. The composition looks beautiful, contrasting with the main plants in the flower garden.

Lavender, boxwood, hostas, and carnations are planted as a living fence.

Making your own border for a garden bed from scrap materials

The main requirement in decorating a flower bed is well-groomed. Orderly planting completely changes the look of the garden. If lumber remains after construction, it can be used to fence plantings. The remaining boards can be cut into equal lengths or joined together.

Covered with stain or paint, such fences will reliably strengthen the walls of the garden bed

If desired, you can use old solid brick for this purpose. It must first be thoroughly cleaned. To make the bricks look aesthetically pleasing, they can be painted one color or made multi-colored.

Flowerbeds made of old bricks

Another building material that is often on hand is slate. Its segments are installed so that the edges are at the same level. For an elegant look, the edges of the slate can be painted.

Example of using slate

Rubber from car tires. Small flower beds can be made directly in the tire by filling it with soil. If you cut off the rubber strip, it can also be used for shaped beds.

Flowerbed of car tires

You can use leftover polycarbonate to decorate your garden beds. It is cut into strips of the required width. Polycarbonate is not as soft as plastic tape, but it can be used to enclose plantings of the correct shape.

The most easily accessible material for country crafts is plastic bottles. They usually end up in the trash, but it turns out they can be used for garden beds. The containers should be filled with sand and placed neck down in one row.

This border can be painted in any color.

Advice! Do not use pieces of sheet metal for fencing. You can accidentally cut yourself with it, and, in addition, without a polymer coating, the iron will quickly rust. The sun's rays reflected from shiny metal can cause burns to the delicate foliage of plants.

Model bed

Neat design of the garden bed already makes it attractive. Plastic curb tape is a cheap material that is easy to install yourself. Such a fence will last quite a long time if you use a lawn mower carefully and cover the bed with snow for the winter.

A strip of plastic is an inconspicuous and reliable fence

An alternative to plastic tape can be curbs made of galvanized steel with a polymer coating. You can make fences from available materials: old tires, scraps of lumber, slate and brick. Give free rein to your imagination and turn a boring vegetable garden into a park area!