Monday, April 26, 2010

Different ways of highlighting edges

bricks: straight

bricks: straight

bricks:circular





husk: individual
for specific plant protector


husk: individual
for specific plant protector, 
in this case very much temporary. 
The husk will be removed once the ulam raja get stronger.
bricks: straight with gaps




allowing free movement of roots, and avoiding water ponding  
and at the same time maintain element of neatness.


husk: circular
suitable for plants that grow in circular fashion. 
In this case is lengkuas, a local ginger specie

husk: straight
providing a very formal feel and ruralness at the same time. 
Since coconut fibers retain water, 
the garden bed is experiencing a cooler environment.


 Different ways of highlighting  edges
(kaedah menonjolkan tepi batas)

1. A garden is enhanced with edging , whether it is for flowers, herbs or vegetables. Edging holds the content together like a framed picture. An existing structure in the form of pathways can be utilized as edging. For more flexibility, temporary edgings would be the choice of many home gardeners. After a couple of years, feeling tired over the existing garden bed, temporary edgings can easily be dismantled and redesigned into a new concept and location.

2. Bricks has the advantage of lost lasting and durable. So far I have been toying them around to achieve the impact that I want for a particular bed or plants. I thought putting them together with gaps in between does give a pleasant feeling.

3. I have been playing around with this flexibility offered by edging material. Coconut husk, not only is earth friendly, but it offers such flexibility to be moved around as we like. Husk will decay over time, thus improving the soil with it's organic contribution. Three concepts has been used for coconut husks:
  • 1. aligned in a straight line.
  • for the garden bed containing sunflowers, tomato, 
  • basil, coleus, ginger and radishes.   

  • 2. Aligned in a circular fashion
  • suitable for plants growing in a circular fashion, 
  • lengkuas in our case .
  • 3. Aligned for specific plant protector
  • suitable as protection for little plants just transplanted, 
  • ulam raja in this case.



The choice is numerous.
It very much depends on what we want.


bangchik
putrajaya Malaysia

14 comments:

  1. Edges are so important, you are right. I love the edges that nature has taken over - like a thyme or camomile softening the edges of a path or patio. Nature just wants to take over when we interfere - it always looks better when you let it!

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  2. Wonderful post, I really like the look of the husks, and the spaced bricks is unique and lovely. Your garden is so very neat and tidy, I removed all of the old edging in mine and have yet to replace it.

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  3. I am contemplating what kind of edging to put in throughout my garden this summer. It will be the main project, but I am not sure what will work with the 'style' of the house and garden. I need to do some more research on what is available because I will need a lot of it! Don't think bricks or husks will work for me unfortunately!

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  4. Looks lovely but bricks especially with the slightest gap makes for hard work in removing any weeds that creep in there. Still yours look lovely and weed free you must tell me how you do that?

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  5. Great idea to use coconut husks for edging material...very eco-friendly, practical and frugal. I like it!

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  6. I live in a mountainous area with much shale and rocks. This makes gardening difficult, but the rocks are free and effective for edging my beds. Unfortunately, coconut husks are not an option here. I love the way they look in your pictures.

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  7. It's neat to see what local materials people use for edging. Coconut husks would be a rare thing here but look so lovely in your tropical garden!

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  8. hi Bangchik, it looks like i have a problem, because i've commented on your post, now i did not see it in the okra post. It happened also with Stephanie's blog, i dont know what is happening...I love the success of your vegie garden, i've monitored it from the start. I envy you for the fruits of your labor. I wish i had time to do that too.

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  9. Love the edging! It looks beautiful in your garden Bangchik. We used big stones we picked up from around our farm to edge the garden, but I prefer brick. It is expensive here though so I go with what nature provides, the stones!

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  10. ~ Matron
    Edges are man-made to provide some kind of boundary to garden bed. Of course we are meddling with nature, so it is fair indeed for nature to redo things over time.

    ~ Rebecca @ In The Garden
    For a little vegetable garden, I do have manageable space. Nothing seems to be out of my sight and scrutiny. What else can we do, both of us, other than trying new concept for edges, look after plants and maintain some level of neatness... haha.

    ~ Sheila
    Yes, edges are as important as the contents. Edges provide demarcation, concept and neatness. Yes, doing research is a worthwhile effort before embarking on it. Our edges are pragmatic in nature and concepts.... we really allow changes to avoid boredom.!!

    BANGCHIK
    PUTRAJAYA MALAYSIA.

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  11. ~ Joanne
    Bricks with gaps are for a small area. The boundary contains raddish, peanuts, marigolds, coleus and a young tomato plant. We let pegaga grow in between, and pull them out when the the gap become too dense and they will grow again.

    ~ Susan
    Very eco-friendly indeed, but not many people like to deal with it. Coconut husk doesn't jive well with most urban residential gardeners. I just play around with diversity, and eco-friendly and organic concepts...

    ~ pamsenglishgarden
    Rocks are perfect material for edgings, in fact we do have a section with rocks as edgings.


    BANGCHIK
    PUTRAJAYA MALAYSIA

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  12. ~Just Jenn
    Yes, so many things can be used as edgings. I am contemplating to use bamboo, but need to collect more.

    ~Marie
    Thanks Marie.... I can see your beautiful edgings in your recent post: Saturday 24 april 2010 April 2010 titled Spring work in the beautiful weather or VĂ¥ronn i nydeleg ver, against a rockwall.

    ~Andrea
    I dont know what's the problem. You may want to copy the comment first before you post it. You can check immediately if its posted, then you repost with the copied comment just in case it doesn't appear. Thanks for liking our little garden.

    BANGCHIK
    PUTRAJAYA MALAYSIA

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  13. ~AaronVFT
    In our case, we wish to maintain a reasonable size of lawn, so edging is to demarcate garden and lawn.

    ~Jeanne
    Bricks are fairly cheap over here. Those red bricks are eco-friendly indeed, because they allow little things to grow and turn green.

    BANGCHIK
    PUTRAJAYA MALAYSIA

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