A mowing strip is a great way to make lawn maintenance easier. They are also useful for gravel or stone driveways as they prevent errant bits of gravel or stone from escaping over the edging, particularly if someone drives quickly past. Now that you know about this simple garden design trick, it’s time to get started!
A mowing strip is often employed alongside a driveway to separate flower beds from lawns or different areas of the garden, although they are perhaps more common in gardens. This simple garden design trick is also used in landscaping and is a relatively low cost solution with many benefits.
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Reasons For Laying A Mowing Strip
A mowing strip is like a very narrow path, although it’s not intended for anyone to walk on. It is laid flush to the surface of the lawn or flower bed adjacent to the driveway, not raised in the same way that edging is. The idea is to provide a visual and physical barrier between the different sections but one that a lawnmower can pass over without being damaged. This enables the mower to cut right up to the edge of the lawn.
Although a mowing strip is by no means essential, they do make lawn maintenance easier than raised edging on its own or low walls around beds. With raised barriers like those, the mower can only go so close to the wall or Driveway Edging. This means getting the strimmer or shears out to finish off the strip of grass that the mower has left. With a mowing strip that finishing step is cut out.
Gravel Or Other Loose Stone Filling
A mowing strip is also useful next to Gravel or other Loose Material Driveways, even if there is raised edging next to it. This is because errant bits of gravel or stone can escape over the edging, particularly if someone drives quickly past. Having a mowing strip provides a place for the gravel to go and prevents much of it from reaching the lawn.
Gravel or stone in the lawn can then get picked up by the blades of a lawnmower. Not only can this damage the lawnmower but the stone or gravel can be shot out at force by it, damaging cars, windows and even pets or people.
The width of the mowing strip will be determined by your chosen edging. In many areas, a minimum width of 1cm is expected but there is no maximum. Just ensure that you have enough room to get rid of grass cuttings and loose material without spilling onto the edge itself.
Laying a Mowing Strip
Putting a mowing strip down is much easier than laying a proper path or driveway, which has to cope with the strain of people or cars walking on it. But it is best to resist the temptation to simply lift turf and lay the blocks or bricks straight down on the earth. Without any supporting foundation at all, the slabs are likely to move and lift, creating an uneven surface which could damage mower blades anyway.
A bed of sand is sufficient. Once you’ve marked the route of the mowing strip, remove the turf and dig a trench along the course of the strip. Make it deep enough for the paving blocks you are using and another 1.5-2in (about 4-5cm) of sand. Building sand is too fine, so use a coarse grit sand and lay it evenly at the bottom of the trench. Then lay the bricks or blocks you have chosen, tamping them down with a mallet until they are all level. If you have any gaps between blocks or bricks, fill them with sand.
Use a spirit level to check the blocks are all in line and leave it overnight for the sand to settle. If necessary you can move your edging slightly but try not to make it noticeable.
A Simple Job
And that’s it. If your ground is very soft or unstable, you can put a cement layer down as well as sand but it isn’t normally necessary.
Conclusion
In conclusion , mowing strips can make maintaining a lawn easier and take away the need of any edging, creating a better looking lawn. This is particularly true if you have a Gravel or Stone Driveway as they help prevent material escaping over the top.
When laying paving blocks or bricks for the mowing strip, count them out to ensure you have the right amount. If there are any gaps, fill them with cement and sand mixture to secure the blocks into place.
When laying a mowing strip onto your lawn, dig a trench long enough for all paving blocks or bricks in your chosen edging material.
