By Ann, gardener and garden designer at Ann's Garden Heaven
If there's one job that makes a garden look instantly "finished", it's a crisp edge. Cylinder edging – usually called log roll edging – is my favourite way to do it. It's a row of round logs (or log-shaped rolls in recycled plastic or stone-effect resin) held together on wire, so it bends around curves, sits neatly between lawn and border, and can even hold back soil for a low raised bed.
The good news: you don't need to be a builder. With a spade, a string line and an afternoon, you can install it yourself. Autumn and winter are actually the perfect time – borders are quiet, the soil is soft, and you'll have clean lines ready for spring.
Here's exactly how I do it, step by step.
What you'll need
- Log roll edging – enough to cover your length plus about 10% extra for joins and offcuts. Choose a height that's roughly three times how far you want it to show above ground (see Step 1).
- Spade (a narrow border spade is easiest) and a hand trowel
- String line and pegs – or garden twine and a few canes
- Hosepipe – for laying out curves
- Spirit level and rubber mallet
- Sharp sand or fine gravel – about 5cm deep along the trench
- Weed membrane – a strip to line the soil side
- Treated timber stakes and exterior screws – if your edging holds back soil
- Wire cutters – for shortening rolls
- Gardening gloves and a kneeler – your knees will thank you
Step 1: Choose the right edging
As a designer, this is the decision that matters most. A good rule is to bury about a third of the edging's height so it stays firm. So:
- 15cm rolls show about 10cm – perfect for a neat lawn edge.
- 30cm rolls show about 20cm – ideal for holding back a slightly raised border.
- 45cm rolls and taller – for low raised beds; always add stakes.
Pressure-treated, FSC-certified timber looks the most natural and lasts for years. Recycled plastic "log" rolls won't rot at all, and stone-effect rolls suit modern gardens. Whatever you choose, stick to one style throughout – consistency is what makes a garden look designed.
Step 2: Mark out your line
For straight runs, push a peg in at each end and stretch a string line tight between them, just above the ground. For curves, lay a hosepipe on the ground and nudge it until the shape looks right from the house – that's where you'll see it from most. Then mark the line by sprinkling sand along it, or by cutting a shallow slit with your spade.
Step 3: Dig the trench
Dig along your line with the spade held upright, so the lawn side of the trench has a clean, straight face.
- Depth: one third of the edging's height, plus 5cm for the base. For 30cm rolls, that's about 15cm.
- Width: the thickness of the edging plus about 5cm, so you have room to adjust it.
Keep the turf and soil you take out – you'll use the soil to backfill later. Remove any big stones and roots from the bottom.
Step 4: Lay a firm base
Spread about 5cm of sharp sand or fine gravel along the bottom of the trench and tread it down firmly. This gives the edging a level, free-draining bed, so it doesn't sink or sit in water – the main reason timber edging rots early. Check it with your spirit level and add or scrape away sand until it's even.
Step 5: Line the soil side with membrane
This is the step most guides skip, and it's my best tip. Log rolls have small gaps between the logs, and over time soil washes through and weeds push up between them. Cut a strip of weed membrane and lay it against the soil side of the trench, so it will sit between the edging and the border. It keeps the face of your edging clean and weed-free for years.
Step 6: Set the edging in place
Stand the roll in the trench on the sand, with the membrane behind it. Push it tight up against the straight lawn-side face. To bed it down, lay an offcut of wood across the top and tap it with a rubber mallet – never hit the logs directly, or you'll split them.
Check with the spirit level both along the top and across it, so it stands upright rather than leaning. On curves, the wire lets the roll bend – work slowly along, a few logs at a time.
Step 7: Join lengths and add stakes
Where two rolls meet, butt them tightly together and twist the end wires around each other, or screw both ends to a stake behind the join. To shorten a roll, snip the wire between two logs with wire cutters.
If your edging holds back soil – a raised border or bed – hammer a treated timber stake into the ground on the soil side every 50–60cm, and fix it to the edging with an exterior screw. Keep the stakes slightly lower than the top of the edging, so they're hidden once you backfill.
Step 8: Backfill and firm in
Fill the gap on both sides with the soil you dug out, a little at a time, and firm each layer with your heel or the end of a piece of timber. Fill the lawn side back up to the turf, and pack the border side up behind the membrane. Check the level one last time, then give everything a good water to help the soil settle – and top up any dips the next day.
Step 9: Finishing touches
- Seal cut ends: if you've cut timber rolls, brush a little wood preserver onto any bare cut wood.
- Mulch the border: a layer of bark or compost behind the edging locks in moisture and shows off the line beautifully.
- Plant close: low plants that spill gently over the edge – thyme, lady's mantle, hardy geraniums – soften it so it looks like it's always been there.
Ann's designer tips
- Curves beat corners. Long, gentle curves look natural and make mowing easier. Avoid tight wiggles – they look fussy and are hard to mow around.
- Leave a mowing strip. Set the edging so the top sits just above the lawn, and your mower wheels can run along it – no more edge trimming.
- Match the mood. Natural timber for cottage gardens, dark-stained or stone-effect for modern spaces.
- Measure twice. Buy 10% extra; running short halfway round a curve is no fun.
Quick questions
How deep should log roll edging go?
About a third of its height into the ground, on a 5cm sand base. Taller edging holding back soil also needs stakes.
Will timber edging rot?
Pressure-treated timber lasts many years, especially if it sits on a free-draining sand base and you line the soil side with membrane. For edging that never rots, choose recycled plastic.
Can I use it to make a raised bed?
Yes, for low beds. Use taller rolls and stake them every 50–60cm on the inside.
When is the best time to do it?
Autumn to early spring, when borders are quiet and the soil is easy to dig – but avoid frozen or waterlogged ground.
Shop this project
- Heavy Duty Weed Barrier Fabric – to line behind your edging
- Garland Wire Fabric Pegs – to pin the membrane while you work
- Kent & Stowe Stainless Steel Hand Trowel – for tidying the trench and backfilling
- Nutscene Tin O' Twine – makes a perfect string line
- Burgon & Ball British Meadow Kneeler – for comfortable kneeling along the trench
Happy edging – and if you have a question about your own garden, email me at info@annsgardenheaven.com. I love seeing your before-and-after photos!
– Ann
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