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Creating a new lawn edge may be part of a major redesign of your garden, or just a way to increase planting space by reducing the size of your lawn.

What you'll need to create a lawn edge:

• String line (for straight edges)
• Garden hose, rope or string (for curved edges)
• Half-moon edger or flat-backed spade for cutting edges
• Spade for lifting and removing unwanted turf

• Decide what shape you want Straight edges create a formal look and give clear definition between lawn and border. Curved edges create a natural feel, and are good for breaking up long, rectangular gardens.
  
  Find inspiration for shapes and styles from gardening books, the internet and garden visits .

• Mark out the shape with a string line Tie a string between two canes or pegs for straight edges. For curved edges, use something flexible like a hosepipe, rope or string.

• Position your string line Start at one end of the area to be edged. This could be, for example, where the lawn meets a patio or fence.
• Extend your line along the edge you want to make If you want a straight edge, insert the other peg/ cane
  A cane is a slender, straight, length of woody plant material, usually bamboo. Canes are primarily used as plant supports. The fruiting stems of blackberries, raspberries and hybrid berries (such as loganberries and tayberries) are also known as canes, so these crops are often referred to as cane fruit. so the string is taut and at ground level. If the edge you are marking out is long, you can keep the string firmly in place by pushing the tines of a hand or border fork either side of the string to hold it down.

• View the marked-out edge from various angles Doing so from an upstairs window gives a good view of the whole shape. Make adjustments until you are happy with the positioning.

• Start cutting out at one end of the line Insert the blade of a half-moon edging tool into the ground, standing on the flattened top of the blade to ensure it is inserted fully. If using a flat-backed spade, mark a depth of 7.5cm (3in) on the blade using tape and insert to that depth.

• Work your way along the line Take small steps, inserting the edging tool so that the cuts just slightly overlap to create a continuous cut.

• Remove unwanted grass Go back along the line and pull up narrow strips of grass by hand. To lift larger pieces, slide the blade of a spade underneath.
• Check the line is neat and even Walk down the line and look at it from both ends. If necessary, you can cut out further pieces using your edging tool.

• Compost
  Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own. the unwanted grass Pop it in your compost bin or, if a lot has been lifted, stack it in a separate pile to rot down into soil.