I had kerbing put around my garden. I made some new garden areas and created a pathway down my back garden. The price was very reasonable. I would highly recommend it, as it makes a wonderful edge, and makes lawn cutting a breeze. If you email me I will send you some photos. Joanne

Have you ever considered no edging at all? It really serves no useful purpose.

Back when we still had lawn (well, okay, that was just last year!), we found the lowest maintenance and neatest, most pleasing appearance (a matter of opinion, of course) was just a clean grass edge. When we made the beds, the area bordering the grass was just filled with mulch (rather than with soil) - this made it easy to snap off any encroaching grass stringers, and to re-edge neatly with a spade as needed every few years. Much lower maintenance than re-doing hard edgings all the time. The mower wheel just runs along the edge of the mulch. (And, just my opinion, but I really dislike the look of that plastic edging - no matter what color you can now get it in.)
Another low maintenance tip - i.e. towards getting rid of the whipper-snipper - is to dig out the grass from all fence lines, and around all tree trunks, etc.. Obviously, the thing to do is to make these areas into flower beds, but if one was not inclined that way, replacing the grass in those areas with mulch would still be a step forward towards fewer unrewarding and repetitive gardening chores.

I would just remove the bricks, lay down a ribbon of landscape fabric and put a nice mulch over that (not pebbles as they won't do well if caught in your lawnmower)

I've only used a lawn edger to divide the beds from my lawn, but I'm not satisfied with the looks. It's well sunked down to the lawn but if I cover it up with mulch, the grass on the other side escapes into the beds. I'm actually considering burying pavers down to the lawn edge.

Syseeds, have you tried sinking the bricks down with the smooth edge facing up? If you like the paver look but don't have the purse for it, perhaps this is another way of achieving that look. I like the idea of reclaimed bricks for this purpose. In anycase at HD - there are pavers costing some 56 cents a piece. You could interspace new pavers with the old bricks.

The most unique edger I've seen - was a row of wine bottles sunked down to the ground. - However it is a very rustic effect. Or the use of cut logs - again sunked down deept. - very rustic once more. -- It's not my personal taste.

Use cheap terracotta pots - sunked down and planted with annuals. - problem is cheap terracotta will not last the winter.

Use large and flat rocks for a rustic effect. You could also over plant it with thyme to soften. - I think this would be nice but again it's to your personal taste.

Been there. Done that. One of my long borders out back is lined with flat grey bricks laid down flat to form a border flush with the lawn. Of course, this border should be at least a foot away from the vegetation (we tend to put it too close). I just mulched the beds with rameal wood mulch and voilà ! Looks great, although methinks I'll bring it out about another foot to incorporate more plants! lol

ABgardener's got the best tip in the plain edging, which we have out front. The trick, once again, is to remove grass edge to at least a foot away from vegetation and add mulch. Much less work (which IS your goal, right?)

Have a great summer (if it ever gets here!)

I know you said you didnt like bricks so this will not apply but this is what I do. I got the bricks free in the recycle bin at a local college left overs from a new additon they put on about 5 years ago and I laid them with the holes up smooth edge out then I dig out about 5 inches in front of the bricks ...mulch between brick and dug edge ...what I like best about this is that nine out of ten times during one season, somehow seeds get scattered inside the holes and the next spring voila I have plant plugs all ready to go. When the gardens get really growing ...you dont see the bricks anyway as the plants cover them.

Signet

I was in the craft forum and came across this idea. I think it looks great! Maybe someday I'll get the time and energy to do something similar........

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/hypertufa/msg0512344021441.html

RosieBee