I have used stone countertop off-cuts on edge to retain beds adjacent to a sidewalk. I like it because it is thin (does not take away 10-20 inches of bed width, as stacked stone does). What I have found difficult is controlling its angle. We initially installed it with a slight batter (lean toward the bed) but over time it has angled outward a bit. Our pieces are long, so are difficult to correct. Smaller pieces of flagstone might be easier to correct, even if they are even more prone to leaning off-kilter than ours are. If you go to a landscape supply yard you might also find stone designed for use as treads or something similar - basically, the shape of 4x4 posts but shorter. Or, you could use 4x4 posts and plan to replace them as they give out over time. However, you might consider whether it is worth redoing the patio to get to the grade you intended, rather than making a wall that may be less than ideal. Karin L

A few inches or a few feet it's still his property and I think it's best to avoid any potential issues in the future. From the pics it looks like he doesn't care as much about lawn and gardening as you do so this is what I would recommend if you decide to put edging in. Since they will grow and need pruning I would talk to your neighbor and tell him since you were the one that put in the shrubs that you would be more than happy prune his side once or twice a year if he's willing to give you permission to go on his property to do so. Show him a sample of the edging you are planning to put in and offer to put it along his side as well at your expense if he would like that. At the very least you should have installed some vinyl edging to keep the mulch out of his lawn. Since it's on the border, you've just increased his yard work because he will need to prune them as they get bigger. You're probably better off pruning them yourself based on the look of his lawn anyway. If/when you do prune, bring something to collect the waste and dispose of it along with your own waste unless he tells you you can leave it out on his curb for collection. You might want to start the conversation with "I probably should have discussed this with you sooner..." Just my opinion.

The only down side to dinner plates is that they'd be hard to mow around - the bricks provide a flat area for the mower to ride along. I missed the hoops at the NE flower show, but I had to laugh reading about them - I thought I'd invented that! I did it for a couple of years - I'd cut stems about 4' long in spring and either use them immediately or bend them into fairly uniform U shapes, sticking the ends into the wire fencing in the work area of my yard. When they'd dried, they would retain their shape pretty well. It did look great, but then ... I got a dog who loves sticks, for one thing. A couple of years ago I bought iron hoops that work the same way. They're a little bigger than the hoops I'd made with sticks, but they don't splinter or crack when you're pushing them into the soil. They were quite inexpensive, from Gardeners' Supply. I'm always on the lookout for good-looking steel edging fence panels; I saw some beautiful ones at Smith and Hawken in Hingham on my way home form the flower show, but they were about $50 each.

The first thing I'm wondering is why you want to do this...? It's pretty much the case that where landscape structures are built that cut corners in their design and construction, it's a downgrade. It is far better to scale back the project and do something lesser, but that is nice and well done. Not sure what your objectives are here. If it's to level the area, you need a real retaining wall whose taller end returns back into the hill at 90*. It could not be dry-stacked with thin material like what you are showing. It would need to be 8" thick if you're using mortar. Thicker if you're not. So much bother! Seems like you'd be much better off with the brick edge that flows with the grade, if you must have edging. If it were in my yard, I'd scrap it all and plant this sloped area solid with whatever lovely groundcover I thought would look best. As the groundcover knit together, there would come an end to adding mulch, and mulch washing. Also, I'd limb up the tree a little so the stuff beneath could get light and grow.