Domakihub Install Paver Garden Edging for Clean, Long-Lasting Borders
Set flat stone or concrete pavers as crisp bed borders that hold their shape season after season.
Reviewed by Domakihub garden pros · 2026-06-23 · 5 min read
A sharp garden edge transforms a scrubby Greek courtyard or holiday-rental terrace into something that looks genuinely cared for — and paver edging is one of the most durable ways to achieve it. The video above walks through the core technique visually; this article breaks the process into clear steps with the extra detail you need for the stone and terracotta materials common across Greece. Whether you are tidying a private home, a boutique hotel garden, or a rental property before the summer season, this method works equally well on flat ground and gentle slopes.
Why Paver Edging Suits Greek Gardens
Greece's climate swings between baking summers and wet winters, which pushes softer plastic or timber edging out of alignment within a few seasons. Natural stone, concrete, and terracotta pavers expand and contract predictably, resist UV degradation, and blend with the limestone walls, gravel paths, and whitewashed surfaces that define the local aesthetic.
A properly set paver edge also doubles as a mowing strip: the top surface sits flush with or just above the soil, so a lawnmower wheel can ride along it without scalping the grass. That means less hand-trimming and a cleaner line every cut.
Materials and Tools to Gather First
You will need the pavers themselves (flat fieldstone, concrete coping units, or traditional terracotta bricks all work), coarse builder's sand, a rubber mallet, a level, a garden spade, a line string and two stakes, and a stiff brush. Optional but helpful: a plate compactor for longer runs, and polymeric sand to lock joints once the pavers are set.
Buy ten percent more pavers than your measured linear metres to account for cuts and breakage. For a typical 15 m bed border this usually means one extra row's worth of material — a modest buffer that avoids a mid-project trip to the builders' merchant.
Step-by-Step: Setting Paver Garden Edging
- 1
Mark the line and excavate the trench
Drive two stakes at either end of the bed and run a string line taut between them at ground level. Use the spade to cut a trench along the string, working 5–8 cm deeper than the thickness of your pavers. For a standard 6 cm paver you are digging roughly 11–14 cm deep, which gives room for a sand bed beneath and leaves the top surface just proud of the surrounding lawn or gravel.
- 2
Compact the base and add a sand bed
Firm the bottom of the trench by tamping with the back of the spade or a hand tamper — loose soil here is the most common cause of sinking and tilting later. Spread 5 cm of coarse builder's sand over the compacted base, rake it roughly level, and dampen it lightly with a watering can so it packs rather than shifts when you set the pavers.
- 3
Set the first paver and establish your height reference
Place the corner paver at one end of the trench and use your level to confirm it sits at the right height relative to the string line. This first unit is your benchmark: all subsequent pavers are matched to it. For a mowing-strip application, position the top face 3–5 mm above the finished lawn surface so the mower wheel tracks cleanly without dropping into the trench.
- 4
Lay and tap each paver into the sand
Work along the trench one paver at a time, butting each unit snugly against the last. Press each paver into the sand by hand, then seat it firmly with two or three strikes of the rubber mallet. Check level every third unit — both across the paver's width and along the run — and add or remove sand beneath individual units as needed. Avoid using a hammer directly on stone or terracotta, which chips easily.
- 5
Fill the joints and backfill both sides
Once all pavers are set and level, brush dry polymeric sand into the joints and sweep away the excess. On the garden-bed side, backfill the trench gap with the excavated soil, tamping it gently against the paver face. On the lawn or path side, do the same and water the whole run so the sand and soil settle together. Within 48 hours the edging will feel solid underfoot and ready for planting right up to the inner edge.
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FAQ
- How deep should paver garden edging be set?
- For most flat pavers 5–6 cm thick, a total trench depth of 11–14 cm works well: 5 cm of compacted sand beneath the paver, then the paver itself sitting with its top face just above soil level. In areas with frost or heavy clay, go 2–3 cm deeper to give the base more stability through seasonal soil movement.
- Can I use irregular natural stone instead of uniform concrete pavers?
- Yes, and in Greek gardens fieldstone and local limestone look particularly at home. The trade-off is fitting time: each irregular stone needs individual levelling and you may need to chip or shim pieces to keep the top face roughly consistent. Fill wider gaps with grit or dark polymeric sand rather than trying to force tight joints — the slight informality suits the material.
- How do I keep grass from growing between the pavers?
- Polymeric sand — a jointing sand that hardens slightly when wetted — is the most effective long-term solution; it discourages weed seed germination and resists ant excavation. As a lower-cost alternative, press ordinary dry sand into joints and apply a weed-suppressing edge gel annually. Avoid cement mortar between pavers unless the run is completely straight: slight ground movement will crack rigid mortar joints within a season or two.