How Edging Contributes to Garden "Legibility" - December 2025

Earlier this year, I posted a couple of pieces on the notion of 'legibility' in the garden.  It was new (to me) and as part of learning about it, I wrote out my thoughts, researched what other people were saying and then followed-up with a post that outlined what Dr. Jared Barnes has created in his list of 'elements' that create garden legibility.

Here are the seven elements (or components) of Garden Legibility (via Dr. Jared Barnes):

1. Clean edges
2. Desire lines and paths
3. Primary and secondary axes
4. Sightlines
5. Focal points
6. Entrances
7. Seeing over plantings

Clean edges includes cut-edging, but also installed edges.  I've written about garden edges a number of times over the years.  Here, here, here and here. 

Most recently, I was drawn to this timber-edging from a YouTube gardener and thought about using it as a retaining-wall(ish) under the Greenspire Lindens.  I still think that's a good idea (note for 2026 projects), but I was pointed to AgriFrames by Erin the Impatient Gardener (Note:  I learn so much from her Instagram) and began to poke around on their site. 

Agriframes makes 'garden structures' including metal arches, pergolas, arbors, obelisks, plant supports and metal edging.  The metal edging is what caught my eye right away.  Here's a link to their Elegance Lawn and Border Edging four-pack of metal pieces.    Here's how they describe it:

Our metal lawn edging, made up of mini gothic arches, look charming in front of low flowering borders. Simply stake our elegance lawn border edging into the ground. Each length simply hooks into another to form a row.

Product legs are designed to be inserted 6 inches (15cm) into the ground. Heights indicated are above ground heights after installation.

And...it comes in "Go Away Green".  That's not what they call it, but that's what *I CALL IT*. 

Here's a photo:

Via Agriframes

Each section is 16" wide, so the 4-pack is 62" long.  Just over five feet for $50.  

I'm thinking about where I can use this along the lawn and beds - maybe the back patio beds that I'm (supposed to be) extending this Winter?