Use a spade to create an edge

Use a flat spade to make a clean, deep garden edge. Cut the edge 4 to 8 inches deep, and remove a spade-width of soil.

I use a spade to edge the turf areas in the Japanese garden I maintain. The vertical cut makes a crisp, shadowed line that, to me, is more refined than metal, wood, brick, stone, or plastic edging. It is also less expensive and can be easily maintained by an occasional trimming with a power edger or even a pair of grass shears.

To cut the edge, I use a nursery spade—a short-handled tool with a straight rectangular blade—but any similar spade will do. (Avoid blades with rounded backs or points to keep the edge straight.)