Whether it's a flower garden or an area of covered mulch, landscaping designs look best when they are neat and contained. Children playing, curious pets and high winds can all interfere and create a cluttered mess, having a negative impact on the overall look of your home's exterior. Fortunately, there are several practical things you can do to keep your area looking neat.

Choose The Right Mulch

When it comes to keeping mulch contained, you need to start with the right type of mulch. When choosing mulch, its look is only the beginning of the selection process as certain mulches work better in certain environments. For instance, if you live in an area that experiences heavy rain, pine straw will be a better option.

Pine straw has small pointy structures on its side that lock together and cause the straw to intertwine. This locking design makes it harder for the mulch to drift away during periods of heavy rain. On the other hand, if you live in a high wind area, a nugget or chip mulch is better because it is heavier.

Create A Slope

Consider creating somewhat of a slope around the landscaped area. For instance, create a slope that lowers the covered area even just a few inches. In the event a child or pet is playing in the area or there is wind or rain, the mulch or rocks will be less likely to blow all over the place.

This idea is an especially good option if you have limited space and don't have a lot of room to add edging or some other border structure. Just make sure you are incorporating drainage to prevent the water from pooling.

Incorporate Edging

One of the best things you can do to keep your landscaped areas contained is to incorporate edging. While small fences and rocks are popular options, treated timber is another great option to consider that isn't used as often.

In addition to great style, treated timber, such as from Jensen  Tiewalls, is another great option because of its ability to blend naturally with just about any type of environment, durability and lower cost compared to other options. Additionally, since the timber can be cut in any style, it can be set in any pattern or design you like to match your layout and keep the area contained.

Make sure you are incorporating design tips that will keep your landscaping design neat and contained through anything.