This Hawke’s Bay project is a large residential garden with one consistent requirement across the entire site. Every edge needed to stay clean, defined, and in place long-term.
With wide lawn areas, decorative stone, and multiple planting zones, there were “many, many metres of edging” to manage, making Graeme and Alex’s The Open Gate project an excellent example of what happens when garden edging is done properly. Instead of blending into the background, the edging becomes a feature that holds everything together. Lawn, garden beds, and pathways all stay defined, and the whole space feels intentional.
Set across a generous residential section, the landscape combines sweeping curves, tight transitions, and multiple materials. With that level of complexity, the risk is always the same. Without a solid edging system, lines soften, materials shift, and the finish starts to break down over time.
At this scale, inconsistent solutions don’t hold. You need one system that works the same way everywhere.
Just as importantly, it needed to be done once. Not revisited, not patched, not reworked.
The original garden design wasn’t built around straight lines. It relied heavily on curves, transitions, and defined separations between materials.
As noted during planning, if you want clean lines between lawn and stone, or lawn and garden beds, the edging system must accommodate those curves properly.
Traditional timber boxing becomes a problem here:-
For this project, accuracy mattered. Edges needed to hold a consistent level and height across the full site, not just look tidy on install day.
SNAP-IT™ was used as a single, continuous garden edging system across the property.
The key advantage was flexibility without losing control:-
Where angles went beyond standard 45° and 90° elbows, the system was adapted. Channels were cut at connection points and rebar run through to lock everything in place. This allowed more acute angles without compromising strength or alignment.
The result is a system that follows the design, rather than forcing the design to adapt.
Learn more about how the SNAP-IT™ system works:-
The installation process followed a simple sequence:-
The full process ran over approximately a week once installed and filled.
A key advantage noted during install was the ability to lay out the system first. This allowed the full garden layout to be visualised before committing to concrete, reducing the risk of rework.
There were also practical learnings:-
Concrete placement via wheelbarrow and a pourable cup is workable but slower
Hiring a concrete pump would improve efficiency on larger jobs
Finishing edges requires care, particularly when removing excess concrete
These aren’t limitations of the system. They’re typical of any concrete-based edging approach. The difference is that SNAP-IT™ keeps the structure consistent while you work.
View the full SNAP-IT™ installation guide:-
A critical component of the install is reinforcement.
Rebar is used throughout to provide strength and stability, helping prevent movement and cracking over time.
This is where SNAP-IT™ separates from timber boxing:-
Timber can warp, shift, or degrade
SNAP-IT™ creates a fixed, reinforced edge
Once cured, the structure holds its shape
For a project of this size, that long-term stability is essential.
The finished result reflects the original plan, not a simplified version of it.
Curves flow the way they were intended. Edges stay sharp between lawn, garden beds, and aggregate. Transitions around decks and features are clean and deliberate.
More importantly, it all ties together as one system. The same lawn edging runs across the entire property, so there’s no visual break or mismatch between areas.
It looks right because it was built right.
See more SNAP-IT™ garden edging projects:-
One of the clearest takeaways from this project is simple.
It’s all in the planning.
For homeowners, especially those working with curves or multiple zones, the ability to plan before installation makes a significant difference.
The SNAP-IT™ Builder allows you to:-
Graeme and Alex didn’t have access to this during their project. With it, the process becomes faster and more predictable.
If your project is straight, small, and simple, most edging options will work.
If your layout includes:-
You need a system that can handle all of it without compromise.
That’s where SNAP-IT™ performs.
Clean lines, accurate levels, and a structure that holds its shape over time.
