The subreddit r/landscaping is the place to go for many Redditors seeking gardening advice, especially when a new project isn't working out. 

Several months back, a Redditor sought advice on some frustrating landscape edging, saying, "It's useless and does nothing good."

The unfortunate gardener chose plastic garden edging, which is notorious for its lack of stability. 

Worse, it's non-biodegradable, as it is manufactured using petroleum-based materials, and it eventually degrades into microplastics, contaminating the surrounding soil and water. 

It's not much better than landscape fabric and does its job poorly. So, why use it? Most consumers probably aren't aware of how flimsy the material is, along with other, more significant drawbacks. 

It's marketed as a budget-friendly garden border, often accompanied by carefully tailored pictures that make it look resplendent, surrounding a lush garden. 

Some semblance of garden symmetry is an understandable goal, but there are better ways. In terms of budget-friendly alternatives, choosing native plants significantly cuts into labor and edging, since plants in their natural environment need far less maintenance and trimming. 

Crafting garden edging out of natural stone or untreated wood is more aesthetically pleasing and holds its own better than plastic alternatives. 

Living edging is even better, especially with native plants like crowberry, butterfly weed, calico aster, and beach morning glory, depending on regional nativity.

Native plants as a gardening and living edging choice promote sustainability by reducing water use and supporting local wildlife, like pollinators. 

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That last is an important point. Native bee populations are under threat, as the Center for Biological Diversity observed. Meanwhile, a study published in the journal Royal Society Open Science noted that monarch butterfly populations are on the decline. Other important pollinators are also facing habitat loss. 

Sounds like a simple decision between native plants and living edging or plastic garden edging. That's where subreddits like r/landscaping come into play, spreading the word on the inefficiency of plastic garden edging and the harm it creates. 

Plastic alternatives remain popular because they are very affordable, but too few are unaware of the significant drawbacks. Change comes with time and the accurate dissemination of information. 

Fortunately, plenty of people on Reddit were willing to share their experiences: "This is a downside of the plastic trim, it'll never straighten out." 

Another frustrated Redditor shared the same: "I ended up ripping it out of my yard. It's useless and does nothing good to keep an edge." 

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