Iowa Buff Edger Install Wraps Custom Home in West Des Moines

This was a big one. We wrapped the entire perimeter of a custom home in West Des Moines with a long, continuous run of Iowa buff edgers - and the result is exactly what you'd hope for on a home like this. Clean lines, smooth curves, and a border that ties the whole landscape together before a single bag of mulch even hits the ground.

Iowa buff is a great material choice for a home like this. The warm, light tone works naturally with the exterior - whether you're dealing with white lap siding or light stone - and it holds its definition over time. That matters. You want edging that still looks sharp two or three seasons from now, not something that shifts, cracks, or blends into the surrounding soil.

What made this one interesting was the scale. Running edgers around a home this size means you're navigating a lot of grade changes, corners, window wells, and bed transitions. Getting smooth, consistent curves across all of that takes real attention to detail. We also had plants already in the ground along several stretches, so placement had to work around existing beds without losing the flow of the line.

The mulch is still on its way, but the bones are in place. That's actually the best way to see work like this - before the mulch covers everything up. You can really appreciate how the edging defines each bed, separates the landscape from the surrounding bare soil, and sets the stage for everything else that goes on top of it. Once the mulch drops, it's going to look sharp. Big thanks to Ryan at Serenity for the partnership on this one - it's a fun home to be a part of.

Good edging is one of those things that doesn't get enough credit. It does real work - keeping mulch in place, giving beds clean separation, and making maintenance easier year after year. On a custom build, it's also one of the first things people notice when they pull up. Getting it right from the start is worth it.