I love Bamboo's answer. Just wanted to add this link I found...THIS is the only thing I have used or will use for edging between plant beds and lawns. A little trench. There is nothing better.

Your little plants are not happy mainly because of the bark. That stuff is NEWLY dead? Everything that dies has to decompose. The very next thing that happens seconds after death. The group that does this job are a vast array of bacteria, fungi, insects. They have to have readily available nitrogen for energy to do their job. Raw bark chips suck up what little nitrogen there is to be had in any soil. Soil doesn't come with the chemistry necessary for photosynthesis. Not enough for humans to be able to make their artificial gardens, food.

This video is made by...a company I do not trust but this is how I've always made the edges of lawns (which is what the eye sees as long as the color and texture of the lawn is somewhat uniform). So easy. No need for concrete, plastic edging. edging a lawn between plant beds

I love Bamboo's answer. Just wanted to add this link I found...THIS is the only thing I have used or will use for edging between plant beds and lawns. A little trench. There is nothing better.

Your little plants are not happy mainly because of the bark. That stuff is NEWLY dead? Everything that dies has to decompose. The very next thing that happens seconds after death. The group that does this job are a vast array of bacteria, fungi, insects. They have to have readily available nitrogen for energy to do their job. The process of decomposition of raw bark chips sucks up what little nitrogen there is to be had in any soil. Soil doesn't come with the chemistry necessary for photosynthesis. Not enough for humans to be able to make their artificial gardens, food.

This video is made by...a company I do not trust but this is how I've always made the edges of lawns (which is what the eye sees as long as the color and texture of the lawn is somewhat uniform). So easy. No need for concrete, plastic edging. edging a lawn between plant beds

That mulch is disgusting but this video shows how I've made edges for 'half a century'...love saying that. These trenches need to be maintained once a year using that same shovel, throwing the soil that has filled the trench back onto the top of the bed. This should be done when planning a new mulch install. Do before the mulch is installed.

Go check to see if your municipalities offer human poo and sawdust mulch. This is the ONLY mulch I would use and yes, at first it took some doing to get clients to make the leap. They were blown away, my crews were blown away, I was blown away, absolutely perfect fine fine texture dark taupe color no sticks no stones no weedseeds and no pesticide residue. SMELLS wonderful. Not at all the same composition at all. Thoroughly decomposed and tested FIVE times before allowed to be sold to the public. Check it out.

Also, there should be 2" minimum air space between the bottom of your fence and any soil, weeds or mulch. Or you'll be replacing your fence sooner than later.

I'll add a visual of 'plant beds' and lawn, sweeping consistent radius curves using those little trenches...notice the peninsula of plant bed cutting off the view of the entire lawn. THAT is professional. Makes your yard more mysterious, more usable. You do not want to see your entire back yard at one glance from your back yard. Ditto for the front.