That depends on where you live and how protected your garden is from winds. In my Washington State garden the chips are often moist from rain and do not blow about. I use a border for a tidy look when I use the chips for a pathway but also just layer them down without a border for woodland walks. If the chips are cedar not hardwood chips from a tree service I would not recommend them on a garden or flower bed as the oils in cedar repel water. Save the cedar chips for pathways  where nothing needs to grow. Wood chips or arborist mulch are fine for around trees and shrubs. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti