Using raised garden beds to grow fruit and vegetables, or even plants, flowers and shrubs is a great idea for those of us who struggle to get down low to the ground or those of us who prefer a low maintenance garden with less weeding.
Here are some great examples of raised beds you can steal for your own garden design.
These beds make a lovely geometric pattern, and they’re more interesting than the traditional box shape. With two different shapes, the beds get the maximum amount of space without being too big to reach over. They’re not very high, but enough to keep ground pests away.
This is the ideal raised bed for someone with back issues because it’s very tall. The design also uses a concrete base to prevent ground pests getting in with an above ground drainage area on the right so it doesn’t become water logged.
An easy way to section off your plants without making the beds too high. This is perfect for greens and herbs so keep them from getting out of control. The walkway between the two beds makes maintenance easier.
These raised beds are perfect for year round gardening as they can be covered in winter thanks to the pipe covers. The walkways are also raised so the beds are even deeper than they look at first.
These smart planters have finished outsides so make the beds look less DIY. By staining and sanding the outside they look more like a planter than a raised bed. The plants inside are a bit of a mess, but you could easily put whatever you wanted in there.
The blue corners on these are great for anyone who is clumsy and tends to bump into things since you can’t miss them. The bed itself is a simple boarded design but by adding the height to the stepped area it helps to break the space up and add height, making the space look bigger.
Like the previous planters these have also been finished up and stained. This is a good way to add a flower bed on a deck where there wouldn’t other wise be an option, just remember to have some drainage away from the deck boards to stop them getting rotten.
These are the simplest kind of DIY raised beds and use rebar, planking, and brackets. The wood will eventually rot even when treated though.
Nothing makes gardening more fun than a bright pop of color. This crazy pink contrasts totally with the green of the plants and the dark soil. It’s not for everyone, but you can paint the beds any color to match your garden tastes.
Raised beds using concrete are much harder to DIY because you need to create a “mold” for the concrete to sit in. This geometric version is like a giant plant pot and will keep ground pests out but be impossible to move or destroy without a big mess.
Lincoln logs make a more eye catching edging than simple boards. They look more professional and also add a rustic feel. The designs are also great for sloped areas because of how the logs stack.
With a sloped area you have the perfect opportunity to create stacked beds. By raising each bed separately you can keep with the ground slop but still have a level planting area. The blue color helps bring it all together and look finished.
Adding an inward plank can double the edge as a bench area but it can also protect the plant roots by limiting the amount of sunlight that gets to the soil. This prevents some of the evaporation and will keep plants moist longer.
A rather haphazard looking bed, the logs and brick look less regimental than clean cut wood but are necessary to access such a big area for maintenance.
Inside a greenhouse raised beds are essential because you won’t be able to dig through the floor. By removing the pavers inside you can get better drainage while still making it looks smart.
Weaving is an older way of creating raised beds. Sticks are woven horizontally between vertical poles creating a barrier to the soil. This is good for drainage but can also mean your soil will seep through too. Woven barriers will also rot fairly quickly since they’re not intended on being lined but this makes a very eco-friendly choice.
Raised beds are ideal for year round growing because you can build simple covers to fit which help protect plants from frost and weather. This is good for DIY gardeners who don’t want to buy a greenhouse.
These are the same basic raised beds using rebar and planking, however they’ve been painted so they look more professional and less DIY. By only keeping the path between beds small there’s more growing area.
Another example of a tall Lincoln Log design. This is also lined to protect the logs and help the bed last longer. The taller height will also be easier on gardeners with back problems.
These beds have an additional rail on them, great for gardeners who may need a hand up from getting down to ground level. The rail also has some aesthetic value.
A nifty way to add interest and protect from pests is to cover the soil with garden cloth, leaving only the plant growing through. Adding 45 degree planks will keep the cloth down, protect from pests getting in, and add interest for the eye. This strawberry tower also makes it easier to grow more since the berries will hang.
A corner area can be hard on potted plants with a lot of useless space to fit them in. By making it into a raised bed and seating area it becomes much more functional. The concrete edge means it is study enough to support a seat while trailing plants make it less stark and tall trees add height to make the area seem bigger
Blocks of wood rather than planks make these beds much more stable and will also make them last longer. You won’t see so much of the liner and it will be impossible for plants to “push out” the boards. You’ll need deck screws and strength to put these together.
Table beds are great for people with back issues but they’re only good for shallow growing plants. Since soil is heavy the boards can’t hold much and they will need to be lined (or consider growing in removable plastic trays).