Designing with raised garden beds has become increasingly popular with home gardeners and landscape designers. Raised beds can fit any style or space, providing visual interest and a beautiful, productive focal point. They can also make your garden more accessible. In this guide, we’ll share important design concepts we’ve learned from more than three decades of raised bed gardening. Landscaping with raised beds is easy and satisfying.
Raised garden beds are extremely popular for growing vegetables, herbs, flowers and other plants. They provide better drainage, richer soil, and help reduce back strain from bending over at ground level.
But a beautiful raised bed garden requires more than just the beds themselves. You also need to consider how to landscape the areas surrounding the raised beds to create an aesthetically pleasing, cohesive design.
Proper landscaping around raised beds can make your garden look neat, deter weeds, prevent soil erosion, and help unite different elements. In this guide, we’ll explore several key landscaping techniques to enhance your raised bed garden.
Use Gravel or Mulch for Pathways
Pathways make it easy to navigate between your raised beds. Covering these pathways helps suppress weed growth and creates a finished look.
Gravel is an excellent choice for garden pathways Pea gravel provides a tidy appearance and crunches nicely underfoot, Larger gravel pieces or crushed stones also work well The weight and density of gravel help block sunlight from reaching potential weeds, Gravel comes in various natural colors to match your garden’s style,
Wood mulch is another great option for covering the ground around raised beds. It has a softer texture and natural appearance. Mulch made from wood chips or bark pieces will gradually break down and enrich the soil. Ensure any wood mulch used is untreated.
Aim for 2-3 inches of gravel or mulch on pathways for best results. Deepening the layer slightly over time helps maintain weed suppression. Keep pathways at least 3 feet wide for comfortable foot traffic.
Incorporate Edging
Adding defined edges around raised beds gives your garden a polished look. Edging keeps the soil and mulch neatly contained. It also prevents gravel or mulch on paths from drifting into your planting beds.
Landscape timbers made from cedar or pine can edge raised beds or gravel pathways. Their straight edges and rustic style suit many garden designs. Install them snugly end-to-end and stake well.
Aluminum garden edging has a crisp, smooth appearance. This type of rigid edging is easy to install in curves or straight lines. Look for edging with loops to stake down.
Plastic lawn edging is the most budget-friendly option. Black is popular for a subtle look. Green lawn edging blends into grassy areas. Scalloped plastic edging adds decorative flair.
Stacked bricks or stones make charming old-fashioned edging. This does take more time and work to install. Ensure bricks or stones are snugly butted together and buried halfway into the ground.
Plant Ornamental Grass for Vertical Interest
Ornamental grasses add pleasing texture and natural style to garden landscapes. Many varieties produce showy plumes towering above the lower plants.
Position ornamental grasses strategically beside or behind raised beds. They help draw the eye upward and add depth. Grasses planted along hardscaping like fences or trellises make them appear softer and less imposing.
Some top ornamental grasses for raised bed gardens include miscanthus, panicum, pennisetum, stipa and calamagrostis species. Plant them in spring or fall. Cut them back yearly before new growth emerges.
Ensure adequate sunlight and allow enough space between plants for the grass to reach its mature width. Most ornamental grasses prefer well-draining soil similar to raised beds.
Include Trellises and Obelisks
Adding vertical structures amidst raised beds provides strong visual appeal. Trellises allow vining crops like beans, cucumbers and peas to grow upward. Ornamental vines like clematis or morning glory cover them beautifully.
Simple A-frame trellises made from wood or metal make great supports at the back or ends of raised beds. Use one trellis per bed or join two together to form a tunnel over pathways.
Obelisks planted centrally in beds give height and elegance. Use an open metal obelisk for flowering annual vines. Top a stone obelisk with a large container trailing flowers or succulents.
An arched trellis makes a stunning garden entryway. Plant both sides densely with flowering vines or climbing roses trained along the top. Position benches or containers underneath.
Ensure supports are well anchored and tall enough for the mature size of your climbing plants. Trellises and obelisks complement both cottage style and contemporary gardens.
Place Flowering Container Plants
Decorative containers filled with colorful annuals or perennials help tie landscape elements together. They inject bursts of blossoms and foliage where needed most.
Place containers by garden entryways, along edges, or at the ends of beds. Match planter colors and styles to other hardscaping for cohesion. Use trellised containers to maximize vertical space near beds.
Some favorite flowering container plants include:
- Petunias
- Geraniums
- Begonias
- Marigolds
- Zinnias
- Sunflowers
- Herbs like basil and parsley
Avoid invasive plants. Keep containers well watered and fertilized. Switch out plantings seasonally for continued color.
Add Hardscape Features and Furnishings
Hardscaping and garden décor provide finishing design touches around raised beds. They create additional visual interest and useful spaces to relax or store tools.
Garden benches placed near beds offer a spot to rest while tending plants or admire your efforts. Stone, teak, or metal benches withstand the elements.
Small fountains or birdbaths add pleasant sounds of splashing water. Position them centrally among multiple beds or near seating areas.
Stepping stones through mulched areas help navigate after watering when paths are muddy. Use naturally shaped stone pavers or vivid mosaic tiles.
An arched garden gate offers an inviting entrance. Paint or stain it a bright accent color to complement flower hues. Install matching gates at shed or tool storage areas.
Leave Open Areas for Play or Dining
While lush planting beds provide joy, also allow open spaces for family activities and furnishings. Lawns, patios and decks integrate nicely with thoughtfully placed raised beds.
Keep play areas safely away from hard structures. Level, grassy spots are ideal for kids’ activities and sports or pets to roam.
An outdoor dining set surrounded by beds creates a lovely spot for meals with views. String lights overhead to illuminate evening gatherings. Extend your patio or deck out among planted beds.
Follow Design Principles
Some key points to keep in mind for a cohesive layout:
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Stick with a consistent style, whether modern, cottage, or traditional
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Repeat elements like materials, colors, shapes, and textures
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Ensure good proportion between beds, paths, and furnishings
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Allow enough functional space for activities between beds
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Site tallest elements like trellises to avoid shading other plants
Proper landscaping ties your entire garden together into a pleasant, enjoyable space. With these design tips, your raised beds will be both productive and magnificently framed. Let your unique personality and preferences shine through in the features you select. Most importantly, create an outdoor sanctuary to nurture your soul as well as your garden.
Add vertical elements to your beds
Adding vertical elements to your raised bed garden can be a great way to maximize your growing space and add visual interest to your landscape. Trellises, pergolas, arbors and obelisks can be used to support climbing plants, both edible and ornamental. This not only saves space in your garden but also allows your plants to grow upward, maximizing their exposure to sunlight.
When incorporating vertical elements into your garden, consider their location carefully. Place trellises and other supports on the north or east side of your garden beds to ensure that they don’t shade other plants. Also be sure to place them where they won’t block access to other areas of your garden, such as walkways or seating areas. Additionally, consider the height of your vertical elements and make sure they are tall enough to support your plants as they grow.
Sunshine is one of the most important factors to consider when installing any type of garden. Most plants require at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day to thrive. When selecting a spot for your raised bed, consider the orientation of your space and choose a location that receives the most sunlight throughout the day, unless you’re aiming for a shade garden.
Important design considerations for your garden
Before you dive in to our suggestions above, consider the following tips for harmonious, practical design and how to design a landscape bed.
Lumber Dealers Don’t Want You To Know About This SECRET WOOD For RAISED BED GARDENING
FAQ
How to landscape with raised beds?
Place raised beds around the perimeter of your outdoor space: Create a natural and productive boundary using single or stacked beds. You can also use taller raised beds or elevated planters to create a border between your space and the surrounding area.
What should I line the sides of my raised garden bed with?
“You can line your raised bed to make it more durable and to prevent toxics from leaching into the soil. For lining, use landscape fabric found at gardensupply stores or cloth fabric from clothing. Avoid non-porous plastic, as it can retain too much water and discourage beneficial insects and worms.”
What is a raised garden bed?
Here are the most common: Soil: A raised garden bed allows you to control your soil more, building it up with compost and the topsoil of your choice, but some plants and flowers prefer the native soil you would find in an in-ground bed. Raised beds also tend to provide better drainage.
What can you do with a raised bed?
Using tall plants or trellises within the raised beds can help further enclose the space. Use raised beds to create garden rooms: Use raised beds to divide your outdoor space into different areas, such as an outdoor dining area, a seating area, and a vegetable garden.
Why should you build a raised garden bed?
Raised bed landscaping can help deter weeds and give your garden a personal touch. After building a raised garden bed, the prettier it is, the more likely you’ll want to spend time out there tending to your veggies. This is one of the 5 pretty landscaping ideas for your raised beds.
Where can I find a design guide for raised garden beds?
For a design guide on raised gardens, see Hardscaping 101: Raised Garden Beds. Above: Photograph courtesy of Sam Tisdall Architects. In London, architect Sam Tisdall designed a tiny 800-square-foot house with an enormous vegetable garden in raised beds in the front yard. For more, see Garden Visit: The Little House at No. 24a Dorset Road.
What are the benefits of a raised garden bed?
There are many benefits of a raised garden bed, including: What Plants Thrive in a Raised Garden Bed? “Anything can be grown in a raised bed, especially when you control the soil,” says Blythe Yost, co-founder and chief landscape architect at Tilly Design. Among the most common plants are:
What can you grow in a raised bed garden?
Herbs are the plants of choice in this photo, but you can grow anything using the spiral design. One of the easiest ways to create raised bed gardens is by using animal feeding troughs. No assembly is required, but drill some drainage holes in the bottom before adding the soil.